A sketch of the redesign of the intersection of Morris Park Avenue and Eastchester Road following a future redevelopment of the area adjacent to the upcoming Morris Park Metro-North Station. Image Credit: NYC DCP.
On January 22, 2024, the City Planning Commission launched the public review of the Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan. The plan compliments the development of four new Metro-North stations along the East Bronx in Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park, Hunts Point, and Co-Op City. The stations will be added to the New Haven line and are expected to open in 2027.
Hunts Point and Co-Op City will receive investments but no zoning changes under the plan. In Morris Park and Parkchester/Van Nest, the plan would create nearly 7,500 new homes, including 1,900 permanently affordable units through Mandatory Inclusionary Housing. Most would be in Parkchester/Van Nest, along currently existing commercial corridors to add residential uses to those areas.
The plan is projected to create 10,000 jobs through the creation of workforce training programs and supporting major community institutions and job centers including Jacobi Medical Center, Montefiore/Einstein Hospital, Calvary Hospital, and the Hutchinson Metro Center. The area is currently already responsible for thousands of jobs in one of the city’s biggest job centers; the combined expansion of housing, greater access to transportation, and job training programs aim to support the growth of the East Bronx.
The plan also includes infrastructure, pedestrian-friendly public amenities and open spaces that will improve the quality of life for local residents and visitors; new public plazas, wider medians, improved lighting and bus shelters will help make the area safer and more welcoming. The plan’s potential expansion for local retail can also help provide needs for the local community. For further information about the proposed plan, click here.
The Department of City Planning has continued to offer multiple in-person and virtual workshops for the public and other open engagement. The agency has also met with almost two dozen community stakeholders, including neighborhood organizations, schools and medical institutions, and 16 government agencies at the federal, state and local levels.
With the City Planning Commission’s certification, the plan will now undergo the public review process, starting with reviews and recommendations by Bronx Community Boards 9, 10, and 11 and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson. Following those recommendations, the plan will return to the City Planning Commission for a public hearing and vote, and then review by the City Council.
Department of City Planning Director and City Planning Commission Chair Dan Garodnick stated, “With four new Metro-North stations on their way, this is a unique and exciting opportunity for the East Bronx. Our plan will help to ensure that those who live and work in these four neighborhoods are the ones who benefit the most from these new stations. From housing to jobs, open space to infrastructure, and more, this community-focused plan will be a truly transformational and positive force for the Bronx.”
MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer stated, “It’s exciting that we’re already seeing the benefits of Metro-North Penn Access. This project supports the East Bronx’s economic development and is a perfect example of how investing in public transportation stimulates local and regional economic activity, especially in historically underserved areas. New rail service to and from the East Bronx, Westchester, and Connecticut will provide residents with access to job opportunities, education, medical institutions, and leisure travel and support development of the surrounding communities, aided by this initiative from the Adams administration.”
By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the Editor of CityLand and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2018.)