Project Open, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was established in 1990 to provide services and enrichment to the more than 11,000 residents of Lincoln Towers’ eight buildings, located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.  Lincoln Towers itself was created in the early 1960s as part of the vast Lincoln Square Urban Renewal Project, which included the displacement of thousands of low-income families from the area formerly known as San Juan Hill (as depicted in West Side Story).

The founders of Project Open, Selma Arnold and Janice Hohenstein, were Upper West Side activists who lived in Lincoln Towers and recognized the emerging need to provide services and support to its aging residents. Far ahead of their time, they dedicated Project Open to a simple mission: to provide social and support services so that residents could continue to live independently in their apartments – “aging in place.” The founders and board soon recognized that part of their mission was to enrich the lives of all residents of Lincoln Towers, including those who were aging, by providing social, recreational, and educational activities.

Today, Project Open embraces this two-part mission. To address the support needs of older residents, our Social Worker meets with the resident (and often family members, friends, and neighbors) to assess his or her needs and to provide help to address them. Services are offered directly by the Social Worker or through our referral network of more than 20 agencies on the Upper West Side that serve seniors. Direct services include providing ongoing supportive counseling, help applying for benefits like Medicare, arranging for meal delivery, finding an appropriate health or mental health resource, or locating an experienced home aide. In addition to one-on-one work, our Social Worker leads support groups for residents who face significant challenges (e.g., being widowed or caring for a chronically ill spouse or partner).

Project Open activities incorporate an intergenerational approach, with a variety of social, recreational, and educational offerings, including Lincoln Towers University, courses and workshops taught by retired university professors and others that are available to all residents and non-residents as well.

We are proud to continue to embrace the vision of Project Open’s founders as we continue to develop new services and activities for our residents and the larger community.