LISC NY closes on $2.5m predevelopment loan for affordable housing project - The Seneca

Manhattan, NY LISC NY has closed a $2.5 million predevelopment loan to support The Seneca, a new affordable housing project that will replace the former Lincoln Correctional Facility across from Central Park. The project represents a milestone in New York’s effort to transform decommissioned state properties into community-centered developments that advance housing, opportunity, and economic mobility.

The loan, provided in partnership with the National Housing Trust, will enable the development team — MBE Seneca 110 Developer LLC, a joint venture of Infinite Horizons LLC, Urbane Development Group LTD, and Lemor Development Group LLC — to undertake critical predevelopment work at 31–33 West 110^th St. Once complete, The Seneca will deliver 105 affordable homeownership units and community spaces for Harlem residents. 

Bringing artistic, cultural, and educational programming for the community, and provide workforce and contracting opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals.

The development team was selected by Empire State Development (ESD) through a competitive RFP process to purchase and redevelop the former correctional site, which has served many roles since its construction in 1914 — from a Young Women’s Hebrew Association to a U.S. Army rest-and-relaxation center, a psychology research facility, and most recently, a shelter for asylum seekers.

“The Seneca exemplifies how visionary partnerships can transform places once defined by confinement into spaces of opportunity, creativity, and belonging,” said Christine O’Connell, senior director of capital investments & expanded markets at LISC NY. “LISC NY is proud to provide the predevelopment financing that makes this transformation possible — creating affordable homeownership, supporting Harlem’s cultural and economic vitality, and opening pathways for formerly incarcerated individuals to participate in the workforce and build their futures.”

The project’s name, The Seneca, pays homage to the deep history of Harlem and nearby Seneca Village — a 19^th-century Black community displaced to create Central Park — and underscores the team’s commitment to restorative development. Located just across from the park, The Seneca will be a beacon of what thoughtful redevelopment can achieve: a mixed-use community grounded in arts, education, and economic mobility.

The project also reflects the impact of LISC NY’s Developer Training Program, as both Infinite Horizons and Urbane Development Group are graduates, and Lemor Development Group has served as a coach and speaker within the program.