Historic East Village Townhouse Finds New Life Following Fire

After 150 years of ownership, WPA sells 110 Second Avenue for $7.4M

NEW YORK, May 21, 2024 – Denham Wolf Real Estate Services, Hirschen Singer & Epstein LLP, and their client, Women's Prison Association (WPA), today announced the sale of the Isaac T. Hopper Home at 110 Second Avenue in Manhattan. The nonprofit buyer, Self Reliance New York Federal Credit Union, will expand their footprint and community impact through the acquisition. Built in 1838 and designed in the Greek Revival style, the property is one of four buildings originally constructed for Ralph and Ann E. Van Wyck Mead and their family. The townhouse remained a single family home before WPA purchased the site in 1874. It was named after Isaac Tatem Hopper, a Quaker abolitionist who, with his daughter Abigail Hopper Gibbons, was integral to the creation of WPA. The property most recently served as a 38-bed transitional shelter dedicated to formerly incarcerated and at-risk women and their children. In December 2020, the townhouse sustained significant physical damage due to a fire that originated in a neighboring property, displacing the shelter’s residents and staff. Following careful study of the available options, WPA determined that a sale of the property would be most conducive to the building’s restoration and the organization’s programmatic continuity. The 8,372 square foot property is a designated New York City Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. Self Reliance New York Federal Credit Union, which promotes the financial wellbeing and security of its members and by extension the larger Ukrainian American community, plans to renovate the building and adapt it for administrative and community needs. The credit union’s headquarters are located next door at 108 Second Avenue.

With approximately 70 employees and 50 volunteers, WPA continues to operate from its other community sites in New York City and from jail-based offices on Rikers Island and in the Taconic and Bedford Hills State Correctional Facilities. Attorney Christine A. Coletta of Hirschen Singer & Epstein LLP acted as real estate counsel to WPA, the seller. WPA was represented in the transaction by Christopher D. Turner, MRICS, and Kate Hrobsky of Denham Wolf Real Estate Services, a real estate services firm that represents and advocates for nonprofits.

About Women’s Prison Association (WPA)
Women's Prison Association (WPA) was founded in 1845 as the nation's first organization dedicated to working with criminal justice-involved women and their families. Aiming to create opportunities for change in the lives of its clients, as well as in communities impacted by incarceration, WPA serves more than 1,500 women and 500 children each year. To determine which WPA program is right for you or to make a referral, call WPA at (646)292-7740 or email info@wpaonline.org. If you are currently incarcerated and seeking support, write to: Women’s Prison Association, 347 East 10th Street, New York, NY 10009.

About Self Reliance NY Federal Credit Union
Self Reliance New York Federal Credit Union was established in 1951 by a group of volunteers dedicated to the cooperative philosophy of "people helping people". It is currently the oldest and largest Ukrainian-American Credit Union with assets exceeding 1.3 billion dollars and branches located in Manhattan, Astoria, Uniondale, Lindenhurst, and Kerhonkson, New York. Learn more at www.selfrelianceny.org.

About Hirschen Singer & Epstein LLP
Hirschen Singer & Epstein LLP ensures the success of affordable housing and community development projects through zealous representation, creative financing, and true partnership with their clients. Based in New York City, the firm specializes in the representation of developers, tax credit syndicators and lenders in a wide variety of complex real estate transactions, including the development and operation of affordable housing and mixed-use projects under federal, state and city programs. Learn more at hirschensinger.com.

About Denham Wolf Real Estate Services
An essential resource for the nonprofit community, Denham Wolf Real Estate Services provides expertise in transactions, development, and project management. Through these integrated services, the firm empowers organizations to take a thoughtful, mission-first approach to real estate. Denham Wolf has partnered with hundreds of diverse nonprofit organizations since its founding in 1998, shaping millions of square feet across New York City and beyond. For more information, visit www.denhamwolf.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Eli Judge
(608) 332-3940
ejudge@groupgordon.com

Additional Coverage: The Village Sun, EVGrieve