New Stories

June 27, 2024

Yesterday morning the new Inwood Branch of the New York Public Library officially opened. Local residents, elected officials, representatives of community organizations, NYPL officers and Branch staff came out to cut a ribbon for the occasion. The Eliza, Inwood’s new 100% affordable housing building, is located above the Joseph and Sheila Rosenblatt Building, home of the new Library. According to HPD, there were 80,000 applications for the 174 apartments there.

(l-r) Marx, Torres-Springer, Rodriguez.

NYPL President Tony Marx recalled sitting in the former NYPL Inwood Branch as a kid. “Take a walk around this neighborhood if you’re not from here. I’m from here. This was my library. Sixty years ago I sat in this spot, the son of immigrants.” He went on to marvel at not only the new library but at the affordable housing located above. Marx acknowledged the organizations that made it happen, including Robin Hood, CLOTH, Children’s Village, NYPL, and New York City agencies.

He noted former Inwood City Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez’s central role in the project. Marx referenced the controversial rezoning plan that Rodriguez championed despite intense opposition from local activists and said, “yeah, yeah, yeah, I’ve got the scars too. I’m with you, brother. It was hard.” Rodriguez said, “I am proud to see the transformative impact of our efforts. Together, we are making Inwood a vibrant, safe, and welcoming community for all.” Rodriguez is currently NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner.

“The Eliza provides much needed affordable housing and social infrastructure through a state-of-the-art public library that will offer families access to critical services, create opportunities for children to read and play, and build community. I want to thank all the partners that brought The Eliza to Inwood —projects like this are how we build not just more affordable housing, but homes for New Yorkers to thrive.” ~ Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer

New Inwood Branch of NYPL.

The innovative concept gained traction following an initial grant from Robin Hood made possible by a gift from Sam Rosenblatt, Sarah Goos, and Jill Gordon, honoring their late parents, Joseph and Sheila Rosenblatt. That initial donation was supported by a match from the City, propelling major commitments from a development team comprised of local not-for-profits and private entities, and with commitments for financing for The Eliza from HPD and HDC.

Located at 4790 Broadway, the site of the former stand-alone Inwood Library, this project includes a fully redeveloped public library, operated by NYPL, an extensive community learning, STEM and Teaching Kitchen center operated by CLOTH and The Children’s Village, and a universal Pre-Kindergarten facility operated by the New York City Department of Education (DOE).

(l-r) Carrión, Rosenblatt family, Kohomban, and Stennett.

“The Eliza is a great example of what the future looks like when we work together to creatively confront the city’s housing challenges,” said NYC Commissioner of Housing Preservation and Development, Adolfo Carrion Jr.

“We are thrilled to be part of this collaboration that brings the concept of ‘live, work, learn and play’ — often associated with luxury housing — to this beautiful racially integrated neighborhood of Inwood and to the affordable housing space.” ~Jeremy Kohomban, President and CEO of The Children’s Village.

“The project brings together key components that are the foundation for building a strong community: affordable housing, educational opportunities, health and wellness programming, and workforce development all under one roof. Residents will have a home that is beautifully designed with access to the services they need.” ~Yvonne Stennett, Executive Director of CLOTH (Community League of the Heights).

“The Eliza is a collaboration that shows the kinds of creative and effective solutions that are possible to address the needs of the community. Residents occupying 174 units will have affordable housing and they will have access to resources with the help of an NYC Public Library, a universal Pre-K facility, and a community learning space. This kind of holistic approach will allow Inwood residents to thrive, whether through education, wellness, or professional development, and simply by living in a cost-effective home. This could not have been done without the community partners who dedicated their time and resources to this project,” said NYS Assemblymember Manny De Los Santos.

“It was our father’s dream to enable every eager student in New York City to have a unique and quiet space to do their homework and prepare properly for school. Our mother was deeply committed to finding affordable housing for all New Yorkers and helping them out of the shelter system. It was truly a perfect fit for both of them when Robin Hood told us about this project. It is our hope that this project can be replicated many times over. We have all, from the very beginning, lovingly nicknamed this project ‘New Stories.’ Today, the site boasts a modern, state-of-the-art library, 174 deeply affordable housing units, and program space that will allow generations of residents, library patrons, and students to write the next chapter in their bright and hopeful new stories.” ~Samuel Rosenblatt, son of Joseph and Sheila Rosenblatt.