NEW YORK | Harlem River Yards | FT | FLOORS

[chris08876]

Might be something to keep tabs on...!

State eyes massive development over South Bronx rail yard

The state wants to deck over a nearly 13-acre rail yard in the South Bronx to make way for a massive waterfront development in the area, which is attracting more private investment as land costs rise elsewhere in the city.

Last month, Empire State Development released a request for expressions of interests, inviting developers to present offers for leasing or purchasing the land, decking over the yards, then building a sizable residential or mixed-use project on top.

The parcel sits along the Harlem River, just north of the Willis Avenue Bridge. It is currently used as a transfer station to move goods between cross-country trains and trucks that traverse the tristate area—a use the state plans to maintain going forward.

"It's exciting, and very rare to offer the opportunity to develop more than a dozen acres of prime waterfront land in New York City," ESD head Howard Zemsky said in a statement.

The site is part of a 96-acre area called the Harlem River Yards, which is owned by state Department of Transportation and leased to a private company, which in turn leases out many of the buildings to industrial tenants. Because the zone is governed by something called a general project plan, the state does not need to get any local approvals to change the zoning—say from manufacturing to residential or retail—which can instead be implemented through a state approval process.

In addition to maintaining the transfer station beneath the deck, the state wants proposals that cover opening access to the waterfront, boosting the local economy and creating affordable housing. At 12.8 acres, the site is slightly less than half the size of the Hudson Yards development going up over rail yards on Manhattan's west side, and is on par with the scale of a proposal released last year by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

That plan called for decking over a 13-acre rail yard near Lehman College, between the neighborhoods of Bedford Park and Kingsbridge Heights, farther north in the borough. Diaz predicted such a project could create more than 1,000 apartments.

"New deck construction has the potential to bring transformative development projects to many Bronx neighborhoods," Diaz said in a statement. "I look forward to examining the level of interest this [request] brings to the Harlem River Yards and how that interest could inform future opportunities for platform projects."

The state plans to conduct an on-site tour Dec. 14. Interested parties must submit proposals by Feb. 2.

The following are significant dates under the RFEI Process:

RFEI Release Date November 18, 2016
Site Tour December 14, 2016
Question Submittal Deadline December 19, 2016 @ 5PM EST
Question Response Deadline January 9, 2017
Proposal Due Date February 2, 2017 @ 2PM EST

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http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article...ronx-rail-yard
PDF: https://www.scribd.com/document/3329...est#from_embed

[mrnyc]

this is the heart of port morris, the emergent south bronx hipster neighborhood. the development could easily get market rates. thats how prime it is. of course, the bronx would go ballistic, so that wont happen. and rightly so.

[TechTalkGuy]

Affordable housing perhaps, but that site certainly won't attract the luxury market, in particular to the location.
Oh crap, I was looking at the location wrong!

This is going to be exciting!!
Just don't expect another Rockefeller Center and set your expectations accordingly.

[steyin]

This site can easily produce near 2,500 units, never mind 1,000. Will have to deal with all the waterfront regulations too, and perhaps can connect to the developing projects at 101 Lincoln and 2401 3rd Ave. I imagine the height restrictions will be the same as well (24/25 story buildings).

[chris08876]

Originally Posted by steyin

This site can easily produce near 2,500 units, never mind 1,000. Will have to deal with all the waterfront regulations too, and perhaps can connect to the developing projects at 101 Lincoln and 2401 3rd Ave. I imagine the height restrictions will be the same as well (24/25 story buildings).

Yeah I'm thinking something along that lines. With the parcel size, imagine several 300 ft towers, with 1000-3000 units in that range encompassing it. With a park lining the waterfront. Something along the lines of Astoria Cove or Greenpoint.

A large affordable component is key I think, and large plots like this can lead the charge to meeting the affordable housing quote.

But for all we know, it could be bigger and taller. Probably will find out Q2 of next year or even Q1 if the proposals are due February.

Throw in a school, some street improvements, a park, and it will have a good chance of succeeding. A little self contained community for the most part. Maybe a retail component, with residential on top. Could be a catalyst for the nearby blocks.

[TechTalkGuy]

Don't forget that they can build slim like 432 Park and have several tall towers, which would be noticed from across the city if the height is tall enough.

[chris08876]

Originally Posted by TechTalkGuy

Don't forget that they can build slim like 432 Park and have several tall towers, which would be noticed from across the city if the height is tall enough.

That too. The goal is to maximize the units and how much they can cram into the site with the allotted air rights/dev. rights. For the area, anything over 400 ft would be quite big for S.Bronx. What I'd like IMO to see are four to five 450-500 foot towers, chock full of units and bulky.

Would I like Hong Kong style density, sure, but I think realistically, we may see a smaller version of Astoria Cove, but still significant enough to transform the neighborhood.

[TechTalkGuy]

Originally Posted by chris08876

That too. The goal is to maximize the units and how much they can cram into the site with the allotted air rights/dev. rights. For the area, anything over 400 ft would be quite big for S.Bronx. What I'd like IMO to see are four to five 450-500 foot towers, chock full of units and bulky.

The last time I spent a significant amount of time in the Bronx that's all I saw. The streets were surrounded by box towers.

Originally Posted by chris08876

Would I like Hong Kong style density, sure, but I think realistically, we may see a smaller version of Astoria Cove, but still significant enough to transform the neighborhood.

Hong Kong style density is great, but NY density is also happening too when you have developments such as this.
That's why I suggest thinking big.

[chris08876]

L+M and Omni propose $2B mixed-use complex in the South Bronx

L+M Development and Omni New York have teamed up to propose a $2.2 billion, 2,000-unit housing complex for the South Bronx waterfront.

The project, dubbed Alexander Landing, was submitted to the Empire State Development Corporation and would also include a charter school, a medical facility, retail, parking and open space, according to Crain’s. The plan is part of the RFP process for Harlem River Yards, meaning it will compete against a proposal from Related Companies, Somerset Partners and the New York City Football Club to bring a soccer stadium to the same site.

The two companies would deck over the area’s rail yards with open space and seven residential buildings, and a portion of the 2,000 housing units would be designated as affordable. Montefiore Health System would use the medical facility, and Bronx Charter School for the Arts would use the educational space.

L+M is also working on a nearby South Bronx site called Bronx Point, which is slated to open in 2022 and feature 1,045 housing units and the Universal Hip-Hop Museum.

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TRD

[Crawford]

Looks good to me. Exactly what the Harlem River waterfront needs.

[steyin]

You should merge in the thread from the general development board (Vinoly stadium/housing) since it is dealing with this RFEI.

[antinimby]

Prefer Related’s proposal. More diverse use, more exciting, less housing project feel.

[NYguy]

Originally Posted by steyin

You should merge in the thread from the general development board (Vinoly stadium/housing) since it is dealing with this RFEI.

The stadium is a separate proposal (for the same site). But it's not a highrise in itself, so wouldn't be in the highrise forum.