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Here's an article from Untapped Cities that provides great pictures and information about five big projects that have the potential to turn our beloved Bronx around and begin to change perceptions:
1. The Kingsbridge National Ice Center
2. Rezoning of the lower Concourse into a waterfront district
3. Extension of the Metro North railroad into the East Bronx
4. New retail malls at Bay Plaza (new Macys here) and Riverdale Crossing
5. The master renovation of Van Courtlandt Park
#2, the rezoning, is not a project but simply a rezoning. If the development created due to rezoning becomes transitional housing, homeless shelters, drug treatments facilities, etc (city services the city loves to relocate to the Bronx/Southern Bronx), then the rezoning is actually the death nail for the Southern Bronx and people should give up and move out (anyone of any means)...myself included. And this is exactly what is happening in the Webster Ave rezoning in the Central/North Central Bronx..which was also billed as development for mixed income housing, retail and commercial space...the community and community board is fighting the city's initiatives and incentives to inundate the area with transitional housing and homeless shelters....but the city doesn't care: http://www.norwoodnews.org/wp-conten...N-20140123.pdf
This quote from the article is the underlying problem: "A big obstacle in the revitalization of the Webster Avenue corridor are incentives provided by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) that allows developers to obtain a range of special loan financing and tax credits to build supportive and low-income housing. The agency offers loans to non-profits that provide on-site social services that eliminate the repayment of principal or interest as long as the borrower agrees that the property be used for low-income homeless tenants for 30 years."
There are currently 5 large "supportive housing" developments going up along the newly rezoned Webster Ave corridor for low-income seniors, the homeless, and mentally ill. And a never ending stream of other supportive housing requests are flooding the community board for approval. Unless something is done now, the rezoning for Webster Ave will be a horrific end to any hope for those communities impacted. I'd rather the industrial businesses remain.
If the rezoning of the low-Concourse follows the same road...I cannot believe I am actually going to say it..but I would give-up and walk-away from the Bronx for good. The biggest and last opportunity to move the Southern Bronx into a healthy mixed income community is the lower-Concourse/waterfront...if that becomes simply a series of low-income housing developments for the homeless/mentally ill....the Bronx is over.
#2, the rezoning, is not a project but simply a rezoning. If the development created due to rezoning becomes transitional housing, homeless shelters, drug treatments facilities, etc (city services the city loves to relocate to the Bronx/Southern Bronx), then the rezoning is actually the death nail for the Southern Bronx and people should give up and move out (anyone of any means)...myself included. And this is exactly what is happening in the Webster Ave rezoning in the Central/North Central Bronx..which was also billed as development for mixed income housing, retail and commercial space...the community and community board is fighting the city's initiatives and incentives to inundate the area with transitional housing and homeless shelters....but the city doesn't care: http://www.norwoodnews.org/wp-conten...N-20140123.pdf
This quote from the article is the underlying problem: "A big obstacle in the revitalization of the Webster Avenue corridor are incentives provided by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) that allows developers to obtain a range of special loan financing and tax credits to build supportive and low-income housing. The agency offers loans to non-profits that provide on-site social services that eliminate the repayment of principal or interest as long as the borrower agrees that the property be used for low-income homeless tenants for 30 years."
There are currently 5 large "supportive housing" developments going up along the newly rezoned Webster Ave corridor for low-income seniors, the homeless, and mentally ill. And a never ending stream of other supportive housing requests are flooding the community board for approval. Unless something is done now, the rezoning for Webster Ave will be a horrific end to any hope for those communities impacted. I'd rather the industrial businesses remain.
If the rezoning of the low-Concourse follows the same road...I cannot believe I am actually going to say it..but I would give-up and walk-away from the Bronx for good. The biggest and last opportunity to move the Southern Bronx into a healthy mixed income community is the lower-Concourse/waterfront...if that becomes simply a series of low-income housing developments for the homeless/mentally ill....the Bronx is over.
Of course you agree, because I showed quite clearly the root causes of the systemic problems with the borough, and how people of color are NOT to blame, nor caused this. They were, and are, victimized by this and other city policies, despite how much they fight against it. And the elected officials are lining their pockets by these non-profits and other special interests, selling out our borough and sinking our neighborhoods.
#2, the rezoning, is not a project but simply a rezoning. If the development created due to rezoning becomes transitional housing, homeless shelters, drug treatments facilities, etc (city services the city loves to relocate to the Bronx/Southern Bronx), then the rezoning is actually the death nail for the Southern Bronx and people should give up and move out (anyone of any means)...myself included. And this is exactly what is happening in the Webster Ave rezoning in the Central/North Central Bronx..which was also billed as development for mixed income housing, retail and commercial space...the community and community board is fighting the city's initiatives and incentives to inundate the area with transitional housing and homeless shelters....but the city doesn't care: http://www.norwoodnews.org/wp-conten...N-20140123.pdf
This quote from the article is the underlying problem: "A big obstacle in the revitalization of the Webster Avenue corridor are incentives provided by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) that allows developers to obtain a range of special loan financing and tax credits to build supportive and low-income housing. The agency offers loans to non-profits that provide on-site social services that eliminate the repayment of principal or interest as long as the borrower agrees that the property be used for low-income homeless tenants for 30 years."
There are currently 5 large "supportive housing" developments going up along the newly rezoned Webster Ave corridor for low-income seniors, the homeless, and mentally ill. And a never ending stream of other supportive housing requests are flooding the community board for approval. Unless something is done now, the rezoning for Webster Ave will be a horrific end to any hope for those communities impacted. I'd rather the industrial businesses remain.
If the rezoning of the low-Concourse follows the same road...I cannot believe I am actually going to say it..but I would give-up and walk-away from the Bronx for good. The biggest and last opportunity to move the Southern Bronx into a healthy mixed income community is the lower-Concourse/waterfront...if that becomes simply a series of low-income housing developments for the homeless/mentally ill....the Bronx is over.
No need to be so dramatic. There is another thread in which I have posted information about this exact issue.
I am not being dramatic...the volume of applications for "supportive housing" of one sort or another is staggering...and there are already quite a few approved and in the pipeline. The number of mixed income housing applications are dwarfed in comparison...go to the community board and speak with them. They see the tidal wave coming and that was never the purpose of the rezoning. They are doing what they can to help slow it down (they can't stop it).
Of course you agree, because I showed quite clearly the root causes of the systemic problems with the borough, and how people of color are NOT to blame, nor caused this. They were, and are, victimized by this and other city policies, despite how much they fight against it. And the elected officials are lining their pockets by these non-profits and other special interests, selling out our borough and sinking our neighborhoods.
Some of the projects are market rate and the others are mixed and none are 100% supportive.
Oh Pietrang, thanks for bringing this up on the forum.
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