The City Council has approved a rezoning plan for an area of the East Bronx to facilitate the creation of thousands of new homes amid an affordability crisis afflicting all five of New York’s boroughs.
The Bronx Metro North rezoning will allow roughly 7,000 new housing units around two of the new Metro North stations that are poised to open in the borough’s eastern stretch in 2027. A portion would be permanently restricted to residents who fall under certain income requirements, meant to ensure the units are affordable.
The plan, approved on Thursday and championed by Mayor Eric Adams, is being touted as the most sweeping change of its kind to come in years, rivaling Mayor Bill de Blasio’s rezoning of Gowanus in 2021.
Am I the only who’s surprised this was approved, given the underlying premise (new Metro North stations in East Bronx) is very much in doubt due to the “indefinite suspension” of congestion pricing?
I really hate how the media treats the new stations as a done deal. At least the local alderwoman seems to acknowledge that it’s likely to be “Interborough Express”-style vaporware.
“While new Metro-North stations can help reduce car dependency, achieving this vision requires a phased approach,” Marmorato told Streetsblog. She claimed that she would like to see less driving, but added that she prioritizes the current needs of drivers over the long-term goal of creating new Metro-North stations as part of a strategy to reduce car dependency in her district.
“Engaging with residents to understand their needs and promoting alternative transportation options is essential to a process that would completely change the way of commuting in district – community engagement is the only way for positive and lasting change to take place. The current needs and realities of our community are the priority — and that involves accessibility for our drivers and cars,” said Marmorato.
As much as I disagree with parking mandates, I am sympathetic to the view that it is disingenuous to expect folks to go car-free in expectation of some unfunded plan for future commuter-rail service, especially given the current state chief executive’s animosity to mass transit.
„ Exterior renderings depict a light-colored facade with a contrasting earth-toned cladding hung above the outdoor amenity level between floors 10 and 11, as well as the multifaceted mechanical bulkhead and the perimeter walls between levels 18 and 19. The terraces appear to be lined with clear glass railings and are populated with shrubbery in raised garden beds.
660 Lexington Avenue’s anticipated completion date is slated for the winter of 2025, as noted on site.“
For what it’s worth, most self-storage customers aren’t hoarders with long-term leases. Plenty of people use these facilities for only 1-2 months while in-between apartments or on extended travel.
Also, I’m sure there is more than a handful of small businesses, RE agents/brokers and the like that use these for staging equipment, supplies, etc. so I imagine that proximity matters somewhat for them.
from the article: But the Waldorf had lacked, let’s say, improvements, for many, many years,” said Ray Gu, project director at Dajia Insurance Group, which took control of the designated landmark building that was bought by China’s Anbang Insurance Group in 2015. But who should lead such a weighty project?
