The Bronx

According to Governor Cuomo, the MTA, Empire State Development, and Amtrak have reached an agreement to build four new Metro-North Railroad stations along an underutilized rail line in the east Bronx, giving this very much underserved area access to Penn Station. The "transit desert," as the press release calls it, will receive stations at Hunts Point, Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park, and Co-op City. And considering the Bronx had the most approved residential units last year, the news couldn't come at a better time. The buried news here is that this will also be the first time Metro-North will come into Penn Station.
What's the timeline?

Transit

Bronx icons radiate light in Rico Gatson’s murals at reopened 167th Street station

Beacons (2018) © Rico Gaston, NYCT 167th Street Station. Commissioned by MTA Arts & Design. Audre Lorde portrait derived from a photo by Jack Mitchell

January 22, 2019

Bronx icons radiate light in Rico Gatson’s murals at reopened 167th Street station

A series of bright mosaic murals created by artist Rico Gatson was revealed last week at the 167th Street B, D station in the Bronx, which recently reopened after months of repair work. The artwork, "Beacons," features eight portraits of figures who have contributed to culture and society and who also have a special connection to the broader New York City community. Figures honored include Gil Scott-Heron, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Audre Lorde, James Baldwin, Maya Angelou, Reggie Jackson, and Sonia Sotomayor.
See the artwork

January 14, 2019

Four-bedroom City Island home with huge backyard and private beach access asks just $680K

By Alexandra Alexa

Built in 1901, this adorable four-bedroom home at 11 Fordham Street on idyllic City Island could be a great option for those looking to live farther away from the typical hustle and bustle of NYC. Currently on the market for $679,000, the 1,779-square-foot home comes with a huge backyard, waterfront access, and a private beach. With hardwood floors throughout, it features amazing bones that could easily be modernized. The property has been featured in several commercials and was one of the main locations for the 2006 movie "The Groomsmen," and it’s ready to step into action again.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

January 3, 2019

Snag an affordable apartment in the South Bronx, from $590/month

A housing lottery launched this week for 32 affordable apartments in the Morrisania neighborhood of the South Bronx. The new building located on the corner of Third Avenue at 545 East 166th Street sits on the same block as the recently-expanded Estella Diggs Park, which has greenery, pathways, and new play equipment. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 40, 50, 60, or 80 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from a $590/studio to a $1,643/month two-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): ARO, Bridgeline, Paris New York, Paramount Tower and in center, Denizen Bushwick

December 15, 2018

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

By Annie Doge

Images (L to R): ARO, Bridgeline, Paris New York, Paramount Tower and in center, Denizen Bushwick Denizen Bushwick: The Best Rental of 2018 [LINK] The Paris New York: Upper West Side Rentals Offer 2 Months Free on 18-Month Lease [LINK] Paramount Tower: Murray Hill’s 51-Story Tower Leasing 1 to 3 Bedroom Layouts from $3,995/Month [LINK] […]

Real Estate Trends

50 years at Co-op City: The history of the world’s largest co-operative housing development

All photos included in this post were taken at Co-op City in the early 1970s and are courtesy of Co-op City

December 10, 2018

50 years at Co-op City: The history of the world’s largest co-operative housing development

By Lucie Levine

When Governor Rockefeller, Robert Moses, Jacob Potofsky of the United Housing Foundation, and Abraham Kazan, known as “the father of US cooperative housing,” broke ground on Co-op City in the Baychester section of the Bronx on May 14, 1966, they were doing something truly groundbreaking. In fact, Rockefeller called it a “completely sound investment in a better society.” Co-op City is the world’s largest co-operative housing development. Built on 320 acres just north of Freedomland, the sprawling, self-contained development provides homes for over 15,000 families across 35 buildings, and supports its own schools, weekly newspaper, power plant, and planetarium. Originally built by the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America and the United Housing Foundation as cooperative, affordable, middle-income workers’ housing, Co-op city has remained dedicated to open membership, democratic control, distribution of surplus, and diversity for half a century.
READ MORE

History

City scraps controversial plan for a new 40-story jail on top of the Manhattan marriage bureau

80 Centre Street via Wiki Commons

November 29, 2018

City scraps controversial plan for a new 40-story jail on top of the Manhattan marriage bureau

