An arts-based mixed-use development, innovating affordable housing!
WHEDco and BFC Partners collaborated on a 426,000 square foot mixed-use development which includes affordable housing; the Bronx Music Hall, a community performance and event space; retail space; and green recreational space. It will serve as a cultural destination and site for music and dance performances, community events, production, and multimedia activities.
Purpose
- Celebrate the rich musical heritage of the Bronx by drawing upon and restoring pride in its history
- Meet the need for affordable housing options in the Bronx
- Bring housing together with the arts, open green space, and health and fitness initiatives
- Utilize the arts as a means of catalyzing the renewal of a neighborhood rich in history and culture
Development Team
- Developers/Owners: WHEDco and BFC Partners
- Design Architects: Danois Architects, PC
- Architect for the Bronx Music Hall: WXY Architecture + Urban Design
- Design for the Bronx Music Hall: Local Projects
Development Features
- Housing: Bronx Commons includes 305 affordable apartments, with a mix of studio, one-, two-, and three- bedroom apartments. The apartments serve people who have experienced homelessness and domestic violence, as well as low-income households earning between 30% and 110% of Area Median Income.
- Bronx Music Hall: This 14,000 square foot cultural and educational space is the centerpiece of Bronx Commons. The new, permanent home of the Bronx Music Heritage Center has a flexible performance space with approximately 250 seats; areas for exhibits; rehearsal spaces for music and dance; digital archives; a café; and outdoor performance/public recreation space.
- Green Space & Public Plaza: Bronx Commons contains a central courtyard, green roof, and large, landscaped plazas with an amphitheater for social events and space for green markets.
- Retail: There will be 22,000 square feet of commercial space fronting East 163rd Street, with the goal of attracting retailers that will address neighborhood needs.
The development is located in the Melrose Commons neighborhood of the South Bronx, on the west side of Elton Avenue, between East 162nd and East 163rd Street.