The Bronx

Outrageous Bronx mansion built for Jesus’ second coming finally sells
April 6, 2017

Outrageous Bronx mansion built for Jesus’ second coming finally sells

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Atop the city's second-highest peak, in Riverdale, the Bronx, this opulent mansion has been beckoning the heavens–and seeking a buyer–since 2009 when it hit the market with an ask of $14 million; As 6sqft previously reported, the 17-room 1home was built in 1928 for an eccentric owner who never actually lived there herself, but rather constructed it for Jesus’ second coming. The house was asking $11 million in 2013 and re-listed with a $10 million price tag in 2015. Welcome2TheBronx reports that the home finally sold for $6,250,000 on January 9th of this year.
Tour this unusual home
Laguardia Airport expansion could replace jail at Rikers Island, report suggests
April 5, 2017

Laguardia Airport expansion could replace jail at Rikers Island, report suggests

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On Friday 6sqft reported Mayor Bill De Blasio's announcement that the Rikers Island jail complex will be closed, following a report by the Independent Commission on New York City Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform. “New York City has always been better than Rikers Island,” said the mayor when he announced the decision. The report also included ideas for the future of a post-jail Rikers. One such idea suggests that the island be used for the expansion of nearby LaGuardia Airport, raising the possibility of a new runway and additional terminal space, according to USA Today. “The Island is uniquely positioned to accommodate an expanded LaGuardia Airport that would reduce delays and could serve as many as 12 million more passengers annually,” the report states.
Find out more
The 10 best neighborhoods for New York City artists
April 4, 2017

The 10 best neighborhoods for New York City artists

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Like most things in New York, creative communities come and ago as new development and rising rents force artists to move on to the next best, or cheaper neighborhood. While 6sqft found 'hoods like the Upper East Side, Harlem and Long Island City to be the best places for artists a few years back, we've updated our top-10 list to reflect the changing times. Ahead you'll find some areas you may expect--Sunset Park and Bushwick, for example, along with more up-and-coming artsy enclaves like Newark, Washington Heights, and the South Bronx.
The full list right this way
Mayor said to back Rikers closure after panel recommends new smaller jails across the city

Photo of Rikers Island courtesy of Wikimedia

March 31, 2017

Mayor said to back Rikers closure after panel recommends new smaller jails across the city

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A blue-ribbon commission has recommended that Rikers Island be closed and replaced with several smaller facilities based on a study of the storied jail's future according to the Daily News. The panel, led by former New York State Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, has been studying the the troubled 10-jail facility for more than a year. Mr. Lippman and the Speaker of the City Council, Melissa Mark-Viverito, will officially announce the findings on Sunday. A member of the commission said that recommendations include supervised release of some detainees, new smaller jails across the city and an overhaul of the bail system as part of a transition that would take 10 years to complete. According to a recent New York Times report, Mayor de Blasio has shifted his position on the issue and will be announcing his support for a closure plan, possibly at a news conference Friday.
Find out more
This $4M Riverdale mansion, known as the Esmeralda, was built in 1899 and still impresses today
March 24, 2017

This $4M Riverdale mansion, known as the Esmeralda, was built in 1899 and still impresses today

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The historic mansions of Riverdale never fail to impress, and this gem is no exception. Built in 1899 and known as the Esmeralda, the home has maintained many of its historic details over the years. Throughout formal dining and living areas, as well as all nine bedrooms, you'll find finishes like hardwood flooring, oak doors, wood-beamed ceilings and fireplaces. The property also comes with an impressive degree of privacy, as you enter through a long, gated driveway. For this level of exclusivity and historic charm, the price tag is $4.129 million.
Take the grand tour
Senior musicians may lose affordable housing at Bronx Commons

