BY JASON COHEN
Developers have unveiled a
massive project that will bring
nearly 500 units of affordable
housing to the Mott Haven section
of the Bronx and create a
shoreline public walkway to the
Harlem River waterfront.
On Nov. 10, Phipps Houses
and Douglaston Development
met with the Community Board
1 Housing and Land Use Committee
where it introduced Madison
Bridge Landing, a multi-parcel
project that will feature 483 units
of affordable housing, across the
river from Manhattan.
The proposal features a
12-story building at 110 E. 138
St. with 231 affordable senior
units, 2,300 square feet of retail
space and amenities along with
an 18-story building with 253
units of affordable housing, 5,600
square feet of community facility
space and amenities, that would
be located at 63 Exterior St.
Currently, the sites are home
to an old auto auction business
and a former padded wagon
truck lot.
“A part of our plan is to make
this walkway and street excitable
again,” said Michael Wadman,
vice president of development
at Phipps. “Really, the
intention here is to make East
138 St. both functional and active
again.”
While many market rate
housing units are being developed
along the Mott Haven waterfront
— such as Bankside —
this project which boasts plans
for affordability will be a boost
for the community, Wadman
said.
According to Wadman, the
sites have a narrow and irregularly
shaped lot and are “locked”
between the Major Deegan Expressway
and the Harlem River.
However, by combining the two
parcels, the developers can make
a more signifi cant project with
greater access by creating a
walkway to the waterfront.
“It’s a challenging site,” he
said. “We think we’ve come up
with a great plan.”
While the committee appreciated
the developers coming
The vacant site at 63 Exterior St. in Mott Haven that developers are looking to transform into a massive affordable
housing complex. Photo Adrian Childress
to them so early in the process,
some members were concerned
about the congestion the project
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, N 6 OV. 19-25, 2021 BTR
would cause on the Madison
Avenue Bridge, which would be
the main entry point to the site.
Committee member Ricardo
Cosme asked the developers if
they would work with the board
on creating a way to make sure
seniors and pedestrians can
walk safely near the proposed
site.
“My concern is with seniors,”
he said. “The DOT (Department
of Transportation) needs to produce
a plan how it can secure
safe passage for seniors.”
Fellow board member Ora
Kemp echoed Cosme’s sentiments.
She told the Bronx Times
that walking in that area is
“horrid and even on a bike it’s
rough.”
“The traffi c over that bridge
is tough, highly congested and to
have that being the main entry
point is concerning,” she said. “I
walk over that bridge often to get
into Harlem and it’s going to be
tough for seniors and families.
Without any plan to have an alternative
entry point, it’s going
to be tough.”
Meanwhile, board member
Brenda Goodwin praised the
plan and said it is great for the
seniors. However, she asked the
developer to consider putting a
supermarket or drug store at the
site, as there are not many in the
area. Goodwin also requested
that Douglaston and Phipps
speak with area seniors about
what they would want to see at
the site.
“I’m very happy they found
something for the seniors,”
Goodwin said.
The committee requested the
developers return in the future
with more specifi c plans, including
schematics of apartments
and costs.
Developer unveils
massive Mott Haven
affordable housing plan
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