By Alexandra Alexa

On Wednesday, city officials announced that plans to build a 40-floor high-rise detention center at 80 Centre Street will not be moving forward, reports the Daily News. The site had been proposed earlier this year as part of a plan to close the jail at Rikers Island and relocate the inmate population to four local jails spread throughout the boroughs. The de Blasio administration cited logistical challenges associated with moving the current tenants, which include the Manhattan Marriage Bureau and offices of the Manhattan District Attorney, as reason for the decision.
More details

Policy

November 21, 2018

For just $450K, this Bronx co-op is cute, roomy, and three blocks from Yankee Stadium

The hipster-taxidermy theme may be a bit strange, but that aside, everything about this Bronx co-op at 860 Grand Concourse is perfect--especially the $450,000 price tag. As the listing says, the spacious, two-bedroom spread is "contemporary, classic and sophisticated," with an infusion of colorful, quirky decor. And if moving to our northernmost borough seems like a hike, think again. With a location in the Grand Concourse Historic District just three blocks from Yankee Stadium, that means the building is equally close to the 4, B, and D trains, as well as right next to the shops at Concourse Village.
READ MORE

Distinctive Homes

Lottery launches at church-replacing affordable senior housing development in the Bronx

Via New York Housing Conference

November 5, 2018

Lottery launches at church-replacing affordable senior housing development in the Bronx

Applications are now being accepted for 43 affordable senior housing apartments in the Foxhurst neighborhood of the Bronx. Formerly home to the Home Street Presbyterian Church, the new residential building at 1017 Home Street offers amenities like an on-site super, lounge, fitness center, bike room, a roof terrace, and card-operated laundry. Available studio and one-bedroom apartments are set aside for seniors who are 62 years or older and who earn a maximum of $41,750 per year. Eligible residents pay 30 percent of their income and must qualify for Section 8.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

200+ mixed-income units up for grabs at a new South Bronx rental, from $865/month

Rendering via L+M Development

November 5, 2018

200+ mixed-income units up for grabs at a new South Bronx rental, from $865/month

A housing lottery launched on Monday for 211 mixed-income apartments in a new South Bronx building. Located at 1530 Story Avenue, the rental is part of the Lafayette-Boynton residential complex in the neighborhood of Soundview and is one of two new structures at the site developed by Nelson Management Group and L+M Development Partners. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60, 90, 95, and 125 percent of the area median income can apply for the batch of units, which range from $865/month studios to $2,184/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Image credit: Ben Hider via NYBG.

November 2, 2018

Follow this year’s autumn foliage in New York City’s oldest forest with NYBG’s live fall color cam

While New York City's brief autumn speeds by in the blink of an eye, the New York Botanical Garden can help make the most of the season's glory. The old-growth Thain Family Forest at the NYBG offers one of the region's best opportunities to view autumn's majestic hues via a live fall "color cam." Even better, you can experience the largest uncut expanse of New York’s original wooded landscape, walk long-ago Native American hunting trails and see marks left by glaciers shaded by trees that date back to the American Revolution with events happening on the NYBG's fall forest weekends this month.
More Autumn attractions and fall fun, this way

Events & Things To Do

Historic Bronx General Post Office is for sale again after food market plans dissolve

Via Wikimedia

November 1, 2018

Historic Bronx General Post Office is for sale again after food market plans dissolve

The historic Bronx General Post Office on the Grand Concourse is once again for sale, Welcome2TheBronx reports. The familiar neighborhood landmark was purchased from the postal service in 2014 by developer Young Woo & Associates and the Bristol Group for $19 million, as 6sqft previously reported. After suggesting a new life for the 80+-year-old building as "a crossroads for community, commerce and culture" including a food market that could become a dining/drinking/shopping destination, the developer has put the building up for sale for an undisclosed price.
Find out more

Steps from the Bronx Zoo, 58 affordable apartments for seniors up for grabs

1880 Boston Road rendering via SLCE Architects

October 1, 2018

Steps from the Bronx Zoo, 58 affordable apartments for seniors up for grabs

A lottery launched this week for 58 affordable units of senior housing in the West Farms neighborhood of the Bronx. Located at 1880 Boston Road, the development contains 167 affordable apartments with amenities including a yoga room, community room, art studio, library, and a rooftop terrace. The building is just a few blocks south of the Bronx Zoo and sits next to the Bronx River. Available studio and one-bedroom apartments are set aside for seniors who are 62 years or older and who earn a maximum of $31,750 annually. Each eligible resident pays 30 percent of their income and will need to qualify for Section 8.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Lottery opens for 95 affordable units in the Bronx’s Kingsbridge neighborhood, from $860/month

