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Two Buildings Top Out At La Central’s Sprawling Development In Melrose, The Bronx

Construction has topped out on two buildings within La Central, a 1.1-million-square-foot development in the South Bronx. Designed in collaboration by MHG Architects, FXCollaborative, and Future Green Studio, the new structures represent the second phase of La Central’s three-phase masterplan.

Located at 556 and 600 Bergen Avenue in the Melrose neighborhood, the two buildings will contain 496 affordable residential units, a new 50,000-square-foot YMCA, a television studio for BronxNet, a GrowNYC-operated rooftop garden, and ground floor retail along Westchester Avenue.

Developers of the $335 million project include Hudson Companies, BRP Companies, ELH-TKC LLC, Breaking Ground, and Comunilife. Public and private financing for construction of these buildings arrived as a combination of City and State loan programs, more than $100 million in federal low-income housing tax credits from Wells Fargo, and more than $15 million in new market tax credits from Citibank and Dudley Ventures.

At the moment, the sheer scale of La Central establishes the project as one of the largest ongoing mixed-use construction projects in New York City. When complete, La Central will comprise five individual buildings.

Components include 992 affordable residences, 80,000 square feet of community facility space, a public park, and 25,0000 square feet of retail. The first phase, a supportive housing facility developed by Breaking Ground, will yield 161 units for formerly homeless veterans and New Yorkers with special needs. The building is scheduled to open next month. The third and final phase is expected to be completed in 2023, with an estimated construction cost of nearly $600 million.

With a focus on sustainability, more than 250,000 watts of power will be generated from photovoltaic panels located on building roofs. Green areas of the property include roof gardens, a 9,000-square-foot urban farm, and landscaping throughout.

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NYY