On an empty 4.4 acre lot along the Harlem River directly north of the 145th Street Bridge at 149th Street that was once to be part of Mill Pond Park, ground has finally broken ground for Bronx Point, a massive mixed-use development that will bring thousands of residential apartments as well as the permanent home of the Universal Hip Hop Museum and just under 2 miles from where hip hop was born.
First announced in 2016, the development plans eventually went on to include the home for the museum which has been seeking a permanent space in the borough and birthplace of Hip Hop.
Phase one construction of Bronx Point will create not just the 50,000 square foot permanent home of the Universal Hip Hop Museum but it will also bring with it 542 units of permanently affordable housing and 2.8 additional acres of Mill Pond Park which will open up more of the waterfront to the greater community.
The Billion Oyster Project will also run an outdoor science program focusing on the Harlem River. The organization just last year installed an oyster reef at the mouth of the Bronx River at Soundview Park comprising of 500,000 pounds of 15 million live oysters.
As for the residential units, there will be 135 studios, 192 one bedrooms, 122 two bedrooms, and 93 three bedroom units with a portion of units to be set aside for the formerly homeless.
Residents will be able to access amenities like a children’s playroom, fitness center, and an outdoor terrace along with a lounge, bike room and even a fitness center.
As for the Universal Hip Hop Museum, or UHHM as it’s known, it will offer a wide variety of programing that will not only serve as to document The Bronx’s place as the birthplace of Hip Hop but to also celebrate our place in history of this genre that was birthed by our borough and went on to become a global phenomenon and endures to this day almost 50 years later.
“For years, we’ve wanted a permanent home in The Bronx—the birthplace of hip-hop—and we are proud to be a part of Bronx Point, which will be one of the great new destinations of the borough,” said legendary Hip Hop artist Kurtis Blow who is also the Chairman Emeritus of UHHM.
“Hip-hop grew from a seed that was planted at a house party on Sedgwick Avenue into a global movement, and our museum will celebrate that journey and the Bronx’s place in its history. For all those who rose with us and followed in our footsteps: this museum will be for you, forever. We can’t wait to open our doors and welcome visitors from around the borough, the city, and the world to Bronx Point and the new home of hip-hop!” he added.
While all of this sounds good, it still doesn’t change the fact that the city stole land that was to be part of Mill Pond Park’s expansion nor should we forget.
Phase 1 and completion of the museum is scheduled to be completed by 2023 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the birth of Hip Hop with the entire development to be completed by 2025 provided that everything goes smoothly.
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