Construction has broken ground at 1761 Walton Avenue, the site of a new, mixed-use affordable housing building in the Mount Hope section of The Bronx, as reported by YIMBY. The project will debut as Mount Hope Walton Apartments and will eventually comprise 103 income-restricted apartments and a 9,500-square-foot community gymnasium.

 

New York City chief housing officer, Jessica Katz, said of the project, “Mixed-use, community-focused housing developments are vital to tackling our housing shortage, while also preserving neighborhoods for long-term residents, which is at the heart of ‘Housing Our Neighbors,’ a citywide blueprint for housing and homelessness.”

 

She added, “These 103 new affordable apartments and the new gym will strengthen the Mount Hope neighborhood, help our neighbors experiencing homelessness, and better support the community’s current and future residents.”

 

Designed by Aufgang Architects, according to YIMBY, the building will top out at 14 stories and comprise roughly 102,500 square feet. The façade of the building will feature a mix of red and tan masonry and white cladding at the uppermost levels.

 

The building is also designed to meet the latest Enterprise Green Communities requirements for energy and water conservation. Energy-efficient facilities include high-efficiency condensing boilers, variable speed pumps, high-output baseboard radiators, energy recovery ventilators, and variable refrigerant flow systems.

 

Within the building, the residential component will occupy about 94,000 square feet. A total of 16 units will be reserved for the formerly homeless, while the remaining units are reserved for households at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). Floorplans will range from incorporating one-bedroom to three-bedroom apartments.

 

Amenity spaces include laundry facilities, two indoor recreation rooms, an outdoor terrace, and bicycle storage.

According to YIMBY, the total development costs are estimated at $55 million. State financing for Mount Hope Walton Apartments includes federal low-income housing tax credits that will generate $23 million equity and $2.6 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal.

 

 

According to a 2020-2021 presentation by the capital management division of NYC School Construction Authority (SCA), Reso A funding was established through the New York City Charter under Section 243 and 245. Each year, during the budget process, borough presidents and council members assign discretionary funds to capital projects to meet local needs and fill gaps in City Agency projects, which is also called, “Resolution A, (Reso A).”

 

Some NYC capital funds are allocated to schools from borough presidents or council members for enhancements and improvements to school buildings. Schools apply to their elected officials for funding for specific projects. The SCA receives and manages the allocated funding on behalf of the school. In certain cases, other agencies may implement projects. They include the Division of Instructional and Information Technology (DIIT), the Division of School Facilities (DSF), and Trust for Public Land (TPL).

 

The developers responsible for the project include Procida Development Group, located at 456 E. 173rd Street, Bronx, NY 10457, and Mt. Hope Housing Corporation, located at 2003-05 Walton Avenue, Bronx, NY 10453.

 

Procida Development Group LLC is described as a domestic limited liability company registered with the State of New York, Department of State (NYSDOS), under corporation number is #4904011. The registered agent is Mario Procida.

 

According to its website, the Mount Hope Housing Company is a 501 (c) (3) community development “premier nonprofit” organization, providing affordable housing, youth services, employment, job training, real estate development, and asset building programs to residents of the Mount Hope community in The Bronx.

 

An extract from the nonprofit’s website states that it aims to develop, educate, and empower community residents while invigorating and investing in the neighborhood infrastructure and physical space. Mount Hope is in the “business” of community development, fostering community growth and sustainability, according to its representatives.

 

Its board of directors comprises Dr. Bola Omotosho, chairman; Javier Chuck, vice-chairman; Kieve B. Graham, CPA  / treasurer; Radiance Brown, sergeant at arms; Dr. Akin Awofolaju, chair of the audit committee; Angel Caballero, chair of the finance and social service committees; Donald A. Miles, judge; and Jean FitzGerald, Esq. CEO. 

 

 

Editor’s Note: Norwood News does not accept, process or refer any applications. For all inquiries, please liaise with NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development as follows:

NYC Housing Connect
Affordable Housing Lottery Helpline: 212-863-7990
Email: nychousingconnect@hpd.nyc.gov

For information on applying for affordable housing for people with disabilities, please submit accessibility inquiries to:
Phone: 212-863-6486
Email: accessibility@hpd.nyc.gov

HPD Housing Ambassadors
Email: ambassadors@hpd.nyc.gov