Recommendations for the Southern AreaThere are many opportunities for preservation within these neighborhoods, and there exists a number of financial and educational initiatives that could empower community members and outside interests to reinvest in the Southern section of the Harlem River. These include, but are certainly not limited to: rezoning, landmark designation, adaptive reuse, and the utilization of tax incentives sponsored by the city, state, and federal government, landmark designation, and adaptive reuse. Through a selective application of the above tools, or several combinations thereof, the aforementioned problems in the Southern section can be addressed simultaneously with the preservation of the historic built fabric. Harlem: Rezoning and Design Recommendations for Vacant Lots In Harlem there are many different categories of zoning, but the majority of the area is zoned R7-2. This zoning is intended for medium density apartment housing districts. Along the avenues, there exists R7-2 with a C1-4 overlay. Typical establishments in these zoning areas include barbershops, grocery stores, dry cleaners, and restaurants. The area also has smaller areas of R-8 zoning, which consists of high-density apartment houses. There are a few areas of C8-3 zoning, which includes automobile showrooms, warehouses, and service facilities, and there are very small areas of light and heavy manufacturing, which have M1-1, M1-2, and M3-1 zoning (For more information on zoning refer to Appendix XI: Zoning). The most urgent issues in the area are vacant lots and buildings that stand as empty shells; out of nine blocks surveyed, there were fifty lots that were devoid of any built fabric. In order to create a continuous streetscape and massing, we propose rezoning the blocks 1755, 1756, 1779, 2014, 2015, 2036, 2038, 2039, and 2040 from R7-2 to R6-A. This zoning will allow for six-story apartment buildings designed for compatibility with the other buildings in the neighborhood.1 The new construction that is proposed for infill should be consistent with the height and massing of adjacent structures, which vary from four to six-stories and are built to the lot line. Incorporating a variety of uses would also assist in the development of the neighborhood. Although quality housing is a major issue in the area, there is a need for addressing the other social concerns that plague Harlem today. One recommendation is the development of a community and educational facility incorporating adaptive reuse of historic buildings while sensitively infilling vacant lots. This proposal would be addressing historical context, contemporary life, and economic development. The intervention would restore pride and the cultural dynamism characterizing much of greater Harlem’s past. A design proposal for such a facility is outlined in Appendix IV: Design Charrette. Funding Options for New Housing and Improvements For existing structures, many funding options exist for facilitating the rehabilitation of residential buildings. New investment to the area can also initiate change on a larger scale. Through preservation and the construction of appropriate infill, perceptions of the area can be improved and community pride will increase. The Low-Income Rental Housing Tax Credit is one federal subsidy available through the Internal Revenue Service. Tax credits of 30 or 70% can be used for substantial rehabilitations of buildings where occupants are earning 50 to 60% below the locality’s average income.2 The J-51 Tax Incentive Program offered through New York City’s Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is a tax abatement program that could be used for the renovation of multiple dwelling properties in Harlem.3 The 421-a tax incentive, also through HPD, is particularly applicable in this area. This incentive program provides limited tax exemptions to developers and property owners constructing new multiple dwellings on sites that are either primarily or entirely vacant.4 The Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG) could also help encourage rehabilitation projects. Some of the projects that are under the CDBG program include the rehabilitation of privately owned residential properties, the maintenance of properties acquired by the city through tax foreclosures, and the foundation of green spaces and community gardens on vacant lots.5 Work accomplished through such grants can serve to entice other investment into the area, and assist the grassroots-level community garden program. (For more information on funding options, refer to Appendix VI: Financial Tools). To satisfy the requirements of several of the above tax incentives, property owners will be required to apply sensitive restorations and renovations to their historic structures. In the past, the area’s remaining tenement buildings have been subjected to severe alterations, including cornice removals, window replacement, and insensitive renovations. As a result, we propose to educate building owners through the distribution of manuals and pamphlets outlining the proper maintenance and repair of historic resources based on the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. Through a combination of awareness and incentives, conservation measures for Harlem’s historic row houses can be achieved. Education and Alternative Tools for Addressing Social Ills In order for effective preservation to take place in Harlem, awareness of the area’s