State of the borough speech

Steps underway to build new housing in Riverdale

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The first steps are underway for bringing new housing to Riverdale, Bedford Park and the South Bronx.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. says since Gov. Andrew Cuomo rebuffed Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to build affordable housing above a rail depot in Queens, the authorities should consider sites in the Bronx.

In his state of the borough speech on Feb. 19, Mr. Diaz said his office is making a report on erecting decks at three sites: above the subway yards near Manhattan College in Riverdale, above the subway yards near Lehman College in Bedford Park and above the freight train yards at East 149th Street in the South Bronx. He added the report “will examine possible costs and potential density, and will take the first steps toward creating new space as a key component of our city’s housing and economic development future.”

After his speech at the Mall at Bay Plaza, Mr. Diaz said to help the mayor reach his goal of building 80,000 new affordable housing units in the coming years, policy makers should create new space at areas like rail yards.

“There’s a serious consideration by this administration,” he said. “I think that the governor is interested as well. He just wasn’t interested in the site at Queens.”

Mr. Cuomo has opposed Mr. De Blasio’s plan to build decks and affordable housing units above Sunnyside Yards, saying the site is not available for any use other than transportation. The mayor has nevertheless sought to advance his proposal since announcing it in his Feb. 3 state of the city speech.

Mr. Diaz did not provide any details of possible construction at the rail yards in Riverdale or elsewhere in the borough. His communications director said the report is still in the early stages, with staff in discussions with stakeholders near the three sites, and that the document will be out later this year.

Riverdalian Charles Moerdler, who is on the boards of the MTA and the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, said he has discussed building on the rail yards with Mr. Diaz.

Ruben Diaz Jr., state of the borough, housing, Manhattan College, Jeffrey Dinowitz, Jerome Park, Lehman College, Charles Moerdler, Shant Shahrigian
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