Historic Bronx bank note building becomes hub for opportunity — with plans to expand community impact
Inside the historic Bank Note building in Hunts Point, high school students at the JVO Wildcat Café are learning the basics of cooking.
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A century-old Bronx landmark, once known for printing currency for countries across the globe, is now helping residents build brighter futures — and its leaders say they’re just getting started.
Inside the historic Bank Note building in Hunts Point, high school students at the JVO Wildcat Café are learning the basics of cooking. With a few slices and peels, students in the free beginner-level course are turning simple ingredients into dishes like homemade applesauce.
“I was completely scared of the kitchen before I started cooking here,” said Justin, a student chef. “It feels really empowering to learn such a skill like this.”
The café is one of several tenants inside the Bank Note offering programs aimed at uplifting Bronx residents, particularly young people and families with limited resources. Much of that work, tenants say, is possible because of the support of the building’s general manager, Raymond Arroyo, of Avison Young.
“We received the BOMA Pinnacle Award for operating a building of our size back in 2024,” Arroyo said.
Built in 1911, the 400,000-square-foot building once served as a global printing powerhouse, producing money for nations around the world. Arroyo says he’s found bills from as far away as China stamped with “American Bank Note” in English letters.
For nearly two decades, Arroyo has turned the once-industrial complex into a home for local businesses, nonprofits and educational programs — many centered on combating poverty and creating pathways to opportunity.
“I’ve crossed paths with tens of thousands of kids and made sure there was a bright light to look forward to — without having to leave The Bronx, ” he said.
Now, Arroyo is looking beyond the building’s walls. A parking lot across the street is slated to become a residential development aimed at providing more affordable housing for Bronx families. The project is still in early planning stages.
“Running properties is not just about business,” Arroyo said. “It’s knowing I’m contributing to something greater than myself.”
If completed, the new development would add to the Bank Note’s growing legacy as a community anchor — one focused not on printing money anymore, but on creating opportunity.