Bronx Commons via Danois

March 20, 2017

Senior musicians may lose affordable housing at Bronx Commons

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The $160 million Bronx Commons mixed-use development, located in the borough's Melrose neighborhood, broke ground in January. When complete, it will combine affordable housing, retail, landscaped public space, and a 300-seat music and arts venue known as Bronx Music Hall. As 6sqft previously reported, the Hall was envisioned as a way to celebrate and revitalize "the deeply rooted history of cutting edge Bronx music," which nonprofit developers WHEDco and BFC Partners also hoped to address by setting aside 15 percent of the 305 below-market rate apartments for older musicians. But as the Times explains, despite the South Bronx's past as a hub for jazz and doo-wop music venues and sidemen, the city says this may be in violation of fair housing laws that prohibit preferences based on age or race.
Find out more
NYCHA’s open space development plans move ahead with affordable senior housing in the South Bronx

Rendering of Mill Brook Terrace courtesy of NYCHA

March 15, 2017

NYCHA’s open space development plans move ahead with affordable senior housing in the South Bronx

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As part of the New York City Housing Authority’s NextGen initiative--the controversial policy of partnering with private companies to develop housing on open space in existing public housing projects--an affordable senior development is coming to the South Bronx. As reported by NY Yimby, Mill Brook Terrace in Mott Haven will be a nine-story, 169-unit building at 570 East 137th Street and will be set aside for seniors who earn no more than 50 percent of the area media income, or less than $36,250. Designed by Perkins Eastman Architects, the building will include a 9,000-square-foot senior center on the ground floor, which will include a commercial kitchen, community space, activity room and an outdoor garden.
Find out more here
More renderings, details released for massive South Bronx waterfront development
March 9, 2017

More renderings, details released for massive South Bronx waterfront development

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Just two days ago, 6sqft brought you a brand new rendering of the second parcel at Somerset Partners and Chetrit Group's massive South Bronx waterfront development, and now, YIMBY has uncovered even more views of the full seven-tower, 1,300-unit residential project, along with some more specific details. The renderings come courtesy of Hill West Architects and also show the publicly accessible 25,500-square-foot public waterfront esplanade.
More details and another rendering
My 2,400sqft: Preservationist and arts champion Samuel Brooks shows off his Mott Haven rowhouse

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of 6sqft’s friends and fellow New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Mott Haven rowhouse of Samuel Brooks. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

March 8, 2017

My 2,400sqft: Preservationist and arts champion Samuel Brooks shows off his Mott Haven rowhouse

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Samuel Brooks has been living in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx for the better part of 43 years, never budging in his passion for this vibrant area that's recently been dubbed the next "it" neighborhood. After buying a historic rowhouse within the Mott Haven Historic District 12 years ago (and then spending about nine of those scraping paint off the beautiful moldings!), Samuel is now a major player in Mott Haven's local community efforts--he's the President of the Mott Haven Historic Districts Association, runs an art gallery in his basement to exhibit local artists, and spearheaded the effort to transform his home this summer into the first ever Mott Haven Decorator Show House as a way to promote Bronx-based and up-and-coming designers. 6sqft recently paid Samuel a visit and toured his historic-meets-artsy home and learned all about his work putting Mott Haven on the map for reasons other than real estate development and food halls.
Tour the home and learn more about Samuel's preservation and community efforts
New rendering emerges for Keith Rubenstein’s ambitious South Bronx development
March 7, 2017

New rendering emerges for Keith Rubenstein’s ambitious South Bronx development

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The massive South Bronx waterfront development planned by Somerset Partners and Chetrit Group is coming together--at least visually. CityRealty revealed a rendering of the second parcel of a two-parcel master plan that will eventually hold six residential towers and park space. Construction on the first three buildings within the first parcel at 2401 Third Avenue was approved last summer. This second parcel at 101 Lincoln Avenue will hold three more towers, 25 stories each, with a grand total of 826 apartments. The developers have long heralded this development as a game-changer for the South Bronx, but faced pushback after Somerset developer Keith Rubenstein attempted to rebrand the area as the “Piano District” and held a party that capitalized on the struggles of the Bronx in the 1970s, featuring burning trash cans and a bullet-ridden car.
See more images of the development site
Study finds Bronx residents most in danger of housing displacement due to gentrification
March 7, 2017

