A new development will be breaking ground later this year, adding many new apartments to Morris Park.
The underutilized area around 1600 Pelham Parkway South will soon be home to a 93-unit rental apartment, offering 11 studios, 58 one-bedroom units and 24 two-bedroom.
“We have concluded there is a demand for one-bedrooms, which is why this is one-bedroom heavy,” said Sandra Acosta of AIM Development Group. “When we do the marketing we will give a 50% preference for Community Board 11 residents.”
Design ideas for the building were discussed last year with CB11 by representatives from AIM Development Group and MJM Construction, in hopes of acquiring the adjacent property, the former site of the Pelham Parkway Stables, for parking.
Failing to get a response, the developers included basement and subbasement level parking, with 76 vehicle spaces and 47 bicycle spaces.
Plans for the new building were presented at the Pelham Gardens CB11 committee meeting on Tuesday, June 16.
The residence will be 7 stories, occupying a total of approximately 110,000 square feet, with the top two stories set back to account for a 6th floor terrace.
Though the original design incorporated mostly brick, stone and glass have been added to create a more aesthetically pleasing and modern look that will blend in with other neighborhood buildings.
“Brick is the classic element, but we added stone and glass for a more modern look,” said Acosta. “This is the entry point to this neighborhood so we wanted to capture the modern look of Einstein, but keep the neighborhood architecture.”
The building will also include a community facility in the subbasement and a gym.
With green roofs, solar panels, and other eco-friendly incorporations, the building is expected to achieve at least a Silver standard with The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
To alleviate traffic concerns, cars will enter the building from the Pelham Parkway South extension and exit from Stillwell Avenue. According to Acosta, discussions are also being planned with DOT to create direct access to the property from Pelham Parkway.
The project is expected to begin in the late fall and is estimated to take 15 months.
“The project itself is an ‘as of right’ development, but it is market rate housing which is always good,” said John Fratta, district manager of CB11.
