Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan Reaches Approval From New York City Council

 

The New York City Council has officially approved the Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan, the first neighborhood plan certified and approved under Mayor Eric Adams’ administration. The plan is designed to accompany four new Metro-North stations coming to the Bronx in 2027 and is expected to create approximately 7,000 homes, including permanently income-restricted affordable housing, and 10,000 permanent jobs, along with improved public spaces and enhanced access to mass transit.

The plan allows residential uses in sections of Parkchester/Van Nest currently designated for commercial and manufacturing and expands the amount of housing allowed in residential districts of both Parkchester/Van Nest and Morris Park. It also aims to strengthen commercial corridors and support the growth of prominent local institutions and job centers, such as Calvary Hospital, Hutchinson Metro Center, Jacobi Medical Center, and Montefiore Hospital.

Location of new Morris Park Station. Via nyc.gov

In addition to housing and jobs, the plan includes investments in public amenities and infrastructure. Investments include park renovations, school facility upgrades, and drainage infrastructure upgrades to enhance public space, transportation access, and public safety.

The plan’s approval follows over six years of public collaboration, including workshops, surveys, meetings, and input from local elected officials, community stakeholders, and government agencies. The Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan is part of the Adams administration’s broader efforts to address the city’s housing crisis, which include the “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” proposal and other neighborhood plans across the city.

Location of new Parkchester/Van Nest Station. Via nyc.gov

“On behalf of the Bronx business community, we commend the City Council on the approval of the Bronx Metro-North Station Area Plan,” said Lisa Sorin, president of Bronx Chamber of Commerce. “This groundbreaking initiative will benefit our borough by not only creating thousands of new jobs and improving transit access for commuters, but also infusing the East Bronx with much-needed housing units as well as community resources and public space enhancements within adjacent corridors.”