DEVELOPED BY THE CITY OF NEW YORK
2008
S o u th B ron x
INITIATIVE
THE PEOPLE THE NEIGHBORHOODS THE VISION
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Boricua Village
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The Hub Retail and
Office Center
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Mott Haven Schools
Hostos
Community
College
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th S
Melrose Metro
Bronx County North Station
Hall of Justice
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Pregones Theater
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St
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Area
Prosp
e
Gateway
Center
Will
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Harlem River
Waterfront Parks
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Field Park
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Lou Gehrig
Plaza
Yankee Stadium
Metro North Station
REGIONAL CONTEXT
Study Area
Bronx Museum of the Arts
D
B
Joyce
Kilmer
Park
Macombs
Dam Park
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onc
ours
e
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New
Yankee Stadium
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n St
Melr
ose
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nd C
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W 16
McC
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Existing & Planned Assets
Existing / Under Construction
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B D
th S
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7th
Jero
me A
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Metro North
A
C
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E 16
John
Mullaly
Park
Nor
th
SOUTH BRONX ASSETS & CONTEXT
Planned
St
Planned / Under Construction Open Space
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S o u th B ron x I nitiative S trategic P lan
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The South Bronx is rebounding as an area with safe, vibrant
neighborhoods and a growing economy. Guiding this change
are grassroots efforts and partnerships between community
stakeholders, elected officials, and government agencies committed
to improving quality of life and creating new opportunities for current
and future residents.
Economic Development and Rebuilding, to identify community
priorities and create a coordinated economic development strategy for
the area. The team includes the Departments of City Planning (DCP),
Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), Parks & Recreation
(DPR), Small Business Services (SBS), and Transportation (DOT), and
the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC).
As a result, over $3 billion of public/private investment and new
development, including the Boricua Village mixed-use campus,
anchor retail at Gateway Center, and Harlem River waterfront parks,
will create almost 16,000 construction and permanent jobs and lay
the groundwork for additional, sustainable growth.
This plan is the product of an extensive planning and outreach
process that included over 35 meetings with community stakeholders
and elected officials. It articulates a vision and recommendations
for strengthening connections between existing assets and recent
investments, supporting additional growth, and addressing
community concerns. Continued collaboration and dialogue with
community stakeholders and elected officials will be essential
for implementing the plan and ensuring that a shared vision of a
prosperous South Bronx is fully realized in the years to come.
To guide future land use changes and capital investments that
address community concerns, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
announced the “South Bronx Initiative” (SBI) in 2006 and charged
an interagency team, led by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for
THE PEOPLE
With over 300,000 residents, the SBI study area
is home to a diverse immigrant population and
the largest youth population in the city.
The area, located in Congressional District 16, had
an 8% unemployment rate in 2006, compared to
5% citywide. By improving coordination and
targeting investments in after-school and workforce
development programs, the City seeks to support
young and working adults in their academic
development and search for permanent employment.
Since December 2006, the City’s Center for
Economic Opportunity (CEO) has been
implementing initiatives aimed at reducing
poverty citywide and addressing specific challenges
in high-need, low-income neighborhoods like Mott
Haven and Melrose. Through the Young Adult
Internship program and Service Learning program,
disconnected youth are receiving support from City
agencies and community organizations to connect to
education, jobs, and leadership development.
Coordinated partnerships to provide training and
job placement programs are also helping working
adults build their skills and advance their careers.
Since 2004, the Workforce1 Center at the Hub has
placed more than 5,600 residents in jobs. With three
new CEO-funded staff and direct collaboration
with community-based organizations, the Center is
poised to target South Bronx residents and increase
job placements by 100 per quarter.
THE NEIGHBORHOODS
While the “South Bronx” originated as a small
section of Mott Haven, the name grew to
encompass many neighborhoods, each with
its unique history and character.
These neighborhoods vary from the growing
residential community in Melrose, the bustling
retail district at the Hub, and the emerging antiques
district in Port Morris, to the historic Art Deco
buildings of the Grand Concourse, and the Bronx
Civic Center along East 161st Street.
The neighborhoods in the South Bronx are
becoming more environmentally sustainable,
transit-oriented, and economically diverse, thanks
to public/private partnerships that are developing
•
Total population in the SBI area
is over 300,000 and will grow
an additional 10% by 2030.
•
35% of the area’s residents
are under 18 years of age,
compared to 24% citywide.
•
Over the past 5 years, almost
300 businesses and 2,454 jobs
have been created in the
SBI area.
•
Over the past 12 months, the
Workforce1 Center has issued
470 Individual Training Grant
vouchers to residents seeking
employment and advancement.
•
Over the last 7 years, more
than 2,300 units have been
built or are under construction
on public sites in Melrose
Commons, and up to 1,400
more units will come online
by 2010.
