Passengers wait for the Metro-North in July 2023.
File photo Aliya Schneider
The New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) is proposing to rezone areas surrounding two of the four new Metro-North stations coming to the Bronx as part of the Penn Access megaproject.
Officials from DCP outlined their vision for rezoning the areas around the new Parkchester/Van Nest and Morris Park stations during a Jan. 22 City Planning Commission meeting — with the goal of bringing nearly 7,500 units of housing, including permanent income-restricted housing, 10,000 jobs and enhanced community gathering spaces. The meeting kicked off the commission’s public review process for the Metro-North expansion, which has been in the works for six years.
“Our plan will help to ensure that those who live and work in these four neighborhoods are the ones who benefit the most from these new stations,” said Dan Garodnick, DCP director and chair of the City Planning Commission. “From housing to jobs, open space to infrastructure, and more, this community-focused plan will be a truly transformational and positive force for the Bronx.”
According to DCP, the sites closest to the new Parkchester/Van Nest station are currently considered to be a relatively low density — limited primarily to manufacturing district (M1) or commercial district (C8) status. Buildings with M1 status generally include places such as woodworking shops, repair shops and wholesale service and storage facilities, while C8 zones provide for automotive and other heavy commercial services that often require large amounts of land, according to the New York City Department of Planning. Similarly, the land surrounding the new Morris Park station is also mostly M1 status.
Additionally, in both the Parkchester/Van Nest and Morris Park station areas there is a “limited range of [land] uses permitted,” as well as no new residential zoning allowed, according to DCP.
But that will…
Read the full article here
