[Top: The Belongo organization at February 18 groundbreaking ceremony; Left: Belongo's Executive Director Marietta Ulacia, speaking at today's ceremony;  Right: Belongo's founder and Artistic Director Arturo O'Farrill, performing at today's ceremony; / Photos courtesy of Timbale Terrace]

New York, NY; February 18, 2026 – Belongó, the NYC-based non-profit cultural institution dedicated to performing, teaching, and preserving the music of the Americas rooted in African and Indigenous traditions through jazz, has taken an important step toward the creation of Casa Belongó, an unprecedented cultural hub coming to East Harlem. 

Casa Belongó—a state-of-the-art performance space, music education and community center—will occupy the ground floor and lower level of Timbale Terrace, a transformative project addressing New York City’s urgent need for affordable housing. Since its founding in 2007 by Arturo O’Farrill, Belongó (formerly known as the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance), has made a tremendous impact in New York City, providing free music education to thousands of students in public schools and senior centers, mentorship and performance programs that support high school students in becoming professional musicians and world-class music performances in many renowned venues throughout the city.  

Guided by its core values of cultural inclusiveness, groundbreaking creativity, social consciousness, excellence, responsible stewardship, and purposeful engagement, Casa Belongó draws inspiration from and is deeply rooted in the vibrant spirit of East Harlem—celebrated worldwide for its culture and recognized as the birthplace of Afro Latin jazz.

Developed by Mega Group Development in response to the East Harlem Neighborhood Plan, and with The Lantern Organization serving as the community partner and in coordination with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the New York City Housing Development Corporation (NYCHDC), Timbale Terrace will transform a former NYPD parking lot on Park Avenue between 118th and 119th Streets in East Harlem into 341 affordable apartments, including 97 supportive housing units, and serve as the permanent home for Belongó and a hub for culture, music, and education. Additional partners include the Urban Investment Group at Goldman Sachs Alternatives.

Casa Belongó is designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R), with Turner Construction managing construction and ACONA Representation leading project management. Founded in 1981, DS+R is an interdisciplinary design studio whose practice spans the fields of architecture, urban design, installation art, and multi-media performance. With a strong focus on cultural and civic projects, the studio’s New York City portfolio includes the transformation of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the High Line, The Shed, and the renovation and expansion of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).  

The Timbale Terrace groundbreaking ceremony took place earlier today (February 18). The ceremony included remarks from the project partners and community leaders. It also featured musical performances produced by Belongó, featuring 6-time GRAMMY and 2-time Latin GRAMMY winning pianist, composer, and bandleader Arturo O’Farrill with members of the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. Belongó was founded by O’Farrill, who also serves as the institution’s Artistic Director. 

Casa Belongó will feature: 

● State-of-the-art performance hall and rehearsal space 

● Free and low-cost music instruction in music classrooms 

•  State-of-the-art music practice rooms

● Cultural programming and community events 

● Community workspaces 

● A home for Belongó’s educational and archival work 

● Public areas where people can drop in and feel welcome 

● Chico’s Corner: a lively cafe and night time Jazz Club 

Casa Belongó is made possible by the City of New York and New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Through the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Belongo has received a total of $22 million in capital support for the project from the NYC Mayor's Office, New York City Council, and Manhattan Borough President's Office, with support from Councilmembers Yusef Salaam, Diana Ayala, Carlina Rivera, Justin Brannan, Speaker Adrienne Adams, and Borough President Mark Levine. Belongó has also received a $9 million capital grant from NYSCA and $972,000 from the Empire State Development Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) to support the construction of Casa Belongó, part of a $37.5 million capital campaign that directly supports critical components of the facility.  Private funding includes Arnold Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Howard Gilman Foundation, The Hearst Foundations, Charles and Lucille King Family Foundation, Miranda Family Fund, Donald A. Pels Charitable Trust, and Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

"Casa Belongó represents what is possible when culture and the arts are treated as essential elements to a neighborhood’s wellbeing.  Building on East Harlem’s robust history, we are proud to be working with so many great organizations to bring Timbale Terrace and Casa Belongo to life.” —  Eduardo Castell, Chairman of the Board

