Editor’s Note: In the latest print edition of this story, Dynamic Star’s partner for the Fordham Landing South site is incorrectly referenced as Arden Partners / Lettire rather than Urban Builders Collaborative-Lettire. We apologize sincerely for this error which was due to a slightly inaudible section of the audio recording, which was later clarified with the Dynamic Star but which, in the rush of the production and print deadline, got missed. 

On reviewing the various development projects in the Northwest Bronx, ahead of the final edition of the Norwood News, after 38 years, the first thing that comes to mind in some but not all cases is, of course, just how seemingly arduous and protracted they can be. Often surpassing the durations of successive gubernatorial and mayoral administrations, and the tenures of various politicians, hopes are riding high that the billion-dollar Fordham Landing redevelopment project in University Heights will not fall to the same fate as the Croton Water Filtration Plant and the Kingsbridge Armory in terms of duration.

 

Tapped as the most expensive and ambitious redevelopment project in the country since Manhattan’s post-9/11 Hudson Yards redevelopment, a presentation was shared by Dynamic Star LLC, the developer behind the project, with Bronx Community Board 7 (CB7) in February 2025.

 

Dynamic Star LLC partner, Brad Zackson, outlined at the time that under Phase I, Fordham Landing South, located at 320 West Fordham Road, south of University Heights bridge, was to be developed as a 900+ unit affordable housing project on a 4-acre site on the Harlem River waterfront next to the University Heights Metro North station.

FORDHAM LANDING SOUTH, 320 West Fordham Road, Fordham Manor, The Bronx, Aug. 21, 2026. V1 Video by Síle Moloney

Zackson said Fordham Landing North, located at 2475 Exterior Street, north of the bridge, would be developed as part of Phase II, and would consist of one building comprising three towers, 574 residential units, a grocery store, 182 parking spaces, and some supportive housing admin space.

 

In September 2025, further renderings were revealed for Fordham Landing South as Phase I kicked off during a formal ceremony attended by former New York City Mayor Eric Adams and other elected officials. In November 2025, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a $55 million Empire State Development (ESD) investment to advance the same Fordham Landing South project.

 

“Across New York, we are taking bold action to tackle the housing crisis and make our state more affordable for everyone,” the governor said in part at the time. “Projects like Fordham Landing South are what progress looks like — government at every level coming together to turn vacant or underused land into vibrant communities with affordable homes, jobs and public space. I’m proud that New York State is investing in The Bronx and building a stronger, more inclusive future for all New Yorkers.” A month later, Norwood News reported that Dynamic Star LLC, had voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

FORDHAM LANDING SOUTH, 320 West Fordham Road, Fordham Manor, The Bronx, Aug. 21, 2026. V2 Video by Síle Moloney

Chapter 11 bankruptcy is a form of financial reorganization that allows businesses and, in some cases, individuals with significant debt to restructure their obligations and continue operating under court supervision. Norwood News spoke on Aug. 21 with Zackson, who provided an update on the bankruptcy filing and project.

 

A second bankruptcy filing was made in March and when asked about it, Zackson broadly described it as technical issue between the lawyers and the judges and a correction/redo of the first filing. “It resets timing and other stuff,” he said. “And essentially, we’ve not been fighting. Our lawyers are negotiating and that’s why it’s moving so well. But that’s all that was, and and really, we’re coming to a solution.”

 

Zackson went on to say, “So, the South, the brief is the bankruptcy is basically coming to an end.” He said the court was forcing the parties into arbitration, the aim was to reach an agreement in the next 30 days, and that they were hoping to close and move forward with their partners, Urban Builders Collaborative-Lettire in December.

 

He said in relation to Fordham North, he’s currently waiting on confirmation of the new list of confirmed “Opportunity Zones” in The Bronx. Opportunity Zones are economically distressed communities, defined by individual census tracts, nominated by America’s governors, and certified by the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.

 

Under certain conditions, new investments in Opportunity Zones may be eligible for preferential tax incentives. There has been some criticism of the Opportunity Zone policy in the past, and questions over whether developers availing of such tax incentives have in fact invested in the distressed communities, in return. Norwood News reported in 2021 how the lobby group, Reinvent Albany said the group was supportive of legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81), who represents the Northwest Bronx, to essentially reverse the tax breaks won by developers under the Trump 2017 tax laws and Opportunity Zone program.

 

Meanwhile, Zackson said, “We’re hoping that the north [site] will be in that [new list of opportunity zones], so we’re working with Winston Peters in the new (Bronx) EDC [Economic Development Corporation] to do this very interesting, commercial job-creating idea, which is learning, incubating, executing, and kind of taking a page out of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Industry City, and kind of mixing that into our commercial concept for small businesses.” He added that Dynamic Star was also working very hard on the north site with NYC Department of City Planning (DCP).

 

Asked if there were new partners involved in the project, Zackson said, “[Urban Builders Collaborative-]Lettire is our partner in the south, who we’ve been working with for months and months, and unfortunately I can’t give you the name, but it’s a major national opportunity fund that we’re working with on the north, and that’s why we’re waiting for the official news. The north, which is the bigger part of this, the rezoning, it’s exciting because we have a very big national company coming to The Bronx to help us do this whole waterfront, and our local officials are very excited.

 

Asked if there was any change to the project itself, Zackson said, “No, no, no. It’s the 927 units (100% affordable housing in the south site). We’re over 3,500 units at the north, plus about 800 to 900,000 feet of retail, commercial and light industrial space in the commercial portion, which is marinas and waterfront.”

 

Zackson went on to describe plans for access to the waterfront to get deliveries of fresh food. “We’re trying to connect that to Hunts (Point) Market, which is the new mayor’s program,” he said.

FORDHAM LANDING NORTH, Exterior Street, Fordham Manor, The Bronx, Aug. 21, 2026. V3 Video by Síle Moloney

When contacted for comment on the latest status of the project, an ESD representative told Norwood News on Aug. 26, “The State continues to monitor the Dynamic Star LLC’s Chapter 11 filing and project status. The State has not disbursed funding for the project and will complete all due diligence before releasing any State funds.”

 

“We have a really exciting idea and a new partner that we will be announcing in a few weeks,” Zackson concluded. “We’re very excited about developing Fordham Landing and the whole waterfront, and we’re not going anywhere.”