significance must be imparted upon the community as well as other stakeholders, such as the local government agencies and other area investors. The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is one organization that could be used to generate resident-led initiatives in support of Community Development Corporations (CDCs). The LISC is a non-profit organization that gives residents the tools they need to further the growth of their community.6 A local community organization can be useful as an advocacy group, promoting preservation of existing building stock as a means to improving social conditions. Educational workshops and lectures at both community and grade school levels could also help to promote awareness of local history and culture. In conjunction with area museums, school children can be educated about the history of their neighborhood and pass this information on to their parents (See Appendix IX: Related Initiatives for some examples of educational programs already in existence). In order to advance the prominence of built heritage in the minds of the community members, we also propose the Riverbend Houses (1967) for individual landmark designation by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. The Riverbend Houses (1967) is an excellent example public housing in New York City and describes an important element of the development of Harlem over the past half-century. In addition, it reflects the intense debate centered on ideas of progressive social reform in New York and throughout the country. Mott Haven: Revitalization through the Designation of a Mott Haven Industrial Historic District As previously mentioned, designation of an industrial historic district in Mott Haven is recommended. This district would include a total of 114 buildings, some of which were previously described in the Significant Resources section. The structures in this district preserve the historic and architectural character of the nineteenth and early twentieth century industrial and transportation center. Known as the “Mott Haven Industrial Historic District,” this collection of valuable historic structures would be proposed to the Landmarks Preservation Commission as a New York City historic district designation. It would also be presented as a New York State district under the State Historic Preservation Office, and as a district under the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Mott Haven Industrial Historic District would encompass brick warehouses and factories, daylight factories, tenement buildings, row houses, bridges, and a passenger railroad station. The boundaries of the district would be south of the Major Deegan Expressway, east of Brown Place, north of the Harlem River, and the Mott Haven Canal site with the inclusion of Willis Avenue and Third Avenue Bridges. The Mott Haven Industrial Historic District is a perfect means for protecting and finding uses for the underused buildings in the area. Regulating new development and injecting the area with the prestige that frequently comes along with such designations can provide the area with a number of economic opportunities. Among the benefits of creating a Mott Haven Industrial Historic District are:
The creation of the Mott Haven Industrial Historic District would include the preservation of many important industrial buildings that produced goods for an industrial age economy. The district should include Mott Iron Works, the piano factories (Estey, Haines Brothers, Welte & Sons), Ruppert Ice House, Segar Factory, and Hudford Factory. The district should also encompass the essential transportation networks that remain within its boundaries. The New Haven Passenger Railroad Station, for example, managed not only passenger travel but also the scheduling and movement of trains in and out of the Mott Haven area. The Willis Avenue Bridge was an innovation in swing-bridge engineering and allowed increased water traffic, and the former Third Avenue Bridge supported the original Elevated Railroad from Manhattan. These should be included as part of the district’s infrastructure components. An often overlooked component of Mott Haven is the survival of worker housing, such as the row houses and tenement housing for the working class on Alexander Avenue to Brown Place. In an effort to present a comprehensive view of an industrial area, from factories to workers, these structures should also be included in the proposed historic district. The industrial area of Mott Haven represents the evolution of industry from hand-made, locally manufactured goods to mass production and distribution. It contains physical evidence of the stages of manufacturing development from the beginning of the industrialization in New York City to its demise in the late twentieth century. The district should include all ancillary networks that supported these industries such as transportation infrastructure and residential units. Funding opportunities offer a vast range of possible revenue to manage and preserve the Mott Haven Industrial Historic District. Possible sources could include the Federal Historic Tax Incentive Program for rehabilitation of historic buildings, the Community Partners Program that includes the National Trust Loan Fund made especially for low-income historic districts, and TEA-21 from the New York State Department of Transportation, which aids in rehabilitation initiatives on any historic transportation structures (For more