“Afro Latin jazz is born from a conversation between African rhythmic code, European harmony, and improvisational practice as expressed in the Americas. This music, shaped by community, struggle, and joy finds some of its highest expression in East Harlem. Casa Belongó creates a home where those rhythms continue, where musicians can learn this music, and where the doors are always open for the community to gather, listen, contribute, and celebrate the richness of the combined inheritance of our ancestors” — Arturo O'Farrill, Founder + Artistic Director

“Casa Belongó marks a historic moment for East Harlem and New York City. It is about creating a permanent home where music, education, and community can live together, rooted in the neighborhood that gave birth to Latin jazz. Timbale Terrace allows us to honor that history while investing in the future, ensuring that artists, students, and families have access to culture, learning, and belonging for generations to come.” — Marietta Ulacia, Executive Director

“Our team is proud to partner on this transformative and important project with Casa Belongo. Timbale Terrace not only addresses the critical need for affordable housing with support services.  Principal at Mega Contracting Group, but also brings arts, culture and education to the community with ties to its great history. This is a special occasion and a celebration for the residents and community of East Harlem.” — Emanuel Kokinakis, Development Principal, Mega Group Development 

"We designed Casa Belongó as an extension of East Harlem, shaped by its rhythms, colors, and sounds. The architecture enables the sidewalk to flow directly into a two-story flexible performance space where the city and stage share the same ground. A lifting glass wall and an all-day public bleacher draw Park Avenue inside, inviting passersby to engage actively or simply as spectators. It’s a living piece of the neighborhood, buzzing from street to stage." — Charles Renfro, Partner, Diller Scofidio + Renfro

“For three decades, Lantern Organization has been dedicated to creating homes and improving quality of life in East Harlem. Timbale Terrace is the culmination of that commitment. The timbale, a drum made famous by Afro Latin Jazz maestro and son of East Harlem Tito Puente, provides the rhythmic foundation for incredible improvisation and harmony. Like the timbale, Casa Belongó creates a foundation for neighbors and visitors alike to celebrate this incredible art form, and this neighborhood we are proud to call home.” — Dan Kent, President/CEO, Lantern Organization

"Timbale Terrace and Casa Belongó deliver the trifecta of affordable housing, a cultural hub, and pathways to opportunity for generations to take root and grow. This development anchors families in a vibrant neighborhood where community and economic prosperity go hand in hand. Together, they will build lasting legacy in East Harlem." — Asahi Pompey, Global Head of Corporate Engagement and Chair of the Urban Investment Group at Goldman Sachs

“For nearly 20 years, Belongó has served as an unwavering and passionate steward of Afro-Latin jazz, enriching our cultural landscape and deepening our appreciation for this unique art form of the Americas. As a key component of Timbale Terrace, the New York State Council on the Arts is proud to support the construction of this new performance hall, further strengthening Harlem’s rich cultural bounty, amplifying Belongó’s extraordinary programming, and ensuring the joy and power of Afro-Latin jazz continues to enrich this community and all New Yorkers for generations to come.” — Erika Mallin, New York State Council on the Arts Executive Director 

About Belongó

Belongó, formerly the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, was founded by Arturo O’Farrill in 2007. The non-profit institution is dedicated to performing, educating about, and preserving the music of all of the Americas, emanating from African and indigenous roots, through the entry point of jazz. The organization produces The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra's annual performance season in New York and worldwide. Its educational programs include The Afro Latin Jazz Academy of Music (ALJAM), an in-school residency program serving public schools citywide with instrumental and ensemble instruction; The Fat Cats, a pre-professional youth orchestra that prepares the next generation of musicians; and The Global Rhythms in Our Tribe (G.R.I.O.T.), a music program that connects youth with rhythms and storytelling from global cultures as a way to engage them in anti-violence activities. In addition, it holds a world-class collection of Latin jazz musical scores and recordings. 

Belongó embraces its mission with a commitment to social justice, equity, inclusion, and the equality of all cultures worldwide. For additional information, visit belongo.org. 

Press renderings contact sheet, courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro, can be found here, and additional information at www.dsrny.com.

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For more information:

Casa Belongó / Belongó:

Ines Aslan - iaslan@belongo.org 

Chris Taillie - ctaillie@shorefire.com 

https://shorefire.com/roster/arturo-ofarrill-belongo 

Diller Scofidio + Renfro:

Gabriela Valero Arias - gvalero@dsrny.com