Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. announced today that his office will allocate more than $2 million in capital funds to help support higher education institutions throughout The Bronx this year.
“I am committed to providing all the necessary resources the school system in The Bronx needs to help our students to strive for a higher education,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “We have always been known as ‘the borough of universities,’ and investing in our higher education institutions is imperative in order to provide a top-flight education for all of our residents.”
Funds will go towards improving Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance routes, as well as other improvements, for Bronx Community College’s Roscoe C Brown Jr. Student Center Hall of Fame Playhouse; upgrades for Hostos Community College’s Allied Health Building; converting 25 Lehman College classrooms into state-of-the-art “Networked Smart Classrooms,” as well as provide equipment for their Access & Technology Center; and renovating a new state of the art facility at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University.
In total, Borough President Diaz has allocated $2,138,000 million across four colleges and universities in FY18. Since 2009, Bronx Borough President Diaz Jr. has invested $13,142,000 in capital funds towards higher education.
“The Bronx is producing top-level talent that can compete in the job market with graduates from any higher learning institute in the country. That is why it is very important we invest in our colleges and universities,” said Borough President Diaz. “Bolstering our borough’s higher learning institutions, both at public institutions as well as private colleges and universities, not only provide The Bronx with a more highly-skilled work force that can compete in the global job market, but it also helps in bolstering our local and citywide economy in the long-term, helping our borough continue to build on the success of our current renaissance.”
“Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. funded two projects, whose funds will be matched by the state, that will help with additional needs be met so that we can operate at full capacity,” said Elizabeth Friedman, Director of Campus Planning for Hostos Community College. “We appreciate the Bronx Borough President’s support of Hostos Community College, who is helping make our buildings more energy efficient while also helping us maximize addressing the needs of our students.
“We are very grateful to Borough President Diaz for funding our Access and Technology Center,” said José Luis Cruz, Lehman College President. “These funds will enable us to deliver state-of-the-art assistive technology to a growing population of students with disabilities. Borough President Diaz has been a true partner in our efforts to expand educational opportunity to young people throughout the borough.”
“Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr has been a staunch supporter of Bronx Community College,” says Bronx Community College President Thomas A. Isekenegbe. “As a CUNY alumnus, he knows firsthand the importance and need for an elected official to support and invest in public higher education. For Fiscal Year 2018, the Borough President appropriated $500K for the renovation of the Hall of Fame Playhouse in BCC’s Roscoe C. Brown Student Center. This project will provide a fully accessible route from the Playhouse’s exterior entrance, through the lobby and onto the stage. It will also upgrade the telecommunications, AV systems, signage and mechanical equipment. This funding will have a positive impact on the BCC student experience. Our College is proud of the partnership we have with the Borough President and we are grateful for his years of friendship.”
“Thanks to Borough President Diaz, families across The Bronx that struggle with various forms of mental illness will continue to receive the treatment they need at the Parnes Family Psychological and Psychoeducational Services clinic at Yeshiva University’s Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology,” said Phil Goldfeder, assistant vice president for Government and Community Affairs at Yeshiva University. “This critical investment will allow us to build a new mental health clinic to enhance services and increase our capacity to serve additional residents. The new state-of-the-art clinic will include 17 assessment and therapy rooms, as well as space for conducting play therapy with children, group therapy, and a patient waiting area. Families deserve a mental health clinic that can effectively provide for the community and prepare our students for the future and with this investment, we are another step closer to a stronger Bronx.”
This year, Borough President Diaz’s office has provided $58,718,000 in total capital dollars across 146 projects. Since coming to office in 2009, Borough President Diaz has provided $248,646,000 in total capital funding to 725 projects.
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