Mayor Mamdani Breaks Ground On $255 Million River Commons Development, Bringing 328 Affordable And Supportive Homes To South Bronx

Photos: YouTube Screenshots|Wikimedia Commons

NEW YORK – Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, NYC Health + Hospitals, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development and development partners broke ground on River Commons, a $255 million mixed-use development that will bring 328 affordable and supportive homes, an expanded public health care center and new public green space to the South Bronx.

Built on the campus of NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Morrisania River Commons marks the first time NYC Health + Hospitals has integrated a health care facility into a residential building on hospital property, bringing housing, health care and community services together in one place.

“New Yorkers deserve safe, affordable homes and the stability that comes with them,” said Mayor Mamdani. “River Commons will deliver 328 homes to the South Bronx, with nearly 70% reserved for low-income New Yorkers and 98 supportive apartments for homeless H+H patients. By bringing affordable housing, health care and community services together in one place, we’re investing New Yorkers who deserve a chance to build a secure future.”

“Our city is confronting both a housing and health care crisis, made even worse by federal attacks on the health care that New Yorkers rely on,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga. “Despite these threats, the Mamdani Administration is creating deeply affordable homes alongside expanded health care services. This is what government can accomplish when we bring people together to meet New Yorkers’ needs.”

“For many New Yorkers, housing and health are inseparable. Our Housing for Health initiative addresses a holistic set of New Yorkers’ needs, using our public land to build housing, provide medical services, and ensure residents are able to thrive,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg. “My thanks to the H+H, HPD, and development teams for their work to make River Commons a reality, and I look forward to delivering even more Housing for Health projects across the city as a part of our Block by Block housing plan.”

“Housing is a powerful prescription for so many of our patients to support their health,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “Our Housing for Health initiative has placed nearly 2,000 patients experiencing homelessness into safe, stable homes. NYC Health + Hospitals is particularly proud to use our land to create more housing for our patients and our community. River Commons will be one of our largest housing projects in years, with affordable and supportive housing as well as additional primary care space. We are deeply grateful to our partners in and out of government for making this shared purpose a reality.”

“Residents of the South Bronx have long faced high barriers to quality healthcare and affordable housing. River Commons is a remedy, and this first-of-its-kind development is a model for what’s possible when we think boldly about the intersection of housing and health,” said Dina Levy, Commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation & Development. “For more than 300 families, this marks the beginning of a new life. Children who grow up here will be able to focus on their homework without worrying about whether the heat’s going to come on, or whether their parents will be able to make rent. I want to thank H+H, our development partners, and the dedicated staff at HPD who have spent years bringing River Commons to life.”

“Housing is the foundation for health, stability, and opportunity, and a critical part of building stronger, healthier communities,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “River Commons is a transformative investment in the South Bronx and a powerful example of the promise of the Jerome Avenue Neighborhood Plan, creating affordable housing, expanding access to healthcare, and ensuring that longtime residents can benefit from the growth and development taking place in our borough. Bringing together affordable and supportive housing, healthcare services, and community-based resources will help residents build brighter futures and strengthen the health and well-being of our communities. Thank you to NYC Health + Hospitals, Type A Projects, BronxWorks, L+M Development Partners, and all of our partners for helping create healthier, more equitable housing solutions where Bronx residents have the opportunity to thrive.”

“To improve the health of New Yorkers, NYC Health + Hospitals is always looking for innovative partnerships that can leverage City and private resources and creativity,” said Leora Jontef, Senior Assistant Vice President for Housing and Real Estate at NYC Health + Hospitals. “River Commons will do just that: it will transform a parking lot into over 300 new affordable and supportive homes while also expanding and improving spaces for care delivery for the larger community.”

“Gotham Health is proud to be part of this transformative project that will modernize Gotham Health, Morrisania and expand access to high-quality care for the Bronx,” said Michelle Lewis, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health. “It reflects our commitment to innovative solutions that bring healthcare, housing, and community resources together to address the factors impacting health beyond the exam room.”

Located on the campus of NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Morrisania River Commons is financed in large part by the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s New Construction Finance (NCF) Extremely Low and Low-Income Affordability (ELLA) program, which supports housing for New Yorkers with the greatest need.

River Commons will transform an underused parking lot into a vibrant 17-story mixed-use building with 328 affordable and supportive homes. Nearly 70%, or 229 homes, will be reserved for New Yorkers earning between 30% and 70% of the area median income (AMI). Another 98 apartments will provide permanent supportive housing for NYC Health + Hospitals homeless patients through the hospital’s Housing for Health initiative.

Apartments will range from studios to three-bedroom homes. Residents will have access to a fitness center, children’s playroom, community room, coworking space, a 15th-floor community terrace and around-the-clock security. BronxWorks will provide on-site social, wellness and employment services for residents.

The development will also include a new 43,000-square-foot state-of-the-art health care facility for NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Morrisania, expanding access to primary care and allowing the clinic to serve more patients. The project also includes a 15,000-square-foot parking garage.

Along River Avenue, River Commons will create 6,000 square feet of community space for African Communities Together and the BronxWorks Empowerment Center, to serve the greater Bronx community. The development will also include a 7,000-square-foot public green space designed in partnership with the community, featuring a landscaped plaza and a public art installation by multidisciplinary artist, designer and educator Fitgi Saint-Louis that reflects the neighborhood’s history, culture and future.

Type A Projects, a women-owned affordable housing developer, and BronxWorks, a leading community-based non-profit serving the Bronx for over 50 years, will be the long-term owners of the project. The development team comprises Type A Projects, BronxWorks and L+M Development Partners. Designed by Bernheimer Architecture, River Commons is set to open in 2027.

“River Commons goes beyond its core mission of providing high-quality affordable housing by also bridging access to world-class health care and neighborhood-based social services to create healthier, lasting communities that New Yorkers can afford,” said Annie Tirschwell, Principal of Type A Projects. “At the heart of River Commons lies a network of partnerships that makes the whole of this project far greater than the sum of its already powerful parts. We joined forces with BronxWorks to lead a mission-driven women-owned and nonprofit development team, championing a plan that will create 328 new affordable homes, high-impact community health and social services, green space and an activated streetscape. We’re grateful to this administration for their leadership and our financing partners for sharing in our vision for a development that will empower its residents to thrive year in and year out.”

“River Commons will deliver critical, high-quality affordable housing for Bronx families and individuals while offering BronxWorks wraparound services helping residents thrive,” said Eileen Torres, CEO of BronxWorks. “BronxWorks is proud of this transformative development, advancing long-term economic growth and social stability for current and future generations of the Bronx. We’re grateful to Type A and our partners for sharing this commitment to strengthening the Bronx through impactful, community-centered housing.”

“River Commons will deliver more than 320 new affordable homes while also expanding access to critical healthcare services in the Bronx,” said HDC President Eric Enderlin. “HDC is proud to finance projects like River Commons that represent how strong public private partnerships and effective interagency coordination can address the compounding healthcare and housing crises in New York City.”

“River Commons will be a major new hub for the South Bronx’s diverse communities to live and thrive,” said Amaha Kassa, Executive Director of African Communities Together. “We are excited and proud that the Bronx’s large and growing African immigrant communities are an integral part of it.”