Contaminated Bronx location considered for future residential development

Phipps Houses Proposes 500-Unit Affordable Housing Complex in South Bronx

A nonprofit housing group, Phipps Houses, has proposed a significant development in the South Bronx: a 500-unit affordable housing complex named Rosa del Monte. The project, which is planned to be built on a vacant lot and former industrial site located at 893-895 East 167th St. in the Foxhurst neighborhood, aims to address the city's current shortage of affordable housing.

The site's history dates back to the 1890s, with partial development of unidentified structures and dwellings. In the following years, a number of buildings were demolished or vacated, and by the late 1970s, an auto repair shop began operating at the site. Tiffany's Storage Warehouse was present on the site by 1915, and various businesses such as toy assembly establishments, toilet seat refinishing, clothing manufacturing, a tin shop, and lens grinding business were present by 1950.

The site has a checkered environmental history, with the presence of petroleum, pesticides, metals in the soil, metals in the groundwater, and contaminants like xylenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and chlorinated solvent-related and petroleum-related VOCs in soil vapor. A brownfield cleanup application was filed by Phipps in 2023, but the status of the cleanup is currently unknown. The soil remediation is ongoing and in progress as part of the development preparation.

The housing complex will offer a mix of affordable units for various income levels. It includes 75 units for formerly homeless New Yorkers, 174 units affordable for people at 50% of the average median income (AMI) for the area (approximately $72,900 for a family of three), 99 units affordable for people at 60% of AMI, 99 units for people at 80% of AMI, and 50 units for people at 100% of AMI.

The proposal falls within the district of Bronx Councilmember Rafael Salamanca Jr., whose office did not comment on the proposal. Kelly Biscuso, a vice president of real estate development at Phipps Houses, did not immediately respond to questions regarding the proposed housing development and the status of the cleanup.

The Longwood neighborhood, where the proposed housing complex is located, has been economically struggling since the 1960s and 1970s. Approximately 38% of the residents within the Longwood neighborhood's census tract live below the poverty line, more than twice the state's poverty rate. The neighborhood is known for issues such as gang activity, drug use, prostitution, and homelessness.

The Longwood neighborhood is underserved by public transportation, adding to the challenges faced by its residents. Despite these challenges, the proposed housing complex aims to provide affordable housing options for the community and contribute to the ongoing efforts to revitalize the South Bronx.