detailed information please see Appendix VI: Financial Tools). Local support for such a large-scale proposal is an important issue for the establishment of the Mott Haven Industrial Historic District, since community participation will be a critical component of the area’s success. New York City’s Historic Districts Council (HDC) should be involved in gathering community organizations for the purpose of explaining the implications and potential benefits of such a designation process. The HDC could help galvanize support and create strategies and plans for the establishment of the district, per the organization’s expertise. Due to the area’s distinct industrial identity, special consideration would have to be made to appeal to existing business owners to support a historic district. The involvement of the Bronx Historical Society would also be integral in this process due to the organization’s grassroots network of support and their interest in the preservation of local culture (particularly towards Mott Haven, as the first epicenter of economic prosperity for the Bronx). Historically Sensitive Design Proposals for New Development Artists have carved out a niche in the Mott Haven area, and the Bronx Council on the Arts has recognized their presence by providing tours to artists’ studios and sponsoring open houses. In keeping with this current development trend, a design proposal has been produced for a cultural center and park. It would be located in the Harlem River Rail Yards and the adjacent New Haven Passenger Railroad Station. The reprogramming of the Harlem River Rail Yards would include a park area near the Harlem River, a promenade, and an indoor and outdoor theatre space. The New Haven Passenger Railroad station would promote the arts with studios for musicians, dancers, photographers, and multi-media artists. It would also include a restaurant and café, a garden area, kinetic sculptures, and a railroad museum to educate the community about the history of the community. For a more complete description of this proposal, please refer to Appendix IV: Design Charrette. Funding initiatives for this project could include the Federal Historic Tax Incentives Program with a 20% Rehabilitation Tax Credit, Community Partners (from which a variety of funds could be chosen), New York State Department of Transportation’s TEA-21 (for the renovation of historic transportation structures), the New York City funded Community Development Block Grant (for the creation of green space and community gardens), and Local Initiatives Support Corporations (for resident-led community-based improvements). For more information on these funding possibilities, please refer to Appendix VI: Financial Tools. Recommendations for new design in the Mott Haven Historic District would emphasize a sensitive response to the industrial context. New building development should be regulated by uniform design guidelines governing height, bulk, set backs, and materials, while also maintaining façade vocabulary and historic viewscapes. Building facades with large outdoor signage should be regulated according to standards established by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the New York State Office Historic Preservation Office, and the National Register. Because much of the historical signage has become a recognizable and distinguishing feature of the area for city residents, it is worth noting that they will be protected as grandfathered features of the district. Adaptive Reuse and Rezoning for Greater Economic Opportunities Allied with the plan for the Mott Haven Historic Industrial District is the adaptive reuse of historic buildings. In order for this industrial district to function as an economically viable area once again, former industrial and transportation buildings that no longer serve their original functions must incorporate new purposes. However, special considerations must be made to those businesses that still operate in Mott Haven as they create sources of revenue and labor markets. One recommendation that would serve the community is conversion of industrial buildings to residential complexes that would benefit low to moderate-income families. The demand for affordable housing in this section of the South Bronx makes loft conversions a necessary and feasible method of reuse. Associated tax incentives make such redevelopment extremely attractive to owners. Funding opportunities can be garnered from the Federal Historic Tax Incentives Program with the 20% Rehabilitation Tax Credit coupled with the Low-Income Rental Housing Tax Credit that can provide a property tax credit of either 30% or 70%.7 Row houses and tenement buildings also provide low to moderate-income housing. The implementation of New York City’s Housing Preservation and Development Tax Incentive Program, particularly the J-51 for multiple dwellings, would allow for the rehabilitation and development of buildings with tax abatement and exemptions.8 The City–funded Community Development Block Grant for financial and directorial support is another source for rehabilitating housing in low to moderate-income communities.9 (For more detailed information on all these funding programs, please see Appendix VI: Financial Tools.) Existing businesses located in historic properties can take advantage of federal tax incentives put in place by the Federal Historic Tax Incentives Program; this can allow the rehabilitation of buildings without a