Melrose project approved

Via Verde development approved. Image: Phipps Houses, Jonathan Rose Companies, Dattner Architects, and Grimshaw Architects.

New development would provide affordable housing while incorporating green design features. On October 7, 2008, the City Planning Commission unanimously approved the Dept. of Housing Preservation and Development’s plan to build a mixed-use, mixed-income development in the Melrose section of the Bronx. The proposed project, known as Via Verde/The Green Way, is a product of the New Housing New York … <Read More>


Court upholds BSA ruling denying vested rights

Bronx developer claimed non-compliance with zoning law was minimal and should not impede vesting of rights. Developer GRA V LLC applied for an excavation and foundation permit from the Department of Buildings for construction of a 63- unit apartment building in a neighborhood of one- and two-family buildings within the Bronx’s Van Cortlandt Village. Despite an Administrative Code requirement that permit applications be accompanied by a lot diagram survey prepared by a licensed surveyor, the … <Read More>


IDA approves financing for Hunts Point business

Gourmet Guru to invest $4.9 million. On May 13, 2008, the New York City Industrial Development Agency awarded public subsidies to Gourmet Guru, a ten-year-old food-related company located at 660 Casanova Street, between Spofford and Randall Avenues, in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx.

Gourmet Guru specializes in the wholesale distribution of organic and specialty foods, development and manufacturing of branded food products, and marketing and brokerage services. The company began its operations … <Read More>


Related Companies to redevelop Kingsbridge Armory

Historic armory to become retail center, complete with movie theaters and restaurants. On April 21, 2008, the City selected Related Companies to convert the Kingsbridge Armory, a City landmark located on the corner of 195th Street and Jerome Avenue in the Bronx, into a $310 million shopping center. The center will include a large department store, up to 35 smaller shops, a movie theater, and restaurants.

The Armory features two battlement towers, Romanesque arches, and … <Read More>


EDC Submits Willets Point Redevelopment Plan

City seeks to create a Special Willets Point District; local businesses file lawsuit. On April 21, 2008, the New York City Economic Development Corporation and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development began public consideration for their proposal to rezone a 61-acre area in Willets Point.

The area, roughly bounded by the Van Wyck Expressway, Roosevelt Avenue, 126th Street, and Northern Boulevard, is known as the “Iron Triangle” for its predominantly industrial … <Read More>


Council considers tax exemption for green roofs

Resolution would call on Albany to create green roof tax incentive. The City Council’s Finance Committee heard public testimony on November 29, 2007 on a resolution that would request the State Legislature to amend the New York State Real Property Tax Law and establish a tax exemption incentive for property-owners to equip their buildings with green roofs.

The resolution, sponsored by Council Member Oliver G. Koppell, seeks to encourage the use of green roofs in … <Read More>