The Bronx

Praxis Housing Initiatives "is NYC’s largest provider of transitional housing to homeless people with HIV/AIDS and is one of city’s lowest cost/highest service housing providers." As part of its 2012 strategic plan, the organization began a permanent supportive housing program, and in just two years time they opened their first development in the Bronx. In 2015, they closed on the second at 2264 Loring Place North in Kings Bridge Heights and built an eight-story, 66-unit building. Of these apartments, 14 are reserved for community-based affordable housing for those earning 60 percent of the area median income. They include $931/month one-bedrooms and $1,123/month two-bedrooms and have just come online through the city's affordable housing lottery.
All the logistics ahead

Affordable Housing

Citi Bike looks at major five-borough expansion

Image by Nick Harris flickr CC

May 18, 2017

Citi Bike looks at major five-borough expansion

Image by Nick Harris flickr CC 6sqft recently reported that so many people are hopping on Citi Bikes that even bus ridership has been affected. But there are parts of New York City–Staten Island and the Bronx for example–don't have that option because the familiar blue bikes haven't made it into their neighborhoods–yet. Citi Bike parent company, Motivate, has approached City Hall with a plan that would add 6,000 bikes to the system–4,000 of them in areas that currently have no docks–without spending tax revenue, the New York Daily News reports.
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Transit

87 mixed-income apartments up for grabs at new Mott Haven rental The Graham, from $386/month

255 East 138th Street via MHG Architects

May 17, 2017

87 mixed-income apartments up for grabs at new Mott Haven rental The Graham, from $386/month

Applications are currently being accepted for 87 affordable apartments in The Graham, a new sustainable building located in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx. The eight-story building at 255 East 138th Street has a full floor of retail at the street level, bike room, outdoor terrace and underground parking garage. New Yorkers earning 30, 40, 50, 60 and 100 percent of the area median income can apply for the mixed-income units, ranging from $368/month studios to $1,683/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Nine affordable units in the Bronx’s West Farms up for grabs, from $1,348/month

Photo @6sqft/Stephanie Hoina

May 16, 2017

Nine affordable units in the Bronx’s West Farms up for grabs, from $1,348/month

Applications are currently being accepted for nine newly constructed affordable units at 866 East 178th Street in the West Farms section of the Bronx. West Farms, which underwent the largest private rezoning in the Bronx ever a few years ago, is located in the southwest of the borough. Residents here can enjoy plenty of green space with access to the Bronx Park, Zoo and the Bronx River. New Yorkers earning 80 percent of the area median income can apply to rent four one-bedrooms for $1,348 per month and five two-bedrooms for $1,521 per month.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Apply for eight affordable units in the Bronx’s bustling Melrose, from $1,348/month

Photo by Futurebird via Wikimedia Commons

May 10, 2017

Apply for eight affordable units in the Bronx’s bustling Melrose, from $1,348/month

Located in the evolving Melrose neighborhood of the South Bronx, eight newly constructed units are available to rent at 407 East 160th Street. As the Bronx continues to undergo major residential and commercial development, Melrose sits as the epicenter of these changes. It has a bustling district known as the Hub, or the Times Square of the Bronx, which features many retail stores, restaurants and entertainment options. New Yorkers earning 80 percent of the area median income can apply to rent four $1,348/month one-bedrooms and four $1,521/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

City backs away from Yankee Stadium parkland promise in favor of residential high rise

Photo via Wikipedia

May 8, 2017

City backs away from Yankee Stadium parkland promise in favor of residential high rise

The city’s Economic Development Corp. has announced its support for plans to build up to 1,045 units of market-rate and affordable housing and commercial space on a vacant four-acre stretch of East 149th Street in The Bronx, the New York Post reports. The city had promised a decade ago to replace the more than 25 acres of parkland that was lost when the new Yankee Stadium was greenlighted in 2005; the vacant space was to be the last leg of the Mill Pond Park, off the Harlem River. Geoffrey Croft of NYC Park Advocates, a watchdog group, said the "sleazy switcheroo" “screams of Brooklyn Bridge Park all over again," referring to promised waterfront parkland that that became high-rise housing instead.
Find out what's up

