Riverdale is a neighborhood known for its incredible mansion properties. But this one at 4970 Independence Avenue–now on the market asking $3.69 million–really stands out among them all. First there’s the architecture — the home is a fine example of the Stick-Eastlake style, rarely seen in New York City. Then there’s its “utterly fascinating history,” as reported by Cured. Known as the Henry F. Spaulding Estate, it was constructed in 1880 in Riverdale when the area was a private community of country estates. To make way for the development of Wave Hill, the sprawling property was picked up and moved to its current location in 1909. If all that sounds interesting, just wait until you see the interior.

Stick Style architecture, a style that emerged in the 1870s, used crossed exterior sticks and brackets to express the underlying wood construction of the building. According to the listing, “This Victorian style features board-and-batten siding, jigsaw ornamentation, twin chimneys and a slate roof.” The main building was designed by Charles W. Clinton, who had just finished the Seventh Regiment Armory on Park Avenue. The home was connected to the property’s cottage in 1966, so now it’s a two-part home one a one-acre property.

This pad feels like it belongs in the country, with large bright rooms, French doors, bookshelves galore and fireplaces. A large music room connects the cottage portion of the house with the rest of the home.

The dining room is on the formal house side, while the kitchen is located in the cottage.

Although the home is only two stories, it manages to fit eight bedrooms and four bathrooms.

When the two buildings were combined, by architect Walfredo Toscanini, he added a skylight, fireplace and an elaborately carved drinking fountain that is actually from the old Metropolitan Opera House.

Sure, a historic drinking fountain is great, but this patio is even more impressive. Not a bad place to soak in the incredible and lush greenery that surrounds the property. This is, perhaps, the best NYC “summer home” on the market right now.

[Listing: 4970 Independence Avenue by Mary Phelan Kavanagh for Douglas Elliman]

[Via Curbed]

RELATED:

• $2.6M Mediterranean-Style Mansion Is Up for Sale in Riverdale
• Dr. Zizmor of Subway Ad Fame Retires and Sells Bronx Mansion All in One Day
• Breathtaking Views of the Hudson River and Palisades for $2M–in the Bronx

Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

Applications are now being accepted for 20 brand new affordable homes at 491 East 165th Street in the Morrisania section of the Bronx. The 10-story building will house eight studio apartments priced at $690 per month for qualified applicants earning between $24,995 and $38,100 annually. Six one-bedroom units are priced at $775/month and are available to one- or two-family households earning between $27,943 and $43,500 per year, and six two-bedroom units will go for $950/month for two- to four-person households earning between $33,943 and $54,360 per year.

Altogether the 40,000-square-foot, ground-up development will contain 53 units. The building’s design by Urban Architectural Initiatives boasts a sleek modern exterior animated by offset windows and yellow-colored accent panels. Building amenities will include a lounge, recreation room, a rear garden designed by Liz Farrell Landscape Architecture, a laundry room, and counseling offices. The building is slated to finish construction later this year.

Prospective renters can download an application here. Completed applications must be mailed in and postmarked by July 8, 2016. If you have questions about the offer, you must call the Affordable Housing Hotline at 311.

RELATED:

• Apply Now For 63 Affordable Units Next to Woodlawn Cemetery, Starting at $865/Month
• 7,500-Name Waitlist Opens for 975 Affordable Units at Harlem’s Riverton Complex
• Housing Lottery Launches for 135 New Rentals in Mott Haven, From $538/Month

Find below 6sqft’s map of other ongoing housing lotteries:

If you don’t qualify for the housing lotteries mentioned above, visit CityRealty’s no-fee rentals page for other apartment deals in the city.

2247 Walton Avenue (L); 280 East Burnside Avenue (R)

In the Mount Hope section of the Bronx, two under-construction buildings have kicked off a combined housing lottery  granting qualified renters the chance to snag nine $833/month studios, 12 $895/month one-bedrooms, and 34 $945/month two-bedrooms.

The two buildings are located a half mile apart on opposite sides of the Grand Concourse and are being developed by the Walison Group under the alias 280 East Burnside Associates L.P. Newman Design Group (NDG Architects) are the designers of the two 11-story buildings, penning the mundane blocky masses with exteriors finished in red brick and stucco. The 2247 Walton Avenue building is situated midblock between East 182nd and East 183rd streets contains a total of 50 apartments, while the 280 East Burnside building rises between Ryer and Anthony Avenues and houses 40 apartments.

Applications can be downloaded at BurnsideWalton.com. Completed applications must be submitted by regular mail only to the post office box number listed on the application and be postmarked by July 25, 2016.  Questions regarding this offer must be referred to NYC’s Housing Connect department by dialing 311.

Use 6sqft’s map below to find even more ongoing housing lotteries. 