•
Over 2,500 units of moderate
and middle-income housing are
projected for public and private
sites in the SBI area by 2010.
•
A new Metro North station at
Yankee Stadium, scheduled
to open in 2009, will increase
public transportation options
for residents and visitors
year-round.
innovative affordable housing projects like Sunflower
Way and Via Verde/The Greenway.
The development of the first new mid-rise
co-ops and condos in decades, including the Orion
in Melrose, will enable moderate and middle-income
families to stay in the South Bronx and lay the
foundation for balanced retail communities.
Rezonings, too, in Port Morris and Morrisania,
have set the stage for creating economically diverse
communities, by retaining industrial businesses
and jobs for local residents, while encouraging the
development of housing and neighborhood retail.
THE VISION
Partnerships between the City, community, and private sector will build upon the South Bronx’s existing assets and potential
to enhance and sustain revitalized neighborhoods that include:
Affordable housing for people of diverse incomes;
•
A publicly-accessible waterfront;
Vibrant commercial districts with year-round destinations;
•
Attractive streetscapes, public spaces, and parks;
•
•
An efficient transportation network; and
•
A diverse economy providing jobs for local residents.
•
PLAN FOCUS AREAS
This plan seeks to link existing assets with recent investments, support additional growth, and address the community’s quality of life
concerns. The interagency team focused on three areas with significant opportunities to achieve these goals, given the availability of
City-owned land, proximity to transit, and potential to redevelop privately-owned vacant and underutilized land through rezonings.
These three focus areas fall within Community Districts 1, 3, and 4, with major thoroughfares like 149th Street, 161st Street, Third Avenue,
and the Grand Concourse providing critical transportation and retail connections.
Highbridge
MELROSE COMMONS / THIRD AVENUE
B D
4
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B
Study
Macombs
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BRONX CIVIC CENTER
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Area
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Rezoning
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River
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Melrose
LOWER GRAND CONCOURSE
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Bronx Civic Center
MELROSE COMMONS /
THIRD AVENUE
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Th
R I V E R
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Madison Ave
Bridge
Bron
Bro
Bro nx C
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m
145th St
Bridge
H A R L E M
nd
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onc
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Avenu
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Concourse
Village
A thriving residential area, where City,
community, and private partnerships are
establishing a mixed-use, economically
diverse neighborhood.
2 5
The Hub
5
2
5
An urban center with a strong civic and
office core, bolstered by new and enhanced
regional destinations like Yankee Stadium,
Gateway Center, Harlem River waterfront
parks, and the Bronx Museum of the Arts.
LOWER GRAND CONCOURSE
6
8th
13
5
t
4
6
ee
Str
Port Morris
6
Mott Haven
Port Morris
Third Ave Rezoning
Bridge
6
An area surrounding the Grand Concourse,
south of East 149th Street, characterized
by multi-story industrial loft buildings,
excellent highway and subway access, and
its proximity to the Harlem River waterfront.
Melrose commons / THIRD AVENUE
The Hub is a regional commercial center
of the South Bronx, where more than
200,000 pedestrians pass through daily.
By 2010, there will be approximately
400,000 square feet of retail space built
on public sites around Melrose Commons
and the Hub. Improved streetscapes and
enhanced bus service along Webster or
Third Avenue would better connect the
growing residential population to the subway
Boricua Village
system at the Hub, while spurring
additional development.
Melrose Commons is envisioned as an
attractive mixed-income urban village with
balanced neighborhood retail, new parks, and
a college campus. It will demonstrate market
potential for mixed-income residential
development and a diversity of retail in the
South Bronx.
Melrose Metro
North Station
161s
t St
Was
hing
ton A
ve
Melrose Commons is the realization of a
collaborative process involving an engaged
community, the City, and the Bronx
Borough President. Since implementation of
the Melrose Commons Urban Renewal Plan
in 2000, over 2,300 units have been built or
are under construction. By 2010, as many
as 3,700 new housing units will be built on
City-owned sites, with particular attention to
urban design and sustainability.
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Melrose Commons
Urban Renewal Area
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n's Av
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k Av
St. An
Broo
e
se Av
Av
e
The Hub Retail
and Office Center
Th
ird
Via Verde/The Green Way
Melro
Cour
tland
t Ave
Elton
Ave
h St
Westchester
Ave
Strategic Action Legend
2
5
The Hub
Strengthen Retail Corridors
149
Reconfigure Key Intersections
th S
ACTION ITEMS
GOALS
STRATEGIC ACTIONS
Develop City-owned Vacant Lots
t
Create / Enhance Open Spaces
Short-term
Long-term
Continue to establish Melrose
Commons as a mixed-income
& balanced retail community
Strengthen retail corridors
by supporting commercial
continuity and diversity
Improve mobility at key
intersections and transit
service along major
St corridors
Marys
Develop last remaining Cityowned sites to create affordable
housing and ground-floor
retail space
Market Melrose Commons to
major retailers and support
local businesses
Upgrade Roberto Clemente
Plaza, at the E. 149th St./Third
Ave. Hub, and reconfigure the E.