Study finds Bronx residents most in danger of housing displacement due to gentrification

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A new report from the Regional Plan Association finds that residents of the Bronx are at highest risk of being pushed out due to gentrification compared to other New Yorkers, according to DNAinfo. The report, titled "Pushed Out: Housing Displacement in an Unaffordable Region," looks at the effect of rising housing costs in New York City and addresses what it names "A Crisis of Affordability." The report found the threat of being pushed out due to lack of affordable housing was a threat in 71 percent of census tracts in the Bronx. Following in displacement risk was Brooklyn at 55 percent, Manhattan and Queens at 31 percent each and Staten Island at 15 percent.
People moving out, people moving in
Apply for 50 affordable units along Bronx Park, from $734/month
March 7, 2017

Apply for 50 affordable units along Bronx Park, from $734/month

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The Bedford is a $22 million, 10-story, 60-unit affordable housing building in the Norwood section of the Bronx. Located at 3160 Webster Avenue, right alongside Bronx Park and just a quick walk to both the New York Botanical Garden/Bronx Zoo and Woodlawn Cemetery/Van Cortlandt Park, the project offers a small number of units for formerly homeless New Yorkers and 50 apartments reserved for those earning 50, 60, and 80 percent of the area median income. Applications are now being accepted through the city's affordable housing lottery for this larger group, which range from $734/studios to $1,745/month three-bedrooms.
See if you qualify
120 more affordable units available at the Bronx’s Compass Residences complex, from $822/month
February 24, 2017

120 more affordable units available at the Bronx’s Compass Residences complex, from $822/month

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Back in 2011, Dattner Architects created the West Farms Redevelopment Plan, a rezoning (the largest ever in the Bronx at the time) of a 17-acre, 11-block former industrial area in Crotona Park East. The plan calls for a total of 1,325 affordable housing units, 46,000 square feet of retail, and community facilities. Dattner's first two buildings in the complex are called theCompass Residences, which provide 237 apartments arranged around a series of courtyards. This past December, 114 of these residences at 1544 Boone Avenue came online through the city's affordable housing lottery, and now, 120 more at 1524 Boone Avenue are open to New Yorkers earning 60 and 90 percent of the area median income, ranging from $822/month studios to $1,740/month three-bedrooms.
Find out here if you qualify
Health-focused supportive and affordable housing complex breaks ground in the Bronx
February 23, 2017

Health-focused supportive and affordable housing complex breaks ground in the Bronx

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Yesterday, mental health nonprofit Community Access broke ground on a new, $52.2 million supportive and affordable housing complex in the Mount Eden neighborhood of the Bronx. Located at 111 East 172nd Street, the building has 126 units, 60 of which will be set aside for Medicaid high-need individuals with mental health concerns and 65 for low-income families. 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.
Find out more
1924 cliffside Riverdale castle-cottage has magical river views, a Broadway pedigree and a $2.6M ask
February 17, 2017

1924 cliffside Riverdale castle-cottage has magical river views, a Broadway pedigree and a $2.6M ask

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In case you need another reason to love New York City, this singular gem of a seven-unit apartment building perched on a wild cliff overlooking the Palisades where the Harlem River meets the mighty Hudson just hit the market. Built in 1924 as a co-operative by a super-literary lawyer/developer who also happened to be the first editor-in-chief of the Harvard Law Review, the Villa Rosa Bonheur at 2395 Palisade Avenue in Riverdale, the Bronx, is one of three; her sister buildings go by Villa Charlotte Brontë and Villa Victoria. Their creator, John J. McKelvey, was looking beyond the bottom line when he built what would be the first apartment buildings in the Bronx. Ms. Rosa is now on the market for a mere $2.595 million. There's more: Her current owners are the family of the late "Beatlemania" creator Robert Rabinowitz.
Get a closer look
227 COOKFOX-designed affordable apartments up for grabs near the NY Botanical Garden and Bronx Zoo
February 15, 2017

