Minority-Owned DIGroup Architecture To Design One Of New York’s Federally-Qualified Health Centers

New Brunswick, NJ – DIGroup Architecture attended the ground-breaking ceremony of the future site of Urban Health Plan’s (UHP) new 52,000 square foot health care facility at 1095 Southern Boulevard in the Bronx (NYC). As one of the largest Federally-Qualified Health Centers in New York State, UHP, is expanding access to quality primary and specialized health care and programs designed to address some of the most critical health issues impacting Hunts Point and Longwood neighborhood residents. 

The new facility will help close a gap in accessing quality care for patients in this community who are in dire need of health services. It also brings economic development and environmental health benefits to the area as it is sited within a vacant property that required remediating from a dry-cleaning business, that was damaged by fire and demolished. 

DIGroup Architecture designed the interiors of the building, including 34 exam rooms, two clinical floors, patient specimen collection, staff offices, and staff amenity spaces of the 5-story health center. Construction completion is anticipated for the spring of 2024. 

According to Principal Bob Ryan; “Working with the leadership at UHP to help define the goals that support their clinical programs, is always a rewarding experience that consistently inspires us to design spaces that match the high level of care that UHP provides to the community.“ 

“Today’s groundbreaking represents a milestone for both Urban Health Plan and our community, said Paloma Hernandez, President, and CEO of Urban Health Plan. This new health center represents a huge step forward in increasing community access to primary care, critical specialty care services and innovative disease prevention programs. We thank everyone involved for their support and their steadfast commitment to this important project that will help us to continue our mission of improving each patients’ overall health and quality of life.” 

The new site is funded in part thanks to a capital grant of $20,332,403 provided by Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr., 17th Council District, The Bronx, and administered by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) also provided a capital grant for the project from its Capital Restructuring Finance Program (CRFP) of $4,499,653. The project is being financed by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) through the private placement of Tax-Exempt Bonds with Preston Hollow Community Capital (PHCC) and arranged by the investment bank of Roosevelt and Cross, which served as underwriters for the bond issue. 

Many local dignitaries were in attendance.