United Workers Cooperatives

United Workers Cooperatives comprises three apartment buildings with characteristic Tudor Revival style, recognizable by the half-timbered gables and crafted details. The entire complex spans multiple adjacent properties along Bronx Park East.

The complex was built between 1926 and 1929 by unionists and activists to provide affordable housing for workers. During the economic crisis of the 1930s, this place played a role by offering residents stability and protection when homelessness threatened.

The buildings reflect the values of the early residents who wanted to create a home for workers together. You can see today how these spaces were designed around cooperation rather than profit.

The place can be viewed from outside, and the architecture is easy to spot from the street. The area is reachable by public transportation and gives a good sense of early housing reform movements.

Residents financed their homes by purchasing shares, an uncommon model for its time. This structure allowed working people to become owners instead of renters.