The city has broken ground on River Commons, a mixed-use development in Morrisania that will bring 328 affordable and supportive apartments, an expanded health care clinic and public green space to the South Bronx. The $255 million project is expected to open in 2027.
Developed in partnership with NYC Health + Hospitals, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development and private developers, the project will rise on the campus of NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Morrisania. It will include 229 affordable apartments for households earning between 30% and 70% of the area median income, along with 98 permanent supportive apartments for NYC Health + Hospitals patients experiencing homelessness through the system’s Housing for Health initiative.
The development will also include a new 43,000-square-foot Gotham Health clinic, expanding access to primary care in Morrisania, as well as a 15,000-square-foot parking garage.
“New Yorkers deserve safe, affordable homes and the stability that comes with them,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.
“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 [in] New Yorkers who deserve a chance to build a secure future.”
The project is one of several housing initiatives by NYC Health + Hospitals aimed at serving people experiencing homelessness and others with long-term medical needs. It follows the revival of the Just Home project on the NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi campus, which resumed after former Mayor Eric Adams halted the project due to community opposition.
The 17-story building will include studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Residents will have access to a fitness center, children’s playroom, community room, coworking space, a 15th-floor terrace and 24-hour security.
“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.”
BronxWorks and affordable housing developer Type A Projects will serve as the long-term owners of the development. BronxWorks will also provide on-site social, wellness and employment services for residents.
“River Commons will deliver critical, high-quality affordable housing for Bronx families and individuals while offering BronxWorks wraparound services helping residents thrive,” BronxWorks CEO Eileen Torres said.
“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.”
The project was funded largely by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s Extremely Low & Low-Income Affordability (ELLA) program, which funds new construction for multi-family rental projects for low-income households.
Beyond housing and health care, the development will add new community amenities, including 6,000 square feet of ground-floor space for African Communities Together and the BronxWorks Empowerment Center, where the organizations will provide services ranging from education and workforce development and employment and legal counseling.
The site will also include a 7,000-square-foot public green space with a landscaped plaza and artwork by Fitgi Saint-Louis celebrating the neighborhood’s history and culture.
Reach Marina Samuel at msamuel@schnepsmedia.com. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