If you don’t qualify for the housing lotteries mentioned, visit CityRealty’s no-fee rentals page for other apartment deals in the city.

RELATED:

• Apply for 20 Affordable Apartments on East 165th Street, Starting at $690/Month
• Apply Now For 63 Affordable Units Next to Woodlawn Cemetery, Starting at $865/Month
• Apply for 65 New Affordable Apartments in Mott Haven, Studios Start at $494/Month

Last month, 6sqft reported on the COOKFOX-designed development Park House, the first phase of a two-building affordable and supportive housing complex in the Tremont neighborhood of the Bronx. Since then, the 12-story building has topped off and foundation work is quickly moving along for its adjacent fraternal building dubbed the Webster Residence. The development is being pushed forward by Breaking Ground, a non-profit committed to ending homelessness. This development will be the organization’s first venture in the South Bronx.

View of the project site from Webster Avenue. The Webster residence will rise in the foreground and the topped off Park House stands beyond.

According to COOKFOX, the gorgeous masonry exterior of Park House conveys a sense of permanence and allows a highly efficient exterior envelope.

The recently topped off Park House at 4275 Park Avenue between East 178th Street and Alden Place will house 248 families, and layouts will range from studios to three-bedrooms. The L-shaped building is located alongside the Metro-North’s Harlem Line and has a robust red-brick facade with projecting brick courses and red mortar joints. It will provide common areas on the ground floor, including a community room and laundry room, and will also have a landscaped courtyard connecting to its companion eight-story building, Webster Supportive Housing Residence. That building, currently wrapping up its foundation, will house 171 units of supportive housing with on-site social service.

Other special features of the complex are a comprehensive security system, bike storage, on-site parking and green areas on the roof. The hope is that this formerly industrial site will transform into healthy and sustainable housing that builds positive change and prevents homelessness. The project is scheduled for completion in 2017.

Ongoing foundation work at the Webster Residence

RELATED:

• First Look at COOKFOX’s Affordable Housing Development in East Tremont
• Affordable Housing Lottery Begins for Two Brand-New Bronx Buildings, Starting at $833/Month
• First Look at Tres Puentes Affordable Housing Development Planned For Mott Haven

In the Melrose section of the Bronx, just a few short blocks from Yankee Stadium, 151 newly constructed apartments are up for grabs through the city’s affordable housing lottery. Located at 3160 Park Avenue, the 12-story building from Trinity Park Avenue Development and Newman Design offers both low- and moderate-income units. As Welcome2TheBronx previously reported, 20 percent of the apartments are reserved for those making 40 percent of the area median income, while the remainder are for those earning 60-80 percent of the AMI. This ranges from $532/month one-bedrooms to $1,683/month three-bedrooms.

Residents will have access to a 24-hour on-site super, package room, video intercom system, a green roof, community room, and for additional fees, a laundry room on each floor and parking. The building also has more than 21,000 square feet of retail space.

Qualifying New Yorkers can apply for these units up until September 9, 2016. Complete details on how to apply can be found here (pdf). Questions regarding this offer must be referred to NYC’s Housing Connect department by dialing 311.

Use 6sqft’s map below to find even more ongoing housing lotteries. 

If you don’t qualify for the housing lotteries mentioned, visit CityRealty’s no-fee rentals page for other apartment deals in the city.

RELATED:

• Lottery Opens for 110 Affordable Units at Former Site of Kings County Hospital Psych Ward
• Affordable Housing Lottery Begins for Two Brand-New Bronx Buildings, Starting at $833/Month
• Apply Now For 63 Affordable Units Next to Woodlawn Cemetery, Starting at $865/Month

100 West 174th Street in University Heights (L); Locations of all three buildings (R)

Beginning today, New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the AMI can apply for 20 brand new, affordable units in University Heights (at 100 West 174th Street and 1636-1640 University Avenue) and the East Bronx (at 1167 Stratford Avenue). The apartments are one-bedrooms for $980/month, two-bedrooms for $1,183/month, and three-bedrooms for $1,359/month. The buildings have on-site supers, and units feature energy efficient appliances, sleek modern kitchens and baths, and hardwood floors.

Qualifying New Yorkers can apply for the units beginning today and up until September 16, 2016. Complete details on how to apply are available here (pdf). Questions regarding this offer must be referred to NYC’s Housing Connect department by dialing 311.

Use 6sqft’s map below to find even more ongoing housing lotteries. 

If you don’t qualify for the housing lotteries mentioned, visit CityRealty.com’s no-fee rentals page for other apartment deals in the city.

