After breaking ground last June, construction continues to move along on the final two residential buildings of the La Central housing complex at 625 Brook Ave. and 671 Brook Ave. in Melrose.
Both buildings, which represent the final phase of La Central’s construction, are undergoing framing work.
The 13-story building, located at 625 Brook Ave., has already been topped out, with metal studs and insulation boards being installed to frame it. Renderings of the structure, known as Building C, show it being clad in red and black brick. The building is slated to be completed in December 2027.
The taller, 25-story structure at 671 Brook Ave., known as Building E, is still rising, having recently passed the halfway point. Materials at that site are being put into place via a telescopic crane.
On the eastern side of the taller complex, cement and other building supplies are being delivered by trucks. The renderings show a light gray brick facade. The roof will also have a telescope managed by Bronx High School of Science. Construction is expected to be finished in the first quarter of 2028.
La Central’s entire master plan will bring five residential buildings with more than 1,000 affordable housing units to Melrose. Buildings C and E will account for 420 of these units, including 63 supportive units for formerly homeless people.
Some of the amenities at Buildings C and E will include a 13,000-square-foot community facility space, 1,500 square feet of ground-floor retail and 7,000 square feet of landscaped gardens, which will be designed by Future Green Studio.
MHG Architects and FXCollaborative designed these two La Central buildings. Development is being performed through a joint venture between Hudson Companies, BRP Companies, ELH-TKC, Breaking Ground, Comunilife and J.P. Morgan. Additionally, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development has contributed $137 million towards the project.
Funding for the last two buildings has come courtesy of tax-exempt bonds, low-income housing tax credits, Brownfield Tax Credits, NYSERDA grants and capital allocations from the New York City Council. The tax credit syndicator is Red Stone Equity Partners, while credit enhancement is being provided by J.P. Morgan.
The properties are within close proximity to the 3rd Avenue-149th Street and Jackson Avenue subway stations, which both provide service for the 2 and 5 trains. There are also bus stops in the area for the Bx2, Bx4, Bx6, Bx6+, Bx13, Bx15, Bx17, Bx19, Bx21, Bx32, Bx41 and M125 lines.
Prior to the start of construction, both sites were just vacant lots.