Kingsbridge Armory via Flickr cc

September 17, 2018

Lottery opens for 95 affordable units in the Bronx’s Kingsbridge neighborhood, from $860/month

It's no wonder the city has spent the better part of the past decade trying to redevelop the former Kingsbridge Armory into the country’s largest ice skating complex--it's less than a block from the 4 train and three blocks from the D and B trains and a quick walk to the Fordham University campus. And for residents moving into the area, it's just a few blocks from the large Jerome Park, St. James Park, and Poe Park. With all this in mind, a new development has sprung up across from the Armory at 2700 Jerome Avenue. The 13-story, 134-unit building is a mix of affordable and supportive housing and retail, and as of today, New Yorkers who earn 60 or 90 percent of the median income can apply for 95 units that fall into the first category. The available apartments range from $860/month studios to $1,940/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

With most approved residential units in NYC, the Bronx building boom continues

Via Nelson Mejia Jr. on Flickr

September 17, 2018

With most approved residential units in NYC, the Bronx building boom continues

Out of the 20 New York City neighborhoods with the most residential units approved within the past year, seven of them are in the Bronx, more than any other borough. According to a new report from Localize.city, a group that analyzes data related to housing, 13 percent of all approved apartments between 2010 and 2015 were in the Bronx. In the first half of 2018, the Bronx had 27 percent of the city's share of approved new units. While a majority of new buildings in the borough are affordable, increasing land prices could mean more market-rate projects are on the horizon, the New York Times reported.
Get more details

Real Estate Trends

New Bronx affordable housing lottery tries to make ‘Mott Haven North’ a thing

Rendering of 764 East 152nd Street via UA Builders Group

September 14, 2018

New Bronx affordable housing lottery tries to make ‘Mott Haven North’ a thing

We've seen it all over Manhattan and Brooklyn--brokers come up with bizarre acronyms and new directional cues to hip-ify (aka gentrify) a neighborhood. Most recently, they tried their hand at SoHa--South Harlem, which certainly didn't stick. And now the trend has spread to the Bronx, though this time it's the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development behind the new moniker. In their defense, "Mott Haven North," was probably chosen for the latest affordable housing lottery based on their 1994 Mott Haven North Urban Renewal plan, but with this South Bronx neighborhood rapidly gentrifying, it's a slippery slope. Regardless, there are eight $1,379/month one-bedrooms up for grabs at 764 East 152nd Street, which, according to maps, is in the Woodstock area.
More info ahead

Affordable Housing

September 12, 2018

City Island cottage has two bedrooms and a big backyard for $385K

This cheery City Island cottage may look tiny, and while it's definitely not big, it manages to fit two bedrooms, a bonus loft space, several closets, and a high-end kitchen into its petite frame. Plus, it has a large backyard and is just blocks from a private beach. First spotted by Curbed, who notes that the yellow-shingled charmer is on "one of the heavily-residential side streets" of the Bronx island, the house is asking $385,000.
Get a look inside

The most expensive development site in the Bronx will be 30 percent affordable

A previous rendering of 101 Lincoln Avenue via Hill West Architects

September 7, 2018

The most expensive development site in the Bronx will be 30 percent affordable

The most expensive transaction on record for a development in the Bronx officially closed Wednesday, after Brookfield Property Partners picked up the two sites for $165 million from Somerset Partners and Chetrit Group. Originally, Somerset and Chetrit planned for all of the development's 849 residential units to be market rate, and while Brookfield intends to keep the same number of apartments, they are designating 30 percent of them affordable, according to the Real Deal.
Find out more

August 31, 2018

New Mott Haven development opens lottery for 133 mixed-income units, from $464/month

In 2016, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. allocated nearly $3.3 million to create 851 affordable housing units across eight projects in the borough. One of these, MLK Plaza Apartments at 869 East 147th Street in ever-developing Mott Haven, received $500,000, and as of today 133 of its 165 units are up for grabs through the city's housing lottery. The mixed-income units range from $464/month studios to $1,289/month three-bedrooms and have access to the building's laundry room, fitness room, library and computer room, bike storage, and outdoor rec space and terrace.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