RELATED:

• Waitlist Opens For Studios at Upper West Side’s Trinity House, Starting at $432/Month
• 151 Affordable Apartments Up For Grabs Near Yankee Stadium, Starting at $532/Month
• Lottery Opens Tomorrow for 300 Affordable Rentals at Pacific Park Brooklyn

Image courtesy of Studio V Architecture

Blocks away from the Harlem River waterfront and the 15-acre Mill Pond Park, with easy access to public transportation and serving a vibrant community of college students, office and medical workers, and working-class families, sits the nearly 80-year old landmarked Bronx General Post Office. Acquired in 2014 by developer Young Woo & Associates and the Bristol Group as part of the postal service’s plan to pare down its real estate holdings, the building’s bold yet tasteful transformation promises to be a showcase for the borough’s long awaited rebirth.

Though its glory years as the primary sorting, storage and processing hub for the majority of mail coming to and from the Bronx have long gone, the government was careful to ensure that its new life would be worthy of its storied history—and its neighborhood inhabitants. After a thoughtful and lengthy RFP process, developer Young Woo was selected to bring his vision—what he’s described as “a crossroads for community, commerce and culture”—to the 175,00-square-foot facility, and he hired STUDIO V Architecture, a firm with extensive experience in adaptive reuse, to help achieve it.

Bronx General PO, circa 1938 (top); The structure today (bottom)

Young Woo and STUDIO V’s collective re-imagining for the classically beautiful property could be described as “thinking out of the box”—both literally and figuratively. While the nearby Bronx Terminal Market offers many big box retailers, the anticipated program for the post office building, which will be called Bronx Post Place, is decidedly different than the majority of mixed-use projects cropping up in the borough. According to Young Woo Project Executive Alexandra Escamilla, the goal is to create a vibrant market square—a dining/drinking/shopping destination that will not only fill a void in the local community, but will encourage a wider audience to venture into the area.

Ben Shahn murals, Interior Bronx General Post Office. Images courtesy of Welcome2TheBronx

Although a beloved fixture on the Grand Concourse since 1937, the large majority of the building was inaccessible to the public. Now, in addition to the 13 gorgeously restored Ben and Bernarda Bryson Shahn murals that have graced the landmarked main lobby since the post office’s opening, visitors will have access to virtually every space and bear witness to many of the historical elements hidden away from the public for most of the building’s existence.

According to Ms. Escamilla of Young Woo, “Because of its importance to the area for so many years, we were committed to developing a program that would ensure its reincarnation as a truly public space—one that continued to serve the existing community in different ways.”

There will still be small retail post office component but the proposed new uses will take into account the needs of the people who are here day in and day out—the students, the businesses and their employees, and the families who live here.

Neither Young Woo or STUDIO V have confirmed specific tenants but one can expect an atypical mix of food and beverage vendors, a local market, retail, and small incubator and start-up office spaces—plus a beautiful rooftop restaurant and beer garden.

While the end result is anticipated for some time in the spring of 2017, the “getting there” has been a wonderful journey of discovery, according to STUDIO V’s Jay Valgora, Principal of the 10-year-old firm. No stranger to bringing new life to historical buildings—such as the $400 million renovation of Macy’s iconic Herald Square location—Mr. Valgora has delighted in uncovering and incorporating some of the post office’s original features into the new design, a task he takes very seriously for what he refers to as a “signature building” in the South Bronx.

A favorite is a long-forgotten and covered-over internal courtyard, which revealed itself during the demolition phase. Valgora was quick to imagine the series of windowed brick walls sitting squarely in the middle of the building as the perfect home for the “start-up/incubator” office spaces that will comprise a large majority of the building.

Original interior courtyard (top); Ground floor office space, Image courtesy of STUDIO V (bottom)

The run-down rusted loading dock situated on A.J. Griffith Place, with its “cool, industrial character,” is another element that will have a place of prominence in the new design with its transformation into a major (and “hip”) entrance serving primarily the office component.

Original loading dock at AJ Griffin Place (top); Proposed office space entrance at AJ Griffin Place, Image courtesy of STUDIO V Architecture (bottom)

On the 149th Street side, which faces Hostos Community College, the unused and previously chained off terraces will now be filled with tables, chairs and umbrellas, converting them from a merely decorative use into a fully functional component.

The distinctive end-grain wood floors, beautifully worn from over 80 years of history, are being carefully restored by the very same vendor who installed them way back in the 1930’s and they will retain some of the “ lovely” wear and tear earned from their years of service underfoot.

Giant two-story spaces reserved in their prior life for behind-the-scene tasks such as sorting and processing will be open to the public for the first time in the building’s existence, highlighting its stunning arched windows and architectural gems like the marble trim around the doorways.

Other fun historical details such as an old safe and an original switchgear panel—complete with air raid instructions written on it—all expect to find a home in the renovated structure.

