Image courtesy of Douglaston Development
The next phase of development of a new affordable housing complex at 2856 Webster Avenue in the Bedford Park section of The Bronx is underway, as reported by YIMBY.
As previously reported by Norwood News, the Bronx will introduce a sprawling new grocery store operated by Cherry Valley Marketplace. The retailer has committed to guidelines established under New York City’s Food Retail Expansion to Support Heath (FRESH) program, which promotes the establishment and retention of grocery stores that dedicate required selling space to fresh, perishable food items in underserved communities.
Cherry Valley will continue to operate its existing store at 410 Bedford Park Boulevard while the first phase of construction of the new supermarket gets underway. The retailer will relocate to the new 12,373 square-foot facility when the first phase of construction is complete. Upon completion of phase two, the retailer will expand the new location by an additional 8,000 square feet.
Photo by Miriam Quiñones
Douglaston Development, the entity responsible for the housing complex, received zoning incentives from the New York City Department of City Planning (DCP) in exchange for its commitment to maintaining “healthy” grocery stores in the community.
“We know that keeping Cherry Valley Marketplace in the neighborhood is a top priority for the community, and we are delighted to be making that happen,” said Russell Lang, senior vice president at Douglaston Development. “As a result of this lease signing, Cherry Valley will significantly upgrade its facilities and continue to be a staple of the Bedford community as it has been since its inception in 2006.”
Designed by Stephen B. Jacobs Group, overall development at the location will include 448 affordable housing units spread across two buildings at 2856 Webster Avenue and 410 Bedford Park Boulevard on land owned by The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG). YIMBY confirmed that in January, Douglaston Development secured a $93.5 million financing package to construct the buildings.
The building at 2856 Webster Avenue will include 188 units of affordable housing for seniors earning up to 50 percent of the area median income (AMI), with an additional 12,000 square feet of ground-floor area for the grocery store. The first phase is expected to wrap construction by 2022. The second phase at 410 Bedford Park Boulevard will include up to 260 affordable rental units for individuals and families earning between 30 and 100 percent of AMI. Up to 8,000 square feet of the lower level will support community retail space.
In addition to the ground-floor market, the building will also house Fordham Bedford Community Services, which will offer on-site social services to building residents and the surrounding community. Initial renderings of the structure illustrated an orthodox massing and design, with a mix of light and dark gray curtain wall and an irregular grid of windows. The ground level is expected to feature a floor-to-ceiling glass façade.
Photo by Miriam Quiñones
During at least one previous Bedford Mosholu Community Association (BMCA) meeting, as reported, residents had raised some concerns about the lack of transport, parking and school options in the local area to cater for new residents. They believed the current situation would only be exacerbated by the new development unless it was carefully planned.
There were also concerns about parking and food deliveries. According to Barbara Stronczer, president of BMCA, it was hoped that there will be an area behind the building for parking and deliveries as the current situation is dangerous for pedestrians. As reported, Norwood News followed up with the City at the time who responded to some of the concerns raised.
At a subsequent Bronx Community Board 7 (CB7) Land Use meeting, held on held on March 9, Aaron Bouska and Angel Hernandez of NYBG and Lang of Douglaston Development presented an update on the project to the community, confirming that NYBG and Douglaston had closed on their construction financing in December 2020 and that demolition of the site was almost complete. They said Fordham-Bedford Housing would begin marketing housing units about six to eight months before construction finishes, which at that point was targeted for Spring 2021.
Norwood News has reached out to Fordham-Bedford Housing for clarification as to whether marketing has yet begun, and will update this story upon receipt of any feedback.
Douglaston and NYBG also confirmed that Fordham-Bedford Housing would be providing on-site social services to residents of the building. Residents had asked for assurances that priority would be given to Bronx CB7 residents in terms of the housing units. Douglaston addressed this point, saying that because the project is availing of federal, Section 8 housing rules, no preference in terms of housing unit applicants would be afforded to Bronx CB7 residents.
Source: New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development
In response to a question by Edgar Ramos about the type of labor used for the project, Douglaston said the project was obliged to pay “Davis-Bacon wages,” which were described as being close to union wages, and that they expected to meet or exceed MWBE goals for the project. The Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Program (MWBE) is for businesses owned by women and/or minorities in New York State.
Meanwhile, the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts apply to contractors and subcontractors performing work on federally-funded or assisted contracts in excess of $2,000 for the construction, alteration, or repair (including painting and decorating) of public buildings or public works.
Davis-Bacon Act and Related Act contractors and subcontractors must pay their laborers and mechanics employed under the contract no less than the locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits for corresponding work on similar projects in the area. For prime contracts in excess of $100,000, contractors and subcontractors must also, under the provisions of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, as amended, pay laborers and mechanics, including guards and watchmen, at least one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. The overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act may also apply to DBA-covered contracts.
Finally, Douglaston said that Clinton Management, a subsidiary of Douglaston, would be managing the buildings. NYBG
and Douglaston promised to update Bronx CB7 further as construction proceeds.
Another question raised by residents at previous meetings was whether there would be an increase to the 20 percent allotment of affordable housing units to non-senior locals. Norwood News reached out to Fordham Bedford Housing on this point. We will continue to follow-up and will update this story upon receipt of any feedback.
The building is expected to debut by the end of 2022.
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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.
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