When it comes to new developments, stadiums are a rarity in New York City. But today, YIMBY has the first look at an enormous project coming to the South Bronx waterfront, dubbed Harlem River Yards, submitted to the city by a Related-led partnership. The plans would rise adjacent to Somerset Partners’ assortment of new towers already in the works, adding another major affordable housing building, as well as the City’s first dedicated soccer stadium, with 26,000 seats, designed by Rafael Viñoly. The total cost is projected at $700 million.
The partnership is comprised of Related, Somerset Partners, and the New York City Football Club, which would be the occupying team for the new stadium.
The affordable housing component would come with a 25,000 square foot medical facility in the base, as well as major amenities for the neighborhood’s children. Up above, there would be approximately 550 affordable and workforce apartments created.
Harlem River Yards, image by Rafael Vinoly Architects
While plans have not yet been finalized, YIMBY’s source notes that Related is the likely contender to win the RFP for the site, and with Somerset already working on their towers next door, the partnership and plans are looking very likely. The stadium itself would rise above extant rail yards, which would increase costs by $75 million, but have the beneficial effect of capping rail tracks with vibrant mixed-use development.
The proposal explains that the Partnership would pay $500,000 annually for a 99-year ground lease, invest $25 million into the new waterfront esplanade, and invest another $100 million into making the site buildable, within the total investment of $700 million. The site spans 12.8 acres and has 1,200 feet of waterfront frontage, but combined with Somerset’s adjacent residential plans, the area increases to 17.1 acres, and the river frontage measures 2,400 feet.
Harlem River Yards + Somerset Partners’ adjacent towers, image by Rafael Vinoly Architects
The RFP includes Somerset’s adjacent towers in explaining the Soccer Stadium’s future. By 2020, there will be 1,279 market rate units built next door within the new high-rises, as well as 20,000 square feet of retail, a 5,300 square-foot community facility, and 26,000 square-foot park, fronting onto the first 1,200 feet of the riverfront esplanade.
Harlem River Yards Amenities, via RFP
The plans for the stadium and affordable housing also include an additional 150,000 square feet of retail space, as well as an 85,000 square-foot park. Additional amenities are listed in the above screen-shot of the plans.
Completion of Harlem River Yards is tentatively anticipated for 2022, if the state does select Related and Somerset for the RFP.
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Looks like a nice development. 550 affordable housing and over 1200 market rate units. Two separate buildings.
Please pardon me for using your space: Diamond under the sky, and there is not fulsome color on it.
YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
As a Bronx resident I couldn’t be more thrilled. I hope this convinces the state to expand the 3rd Ave line to the neighborhood.
Yes, this might just get the 2nd Ave subway pushed into the Bronx to E 138th/Alexander and E 149th/3rd before going across Harlem. The better plan IMO.
Does NYC really need a soccer stadium?
Yes, it actually does. it also needs to improve this part of the city in many ways, and this can act as a catalyst for that.
Can also improve the neighborhood with a mixed use development that doesn’t include a soccer stadium.
Mixed use, mostly residential buildings might be a challenge alone because a platform will have to be constructed on this site.
Sure – but it would basically have to be all market rate… Like the development next door.. This includes affordable housing… You can’t have everything in this world.
If New Yorkers look into who really funds the soccer team, they might not be so keen on it.
(((Who))) really funds it?
City Football Group which is owned by the UAE royal family. Good starter story here from the Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/dec/24/who-pays-for-manchester-city-beautiful-game
Really now we know the Arabs own it plus we also know the Arabs invest trillions of dollars in the us plus every one loves to go to Dubai plus who gives a F, I’m from a Jewish background too grow up ediot, evil people are always tryna box themselves in and hide from the people they hurt everyday, just like stallin evil paranoid and scared that’s why he died from a cerebral hemorrhage. Just live scared cat. Meow
Why not? If the market is there go for it. The stadium looks absolutely boring as it is designed here, however.
New York city had declined for many decades the building of a SOCCER Stadium, hope this plan gets real. New York city needs this Global sport, the beautiful game.
NYC already has the sport and it’s currently played at Yankee Stadium. A supposedly world class venue. No need for a new stadium.
Yankee Stadium is a beautiful place, but it is beyond terrible for soccer. NYCFC’s field is generally accepted to be below the minimum dimensions allowed, because there simply is no good way to fit a soccer field onto a baseball diamond. Also, since the stadium is designed for baseball most of the seating is terrible, at weird angles and far from the field.
The outfield (and the seating in the outfield) at Yankee Stadium could be reconfigured to accommodate both sports. Would make a whole lot more sense than building a new stadium for a team that plays only about 20 or so games a year at home.
Baseball and soccer don’t make for good building mates, because the fields are so differently shaped. The multi-purpose stadium thing was tried in the 60s & 70s, and it didn’t work. Yankee Stadium has been intended as a temporary venue for NYCFC since the MLS team started. And no one would go for the idea of modifying it for permanent residence.
Guarantee that it will be built using 100 0/0 union labor before approval is granted !!
I better trademark SoBro now
Amazing news for New York City FC! This great team deserves a permanent home in the five boroughs!
What about parking at the stsdium?
Looks to be underground but there is an express stop just across the bridge at E 125th for the 4/5/6/Metro North and a closer stop at Alexander Avenue and E 138th St.
This could also push the MTA into extending the SAS into the Bronx first rather than across 125th St.
Correction, ground level parking.
