Courtlandt Corners
Brownfield Cleanup Program Site Numbers C203040 and C203041
Spaces utilize corners for maximum
light and views. Photos courtesy of
Bob Wieda and Phipps House
Highlights
In 2008, New York City announced the South Bronx Initiative Plan, which included a strategy to develop City-owned sites to create affordable housing and ground-floor retail space. Participation in New York's Brownfield Cleanup Program made it possible to establish a mixed-use, mixed-income housing development for 323 families in the Melrose Commons neighborhood of the Bronx, on a site formerly owned by NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
Site Description
These two sites, totaling about half of an acre, entered the BCP in March 2008. Previous uses included an auto repair shop and gas station. Site investigations detected contaminants associated with petroleum in the soil and groundwater, in addition to certain metals, and elevated levels of petroleum were detected in soil vapor samples.
Cleanup
Based on the DEC-approved site investigation, the developer prepared a Remedial Action Work Plan. In accordance with this plan, contaminated soils were removed, groundwater was pumped and treated, and a vapor barrier and sub-slab depressurization system were installed.
Courtlandt Corners is a gateway to the
Melrose Commons neighborhood
Reuse
Courtlandt Corners provides housing affordable to several different income levels, creating diversity of income within the community. The project was designed to meet the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Multifamily Performance Program requirements, including energy-efficient heating systems, high indoor air quality and ventilation, and sensor-controlled lighting in public areas. Funding for the project was coordinated from many sources including BCP tax credits, New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, New York City Housing Development Corporation, NYSERDA, and Low Income Housing Tax Credits administered by the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal. Street level retail space is also included in the buildings, which became available for new tenants at the end of 2010.