227 COOKFOX-designed affordable apartments up for grabs near the NY Botanical Garden and Bronx Zoo

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Starting today, 227 brand new affordable apartments are up for grabs at 4275 Park Avenue in the Bronx. The residence, dubbed Park House, is a new construction designed by COOKFOX Architects and developed by Breaking Ground, a non-profit organization that matches low-income New Yorkers with homes. Park House is the first affordable project undertaken by the organization and will offer energy-efficient studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments priced between $494 and $1181 to qualifying applicants earning between 40 and 60 percent of the area median income.
more details here
Mixed-use affordable housing complex in the Bronx will feature Hunts Point Brewery and LightBox film studio
February 2, 2017

Mixed-use affordable housing complex in the Bronx will feature Hunts Point Brewery and LightBox film studio

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A few months ago, 6sqft shared the first rendering of the Peninsula, a $300 million mixed-use complex slated to replace the Spofford Juvenile Detention Center in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx. We learned that the five-acre site will hold 740 affordable apartments, open and recreational areas, light industrial space, community facilities like health care providers and artist workspace, and retail/commercial space. In addition to new conceptual renderings from WXY Architecture + Urban Design, the development team has now revealed details on who the borough-based commercial tenants will be, and they include Hunts Point Brewing Company, Il Forno Bakery, and LightBox-NY film studio.
More details and renderings
This renovated historic townhouse in Mott Haven is only $800,000
January 16, 2017

This renovated historic townhouse in Mott Haven is only $800,000

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File this one under things you won't find in Brooklyn: This pretty, totally modernized 2,828 square-foot Queen Anne row house at 418 East 136th Street in the Bertine Block Historic District offers four bedrooms with room for more, and four stories of townhouse loveliness, all for the well-under-a-million price of $800,000. Caveats apply, of course: It’s a narrow house at only 14 feet wide, and single-family so no rental income if you live there. But The Bronx is the place to be if you’re looking for townhouse living for under a mil.
Take a look
Bronx Commons will bring 305 affordable apartments and a new music venue to the South Bronx
January 13, 2017

Bronx Commons will bring 305 affordable apartments and a new music venue to the South Bronx

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Not only did the Times recently name the South Bronx one of this year's hottest travel destinations, but the up-and-coming 'hood has become a hotbed for new development. Many of these include affordable housing, which is the case at Bronx Commons, a mixed-use development in the Melrose Commons neighborhood that broke ground this morning. The $160 million project includes 305 all-affordable apartments, retail, and a landscaped public plaza, all of which will be anchored by the Bronx Music Hall, a new 300-seat venue that will serve as an "arts-centered community hub focused on the deeply rooted history of cutting edge Bronx music," according to a press release from developers WHEDco and BFC Partners.
Find out more about the project
From just $368/month, lottery opens for 107 affordable apartments in Crotona Park East

An early rendering of the project, via CityLand

January 11, 2017

From just $368/month, lottery opens for 107 affordable apartments in Crotona Park East

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In April, the affordable housing lottery commenced for 79 units at Building A of the Bronx's Crotona Terrace development in Crotona Park East. Now, 107 additional apartments are up for grabs at Building B, ranging from $368/month studios to $1,740/month three-bedrooms, broken down for those earning no more than 30, 40, 50, 60, or 100 percent of the area media income. This mixed-income setup is similar to other projects in the Crotona Park East neighborhood, which was rezoned nearly six years ago to allow more residential in a historically industrial area to create increased affordable housing.
Find out if you qualify
New York Times names the South Bronx one of the world’s top travel destinations for 2017
January 4, 2017

New York Times names the South Bronx one of the world’s top travel destinations for 2017

