Veterans and active duty service members undergoing treatment in The Bronx will soon have a place to stay.
The Fisher House Foundation is breaking ground on Thursday on two 16-unit residences on the grounds of the James J. Peters VA Medical Center.
“We have to do this right; it’s New York City and it’s where we are,” says Fisher House Foundation Chief Executive Ken Fisher, who grew up in Riverdale. “As Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz says, ‘We are boogie-down Bronxites.’ ”
While Fisher Houses are generally built as low rise ranches, that style of architecture really didn’t fit in The Bronx. As Fisher was standing on the site with the architect, Carl Zarrello, he spied some Tudor-style buildings in the distance and asked if they could become the inspiration — and the answer was yes.
Now, the upcoming 14,000-square-foot two-story residences will have an elevator and be entirely ADA compliant. Each suite will have private bedrooms and bathrooms. Families will share the kitchen, laundry facilities, dining rooms and living rooms.
Since its creation in 1990 by the Fisher family, the Fisher House Foundation has provided 7 million nights of free lodging to more than 300,000 military families around the world.
The secretary of Veteran Affairs chooses the locations — and these will be the first ones in New York City and the 79th and 80th Fisher Houses developed, with others in the works.
As almost 375,000 vets and active duty members are in The Bronx hospital’s service region and eligible to receive care, the Fisher Houses will become a lifeline for families as nearby long-term lodging can be an obstacle because of cost.
