NYC seeks to develop Hell’s Kitchen sites into affordable housing

The city is looking to develop two Hell’s Kitchen sites into mixed-use affordable housing developments. The city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) has put out a request for proposals (RFP) to transform 806 Ninth Avenue and 705 Tenth Avenue respectively.

Both sites are city-owned, and are under the jurisdiction of Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Both sites were identified as part of the overall Hudson Yards development, and earmarked for affordable housing.

The city is now moving forward with its plan to bring affordable housing at both sites. Together the two sites measure 43,000 square feet. The Ninth Avenue site spans 21,500 square feet and is currently used by the New York City Transportation Authority (NYCT) for parking. Plans for this site must include 30,000 square feet of office space, ground floor retail, and below-grade parking for the MTA, in addition to fully affordable housing.

The Tenth Avenue site measures 22,220 square feet, and is currently vacant. A plan for this site must include a public restroom. The city’s Parks Department plans to develop open space next to this site.

“Deploying public sites for affordable housing development is a critical component of Housing New York 2.0 and our efforts to secure greater affordability across all our neighborhoods,” said HPD Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer, in a statement.

The city has come under fire in recent years for not doing enough to transform vacant city-owned lots into affordable housing. In response, the city has highlighted the work it has done under the de Blasio administration relating to this issue; Since January 2014, RFPs have been issued for 66 projects across 200 public sites that will ultimately create over 10,800 affordable units.

This latest RFP is another step toward transforming city-owned land into affordable housing. Developers have until July 13 this year to submit their proposals for the Hell’s Kitchen sites.

• De Blasio’s expanded affordable housing agenda, revealed [Curbed]
• NYC must do more to transform vacant sites into affordable housing: report [Curbed]