 Image courtesy of Welcome2TheBronx (top); Rendering of the updated main space. Image courtesy of Studio V Architecture (bottom)

The main lobby, which has been the primary public face for the life of the building and houses those beautiful murals, will also be restored to its original character with the addition of original doors, restoring the metal screens above the murals that were previously replaced by sheetrock, and an overall lightening up of the space.

While careful to retain many of the building’s features that highlight the grand history of the Bronx, both Valgora and Young Woo know this project also represents the borough’s bright future. The vibrant and current mix of tenants will enjoy contemporary architectural elements including the rooftop addition made of polycarbonate as well as the translucent skin of polycarbonate and glass wrapping the entire building’s exterior.

Images Courtesy of STUDIO V Architecture

Although STUDIO V has ongoing projects in each of the five boroughs, Valgora feels the “opportunity to do something transformative is even greater in the Bronx,” particularly because of because of the impact projects like this one can l have on the community.

Young Woo’s Escamilla agrees, seeing this “new town square” for the Bronx as just the beginning of the developer’s presence in the borough. “We’ve talked to a lot of the people who live and work here to identify exactly what is missing, and we’re looking forward to working with other Bronx communities to fill those needs in innovative and interesting ways.”

RELATED:

• Going Green and Curbing Gentrification: How the Bronx Is Doing It Differently
• Ben Shahn Murals and a Market? Young Woo & Associates Tries Again at the Bronx General Post Office
• Seven Cool Things You Probably Didn’t Know About the Bronx

Image: View Grand Concourse via photopin (license)

Controversial South Bronx Developer Keith Rubenstein of Somerset Partners has purchased a 16,000-square-foot warehouse (expandable to 30,000 square feet) at 9 Bruckner Boulevard for $7.5 million and intends to create a Gansevoort Market-style food hall called Bruckner Market, reports The Real Deal.

According to the developer, who purchased two other South Bronx waterfront sites last year, the space will offer a fresh food market, kiosks and restaurants and may have a beer garden, though he made a point of addressing how the new addition will affect the community: “It will provide great food and beverage options at affordable prices for the existing community and new community.”

Rubenstein is currently developing a sprawling residential complex across the street from the food-hall-to-be, in partnership with the Chetrit Group. The partners purchased 2401 Third Avenue and 101 Lincoln for $58 million and are planning as many as six residential towers on the waterfront site. The developer has backed new area businesses like coffee shop Filtered Coffee in Mott Haven, which has drawn accusations of gentrification and the fears of impending unaffordability that go with it. Rubenstein hopes have Bruckner Market open in 12 to 18 months.

[Via The Real Deal]

RELATED:

• Delivering a New Future to Bronx General Post Office While Honoring Its Past
• Going Green and Curbing Gentrification: How the Bronx Is Doing It Differently
• Ben Shahn Murals and a Market? Young Woo & Associates Tries Again at the Bronx General Post Office
• New Yorker Spotlight: Chris Gallant of the Bronx Brewery Brings Craft Ales to the Boogie Down

For the past four years, Brooklyn has had more residential permits issues through the Department of Buildings than any other borough. But according to a report from the New York Building Congress shared by DNAinfo, during the first six months of 2016, the Bronx has taken the lead, accounting for nearly 32 percent of all permitted units, a major jump from its 11 percent average over the past four years.

For comparison, last year Brooklyn had a staggering 26,000 units permitted, but this year fell to 1,400; the Bronx had 1,900 units authorized this year. Brooklyn’s sharp decrease is part of a city-wide drop after the 421-a program expired at the beginning of the year that caused developers to rush to get their permits in at the end of 2015. But the Bronx’s surge is likely due to a huge affordable housing push: “More than 43 percent of the units that began construction in the first six months of this year under Mayor Bill de Blasio’s ambitious affordable housing plan… were in the Bronx.”

While many big, market-rate projects have stalled since Albany decided not to push through the 421-a renewal, affordable housing projects in the Bronx are able to move forward with other city subsidies. And though city permits dropped overall, this year they’re more in line with historical averages, save for last year’s pre-expiration jump.

After the Bronx and Brooklyn came Queens with 1,200 units, Manhattan with 820, and Staten Island with 620. Only the Bronx and Staten Island saw an increase compared to the first half of last year.

[Via DNAinfo]

Lead image of the Grand Concourse courtesy of Welcome2TheBronx

Just three blocks from Yankee Stadium and a 20-minute walk from the newly opened High Bridge is Summit Ridge, a six-story, brick affordable housing building designed by Aufgang Architects. Its 57 units, now up for grabs through the city’s lottery, are reserved for New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income, or $18,275 for individuals up to $63,060 for families of six. The apartments range from $494/month studios to $1,182/month three bedrooms and have access to the building’s amenities that include bike storage, an outdoor terrace, laundry room, and community room.

