Construction has officially concluded at 419 East 91st Street, marking the completion of a long-awaited eight-story homeless shelter on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The project, designed by J Frankl Architects and developed by Kasra Sanandaji of Apex Investments, brings roughly 16,000 square feet of new supportive housing to a dense residential corridor between First and York Avenues.
The facility will provide 92 short-term beds for adult men and women under the operation of Services for the Underserved, offering an additional layer of support for vulnerable New Yorkers amid continued citywide shelter demand.
The newly completed structure features a clean, functional massing with setbacks on the two upper floors. Its gray cementitious façade is detailed with etched geometric window surrounds that give the building visual depth despite its compact footprint. The first floor is clad in black metal paneling, while a tall security fence lines the seventh-floor setback. A mechanical bulkhead rises along the western party wall, integrating building systems discreetly into the elevation.
The development replaces a deteriorating three-story brick building that had been vacant and in worsening disrepair for years. Apex Investments purchased the property for $14.9 million from Bayrock Capital as the neighborhood debated how the site should best be used.
Plans for the project date back to 2021, when it began under the name Safe Haven, a program designed to offer medical and psychiatric services, case management, and transition assistance. The original operator was expected to be Goddard Riverside, with a goal of opening in 2022.
However, the timeline was disrupted by significant community opposition, including resistance from neighboring property owner and restaurateur Eli Zabar, who owns several nearby buildings. Despite these objections, the project ultimately proceeded after navigating the public review and permitting process.
Inside, the building includes up to eight beds per floor, with stays expected to last no longer than 30 days, helping individuals stabilize before transitioning to more permanent solutions.
The facility also offers:
These amenities aim to promote stability, safety, and dignity for those utilizing the short-term shelter.
In addition to this Upper East Side development, Sanandaji has acquired a former school building at 160 West 74th Street on the Upper West Side, which is also slated for conversion into a homeless shelter. The two projects reflect a broader push to expand transitional housing capacity across Manhattan.
The nearest subway access is the Q train at 96th Street, offering swift north–south connections along the Second Avenue corridor.
Originally reported by Michael Young and Matt Pruznick in Newyork Yimby.
