Our Mission
With deep roots on the Lower East Side for over 40 years, Grand Street Guild is committed to providing safe, clean and well-maintained affordable housing and social programming to enhance the lives of all our residents. Grand Street Guild is proud to be a desirable place to live, for everyone from young families to seniors seeking an affordable and nurturing environment. We look forward to continuing our work to make New York City living affordable for our residents long into the future.
Who We Are
Grand Street Guild is a nonprofit organization that has provided affordable housing for hundreds of families on New York’s Lower East Side for over 40 years. Home to over 1,500 residents, our HUD-sponsored complex is composed of three 26-story towers, located at 410 Grand Street, 460 Grand Street, and 131 Broome Street. Social services provided by our professional staff range from senior activities in our recently-renovated community room to cultural programming in our outdoor amphitheater. Residents can enjoy quiet outdoor leisure time in our park-like open space with inviting benches, lawns and paths.
Leadership
Grand Street Guild is led by an all-volunteer Board of Directors, composed of professionals with a commitment to the future of the Lower East Side. Grand Street Guild Housing Development Fund Company, Inc., is a subsidiary of Catholic Charities. Grand Street Guild’s Board of Directors and staff are committed to maintaining an affordable modern, safe and enjoyable living environment for all.
Community Services
Our community and social service programs, funded by the Guild through our partnership with Catholic Charities, are managed on-site by Samuel Ortiz. Sam began his career as a youth counselor and program coordinator in the Bronx and moved on to become a case manager and Assistant Program Director at two of Catholic Charities sites before coming to Grand Street Guild.
Resident Engagement
The Grand Street Guild Residents Association is an active and engaged organization for current residents of our three buildings. It works together with management for the continuing safety, security and well-being of all residents.
Building Management
Wavecrest Management is a full-service property management company that oversees the operation of Grand Street Guild. With decades of experience in the real estate industry, Wavecrest manages over 300 buildings throughout the New York Metropolitan Area. Wavecrest specializes in the management of affordable rental housing, including Section 8 and tax credit properties.
Getting Here
Grand Street Guild is located on Manhattan’s historic Lower East Side. The complex is bounded by Clinton Street to the west, Pitt Street to the east, Broome Street to the north, and Grand Street to the south.
Access to mass transit is provided by Grand Street station, which serves the B and D trains, as well as the Delancey-Essex Street station, which serves the F, J, M, and Z trains. Families can board the M9 and M14 buses at a number of bus stops in close proximity. Seward Park and Luther Gulick Playground are within walking distance.
Our History
In the first half of the 20th Century, the area surrounding Grand Street Guild typically housed three-story flats. In the late 1960s, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sought to provide more affordable housing through the construction of taller complexes, partnering with local organizations on these developments.
The Archdiocese of New York’s St. Mary’s Parish, located on Grand Street, became a partner, sponsoring Grand Street Guild, and the organization’s volunteer Board of Directors was formed. Construction on the 600 new affordable apartments at 410 Grand Street, 460 Grand Street, and 131 Broome Street was completed in 1973. Today, the Grand Street Guild continues its affiliation with the Archdiocese as a member of the Association of New York Catholic Homes.
Evolving to Meet Resident Needs
Since its inception, Grand Street Guild has continued to enhance and update the three residential buildings and the surrounding green space. In 2009, Grand Street Guild initiated a HUD-approved $65 million renovation project. Spearheaded by award-winning planners, the massive rehabilitation project upgraded the landscape, remodeled all residential units in the three 26-story towers and improved community spaces across the complex.
The lobbies and entrances of all three buildings were renovated, as were kitchens and bathrooms in all 600 units. Every radiator was replaced, electrical systems were overhauled, all nine elevators were modernized, and the buildings’ steam systems were rebuilt to increase energy efficiency. Exterior renovations included work on the buildings’ facades, construction of two play areas for children and the introduction of paved walkways between buildings with low, decorative fences to clearly define the boundaries of Grand Street Guild. In addition, the architects designed an amphitheater with public performance space and a maintenance building to serve the entire complex.
This extensive rehabilitation transformed one of the Lower East Side’s most important projects and now stands as a proud reminder of how a project can be executed with residents in occupancy.
Relationship with HUD
Grand Street Guild is a multi-family residence that receives subsidies from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and is under a long-term contract to serve low-income tenants as a project-based Section 8 development. HUD continually awards Grand Street Guild with excellent marks for its management of these properties, and our Board of Trustees is committed to keeping Grand Street Guild affordable for years to come.
Contact
Grand Street Guild’s friendly staff is available to assist residents with any needs which may arise, 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. Please email or call our team and we’ll be glad to help.
If you have questions about …
Maintenance and Administrative Items: Apartment maintenance, common areas (such as the laundry room) or general services (such as garbage collection), or about your lease, rent payment schedule, or other administrative items:
Ramon Peña
Site Manager, Wavecrest Management
(212) 674-2820, ext. 306
rpena@twmt.net
Programming and Services: Learn more about programs, such as the Nutrition Access Center, and other events and services organized for residents’ enjoyment, such as art classes, family activities in the amphitheater and more:
Samuel Ortiz, Jr.
Community & Social Services Director
(212) 460-9539
samuel.ortiz@archny.org
Jeffrey Chen
Program Manager/Community Liaison
Office: (212) 674-2820; Cell: (646) 984-0167
Jeffrey.Chen@archny.org
Andrea Molina
Program Coordinator/Community Organizer
Office: (212) 674-2820; Cell: (646) 770-6598
Andrea.Molina@archny.org
Residents Association: Learn more about the activities of our active residents association.
Office located in 131 Broome Street
On Facebook: /GrandStreetGuildResidentsAssociation