A 26-story tower has risen on an underutilized site in the Mott Haven neighborhood of New York City’s South Bronx, meeting a cornucopia of the community’s needs.
Developed by Trinity Financial and nonprofit partner MBD Community Housing Corp., 425 Grand Concourse is providing much-needed affordable housing to a wide range of households, ranging from 30% to 130% of the area median income; the development received approximately 65,000 applications for its 277 units. In addition, 10% of the units are set aside for formerly homeless individuals and families.
The development goes much further than the housing to serve the community. It incorporates a Federally Qualified Health Center operated by the Damian Family Care Center to address health concerns for people with low incomes; a newly designed City University of New York Hostos Community College space for its Accelerated Study in Associate Programs that gives financial resources and academic support to low-income students; a neighborhood supermarket; a 1,200-square-foot cultural center; and a redeveloped city park and playground. All of the facilities are expected to be up and running by mid-2024.
“We’re happy to see the increase in development and reinvigoration of the South Bronx, and we’re also happy to see the joy in the residents’ faces as they move into their new homes,” says Thomas Brown, vice president at Trinity Financial. “We’re also happy to provide a platform that includes affordable health care, affordable food, and cultural services as well as educational services for a community that needs it.”
The $178 million development also has a strong sustainable focus. Certified by Phius, the passive house development will consume up to 70% less energy than a conventional residential building. The high-efficiency energy-recovery heating and cooling systems, combined with an airtight and well-insulated building envelope, as well as energy recovery ventilation help to reduce its energy and carbon footprint.
