New York Construction Report staff writer
Hostos Community College will expand its health care programs with a new life sciences facility at the historic Bronx General Post Office, backed by $12.3 million in city funding and a $70 million renovation by developer BPO Owner LLC.
The project, announced by the City University of New York (CUNY) and city officials, will transform the landmark building at 558 Grand Concourse into a modern Allied Health and Natural Sciences Life Sciences Center. The facility will include instructional labs, classrooms, faculty offices and student spaces, and is expected to serve up to 5,000 students per semester when it opens in fall 2028. Construction is set to begin in fall 2026.
“This is the realization of a decade-long ambition shared by the Bronx and Hostos communities,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “With more space, we will double the number of students eligible for meaningful careers as medical professionals, creating more avenues to New York’s thriving health care industry.”
Currently, more than 2,400 Hostos students are enrolled in allied health programs, including nursing, dental hygiene and radiologic technology. Nearly all students are required to take at least one natural science course. The new facility will allow the college to add programs such as surgical nursing, surgical technology, occupational therapy and home health care.
Hostos President Daisy Cocco De Filippis said the expansion will meet the growing demand for health care and STEM programs. “We are so excited to start renovating the building, developing new programs and creating new opportunities for our students to progress socioeconomically,” she said.
The project stems from Hostos’ 2012 master plan, which identified a severe shortage of classrooms and labs. Officials said the new center will not only expand capacity but also modernize outdated labs that have limited students’ academic growth.