August 31, 2018

Upcoming walking and bike tours explore NYC’s historic and hidden waterways

Being the concrete jungle it is today, it’s hard to believe New York City was once a maritime powerhouse, its surrounding harbor waters serving as a vital trading port for the rest of the country. Before paved over and developed, Manhattan boasted forests and wildlife, supported by many freshwater ponds and streams. Today, some of the city's oldest waterways remain hidden in plain sight, their pathways relegated underground. NYC H20, a nonprofit who aims to educate New Yorkers about the city's water, is hosting five walking and bike tours of historic waterways throughout the month of September, giving New Yorkers a chance to get their feet wet with knowledge about NYC's water.
Learn more

Via Wiki Commons

August 28, 2018

Apply for 83 affordable units in the South Bronx, starting at $929/month

Via Wiki Commons The second housing lottery to open today in the South Bronx's Longwood section is at Thessalonia Manor, a two-building affordable project adjacent to the Thessalonia Baptist Church. The 120-unit development, from Urban Builders Collaborative and CMC Development, was announced two years ago, and now households earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for 83 of the units, ranging from $929/month one-bedrooms to $1,289/month three-bedrooms. Like the earlier lottery, the buildings at 960 Prospect Avenue and 961 Reverend James A. Polite Avenue are right near the family-friendly Bill Rainey Park and the 2 and 5 trains at Intervale Avenue. The buildings offer on-site laundry, a community room, courtyard, and roof top terrace.
See if you qualify

Affordable Housing

August 28, 2018

Nine middle-income apartments up for grabs in a family-friendly South Bronx corner, from $1,404/month

A recently completed 29-unit rental at 915 Dawson Street in the Longwood section of the South Bronx has opened up an affordable housing lottery for nine middle-income units reserved for households earning 130 percent of the area median income. The 1,404/month one-bedrooms and $1,575/month two-bedrooms not only offer the chance to live in a lovely new building, complete with a recreation room, laundry room, and parking, but the location just off Bill Rainey Park is the perfect enclave for families. The park has a baseball field, football field, and playground, and just a few blocks away are the 2, 5 trains at Intervale Avenue and the 6 at Hunts Point Avenue. Plus, the New York Public Library's Hunts Point branch is close, as are a myriad of schools, including Longwood Preparatory Academy, Success Academy Middle School, PS 333 The Museum School, PS 39, and PS 130.
See the income breakdown

Affordable Housing

August 21, 2018

Affordable housing lottery opens for new health-focused complex in the Bronx

A year and a half after breaking ground on the project, mental health nonprofit Community Access has opened the affordable housing for a new, $52.2 million supportive housing complex in the Mount Eden neighborhood of the Bronx. As 6sqft previously reported, "it incorporates sustainable elements such as solar panels and a co-generation plant, as well as health-focused amenities like a community garden and kitchen to encourage and teach about healthy eating, outdoor exercise equipment, and a bike sharing program." The building at 111 East 172nd Street has 126 units, 50 percent of which are set aside for formerly homeless New Yorkers or families with special needs. The remaining half is available as of today through the city's lottery and are reserved for those earning 60 percent of the area median income, including $864/month studios and $1,122/month two-bedrooms.
See the breakdown

Affordable Housing

August 17, 2018

For just $128K, a Bronx co-op with Deco details and more space than you’d expect

In a Bronx neighborhood known for comfortable living at reasonable prices and for its six-story pre-war elevator co-ops, this large alcove studio at 601 Pelham Parkway North is a fine example of both. The unit's $128,000 ask alone is worth noting; a glance at the floor plan shows that while the space isn't palatial, it goes beyond the usual one-room studio, and its kitchen and bath have more going for them than many we've seen in more expensive properties. The Art Deco building is, according to the listing, the neighborhood's "most sought after."
Have a look

Distinctive Homes

August 16, 2018

This $1.6M ‘European country house’ in the Bronx is stone cold foxy

With a beautifully-designed, renovated boho-chic interiors and a stone exterior that seems to grow right from the verdant landscape, this "European country" Tudor-style house at 2741 Edgehill Avenue in the northwest Bronx neighborhood of Spuyten Duyvil looks pretty good at $1.6 million even without three patios and parking for five cars. It's also minutes from Metro North and not far from the 1 subway line.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

Image of Rikers Island via Wikimedia

August 15, 2018

City proposes four jail sites with community amenities as Rikers replacement