Two sites located at Hudson Yards will be used for future affordable housing development. On April 9, 2018, Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer announced the release of a Request for Proposals that seeks qualified teams to develop two city-owned sites into mixed-use affordable housing developments. The sites are located in Hudson Yards in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhoods.
The first site is located at 806 Ninth Avenue, a 21,500 square-feet city-owned land currently leased to the New York City Transportation Authority and used as a parking lot for the adjacent NYCTA facility. The second site is located at 705 Tenth Avenue, a 22,220 square-feet vacant lot with a rail cut for the Amtrak Empire Line and is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Environmental Protection. The two sites were identified by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development as viable sites for the development of affordable housing.
The Requests for Proposals seek proposals for two mixed-use, mixed-income affordable housing developments. The proposals also seek plans that incorporate surrounding commercial corridors, parks, transit, and cultural institutions near the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. Proposals for the 806 Ninth Avenue site must provide for a mixed-use building that includes ground floor retail as well as 30,000 square feet of office space and below-grade parking for the NYCTA. Proposals for the 705 Tenth Avenue site must include a public restroom. Department of Parks and Recreation will also develop an open space adjacent to the 705 Tenth Avenue site. All proposals must comply with the provisions of the Western Railroad Rezoning Points of Agreement.
The new Hudson Yards Requests for Proposals is part of HPD’s plan to develop city-owned land to generate more affordable housing. The Requests for Proposals are also part of the City’s overall Housing 2.0 plan to create 300,000 by 2026. Since January 2014, HPD has issued Requests for Proposals for 66 projects that are expected to generate more than 10,800 affordable homes. As part of their goal to generate affordable housing, preferences will be given to Requests for Proposals applicants who can demonstrate a successful track record of community investments, economic development, and proposals that include a plan for meaningful community engagement. Commissioner Torres-Springer stated the importance of the Requests for Proposals and its significance to providing affordable housing for the City. She stated that “deploying public sites for affordable housing development is a critical component of Housing New York 2.0 and our efforts to secure greater affordability across all neighborhoods.”
The deadline for submissions to the Requests for Proposals is July 13, 2018.
Click here to read the Department’s Press Release and here for the Requests for Proposals application.
By: May Vutrapongvatana (May is a CityLaw Intern and a New York Law School Student, Class of 2019.)