161st St./Elton Ave. intersection
Park
Create opportunities for new or
enhanced public open spaces
Pursue funding to develop new
parks, while upgrading and
preserving existing parks, open
spaces, and community gardens
Evaluate feasibility of providing
Bus-Rapid Transit service on
Webster Ave. or Third Ave.
Lead Agency: HPD
Lead Agencies: EDC, SBS
Lead Agencies: DCP, DOT, MTA
Lead Agency: DPR
BRONX CIVIC CENTER
East 161st Street is the civic center of the
South Bronx. With new destinations like the
Harlem River waterfront parks, and a new
Yankee Stadium, the Civic Center is
expanding west to include the River Avenue
corridor and fast-becoming a dynamic urban
center of year-round activity for residents,
workers, and visitors.
This area has some of the best transit access
in the Bronx, with stops on the B, D, and 4
subway lines and several bus lines, a new
Metro North Yankee Stadium Station
scheduled to open in 2009, and a Metro
North Melrose Station near 161st Street and
Park Avenue.
This center of activity in the South Bronx
is envisioned as a transit-oriented, higherdensity district that elevates the Bronx Civic
New Yankee Stadium
John
Mullaly
Park
Center. The vision includes a mix of office,
retail, and residential development enhanced
by a pedestrian-friendly environment,
convenient public transportation access, and
improved traffic flow. Together, new
development and greater transit options
will attract economic activity to the area,
while providing jobs and new amenities for
residents and visitors to enjoy.
4
D
B
Bronx Museum
of the Arts
B D
New Yankee
Stadium
Joyce
Kilmer
Park
Macombs
Dam Park
e We
se V
illag
Con
cour
st
151
St
153rd Street Bridge
GOALS
ACTION ITEMS
e
Av
Rezoning Area
Targeted Transportation
Improvements
Improve Streetscape &
Urban Design
Develop City-owned Sites
2
Short-term
Strengthen the Bronx Civic
Center with additional
opportunities for office, retail
and residential development
Rezone to encourage highdensity commercial and
residential development
Lead Agency: DCP
rk
Pa
Strategic Action Legend
Mott Haven
Schools
4
STRATEGIC ACTIONS
st
rse
ncou
d Co
e
n Av
Wal
to
Franz
Sigel
Park
Gateway
Center
Bronx County
Hall of Justice
t
Bronx
County Building
Gran
rd A
ve
Gera
e
r Av
sway (I-87)
orth
Major Deegan Expres
st S
t
rd S
ro N
Harlem River Waterfront Parks
Harlem
River
Waterfront
Parks
153
Met
M
161
Heritage
Field Park
Yankee Stadium
Metro North
Station
Rive
Gateway Center
Long-term
Improve mobility along
E. 161st Street and River Avenue
Make targeted transportation
improvements such as signal
timing and pedestrian crossings
Create a consistent identity
along E. 161st Street and
River Avenue and enhance the
area’s public spaces
Extend BX13 bus service further
south to 149th Street
Make targeted streetscape
improvements along E. 161st
Street and River Avenue,
including new distinctive
lighting and street furniture
Lead Agencies: DCP, DOT, MTA
Lead Agencies: DOT, DCP
Activate River Avenue with a
dynamic mix of uses
Facilitate the planning and
development of City-owned
sites along River Avenue
Lead Agencies: EDC, DPR
Lower GRAND concourse
Today, the area’s excellent transit access,
underutilized lofts, and underdeveloped land
The Lower Grand Concourse is envisioned as
a vibrant gateway into the Bronx. A mixed3
Mott Haven Schools
4
tro
No
rth
Grand
Me
2
Ave
Par
k Av
e
Hostos
Community
College
5
149t
h St
Lincoln
Hospital
144th
St
Can
al P
l
er A
ve
Walto
n
Major Deegan Expressway (I87)
2
153rd Street
Bridge
Conco
urse
d Ave
Gateway
Center
Gerar
145th St
Bridge
Rid
Harlem River waterfront
use rezoning will allow the area to develop
into a multi-faceted neighborhood that
retains industry and jobs, supports new
housing and retail, including grocery
stores, and provides new public waterfront
open spaces. Although the City-owned,
former P.S. 31 building requires substantial
rehabilitation, it presents an opportunity to
leverage private resources with a community
vision for alternative uses.
e
provide an opportunity to support a growing
population and help meet demands for
affordable housing. With major investments
such as the Gateway Center to the north,
and the success of the Port Morris mixeduse district to the south, the Lower Grand
Concourse area is primed for change.
