Brooklyn Developer to Convert Historic Harlem Church into 88 Apartments

Brooklyn-based developer Shimshon Grunstein is moving forward with plans to convert a former church in East Harlem into an 88-unit residential development. The site, located at 442 East 119th Street, previously housed the Roman Catholic Church of St. Paul and Holy Rosary. Grunstein acquired the property in an all-cash $5 million deal last month and intends to add three stories to the existing structure, creating a six-story residential building with rooftop outdoor space.

The building’s first five floors will host 16 units each, while the top floor will have 8 units, totaling 88 residences. The property’s long history of stalled redevelopment efforts includes a previously failed demolition attempt and an abandoned museum plan, which was scrapped due to a projected $44 million repair bill. Grunstein’s construction estimate filed with the Department of Buildings sits at $6.4 million, though actual costs are expected to be higher.