An interesting event if New york ever gets the Olympics. This is the same area the Hip hop museum will be. The Bronx will soon not be affordable, My Opinion. Good to see we can be top class again.
Looks cool but I would like to see a retractable type roof for more types of events since the weather in NYC usually sucks.
We are getting rain here in NYC more than ever before, yes. But the weather is still rather good majority time of the year, unless you are only use to SoCal weather.
Some critiques for the revision:
-Cap the small section of the rail line just west of the stadium for more cohesive public space.
-Retractable roof.
-Better integrated residential component, similar to Barclays.
-Take advantage of the views, the stadium could have a lounge on the south side that faces the Manhattan skyline.
This would be thee ideal spot for the much-awaited NYCFC soccer-specific stadium. Get this deal done, good people, as soccer is going to hit critical mass stateside in three to five year. Might as well be ahead-of-the-curve, ehh.
Well the ideal spot was the deal that Bloomberg made that Deblasio killed. It was taking over one of Yankee Stadiums garages… It would have been great because you had the 2 and 5 at 149th street and the 4 and B/D at Yankee Stadium. Metro North also had a direct stop right there. This is probably the next best thing. As long as the weather is ok – people can walk from the 4/5/6 stops on 138th st. But Metro North riders will still have to pay an extra fair for the one stop from 125th st… But they could also walk over the bridge too..
The garages were a better location but I thought the owner of a warehouse within the site didn’t want to sell?
That’s exactly what happened. City and the owner of the manufacturer in the building adjacent to the garage (which would also be needed) couldn’t come to terms about price and a new location for the business. Frankly, that would have been ideal for a stadium next to the Stadium, as the public transportation infrastructure is well established, but this doesn’t look too bad for a location.
Amazing that New Yorkers are so willing to support a team and organization that’s funded by the United Arab Emirates aristocracy. Not such a liberal town after all.
I hope it happens. I’m thrilled !!
Related is good for nothing I live in one of there apartments all they do is raise your rent and make no improvements. They have a lot of violations. All I do is call 311.
Whybother. Better send all the dirt in the south bronx back to cottonville
This will be where exactly. The 130’s area? How close to Yankee Stadium, and what will pas for affordable housing around 2022? I’m presuming $1800/200 for a 1BR?
This would be a perfect spot,for a new Giants Stadium,and play in the borough that they originally played in before leaving,for East Rutherford.
They originally played in Manhattan, at the Polo Grounds, just like the baseball Giants (they copied the name, which was standard practice in the early NFL). Hell, they played at Yankee Stadium for less than 20 years (compared to over 30 at the Polo Grounds) and moved to East Rutherford 42 years ago. So facts don’t back you, at all.
Plus there’s not enough room for an NFL stadium, which is much larger than an MLS stadium. Oh, and MetLife Stadium is less that 10 years old.
People are unbearable. I swear, almost all of the ire I’ve seen in the comments stems from there simply being a stadium there. Who cares? The deal comes with affordable housing and a medical facility to boot. And for those saying that NYCFC already have a stadium, they really don’t. They’re tenants of Yankee Stadium, a ground that isn’t exactly ideal for football/soccer. As a matter of fact, it’s barely up to par in comparison to other places. Let them build there. Who is it hurting if it comes with some perks as well?
Not to mention that the owners of NYCFC are willing to foot the bill for what is pretty much a complete redevelopment of the area. We’re all getting what we want.
I agree! This is perfection and exactly what the South Bronx needs.
Aside from the logistics and red tape of getting a project like this started, the owners – among the wealthiest people in the world – would need to finance the entire project. There couldn’t be one dime of public money allocated to it. Let’s see if that really happens.
Let’s get this done. NYCFC will carry the city in no time.
As a season ticket holder and a Bronx native. This is a perfect scenario for NYCFC. I don’t think there’s a better deal than this. I’m all in!!
I’ll believe it when I sit in the seat on game day! Every year I hear it’s going to happen. But New York you always seem to find a way to find the pit holes in the road to completing the job. Meanwhile I’ll take the ride to YS and watch the boys in blue take 1st place and the title this year!!!!
Wow, impressive. And certainly solved the nycfc issue. Inwood is still mad over them threatening to come to Columbia
Given tha that the city will currently let you burn the zoning book and commit just about any crime against urban planning if it includes affordable housing. I don’t see why this won’t get done.
Great plan and much needed a football stadium. Just wish they pay $7500,000 annually for a 50-year ground lease, invest what’s necessary into the new waterfront esplanade, and invest full cover making the site buildable
I have lived half a block from here for decades and own my home. Stayed here in the boogie down through the fires and the killings and nice to see good things coming. Where is the parking lot?
There’s probably a smaller parking lot on the first level of the deck. That’s all that’s needed because people should be taking mass transportation this destination.
Good for you for staying — really interesting area, lots going for it. I’m more enthusiastic about the new housing than the stadium, but it seems like a decent design from the renderings.
thank g-d this won’t be subject to ULURP, since this is on state property. great proposal, not just for the neighborhood but for the city and region.
What’s happening in New York?! Even if it excites comments, it is not a remarkable SITE PLAN. Waterfront views for the side of a Stadium leave residents in third (fourth?) place.
A Commercial mixed-use platform over the rail yards would cost less and be more productive, also as a base for high rises.
What’s happening in New York?!
No, terrible idea. Change “affordable housing” to “low-income housing” and I’m in.