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In addition to far-flung and exotic locales such as Kazakhstan, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Sikkim, India, and Marrakesh, Morocco, the New York Times has added to its list of "52 Places to Go in 2017" several cities across the U.S. on the cusp of gentrification or about to make a comeback. One of these is the South Bronx, subtitled as "an industrial neighborhood's revival." They point to the 'hood's declining crime rates, wave of new development, and, of course, burgeoning foodie scene.
Read the whole travel blurb here
Apply for seven affordable units in the Bronx’s Morris Heights area, starting at $1,292/month
January 3, 2017

Apply for seven affordable units in the Bronx’s Morris Heights area, starting at $1,292/month

By
2016 saw a huge influx of new affordable housing developments and subsequent lotteries in the Bronx, and the new year is kicking off with yet another. As of Thursday, qualifying New Yorkers can apply for seven brand new units at 74 West Tremont Avenue, a small, eight-story building in the borough's easily accessible Morris Heights neighborhood. The availabilities include $1,292/month one-bedrooms and $1,458/month two-bedrooms for those earning 80 percent of the area media income.
All the details

Photograph by Jeff Liao, courtesy of the Bronx Museum

December 22, 2016

Apply for 59 affordable apartments throughout the South Bronx, starting at $822/month

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Starting tomorrow, qualifying New Yorkers can apply for 59 newly renovated, affordable apartments throughout the South Bronx. Spread across six addresses (1171 Clay Avenue, 1183 Clay Avenue, 1202 Clay Avenue, 384 Grand Concourse, 1129 Morrison Avenue and 1038 Rogers Place), the units are all nearby in the Grand Concourse, Soundview, Foxhurst, and Mott Haven neighborhoods. The availabilities are for those earning 100, 60, and 50 percent of the area media income, ranging from $822/month studios to $1,875/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
114 affordable units at the Bronx’s new Compass Residences complex up for grabs, from $822/month
December 9, 2016

114 affordable units at the Bronx’s new Compass Residences complex up for grabs, from $822/month

By
When the West Farms Redevelopment Plan came to fruition in 2011, it was the largest private rezoning ever in the Bronx. The 17-acre, 11-block site in Crotona Park East was a former industrial area that's being transformed according to a master plan by Dattner Architects that calls for a total of 1,325 units of affordable housing and 46,000 square feet of retail space and community facilities. The first two buildings in the complex, also designed by Dattner, are called the Compass Residences and offer 237 units organized around a series of "gracious courtyards." As of today, 114 of these apartments are available through the city's affordable housing lottery. They're open to individuals earning 60 percent of the area media income and range from $822/month studios to $1,224/month three-bedrooms.
READ MORE
State seeks proposals for massive development above South Bronx rail yard tracks
December 2, 2016

State seeks proposals for massive development above South Bronx rail yard tracks

By
As the city's land costs rise, interest has been focused on the South Bronx, including the potential for a huge waterfront development above the MTA's Concourse Yards, as 6sqft previously reported. Now, Crains reports that Empire State Development (ESD) has invited developers to present offers for leasing or purchasing a 13-acre South Bronx rail yard along the Harlem River just north of the Willis Avenue Bridge and decking it over to build a residential or mixed-use project.
Find out more
Live a block from the Bronx Zoo for $1,348/month, lottery opening for nine units in Belmont
November 21, 2016

Live a block from the Bronx Zoo for $1,348/month, lottery opening for nine units in Belmont

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As of tomorrow, nine brand new units in the Belmont section of the Bronx will become available through the city's affordable housing lottery. Located just a block from the Bronx Zoo and within walking distance to the New York Botanical Garden, the seven-story, 41-unit building at 2346 Prospect Avenue was recently constructed by the Stagg Group and Badaly Architects and also has ground-floor community facility space. The available apartments, open to those earning 80 percent of the area media income, include four one-bedrooms for $1,348/month and five two-bedrooms for $1,521/month.
Find out if you qualify here
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