New food hall may arrive at an empty railway station in the South Bronx

Conceptual rendering courtesy of Raft Architects

May 8, 2017

New food hall may arrive at an empty railway station in the South Bronx

While many residential and commercial projects are underway in the South Bronx, the neighborhood continues to lack diverse food choices for its residents. Hoping to bring more variety to the Hunts Point community, Majora Carter--a revitalization adviser and developer who's also behind the nearby transformation of the former Spofford Juvenile Detention Center into a $300 million mixed-use affordable housing complex--is partnering with Slayton Ventures to create a hip new dining spot in an empty railway station. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the $2 million project will restore the former Amtrak-owned building, which was designed by Cass Gilbert, beginning this summer and is expected to be completed in the fall.
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New Developments

May 2, 2017

Apply for 50 affordable units in the Bronx’s Mt. Eden, from $558/month

Located in the Mount Eden neighborhood of the South Bronx, this affordable housing building at 1561 Walton Avenue sits just off the Grand Concourse and a block south of the Cross-Bronx Expressway. The 11-story residence contains 60 units total and includes an on-site manager, rear patio, laundry, and storage space for bikes, as well as on-site college application assistance and work-readiness training. Applications are currently being accepted for 50 of the units, ranging from $558/month one-bedrooms to $1,740/month three-bedrooms for those earning 40, 50, 60, or 80 percent of the area median income.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

April 26, 2017

Apply for eight affordable units in the Bronx’s Crotona Park East, from $1,348/month

Adding to the development boom in the South Bronx, eight newly constructed units are available to rent at 1417 Longfellow Avenue. Located in the Crotona Park East neighborhood, which was rezoned six years ago to allow more residential buildings in the former industrial area, the building contains 38 apartments that each are about 636-square units. New Yorkers who qualify can apply for four $1,348 one-bedrooms and four $1,521 two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

April 25, 2017

Score an affordable apartment near Yankee Stadium from $963/month

Located just a few blocks from Yankee Stadium, this affordable housing project with a beautiful shared courtyard is truly unique, as it was developed on one of the last vacant city-owned lots. Applications are now being accepted for one- and two-bedroom rentals at 12 East Clarke Place and 27 East 169 Street in the Highbridge section of the Bronx, including $963/month one-bedrooms and $1,166/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

April 14, 2017

Apply for 16 affordable units in the Tremont section of the Bronx, from $716/ month

As of today, qualifying New Yorkers can apply for 16 newly renovated, affordable apartments in the Tremont section of the Bronx. The units at 565 East 178th Street and 2089-91 Arthur Avenue--which are right near Tremont Park and just a short walk to the Bronx Park and Zoo--are available to those earning 50 to 60 percent of the area median income, ranging from $716/month studios to $1,292/month three-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Past Prisons: Inside the new lives of 7 former NYC jails

A 1938 photo showing the Women’s House of Detention south of the Jefferson Market Courthouse, via NYPL

April 10, 2017

Past Prisons: Inside the new lives of 7 former NYC jails

By Penelope Bareau

The past week has been full of news about Rikers Island and Mayor de Blasio's announcement that the notorious prison will be closed and replaced with smaller facilities throughout the boroughs. Ideas for re-use of its 413 acres have included commercial, residential and mixed-use properties; academic centers; sports and recreation facilities; a convention center; or an expansion of nearby LaGuardia airport. And while anything final is estimated to be a decade away, this isn't the first prison in NYC to be adaptively reused. From a health spa to a production studio to a housing development, 6sqft explores the new lives of seven past prisons.
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History

April 6, 2017

Outrageous Bronx mansion built for Jesus’ second coming finally sells

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

April 5, 2017

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

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.
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April 4, 2017

The 10 best neighborhoods for New York City artists

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

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

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.
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Policy

March 24, 2017

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

By Emily Nonko

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

Bronx Commons via Danois

March 20, 2017

Senior musicians may lose affordable housing at Bronx Commons

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.
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March 20, 2017

Three chances to live in the Bronx’s Morrisania neighborhood for $1,230/month

New Yorkers earning 80 percent of the area median income can apply for three newly constructed units at 1319A and 1319B Prospect Avenue in the Morrisania section of the Bronx. The $1,230/month one-bedrooms are located in a 16-unit, two-building project in a leafy residential area not far from the 2 and 5 trains.
See the income requirements

Affordable Housing

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

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

March 9, 2017

More renderings, details released for massive South Bronx waterfront development

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

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

March 7, 2017

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

By Emily Nonko

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

New Developments

March 7, 2017

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

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

Affordable Housing

March 7, 2017

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

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

Affordable Housing

February 24, 2017

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