The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) today announced plans to bring more affordable housing and community space to the Bronx, advancing a key rezoning commitment of Jerome Avenue to transform a city-owned site on River Avenue. After an extensive Request for Proposals (RFP) process, HPD selected Type A projects, Development Partners L + M and BronxWorks as the development team for their proposal for River Commons. Known as “Site A”, it is owned by the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (H + H) and is currently used as a surface parking lot.

The rezoning brings more than $ 189 million in capital projects and services to the Bronx neighborhood in new and improved parks and playgrounds, pedestrian safety improvements near the Cross Bronx Freeway, assistance to businesses and new schools.

“The project selected for the River Avenue H + H site will transform a surface parking lot into affordable housing and community space for the Southwest Bronx, thus respecting our commitments to the community in the Jerome Avenue neighborhood plan” , said Commissioner HPD Carroll. “I thank Board Member Vanessa Gibson for her continued partnership and congratulate Type A, L + M and BronxWorks for this dynamic and forward-looking proposition.

In September, HPD announced plans to offer 40 new affordable homeownership opportunities to Site B located on Anthony Avenue. In 2019, HPD hosted a community workshop to better understand the community’s priorities and gather ideas for future development at these sites from those who live and work nearby and have an intimate understanding of the conditions and needs of the neighborhood.

The site design offers a mix of permanently affordable unit sizes, including family units – a demand from the community during the engagement process. There will be 112 studios, 89 one bedroom, 63 two bedroom and 14 three bedroom. The project integrates with the surrounding H + H campus and provides ground floor uses that will activate a stretch of River Avenue located under an elevated train throughout the day.

The project includes two high-impact community facilities: The BronxWorks Empowerment Center will provide a wide range of services to the community, including health and nutrition education, access to fresh food, after-school programs and summer camps. , family support, eviction prevention, as well as employment preparation, training and employment services.

“Type A projects couldn’t be more excited to start working with the community and our partners, BronxWorks and L + M Development Partners to create a vibrant center of community life at River Commons,” said Jill Crawford, Director of Type A Projects. “With 278 healthy and affordable housing units, holistic community resources, an activated streetscape, numerous open spaces accessible to the public, and free and reliable Wi-Fi connectivity, we aim to create a true community asset built with and for the inclusion, equity and empowerment. As a women-owned developer, we are grateful for HPD’s continued efforts to level the playing field for M / WBE companies. Participation in HPD’s M / WBE Developer Capacity Series and HPD’s M / WBE Tender Projects has launched our company’s trajectory in one of the most competitive real estate markets in the country. We know firsthand that these M / WBE-focused initiatives are essential elements of a more equitable and inclusive city for all.

“Building on our Type A partnership with Bronx Point, L + M is proud to provide financial support to this transformation project which not only advances our mission of supporting MWBEs by expanding Type A portfolios and of BronxWorks, but will also provide affordable housing and community resources tailored to meet the needs of the neighborhood, ”said Spencer Orkus, Partner and Managing Director of L + M Development Partners. “We look forward to working with project partners throughout the process to ensure that River Commons is a safe and quality place to live and meets the goals of the Jerome Avenue rezoning. “

“BronxWorks is delighted to partner with Type A Projects, a women-led development team, as a development partner and supportive housing service provider at River Commons, which will provide much-needed affordable housing in the region. Bronx, ”said Eileen Torres, Executive Director of BronxWorks. “We are also looking forward to expanding our work in the borough by providing residents and the local community, which includes many immigrants, with after-school services, job training, eviction prevention and health services. and well-being through our on-site empowerment center. ”

The African Resource Center is a collaborative proposal between the African Advisory Council (AAC) and African Communities Together (ACT) to provide educational programs, services and community meeting space to the rapidly growing and underserved African community in the project area. The project area is home to the highest concentration of African language speakers in New York City – a population that struggles to access community and public resources due to language barriers.

As part of the development deal, L + M is expected to exit the ownership structure in year 5, offering its initial stake to BronxWorks for a nominal fee. This translates into long-term project ownership owned by an M / WBE and a non-profit organization.

Support services for homeless former residents of River Commons will be provided by BronxWorks, an experienced service provider based in the Bronx. Services will promote housing stability, health, wellness and self-sufficiency, and will be provided on the ground and first floors in a dedicated space within the BronxWorks Empowerment Center. BronxWorks will also work with many hospital emergency service users to reduce the burden on hospital emergency services.

During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, HPD quickly pivoted to respond to a new theme on community health and wellness for PD. HPD encouraged the teams to adapt the design and programming of the buildings to take into account health considerations. These include access to and education around affordable, healthy and fresh food options; physical and mental health resources, workforce development and vocational training, housing and tenant resources; educational programs and links to public benefits.

About the project team: Type A projects is a WBE Affordable Housing Developer who graduated from HPD’s M / WBE Construction Program. They currently have nearly 800 affordable and supportive housing units in development, all of which are located in buildings containing community service organizations. Type A will act as the lead developer for this proposed project.

L + M development partners is a full-service, established real estate development company with extensive experience building affordable, mixed-income and market-priced housing. L + M’s portfolio includes over 15,000 residential units and over 600,000 square feet of commercial space.

BronxWorks has been a leading provider of social services in the Bronx since 1972, operating in over 40 locations across the Borough. Among its wide range of offerings: BronxWorks is a supportive housing operator, mental health and healthcare case management provider, and a leading housing services agency.

A full overview of the Jerome-Anthony tender, including the Jerome Avenue neighborhood plan, can be found at the HPD site.

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is the largest municipal housing preservation and development agency in the country. Its mission is to promote quality housing and diverse and prosperous neighborhoods for New Yorkers through loan programs and the development of new affordable housing, preservation of the affordability of existing housing stock, application housing quality standards and educational programs for tenants and building owners. HPD is responsible for advancing the objectives of the City housing plan – an essential pillar of Your home in New York, Mayor de Blasio’s comprehensive approach to helping New Yorkers obtain, pay for and keep housing in these difficult times. For more details, visit nyc.gov/hpd and for regular updates on HPD news and services, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @NYCHousing.

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