Winning Proposal to Build 105 Affordable Housing Units and Arts and Community Space at Former Lincoln Correctional Facility

Partnership Led By Infinite Horizons, L+M Development Partners, Urbane, and Lemor Development Group Will Transform Lincoln Correctional Facility Into Dynamic Hub for Housing and Community Spaces

Part of Governor Hochul’s Bold Vision to Address New York State’s Housing Crisis Through Executive Action – Including Initiative to Repurpose State-Owned Sites as Housing

Also Builds on Recommendations of the Prison Redevelopment Commission to Reimagine Underutilized Jails and Prisons

Governor Kathy Hochul today unveiled Seneca, the selected proposal to redevelop the former Lincoln Correctional Facility in Manhattan. This proposed project would invest over $90 million in Harlem, bringing 105 affordable homeownership units, community spaces, and jobs with ambitious MWBE contracting and local hiring goals, all of which would contribute to the enduring prosperity of the Harlem community. A 65 percent Minority-Owned Business Enterprise partnership led by Infinite Horizons, L+M Development Partners, Urbane, and Lemor Development Group has been conditionally designated to transform the 10,000-square-foot property to deliver affordable homeownership and community-centric spaces.

“This announcement brings us one step closer to transforming the former Lincoln Correctional Facility in New York City into a vibrant, mixed-use development with more than 100 affordable new homes,” Governor Hochul said. “As part of my commitment to increasing New York’s housing supply, my administration is continuing to follow the recommendations of the Prison Redevelopment Commission and reimagine what’s possible at underutilized jails and prisons. Soon, this project will unlock tools to help us address the housing crisis, create jobs, and improve New Yorkers’ quality of life, and I look forward to working with the development team to bring it to fruition.”

Now envisioned as Seneca, this reimagined site would fuse affordable homeownership with arts and culture to become a vibrant community hub in Harlem. The Seneca project builds on the Governor’s bold vision to address New York’s housing crisis, including through the Pro-Housing Communities Program and Executive Order 30, which catalyze barrier-breaking approaches to accelerate critically needed development.

Seneca is a visionary redevelopment proposal designed to unlock the full potential of the 10,000-square-foot site and deliver significant benefits to the Harlem community. Located on West 110th Street, the site sits directly across from Central Park and is close to transit, retail, schools, and premier cultural institutions. At the core of this transformative project are 105 affordable homeownership units, all of which would be affordable to households earning 80 percent and 100 percent of area median income (AMI) and require only a 5 percent down payment to purchase, offering an invaluable opportunity to build wealth through property ownership. Creating affordable homeownership opportunities in Harlem would advance social mobility and equity in the community and have a powerful transformational impact on each family at Seneca for generations to come.

The proposed project will be sponsored by Empire State Development under a General Project Plan, will undergo environmental review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, and will be presented for public review and comment prior to its final consideration and approval.

Beyond housing, Seneca would also serve as a vibrant hub of artistic, cultural, and educational initiatives to enrich and engage the Harlem community. Through collaborations with community partners, the ground floor will be activated with a mix of programming. This includes opportunities for youth to develop artistic skills, flexible spaces for diverse exhibitions focused on educational initiatives centered around social justice and equity, and a dedicated library and reading area.

As New York State works to expand its affordable housing stock, ventures like Seneca provide a model for how to re-purpose decommissioned prisons into inclusive communities centered on affordable housing, jobs, arts, culture, and education. Lincoln Correctional Facility closed in 2019 as part of the State’s initiative to redevelop underutilized correctional institutions. In December 2022, Governor Hochul released the New York Prison Redevelopment Commission recommendations that detail analyses of 12 closed prisons and consider redevelopment opportunities for each site to help them better serve the State’s economic needs. By transforming this vacant Harlem correctional facility into 105 affordable residences with vibrant community spaces, the redevelopment advances Governor Hochul’s vision to bolster accessible housing as well as empower residents and breathe new life into neighborhoods across New York.

Repurposing State Land for Housing
Governor Hochul announced a package of executive actions earlier this year to promote housing growth as part of an ongoing commitment to increasing the housing supply and addressing New York’s housing crisis. As part of that package, the Governor directed state agencies to review lands in their ownership and control and determine whether those sites can be used for housing. In addition to today’s announcement, Governor Hochul has announced requests for proposals to redevelop the former Bayview Correctional Facility and Javits Center’s Site K in Manhattan and the former Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill.

Governor Hochul has also worked closely with the Queens Borough President to explore potential new uses, including housing options, at the former Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Eastern Queens.