significant economic burden.10 Meanwhile, the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation offers technical and economic advice along with the use of multiple federal, state, and local tax benefits.11 These funding opportunities allow for business growth while preserving existing historic fabric. In order to expand the possibilities for development, Mott Haven should be largely rezoned from the predominant heavy industrial (M3-1) and medium industrial (M2-1) zoning to MX-1 zoning. MX-1 is a mixed zoning that allows for a combination of M2-1 and R6 uses. This category has already proven successful in the blocks that line the northern edge of Bruckner Boulevard, from Third Avenue to Brown Place; in this portion of the community, manufacturing, commercial, and residential functions coexist. This rezoning is appropriate as heavy industrial manufacturing is no longer a factor of Mott Haven. However, the rail yards will likely remain predominantly M3-1, and as a result of this zoning a buffer of M2-1 zoning must be created between the rail yards and the mixed usage zone. Accounting for this buffer, the MX-1 zoning would to extend roughly from Canal Street to Brown Place and from 132nd to 134th Street. It may also include the most northern parts of the Harlem River Rail Yards, which are currently being used as parking lots. Preservation-Friendly Redevelopment Plans and Other Community Outreach Education for the community is a major priority in ensuring the success of the Mott Haven Historic District. Ongoing community workshops should be developed and geared towards property owners as a means of providing hands-on demonstrations of properly performed, sensitive interventions. Detailed booklets could be distributed to these individuals for later reference. Additionally, courses could provide information about funding resources that may be available. An accessible community conservation coordinator could aid in research concerning proper intervention techniques, and a financial expert could help facilitate the application for funds. Additionally, these individuals could mine for more funding where applicable. Research workshops should be offered to the entire community so that they can discover the history of buildings within their neighborhood. Themed walking tours and community meetings could be held under the auspices of the Bronx Community Board 1. Community meetings with Bronx Community Board 1 would also allow the Mott Haven Industrial Historic District to interface with the already established East Mott Haven Historic District for problem solving advice and recommendations. Educational programs for area students can also be developed in the area. The New York Historical Society and the Museum of the City of New York offer teacher training and a wide array of education programs that are associated with local history. Thousands of children participate in these programs yearly and integrating Mott Haven into the discourse of local history would give students the opportunity to broaden their understanding of manufacturing in New York City during the last two centuries. For more information on these programs, please see Appendix IX: Related Initiatives. A system of signage would be another valuable element in retelling the history of the area; signs should be placed on important historic resources such as factories, housing, warehouses, and railroad stations. Places of historical importance that are now vacant can be called out with signs that provide a physical description (site plans, elevations) of the former structure and site. All signs would have historic illustrations of the structure, a short history of its function, and its significance to Mott Haven. Funding opportunities for the signage include the Grant Program of the Preservation League of New York State.12 This funding program offers financial support for projects that recognize and preserve historically significant sites. The Local Initiatives Support Corporation could also contribute to the funding of the signage.13 They are involved on the community level and would recognize the importance of signage as an expression of cultural heritage. (For detailed information on funding initiatives, please see Appendix IV: Financial Tools). Recommendations for individual building conservation will be varied, since the building typologies represented in Mott Haven cover about one hundred years of history. In this period, we see the transition from load-bearing masonry walls, to the hybrids of cage construction and portal-braced building types, to the concrete building with steel casement windows. (Recommendations for the sensitive repair of failures for these buildings types can be found in Appendix I: Conservation.) Although industrial areas are frequently associated with pollution, Mott Haven contains only one area that is designated as a Brownfield; it is located under the Mott Iron Works site. As an important historical site for the Mott Haven Industrial Historic District, a clean-up of this site is recommended. Funding initiatives such as the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act, the Small Business Liability Relief, and Brownfields Revitalization Act can be used to mitigate the expense for cleanup.14 Bronx Terminal Market: Landmark Designation for New Uses and Protection We are proposing the designation of The Bronx Terminal Market District as a local, state, and national landmark district through