Qualifying New Yorkers can apply for the affordable units at Summit Ridge until October 7, 2016. Complete details on how to apply are available here (pdf). Questions regarding this offer must be referred to NYC’s Housing Connect department by dialing 311.

Use 6sqft’s map below to find even more ongoing housing lotteries.

If you don’t qualify for the housing lotteries mentioned, visit CityRealty.com’s no-fee rentals page for other apartment deals in the city.

RELATED:

• Starting Today, 20 Affordable Units Up For Grabs Throughout the Bronx
• 151 Affordable Apartments Up For Grabs Near Yankee Stadium, Starting at $532/Month
• Apply for 53 Affordable Units in Historic Harlem, Starting at $494/Month

The third largest park in the city (behind Pelham Bay Park and the Staten Island Greenbelt), Van Cortlandt Park is not only adjacent to Woodlawn Cemetery, the New York Botanical Garden, and the Bronx Zoo, but it’s also home to the country’s first public golf course, the oldest house in the borough, and the city’s largest freshwater lake. If living near this 1,000+ acre oasis sounds appealing, an affordable housing lottery has just launched for 24 brand new units at 3677 White Plains Road in the Olinville neighborhood. One bedrooms are going for $1,292/ months and two-bedrooms for $1,458.

Qualifying New Yorkers can apply for the affordable units at 3677 White Plains Road until October 7, 2016. Residents of Bronx Community Board 12 will be given preference for 50 percent of the units. Complete details on how to apply are available here (pdf). Questions regarding this offer must be referred to NYC’s Housing Connect department by dialing 311.

Use 6sqft’s map below to find even more ongoing housing lotteries.

If you don’t qualify for the housing lotteries mentioned, visit CityRealty.com’s no-fee rentals page for other apartment deals in the city.

RELATED:

• Lottery Opens for 57 New Units Near Yankee Stadium, Starting at $494/Month
• Trendy, ‘Affordable’ Food Hall and Beer Garden Headed to the South Bronx
• Starting Today, 20 Affordable Units Up For Grabs Throughout the Bronx

The Bronx is booming when it comes to affordable housing. In fact, as 6sqft recently reported, more than 43 percent of the units under Mayor de Blasio’s affordable housing plan that began construction this year were in the borough. The latest is located at 12907 Southern Boulevard in the East Tremont neighborhood, just a short walk to the Bronx Zoo. Starting tomorrow, qualified New Yorkers can apply for three $956/month one-bedrooms and three $1,080 two-bedrooms. Developed through the city’s 421-a program, the eight-story building has an elevator, laundry room, and bicycle parking.

Qualifying New Yorkers can apply for the affordable units at 1907 Southern Boulevard beginning tomorrow, August 11, until September 1, 2016. Complete details on how to apply are available here (pdf). Questions regarding this offer must be referred to NYC’s Housing Connect department by dialing 311.

Use 6sqft’s map below to find even more ongoing housing lotteries.

If you don’t qualify for the housing lotteries mentioned, visit CityRealty.com’s no-fee rentals page for other apartment deals in the city.

RELATED:

• The Bronx Dethrones Brooklyn for Most Residential Permits Issued
• Lottery Opens for 57 New Units Near Yankee Stadium, Starting at $494/Month
• Apply Today for 24 Affordable Apartments Near Van Cortlandt Park, Starting at $1,292/Month

While the Bronx has been busting at the seams with affordable housing lotteries, most of them have been clustered in the southern areas of the borough. The latest, however, takes us up to the historic Fieldston neighborhood of Riverdale, considered one of the city’s best preserved early 20th century suburbs. These nine available units, $1,230/month one-bedrooms and $1,403/month two-bedrooms, may not be located in one of the area’s signature revival style homes, but they are in a brand new building at 6155 Broadway, right on Van Cortlandt Park and steps away from the prestigious Horace Mann school.

Interior images are of market-rate units for rent in the building

The six-story building was completed this year by the Stagg Group through the city’s 421-a program and has a total of 44 units. The listing notes that amenities include hardwood floors, an elevator, gym, recreation room, laundry room, cameras, intercom, and bicycle parking.

Qualifying New Yorkers can apply for the affordable units at 6155 Broadway until September 2, 2016. Residents of Bronx Community Board 8 will be given preference for 50 percent of the units. Complete details on how to apply are available here (pdf). Questions regarding this offer must be referred to NYC’s Housing Connect department by dialing 311.

Use 6sqft’s map below to find even more ongoing housing lotteries.

If you don’t qualify for the housing lotteries mentioned, visit CityRealty.com’s no-fee rentals page for other apartment deals in the city. You can also view future market-rate listings for the building here.

