New York City is advancing plans for a 20-story apartment building with 215 homes on a vacant, city-owned site in the Bronx’s Melrose neighborhood. The proposed development would combine income-restricted housing, commercial space and community amenities while supporting a broader urban renewal effort intended to expand affordable housing across the area.
Key takeaways
- HPD filed plans for a 176,000-square-foot residential building at 3116–3124 Third Ave.
- The project would include 215 apartments and approximately 7,000 square feet of commercial space.
- Procida Cos. and Nos Quedamos have been selected to develop the property.
- The city is seeking zoning changes to remove an 85-foot height restriction and establish affordable-housing development guidelines.
A major addition to Melrose
The proposed building would rise 20 stories on a vacant parcel owned by New York City. Its location places the project within the boundaries of the Melrose Commons Urban Renewal Plan, a long-term initiative covering 33 blocks and focused on creating additional affordable housing.
The development would add a substantial number of homes in a neighborhood where city officials have identified opportunities for new residential construction. The plans were filed with the New York City Planning Commission by the Department of Housing Preservation & Development, or HPD.
Development team and planned amenities
HPD has selected Bronx-based Procida Cos. and community development nonprofit Nos Quedamos to lead the project. Their involvement brings together a local real estate developer and an organization focused on neighborhood-based community development.
In addition to the apartments, the building is planned to include about 7,000 square feet of commercial space. Proposed resident and community amenities include a community room, a terrace on the second floor and a rooftop terrace. These features are intended to provide shared indoor and outdoor areas for residents and the surrounding community.
Zoning changes sought by the city
The project cannot proceed under all of the neighborhood’s current development rules. HPD is asking the city to eliminate the existing 85-foot height limit for new multifamily buildings in the vicinity, a change that would allow the proposed 20-story structure to be built.
The department is also asking the Planning Commission to create an Urban Development Action Area Program for the neighborhood. The program would establish a framework for developing income-restricted and affordable housing, helping guide future projects as well as the proposed building.
What comes next
The requested zoning and land-use actions must move through the city’s planning process before construction can begin. Approval of those measures would clear a significant regulatory hurdle for the development, but the available plans do not establish a construction schedule or completion date.
If approved and realized, the project would become a prominent piece of the Melrose Commons plan and add 215 apartments, commercial space and shared amenities to Third Avenue.