The Yemeni American Merchants Association (YAMA) was searching for a space to rent in the Bronx to house a new community center. However, searching for a building that would suit their needs proved to be challenging.
At a Bricks and Mortals membership meeting, Dr. Debbie Almontaser put out a call in search of available buildings to rent for YAMA. Dr. Debbie (a Faith member, members affiliated with a faith based organization) connected with Michael Tortorici a Founding Partner at Ariel Property Advisors (a General member, members in the real estate community), who answered the call with two buildings to potentially purchase located in Little Yemen in the Bronx, exactly where the organization was looking. The building that YAMA ended up buying is at 3305 Wallace Ave in the Bronx.
YAMA’s plans for the new building include a community center with offices, a community food pantry, ESL classes, computers, and educational programs. The community center is also hoping to fill a gap in the community which does not have a mosque in a 10 mile radius. This absence inspired YAMA to dedicate one floor of the new building as a mosque and space for worship to honor the building’s founders.
“The mosque will bring people together and also [bring them to] the Yemeni American Merchants Association,” says Dr. Debbie.
The grand opening for the community center was this past July 19th. Many dedicated elected officials, including Councilman Rafael Salamanca, Jr., Councilman Dr. Yusef Salaam, Bronx Borough President Hon. Vanessa L. Gibson, MPA, Comptroller Brad Lander, AG Letitia James, Chief of Staff for the Lt. Governor Amelia Adams, Senator Nathalia Fernandez, Senator Robert Jackson, and DA Darcel Clark, were in attendance.
The building was previously a convent and the building’s existing use under R4A zoning made it especially appealing to non-profit organizations. This interfaith element to this success story truly reflects the unity and collaboration between diverse communities, showcasing the potential for shared spaces to bridge gaps and foster understanding.
"Bricks and Mortals provided this platform for nonprofit leaders and real estate companies, architects and for people who are in this space [to connect]. We were able to save this building and turn it into religious development and community development,” says Dr. Debbie.
Funding was a significant hurdle, as it is for many faith-based organizations. At Bricks and Mortals we strive to provide a platform for nonprofit leaders to connect with a variety of industry experts to come together and build projects such as this one. Through this connection, two Bricks and Mortals members preserved this historic property, turning it into a hub for religious and community development.
The collaboration of these two Bricks and Mortals members, Ariel Property Advisors and YAMA, is exactly the type of partnership that Bricks and Mortals seeks to generate - partnering faith organizations with the specialized assistance they need to serve their mission and communities. Collaborations like this are imperative to creating exciting projects like this.
As we celebrate this triumph, it is a reminder that community development, interfaith collaboration, and perseverance can transform even the most challenging undertakings into opportunities for growth and unity.
Bricks and Mortals brings together religious professionals and advocacy organizations and plays an important role as convener to help congregations thrive in NYC. Become an exclusive Bricks and Mortals Member today to start receiving our ever growing benefits.
