Project Renewal celebrated the opening of Willow Tree Commons, a new 21-story development in Midtown Manhattan that brings permanent housing, emergency shelter, healthcare and supportive services together in one purpose-built community.
Located at 225 East 45th Street, Willow Tree Commons includes 130 supportive and affordable apartments, a 171-bed emergency shelter for women, and an on-site healthcare clinic that will serve residents, shelter guests and the surrounding community. The development replaces a women’s shelter Project Renewal operated at the site for nearly three decades in a building that was not originally designed as a shelter.
“Willow Tree Commons represents what we believe the response to homelessness should look like: a system built around helping people get home,” said Eric Rosenbaum, President and CEO of Project Renewal. “Shelter is essential when someone is in crisis, but it should be a step toward stability, not the endpoint. By bringing shelter, permanent housing, healthcare and services together, we can better support people as they rebuild their lives.”
Willow Tree Residences brings 130 new studio apartments to this midtown Manhattan location. The development has 79 permanent supportive homes for New Yorkers who have experienced homelessness and 51 affordable apartments for low-income New Yorkers. Residents have access to on-site case management, occupational therapy and community-building activities, as well as the Renewal Health Clinic at Willow Tree Commons.
The approximately $117.1 million development was created by Project Renewal in partnership with Monadnock Development and Dattner Architects. The development was also made possible with support from the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, NYC Housing Development Corporation, NYC Department of Homeless Services, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, NYC Human Resources Administration, Citi Community Capital, Red Stone Equity Partners, Deutsche Bank, Leviticus Fund and the Office of the Manhattan Borough President.
“We are thrilled to be able to provide new, high-quality affordable and supportive housing in Midtown Manhattan,” said HPD First Deputy Commissioner Adam Phillips. “Located in one of New York’s best-resourced neighborhoods, Willow Tree Commons represents a new standard of quality, dignity, and services for those who need it most. By combining permanent housing, an emergency shelter, and a healthcare clinic, this is the kind of innovative project that allows us to provide for the full continuum of needs for our fellow New Yorkers.”
The purpose-built development was designed to support these integrated uses within a single 21-story building.
“Holistic mixed-use projects like Willow Tree Commons are helping this administration deliver on a pro-housing and pro-affordability agenda,” said Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani. “Through the Mayor’s multifaceted Block by Block Housing Plan, DOB is actively pursuing targeted code reform aimed at lowering construction costs and reducing development timelines, which will help make ribbon cutting celebrations like the one today a much more frequent occurrence across the five boroughs. Congratulations to the Willow Tree Commons project team and our agency partners for this major addition of critically needed supportive and affordable housing to Midtown East.”
The development also includes Canopy House Women’s Shelter, a 171-bed emergency shelter serving women with mental health histories. This purpose-built shelter has a unique mix of services including case management, housing placement, an occupational therapy suite, recreational programs, culinary training, meal services, and direct access to the Renewal Health Clinic.
“Willow Tree Commons is the future of how New York City helps people out of homelessness, and we want to see more sites like it,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Erin Dalton. “Here, a shelter designed around the needs of the women who stay there sits alongside 130 supportive and affordable apartments, so they can see what permanent housing looks like and know it’s within reach. Health services and support are available at every step, reflecting our commitment to continuity of care and to helping New Yorkers move from crisis to stability. We’re grateful to Project Renewal for the vision that made it happen.”
The Renewal Health Clinic at Willow Tree Commons, an on-site Article 28 medical clinic, will offer primary care, psychiatry and dentistry to Willow Tree and Canopy House residents, as well as the surrounding community.
“Housing is a public health issue, and projects like Willow Tree Commons are essential to address the needs of neighbors struggling with serious mental illness or substance use, helping them on their path to stability with dignity,” said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin. “Onsite, voluntary services help supportive housing residents stay on top of bills, connect to resources, and engage in care through community. The Health Department is proud to contract with providers of more than 13,000 supportive homes across New York City, including those here at Willow Tree Commons.”
“Housing affordability is one of the most pressing challenges facing not only New York and other large cities, but also impacting communities all across our country,” said Edward Skyler, Head of Enterprise Services and Public Affairs, Citi. “As the nation’s leading affordable housing lender for 16 years, we’re proud to help finance developments like Willow Tree Commons, which shows how affordable housing paired with supportive services can create social stability for residents. We will continue to use our balance sheet to help improve economic opportunity in our hometown.”
“We are deeply honored to have partnered with Project Renewal to bring Willow Tree Commons to life. This building is more than bricks and mortar. It’s a place where people can find stability, dignity, and a real foundation to build the next chapter of their lives. I have no doubt it will change the lives of the people who call it home, and we’re proud to have played a part,” said Kirk Goodrich, President of Monadnock Development.
Project Renewal is committed to expanding permanent supportive and affordable housing for New Yorkers experiencing homelessness. This summer, the organization launched its Greater Futures Fund, with a goal of creating 1,000 additional housing units over the next decade.
“No New Yorker should have to choose between a shelter bed, a doctor, and a path to permanent housing. Willow Tree Commons brings those pieces together in one place and gives women experiencing homelessness something far more important than a temporary roof: a real pathway to stability, health, and independence. In the middle of a housing and mental health crisis, this is exactly the kind of investment New York needs more of. I’m proud to welcome 130 new supportive and affordable homes, a purpose-built women’s shelter, and comprehensive health care to District 4,” said Council Member Virginia Maloney.
“I am proud to have supported this project during my time on the City Council,” said New York State Assembly Member Keith Powers. “Project Renewal’s presence has long been an important part of Midtown, and this new community will build on that legacy by bringing transformative access to the care and stability New Yorkers need.”
Project Renewal is a New York City-based nonprofit organization that works to end the cycle of homelessness by empowering adults and children to renew their lives with health, homes and jobs. Project Renewal’s innovative programs are designed to end the revolving door of emergency rooms, jails, shelters and the streets. For more than 55 years, Project Renewal’s pioneering approach has created uniquely integrated and comprehensive programs that are replicated around the nation, helping even beyond the 16,000 homeless New Yorkers Project Renewal serves every year.