the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, the New York State Historic Preservation Office, and the National Register for Historic Places. This district consists of the market piers and slips (ca. 1890), the Wholesale Market and Storage Building and Refrigeration Plant (1925), and the Market Stalls, Restaurant, Bank, and Hotel (1935). In addition to creating this district, the Lehigh-Bronx Daylight Factory (1928) and the Cashman Laundry Building (1932) are recommended for designation as individual city and national landmarks for their aesthetic and historic contributions to the area and the city as a whole. These historically and architecturally significant structures have an integrity that renders each of them viable for new uses. Related Companies, a development corporation, recently purchased a lease to develop the city-owned Terminal Market site. Although Related plans dramatic changes to the Bronx Terminal Market, including razing the existing market buildings, new ownership may provide an opportunity to reconsider the importance of the historic structures. Integration of the historic structures with new development can yield an increased understanding of the history of the area and the role it played in the growth of New York City. Landmark designation of the historic buildings will protect these resources, provide context, and facilitate a greater understanding of the development of the area and the city as a whole. The Bronx Terminal Market Complex was sited to take advantage of its central location in the transportation infrastructure of New York City. Subway lines, roads, rail lines and the Harlem River come together at the BTM. The area is ideal for warehousing and distribution activities. This fact was true when the market was founded and remains true today. While the nature of use has shifted from wholesale city wide service across a broad product line to a focus on small businesses and individuals with a Caribbean/African product orientation basic functionality has been maintained. Today the market serves as the only distributor in the city for many of these niche products. Testimony to this fact can be seen on any Saturday when the market bustles with patrons seeking goods that cannot be obtained elsewhere. The location is ideal. The served population is enthusiastic and without alternatives. The historic buildings are significant and were designed as market structures. The BTM Complex must be saved, enhanced and intelligently adapted to modern requirements not thoughtlessly demolished to create yet another bland, generic and ultimately short lived commercial center. In order to do this we propose a comprehensive design program that includes new construction to maximum allowable FAR of over two million square feet while simultaneously preserving the existing buildings and taking advantage of the present transportation infrastructure. This design proposal includes re-programming the existing historic site and structures according to sympathetic use, such as food-related industries and supermarkets, combined with retail, office, restaurant space, necessary parking space for offices, and a Metro-North station to connect the Market to Manhattan and out-lying suburbs. This plan would revitalize the area, which has suffered from decades of neglect; it would also build upon proximity to Yankee Stadium and surrounding residential areas to benefit tourists and residents alike. Maintaining the market site as a historic district would also allow for the preservation of the historic resources while promoting education about their contribution to the growth of New York City. We propose the utilization of one of these buildings as a Museum of New York City Restaurants and Food. This museum would build off growing interest in all aspects of the food trade, from production to consumption. Providing interpretation of the historic resources of the market would also be within the scope of this museum, which could provide walking tours of the market and educational seminars on historic methods of food production and storage. Based on the condition of the buildings, adaptive reuse combined with new design would not only protect the complex, but would also bring the site to its full zoning allowance, maximizing revenue for the city and assisting an underserved neighborhood. (For a more detailed summary of this design proposal, please see Appendix IV: Charrette Design.) The new design program takes into account the existing buildings’ massing, materials, and ornamentation. The historic buildings’ use of reinforced concrete, masonry, and limestone facades would be consistent with current development trends. Some original decorative elements could be carried over into the new buildings, such as the Lombard strip detail. The installation of a large, neon BRONX TERMINAL MARKET sign facing the river and Manhattan could announce the presence of this revitalized area, sympathetically accommodated within a historic context. Our proposed plan focuses on preservation and re-use of the Bronx Terminal Market buildings, along with long term protection of their integrity through revived attention, new occupants, and a built-to-bulk site. New amenities and attractions at the Bronx Terminal Market site will draw traffic across the bridges from Manhattan as well as serving neighborhoods immediately adjacent to the Market and elsewhere in the Bronx. Furthermore, the new buildings and restored