RELATED:

• Apply Today for 24 Affordable Apartments Near Van Cortlandt Park, Starting at $1,292/Month
• Six Affordable Units Up For Grabs Near the Bronx Zoo, Starting at $956/Month
• Lottery Opens for 57 New Units Near Yankee Stadium, Starting at $494/Month

The New York City Planning Commission has voted to approve a boutique condominium project on Manhattan’s west side without the mayor’s new Mandatory Inclusionary Housing plan in place, the New York Times reports; a much larger development in the Bronx also got the green light, and will be among the first to be included in the new affordable housing program.

6sqft reported previously on the controversy over whether a 17-story condominium slated to replace a parking lot and two low rise buildings at 6th Avenue at West 18th should be among the first recipients of the mayor’s new mandatory inclusionary housing (M.I.H.) program. Both the city and the project’s developers, Acuity Capital Partners, made the argument that the proposed project is “more of a rejiggering of the zoning than an enlargement,” and therefore does not fall under the M.I.H. rules.

As we noted last week:

Though it might seem odd that Mayor de Blasio’s office would oppose any opportunity to create affordable housing, the city’s argument is that the program was constructed so that it does not invite legal challenges; if the law is seen as being interpreted in a way that seems overly burdensome to developers, it could invite lawsuits that could jeopardize it. Similar legislation has been overturned in other cities on the grounds that they were found to be onerous to developers.

As a result, the planning commission approved project without the affordable housing requirement.

The commission voted unanimously to include the Bronx complex, a 1.1-million-square-foot, five-building development at Westchester and Bergen Avenues known as La Central, in the new affordable housing program. If the residential development, which will also include a Y.M.C.A. on-site and rooftop gardens, were to include market-rate apartments, at least 25 percent of them would have to remain affordable. The decision was an attempt to make sure that the complex, in which all 992 apartments are currently intended for low- and middle-income families, remain affordable for area residents.

[Via New York Times]

Lead image: Rendering showing the proposed Flatiron project, courtesy of Morris Adjmi Architects.

RELATED:

• Sixth Avenue Adorama Site May Be the First Battle Over Mayor’s New Housing Program
• City Proposes New Zoning Plan to Increase Affordability, Current Height Limits to Be Lifted
• City Planning Commission Approves Controversial East New York Rezoning Plan in 12-1 Vote
• Going Green and Curbing Gentrification: How the Bronx Is Doing It Differently

Leave it up to Riverdale to supply some of the most jaw-dropping, “is it really in New York City?” properties. This Greek Revival mansion looks like it belongs upstate, but it’s located right here in the Bronx, in a neighborhood known for impressive properties with views. The home is situated on the top of the hill, so it has prime views of the Hudson River and the Palisades. The interior, which boasts five bedrooms, isn’t too shabby, either.

Before heading inside, it’s worth exploring the grounds. A patio looks out over the meticulously-landscaped property, which fronts the Hudson River. Because the home is perched atop a small hill, you’re getting 360-degree views of the waterfront and greenery surrounding you.

There are some historic details inside the house, like the wood-burning fireplace in the living room and a curving central staircase.

The best rooms, however, are the ones that take advantage of the view. This sun room faces toward the west.

The eat-in kitchen has doors that lead to the patio, and is adjacent to the formal dining room.

There could be either five or six bedrooms depending on how many an owner needed. Most come with huge windows and floor-to-ceiling French doors to keep things bright. They also serve as a good reminder to what an incredible property surrounds this home–and all for the price of a luxury condo in Manhattan!

[Listing: 5501 Palisade Avenue by Robert E. Hill]

RELATED:

• Breathtaking Views of the Hudson River and Palisades for $2M–in the Bronx
• The Historic Henry F. Spaulding Estate in Riverdale Looks Like it Belongs Upstate
• Dr. Zizmor of Subway Ad Fame Retires and Sells Bronx Mansion All in One Day

Photos courtesy of Robert E. Hill

Controversial South Bronx Developer Keith Rubenstein of Somerset Partners, along with the Chetrit Group, received approvals earlier this summer for a two-site, six-tower, mixed-use master plan on the Mott Haven banks of the Harlem River. This is the same project that Rubenstein touted as part of his campaign to rebrand the southern portion of the borough as the “Piano District,” a marketing ploy that nodded to the piano manufacturers that dotted the area 100 years ago, but that featured a misguided party with burning trash cans and a bullet-ridden car, referencing the horrible “Bronx is burning” days of the 1970s.

Contention aside, the development is moving ahead, and CityRealty.com has a 360-degree look at how the first site’s three towers (two at 20 stories and one at 25) will transform the South Bronx skyline. These buildings at 2401 Third Avenue will rise just to the northwest of the Third Avenue Bridge, the former site of an 1880s iron works building that will soon boast $3,500/month apartments.

