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SOUTH BRONX INITIATIVE

South Bronx Initiative Focus Areas


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The South Bronx Initiative creates a development framework to support the ongoing revitalization of the South Bronx. A shared vision between the community and the City informs this framework, building upon the existing assets and potential of the South Bronx to improve its neighborhoods with mixed-income housing, attractive retail districts and public spaces, new waterfront destinations, an efficient transportation network, and a diverse economy providing jobs for local residents.



	PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS Borough: Bronx Type: Strategic plan to coordinate rezoning and capital projects Key Goals: Increase and diversify housing supply Strengthen retail corridors Enhance sense of place in neighborhoods Improve connectivity between destinations Diversify economic base and strengthen local job market

Over the past six years, and as part of its five-borough economic development strategy, the City has undertaken several development and infrastructure projects in the South Bronx to attract private investment and promote the development of affordable housing, retail, and office space.

An important number of these key projects are located in the area generally bounded by the Major Deegan Expressway (I-87) and Harlem River Waterfront to the south and west, the River Avenue / East 161st Street axis to the north, and the East 163rd Street / Third Avenue corridor to the east.

In 2006, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced the “South Bronx Initiative” (SBI) in an effort to sustain the positive effects of these projects and guide future land use changes and capital investments in the area. An interagency team led by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development took charge of identifying community priorities and creating an economic development strategy that addresses community concerns. The team includes New York City Economic Development Corporation and the Departments of City Planning, Housing Preservation and Development, Parks & Recreation, Small Business Services, and Transportation.

Community Outreach
The interagency team has undertaken a wide-ranging outreach effort comprised of public presentations and meetings with a cross-section of stakeholders, including elected officials, local community and business groups, and Community Boards 1, 3, and 4, in order to build consensus around the SBI’s proposed vision and strategic actions for the South Bronx. In these discussions, the community has voiced a need to focus on quality of life issues related to housing, retail options, connectivity and transport, public and open spaces, waterfront destinations, and job creation.

Focus Areas and Strategic Actions
Based on its community outreach, the interagency team subdivided the SBI area into three focus areas:

Melrose Commons/ Third Avenue
The vision for the Melrose Commons / Third Avenue focus area is to create an attractive mixed-income urban village with balanced neighborhood retail, new parks and open spaces, and a college campus. The following strategic actions will realize this vision:

Develop the last remaining City-owned sites in the area to create affordable housing and ground-floor retail space.
Market Melrose Commons to major retailers and support local businesses. To learn more about retail opportunities in Melrose, view our Melrose Retail Study.
Upgrade Roberto Clemente Plaza (at the East 149th Street - Third Avenue Hub) and reconfigure the intersection at East 161st Street and Elton Avenue.
Pursue funding to develop new parks, while upgrading and preserving existing parks, open spaces, and community gardens.

Bronx Civic Center
The vision for the commercial and civic center of the Bronx, which includes the River Avenue – East 161st Street corridor, is to create a transit-oriented, higher-density district that includes a mix of office, retail, and residential development enhanced by a pedestrian-friendly environment, convenient public transportation access, and improved traffic flow. The strategic actions to realize this vision are the following:

Rezone to encourage high-density commercial and residential development.
Make targeted transportation improvements such as signal timing and pedestrian crossings.
Make targeted streetscape improvements, including new distinctive lighting and street furniture.
Facilitate the development of City-owned sites along River Avenue.

Lower Grand Concourse
The Lower Grand Concourse is envisioned as a vibrant gateway into the Bronx and a multi-faceted neighborhood that retains industry and jobs for local residents, while supporting new residential development, retail, grocery stores and public waterfront access and open space. The strategic actions to realize this vision are as follows:

Rezone to allow mixed-uses and provide a zoning incentive for affordable housing.
Establish a grand gateway to the South Bronx by rezoning the lower Grand Concourse and making streetscape and lighting improvements, as well as advocating for MTA capital upgrades to the subway stations at East 138th Street and East 149th Street/ Grand Concourse.
Map a new public park along the Harlem River and leverage private development to create continuous public waterfront access.
Evaluate the feasibility of an adaptive reuse of P.S. 31.

More Information about the SBI
The South Bronx Initiative Plan articulates the vision and strategic actions proposed for the SBI area. Download the South Bronx Initiative Plan. We invite you to direct any additional inquiries to sbi@nycedc.com.