New York Construction Report staff writer
New York City Council has approved the Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan, rezoning land for up to 7,000 housing units, some of which will be offered at below-market rents.
Designed to accompany four new Metro-North stations planned for Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park, Hunts Point, and Co-op City in 2027, the plan is expected to create 10,000 permanent jobs, along with improved public spaces and enhanced access to mass transit.
“The Bronx is saying ‘yes’ to more housing in our backyards, communities and neighborhoods, and serving as a model to the rest of our city on how to lead from the front,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. “I am calling on our partners in the City Council to join us in this fight and deliver on the promise that working-class families are asking us to do: build more and make this city more affordable.”
Under the new zoning residential uses will be allowed in sections of Parkchester/Van Nest currently designated solely for commercial and manufacturing uses, and the amount of housing allowed in residential districts of both Parkchester/Van Nest and Morris Park will be expanded.
There will also be millions of dollars of investments in public amenities and infrastructure across the study area including:
- Enhanced pedestrian safety, transportation access, and traffic circulation with intersection and streetscape improvements near the Morris Park and Parkchester/Van Nest stations, as well as a new bus turnaround near the Co-op City Station at Erskine Place;
- A lighting study to improve access to the Hunts Point Avenue station;
- A new public plaza at the Morris Park station, and pedestrian crossing improvements along Eastchester Road;
- Improvements to public parks and open spaces, including renovation and reconstruction of the following parks and playgrounds: Castle Hill Playground, Bufano Park, Pelham Bay Park Ballfields #4 and #5, Taylor Playground, Virginia Playground, Loreto Playground, and Brady Playground;
- School facility upgrades at PS 102, PS 106, Linden Tree, Archer Elementary, PS 12, MS 127, and PS 138 and;
- Drainage infrastructure upgrades to mitigate flooding on flood-prone streets and to increase stormwater capture capacity.
“The successful passage of the Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan is a major step in the right direction,” said New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Adolfo Carrion, Jr. “New York City is coming together to embrace bold, smart, and environmentally-sound ideas to build more affordable housing in every neighborhood. Approximately 7,000 new homes will be lifechanging for New York families while opening a new chapter in a historically neglected strip of our city.”