The three residential towers will share a common base and have several upper-level setbacks that create outdoor terraces. Initial filings list amenities that include on-site parking, recreation room, and a common roof deck. Goldstein, Hill and West are the architects of record, and there’s expected to be a total of 370 rental apartments. On the opposite side of the Third Avenue Bridge will be the other three towers of the master plan, set on a larger, full-block site at 101 Lincoln Avenue. Here, there will be 826 apartments total.

This sprawling residential complex is set to rise on a 60,902-square-foot site across from Rubenstein’s proposed Bruckner Market, an “affordable” food hall and beer garden. In July, as 6sqft reported, he purchased a 16,000-square-foot warehouse (expandable to 30,000 square feet) at 9 Bruckner Boulevard for $7.5 million” to house the food hall. He said of the project, “It will provide great food and beverage options at affordable prices for the existing community and new community.” Despite this statement, Rubenstein has been accused of accelerating gentrification in the South Bronx, due to his backing of trendy new businesses like Filtered Coffee in Mott Haven and the aforementioned Piano District mishap.

To get a better idea of how 2401 Third Avenue will transform the South Bronx skyline, check out CityRealty.com’s video here:

[Via CityRealty.com]

RELATED:

• Trendy, ‘Affordable’ Food Hall and Beer Garden Headed to the South Bronx
• The Bronx Dethrones Brooklyn for Most Residential Permits Issued
• Going Green and Curbing Gentrification: How the Bronx Is Doing It Differently

All Google Earth renderings and video via CityRealty.com

When 6sqft shared views yesterday of how a trio of new residential towers will alter the South Bronx skyline, we also looked at developer Keith Rubenstein’s ambitious, albeit misguided, plans to rebrand the neighborhood. After dubbing the area “the Piano District” and throwing a party that made light of the troubled “Bronx is Burning” days of the 1970s, locals criticized his insensitivity and blatant attempts to accelerate gentrification. In addition to the aforementioned project, which will yield a total of six towers, Rubenstein is planning a food and beer hall nearby. And he’s not the only one turning to this new frontier. Other seemingly “trendy” establishments that have opened up in recent years include the Bronx Brewery, Bronx Baking Company, a slew of coffee shops, and the Port Morris Distillery, and there’s the plan to transform the Bronx General Post Office into a dining/drinking/shopping destination.

But on the other side of the coin, the Bronx has been a hotbed for affordable housing development. In fact, the borough was issued the most residential permits in the city during the first six months of 2016, likely due to the fact that 43 percent of units under Mayor de Blasio’s affording housing plan that began construction during this time were in the Bronx. But is this enough to preserve the diverse culture and demographics of the South Bronx, or is it poised to become the next “it” neighborhood?

RELATED:

• See how Keith Rubenstein’s trio of South Bronx towers will transform the ‘Piano District’ skyline
• The Bronx Dethrones Brooklyn for Most Residential Permits Issued
• Going Green and Curbing Gentrification: How the Bronx Is Doing It Differently

Images: View Grand Concourse via photopin (lead); rendering of Keith Rubenstein’s 2401 Third Avenue via CityRealty.com (poll top); Rendering of Bronx General Post Office via STUDIO V Architecture (poll bottom)

The well-tended Fieldston Historic District–one of New York City’s only privately owned neighborhoods–in the Bronx neighborhood of Riverdale is considered one of the city’s best-preserved early 20th century suburbs, unique for its collection of revival-style Tudor, Mediterranean, and Colonial homes. One of those homes, an unassuming but charming Tudor at 4746 Iselin Avenue, is now on the market for $2.1 million. In addition to suburban tranquility with a New York City address, the home comes with a jazzy footnote of fame: It was once home to legendary jazz singer, bandleader and Cotton Club regular Cab Calloway, who died in 1994 at the age of 86.

Built in around 1932, the house offers five bedrooms, original details, lovely restorations and lots of modern comforts–all just twenty minutes from Lincoln Center. The home consists of two stories for living and entertaining and some particularly magical outdoor spaces for gardening and relaxing.

The home is located in the Fieldston Estates section of historic Fieldston, which is listed on the National Historic Register.

This well-loved, well-kept family home boasts 1930s details like leaded glass windows at every turn. Living spaces include a cozy living-room with a wood-burning fireplace, a study/music room with three exposures and a large formal dining room. There are also plenty of opportunities on the ground floor to create two bedrooms.

The eat-in kitchen was clearly designed by someone who loved to cook, as evidenced by the massive Southbend commercial vented six-burner stove/griddle and granite counters. A flagstone patio (as seen in the gallery below)  is just off the kitchen.

Upstairs is a massive master bedroom with a bay window and two more large bedrooms. Two of the home’s three full baths are up here as well.

In the back of the house is a gorgeous lawn and garden with mature plantings, fenced and secure for privacy.

