Brooklyn-based Heights Advisors has initiated the public approval process for a large mixed-income multifamily project in the Soundview section of the Bronx. The firm has filed a land use application for a 21-story, mixed-use building at 945 White Plains Rd., planning 606 apartments in a single high-rise development.
The proposed building would total approximately 515,000 square feet and replace an existing low-rise retail property on the site. That retail building currently houses Modell’s Sporting Goods and GameStop, according to published reports, and would be demolished to make way for the new construction if the project advances.
Filing the application triggers New York City’s mandatory Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, which requires a multi-step public review before the development can proceed. The process involves input from community stakeholders and oversight bodies and will determine whether Heights Advisors can secure the entitlements necessary to build the project as proposed.
Heights Advisors is reportedly seeking to finance the project through the New Construction Finance program offered by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation & Development. The program is geared toward 100% affordable housing developments, and the developer is positioning the plan as a large multifamily project with a substantial affordable housing component.
If approved and built, the 945 White Plains Rd. development would add hundreds of income-restricted units to the local housing stock. The project would contribute to a growing pipeline of residential construction in the Soundview area and would expand the availability of income-restricted housing options in the Bronx overall.
While many details of the proposal, including construction timeline and specific affordability mix, have not been disclosed, the filing underscores continued interest in large-scale multifamily projects backed by public-affordable housing programs in New York City. The outcome of the land use review and the success of the developer’s pursuit of HPD financing will be key to determining whether the Soundview project moves forward.
