News

The five-building La Central complex is the largest affordable housing project in New York City. The second and third structures of the five-building mixed-use, mixed-income, multi-family residential complex in the South Bronx were celebrated last week in a special ceremony at the 153rd Street and Bergen Avenue site in the Melrose neighborhood.

FXCollaborative, in collaboration with MHG Architects, is the design architect for the new 1.2-million-square-foot development.


Once complete, the entire La Central project will be a thriving development with a total of 1,077 units of affordable housing (which includes the Breaking Ground/Communilife building featuring 160 units of supportive housing for formerly homeless veterans and New Yorkers with special needs); a new YMCA, a BronxNet television studio, a skate park, and a host of other new retail, community, and recreation spaces.

A combination of on-site cogeneration, solar panels and a super-tight building envelope will provide a sustainable environment for residents including savings on energy costs and a reduced reliance on the area's electric grid. Additionally, low-flow fixtures and water-efficient appliances are planned for every apartment cutting water consumption by as much as 45% and the complex will feature rainwater harvesting for irrigation. Green roofs will cover a substantial portion of the roof areas including a 9,000-square-foot urban farm for tenants operated by GrowNYC.

BRP Companies, Hudson Companies Inc., The Kretchmer Companies, ELH Mgmt LLC, Breaking Ground, Comunilife, and the YMCA are the developers of the project.

The supportive housing building by Breaking Ground/Comunilife opened on October 29, 2019, and is the first of La Central's five buildings to open. The two buildings that recently topped out anticipate completion in 2020. La Central's final two buildings are currently in design, with overall project completion expected in 2023.