Despite the home’s historic and cultural cachet, it’s been on and off the market for several years, originally asking $2.239 million in August of 2014. The house is just down the street from the Mediterranean Revival mansion that, until it was sold for $3.075 in January, belonged to dermatologist Dr. Jonathan Zizmor of subway ad fame.

[Listing: 4746 Iselin Avenue by Charles Brophy for Douglas Elliman]

RELATED:

• Apartment in Miles Davis’ Old Upper West Side Townhouse Sells for $500K
• Historic Charlie Parker Townhouse in Alphabet City Hits the Market for $9M
• Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born to Run’ Beachside Home Is Selling for $299,000

Images courtesy of Douglas Elliman.

On Wednesday the New York City Council voted to approve the La Central development project in the Melrose section of the Bronx, the Daily News reports. The project, which will be designed by FXFOWLE architects, is slated to bring 992 apartments to the borough, all of them designated as affordable housing under Mayor de Blasio’s mandatory inclusionary housing (MIH) legislation. It is the biggest project to be approved to date under the MIH rules, which require some income restricted apartments in projects that need the city’s approval.

As 6sqft previously reported, the New York City Planning Commission recently voted unanimously to include the Bronx complex, a 1.1-million-square-foot, five-building development at Westchester and Bergen Avenues, in the new affordable housing program. All apartments in the residential complex, which will also include a new 50,000 square foot Y.M.C.A. on-site, rooftop gardens, a skate park and a rooftop telescope operated by the Bronx High School of Science, are currently intended for low- and middle-income families in order to remain affordable for area residents.

The multi-phase, mixed-use affordable development will also offer 30,000 square feet of community space and over 45,000 square feet of new retail space. The project marks a major overhaul for the largest tract of city-owned vacant land in the southern part of the borough.

Developers will designate apartments in each building for families earning around $23,310, which will be priced at about $640 a month. The change from the original plan, which would have had the lowest-priced units renting for around $1,070, brought some council members, like Councilman Rafael Salamanca (D-Bronx), on board: “This project has the ability to be transformative to an area that has for decades faced a lack of real investment, including quality affordable housing.”

There will also be apartments designated for families making as much as $101,010, renting for $2,780. Mayor de Blasio said after Wednesday’s vote that, “With the backing of the City Council, we are making sure that a thousand more Bronx families will be safe in new affordable homes.”

The La Central development follows in the footsteps of the Via Verde which opened in 2012 and set the tone for innovative affordable design in the neighborhood. That mixed-use project, a LEED Gold building, contains both affordable rentals and co-ops and promotes healthy, green living with a community garden and green rooftops for residents to harvest rainwater and grow fruits and vegetables, a health education and wellness center operated by Montefiore Medical Center, health-oriented retail space and a fitness center.

[Via NYDN]

RELATED:

• City Says Yes to Bronx Complex, No to Flatiron Site for Affordable Housing Plan
• Going Green and Curbing Gentrification: How the Bronx Is Doing It Differently
• The Bronx Dethrones Brooklyn for Most Residential Permits Issued

Renderings: FXFowle.

Image © Thomas X. Casey, BronxNYC

A recent report from the New York Building Congress outlined how the Bronx had outpaced four-year frontrunner Brooklyn for the most residential permits issued, which was attributed in large part to the affordable housing push in the borough. And a story in the Times today takes a wider look at the borough’s resurgence, noting that this building boom has led to a “population comeback” not seen since the 1970s.

Grand Concourse courtesy of Welcome2TheBronx

6sqft previously explained the residential boom: “During the first six months of 2016, the Bronx [accounted] for nearly 32 percent of all permitted units, a major jump from its 11 percent average over the past four years.” Additionally, of all units under Mayor de Blasio’s affordable housing plan that began construction in the first half of this year, 43 percent were in the Bronx.

The borough’s population has been growing at an annual rate of one percent since 2010, the highest of any county in the state, thanks to an influx of immigrants. According to the Census Bureau, the Bronx’s population reached 1.455 million as of July 1, 2015, which is ahead of the pre-“Bronx is Burning” population height of 1970 at 1.472 million. Back then, factors such as high crime and arson led to an exodus where the population declined to 1.169 million. This “white flight” repeated itself from 2007 to 2014, when 30,000 more whites left the borough.

But now, from 2014 to 2015, fewer than 1,000 whites left, while 13,000 foreign immigrants moved in, a three percent increase in the foreign-born population. Additionally, 50,000 more people are employed in the Bronx than five years ago.

[Via NYT]

RELATED:

• The Bronx Dethrones Brooklyn for Most Residential Permits Issued
• City Council approves La Central development, bringing nearly 1,000 affordable units to the Bronx
• See how Keith Rubenstein’s trio of South Bronx towers will transform the ‘Piano District’ skyline