NEW YORK, November 17, 2023 – Today, Bronx Community Health Network (BCHN) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for its new health and wellness diagnostic and treatment center in the Northeast Bronx. Renovations are starting soon to transform the location’s previously unoccupied 2-story building into a state-of-the-art outpatient medical, dental, and behavioral health center with associated support spaces. The center, located at 3763 White Plains Road, will mark a significant step forward in BCHN's mission to improve the health and well-being of the Bronx community for people of all races, genders, sexual orientations, income levels, and life circumstances.

“Our new health and wellness center is a much-needed resource for Bronx residents that will extend access to a wide array of affordable, evidence-based medical, behavioral health, and oral health care services,” said Dr. James Paine, Chief Executive Officer at Bronx Community Health Network. “From this new access point, we will also provide referrals to housing, jobs, and other socio-economic and human development services, as well as engage residents in activities that improve health outcomes, quality of life, and overall life expectancy.”

BCHN secured a long-term lease for the two-story, 11,000-square-foot commercial building, initiating a major capital improvement project to transform the space into a new Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). The project is set to be completed within six months, with occupancy and the commencement of patient visits scheduled for summer 2024.

The new health center’s service area will cover four zip codes, which currently span a total population of 263,436 persons, predominantly Black and Hispanic. According to data from the Health Resources & Services Administration’s Uniform Data System, approximately 38% of the expected patient population is designated low-income, and about 56.2% is medically underserved. BCHN's new health and wellness diagnostic and treatment center will serve approximately 6,700 patients in its first year, expanding to nearly 11,000 new patients by the third year of operation. It will also act as a source of employment for the community, with approximately 30 full-time jobs.

“In 2022, over a third of Americans had someone in their family who postponed healthcare because they couldn’t afford it. In the wealthiest country in the world, that is unacceptable,” said Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16). “Community health centers provide invaluable services to people who would otherwise have to choose between healthcare and other necessities. I am excited to see the difference that the Bronx Community Health Network’s new health and wellness center will make. Healthcare should be accessible and affordable for everyone, and this center will bring us closer to that goal.”

The center will offer comprehensive services, including medical, behavioral, and oral health care. Complementary health promotion, education, outreach, social support, care coordination and chronic disease management will also be provided along with pharmacy services. All patient services will be strategically located across the ground and second floor of the building, with a multipurpose space and conference rooms for community programming on the lower level.

BCHN has partnered with Denham Wolf Real Estate Services (Denham Wolf), a trusted real estate advisor serving the nonprofit community across New York City and beyond, to bring this vision to life. Denham Wolf has played a crucial role in supporting BCHN in assembling a team of consultants, negotiating contracts, and helping to facilitate the NYS Certificate of Need process for BHCN’s new health and wellness center. The planned renovations have been designed by DIGroupArchitecture, a minority-owned architecture and design firm, and an AIA NJ 2023 Firm of the Year, and NYC-based New York Engineers.

“It’s been very exciting working with the team at BCHN to help them not only construct their first stand-alone health center but also to support their growth as an organization,” said Jessica Stander, Director of Design at Denham Wolf. “We look forward to seeing more of BCHN’s projects come to fruition as the organization continues to provide quality healthcare to underserved areas of the Bronx.”

When completed, the new health center will expand BCHN’s footprint in the Bronx community and strengthen its efforts to deliver high-quality, affordable, evidence-based health care and related services in a culturally appropriate, patient- and community-centered environment.

About Bronx Community Health Network

Bronx Community Health Network (BCHN) is a not-for-profit, community-based organization and Federally Qualified Health Center founded in 1996 to ensure access to high-quality and comprehensive healthcare services. The organization provides a wide range of coordinated primary medical, social support, and enabling services for medically underserved/uninsured residents of the Bronx, through a network of 18 community- and school-based health centers. BCHN is committed to promoting disease prevention, early treatment, and healthy lifestyles.

Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration since 1997, BCHN has invested more than $200 million in Federal grants to support quality, affordable health care for Bronx residents regardless of their ability to pay.

About Denham Wolf Real Estate Services

An essential resource for the nonprofit community, Denham Wolf Real Estate Services provides expertise in transactions, development, and project management. Through these integrated services, the firm empowers organizations to take a thoughtful, mission-first approach to real estate. Denham Wolf has partnered with hundreds of diverse nonprofit organizations since its founding in 1998, shaping millions of square feet across New York City and beyond. For more information, visit: www.denhamwolf.com.

For press inquiries, please contact Eli Judge at ejudge@groupgordon.com

Additional Coverage: Bronx Times, ConnectCRE, Crain's Health Pulse, NYREJ