old buildings will combine for a revived, year-round center of activity, much as the area was in the past. The community will take once again take full advantage of its nearby transportation links, Yankee Stadium, and waterfront vistas. Funding Options The designation of the Terminal Market site, the Lehigh-Bronx Factory, and the Cashman Laundry Building would make these structures eligible for the Federal Historic Tax Incentives Program, which offers a 20% Rehabilitation Tax Credit for the rehabilitation of historic structures listed on the National Register, provided they adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.15 These buildings and other industrial buildings in the area can take advantage of the Industrial and Commercial Incentive Program through the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation, which also applies to boroughs outside of Manhattan. This program offers property owners of manufacturing and commercial properties a partial twenty-five year exemption on real property taxes.16 Conservation and Reintegration of Underused Historic Built Fabric The primary historic building materials in the Bronx Terminal Market area are masonry and reinforced concrete. As such, conservation issues and remedies run consistently throughout the area. Due to poor maintenance, many buildings have suffered damage from water infiltration. The reinforced concrete structures from the 1920s to the 1940s have suffered damage at wall joints and through roofs, which has resulted in oxide jacking, cracking, and/or spalling. Improper repairs and insensitive alterations have exacerbated these conditions. Fortunately for conservationists, the industrial buildings were of a relatively simple construction and built to last. Therefore, remedies are straightforward, albeit extensive. If the historic industrial buildings of the Bronx Terminal Market area are to be reused as office or commercial structures, they will require considerable improvements and conservation measures, such as repointing, stabilization, window replacements, roof and flashing replacements, concrete patches, and repair of cracks in masonry walls. The scale of many of these buildings will call for the application of considerable resources, but the buildings themselves frequently have far more to offer new tenants than replacement modern construction could. (Detailed information can be found in Appendix I: Conservation and Appendix IV: Design Charrette) Community Education In order to garner community support for the Bronx Terminal Market area, a widespread education initiative will be necessary. We propose the creation of a not-for-profit group, the “Friends of the Bronx Terminal Market,” which would engage in promotional campaigning to educate the community about landmark designation opportunities, stimulate private investment, and improve the general perception of the site. Establishment of a weekend farmer’s market, attracting merchants from inside and outside the city, would revive a historic use of the market, help raise public awareness, funds, and sympathy for the neglected market buildings.
1 Department of Planning of New York City, Zoning Handbook: A Guide to New York City’s Zoning Resolution, NYC DCP 90-37, (New York, 1990), 38. 2 National Trust for Historic Preservation, “A Guide to Tax-Advantaged Rehabilitation,” 9. 3 Housing Preservation and Development, “Tax Incentives: J-51,” (New York: Housing Preservation and Development/City of New York, 2004), http://www.nyc.gov/html/hpd/html/for-developers/j51.html. 4 Housing Preservation and Development, “Tax Incentives: 421-a,” (New York: Housing Preservation and Development/City of New York, 2004), http://www.nyc.gov/html/hpd/html/for-developers/421a.html. 5 Proposed Consolidated Plan: Annual Performance Report 2003, (New York: Department of City Planning/City of New York, 2004), http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/pub/prop2003apr.pdf. 6 Local Initiatives Support Corporation, (New York: 2000-2004). http://www.liscet.org. 7 National Trust for Historic Preservation, 9. 8 Housing Preservation and Development, “Tax Incentives: J-51.” 9 Proposed Consolidated Plan: Annual Performance Report 2003. 10 National Trust for Historic Preservation, 9. 11 Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Corporation, Tax Benefits. (New York: Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Corporation, 1996-2003), http://www.umez.org/business_info_taxbenefits.htm. 12 Preservation League of New York State, A Grant Program of the Preservation League of New York State and the New York State Council on the Arts, (New York: Preservation League of New York State), http://www.preservenys.org/fundinghome.htm. 13 Local Initiatives Support Corporation, (New York: 2000-2004), http://www.liscet.org. 14 United States Environmental Protection Agency, “Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act,” (Washington D.C.: 2002), http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/html-doc/2869ben.htm. 15 36 CFR 67, Historic Preservation Certifications Pursuant to Section 48(g) and Section 170(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Section 67.2, Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives, (Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, 1986), http://www2.cr.nps.gov/tps/tax/taxregs.htm, 3. 16 Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Corporation.
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