Morr
is Av
In the nineteenth century, the Lower Grand
Concourse was a manufacturing center that
produced goods ranging from pianos to
ironworks, including the dome of the U.S.
Capitol building. However, since the 1960’s,
as manufacturing needs changed, the area
experienced minimal investment.
Madison Ave
Bridge
Multi-story loft
ve
dA
r
Thi
8th
13
th
St
Nor
Strategic Action Legend
6
5
4
6Grand
Port Morris
Rezoning
is A
ve
Rezoning Area
Concourse Gateway
Will
ro
Met
Waterfront Walkway & Park
P.S. 31 Adaptive Reuse Site
ACTION ITEMS
GOALS
STRATEGIC ACTIONS
Short-term
Long-term
Encourage residential
development for different
income levels, while
retaining viable light
manufacturing businesses
Establish a grand gateway to
the South Bronx
Develop new parks and
open space
Rezone and make streetscape
and lighting improvements on
the lower Grand Concourse
Rezone to allow mixed-uses and
provide a zoning incentive for
affordable housing
Improve the appearance, ADA
accessibility, and structural
condition of subway stations at
149th Street and 138th Street/
Grand Concourse
Map a new public park along
the Harlem River and leverage
private development to
create continuous public
waterfront access
Lead Agencies: DCP, HPD
Lead Agencies: DOT, DCP, MTA
Lead Agencies: DPR, DCP
Redevelop the former P.S. 31
Evaluate the feasibility of an
adaptive reuse of P.S. 31
Lead Agency: EDC
DEVELOPED BY THE CITY OF NEW YORK
2008
S o u th B ron x
INITIATIVE
THE PEOPLE THE NEIGHBORHOODS THE VISION
This SBI strategic plan will guide future City investments and support further
dialogue with the community. Several of the proposed “strategic actions”
will have their own public outreach or public review and approval processes,
including the rezonings and park developments.
To realize the SBI vision, the City will work with elected officials and State
agencies to secure the dedicated funding and commitments necessary for
implementing capital projects and transit improvements.
The joint efforts of all key stakeholders – the City, elected officials, community,
and private sector – to implement the plan’s recommendations will ensure that
current and future residents participate in the sustained revitalization of the
South Bronx as an area with mixed-income neighborhoods, vibrant commercial
districts, attractive public open spaces, an efficient transit network, and a diverse
economy providing jobs for local residents.
TO LEARN MORE
VISIT OUR WEB SITE:
www.nycedc.com/SouthBronxInitiative
E-MAIL: SBI@nycedc.com
Developed by the
City of New York
www.nyc.gov provides links to:
Department of City Planning
Department of Housing Preservation and Development
Department of Parks & Recreation
Department of Small Business Services
Department of Transportation
New York City Economic Development Corporation
A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S
&
T H A N K S
Hon. José E. Serrano
Bronx Shepherds Restoration Corporation
U.S. Representative 16th District
Citizens Advice Bureau, Inc. (CAB)
Hon. Adolfo Carrión, Jr.
Bronx Borough President
Hon. Maria del Carmen Arroyo
New York City Council Member - District 17
Hon. Helen D. Foster
New York City Council Member - District 16
Hon. Melissa Mark Viverito
New York City Council Member - District 8
Bronx Community Board 1
Bronx Community Board 3
Bronx Community Board 4
161st Street Merchant Association
167th Street Merchant Association
170th Street Merchant Association
44th Precinct Clergy Coalition
Atlantic Development Group, LLC
Banana Kelly
Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance
District 16 Neighborhood Council
Eugenio María de Hostos Community College
of CUNY
HUB - Third Avenue Business
Improvement District
International Council of Shopping Centers
(ICSC)
Jackson Development Group, Ltd.
L & M Equity Participants, Ltd.
Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center
Mid-Bronx Desperadoes Economic
Development Corporation
Mid-Bronx Council (MBC)
Neighborhood Association for Inter-Cultural
Affairs, Inc. (NAICA)
Neighborhood Housing Services of
South Bronx
The Phipps Houses
Bronx Council on the Arts
Poko Partners, LLC
Bronx Overall Economic Development
Corporation (BOEDC)
Procida Realty & Construction Corp.
Pregones Theater
South Bronx Overall Economic Development
Corporation (SoBRO)
South East Bronx Community Organization
The Bluestone Organization
The Related Companies
We Stay / Nos Quedamos Committee, Inc.
Women’s Housing and Economic
Development Corporation
Brochure Design: SMWM LLP. Aerial photo of Yankee Stadium on front cover courtesy of Intervision New Media.