The City Council overwhelmingly approved an ambitious Bronx rezoning plan on Thursday that will bring thousands of new homes to areas around four new Metro-North stations being constructed in the Boogie Down.
The approved Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan was a total sweep as the council voted 44 to zero in favor of the proposal during a NYC Stated Council Meeting.
The vote does not come as a shock, since the council’s Zoning Subcommittee and Land Use Committee already approved the proposal on Aug. 6.
The MTA plans to build new commuter rail stations at Hunts Point, Parkchester/Van Nest, Morris Park, and Co-Op City — areas often referred to as being a “transit desert.” It is part of a larger, years-in-the-making plan called “Penn Access” to bring Metro-North trains from Connecticut to Penn Station, using railroad tracks currently used for Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor service.
This is the Adams’ administration’s first major neighborhood rezoning, and it will include the construction of 7,000 housing units around the Parkchester and Morris Park stations, with 25% of the homes to be considered affordable.
The vote comes as the Adams administration aims to address the housing crisis with the passage of its “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” proposal.
“The Bronx is saying ‘yes’ to more housing in our backyards, communities, and neighborhoods, and serving as a model to the rest of our city on how to lead from the front,” Adams said in a statement. “With our administration’s neighborhood plans and our ‘City of Yes’ proposal, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build our way out of this housing shortage and affordability crisis. I am calling on our partners in the City Council to join us in this fight and deliver on the promise that working-class families are asking us to do: build more and make this city more affordable.”
The mayor also said the plan will “deliver improved public space and enhanced transit access” to the Bronx.
NYC Council Member Kristy Marmorato, who represents District 13 in northeast Bronx, once skeptical of the proposal, threw her support around the plan after some changes were made.
“I am proud to have led this initiative for the people of our district. From the moment this proposal was introduced, I have been committed to ensuring it aligns with our communities’ needs and aspirations,” the council member said during the meeting. “In response to your concern, we secured critical modifications to this plan. This includes capping building heights, reinstating parking mandates and protecting our low-density neighborhoods.”
In a written statement made after the council meeting, Marmorato called the bipartisan vote a “significant milestone” for her district.
“This accomplishment underscores our commitment to effective compromise and achieving our housing goals while honoring our community’s values,” she wrote.
The project is slated for completion by the end of 2027.
