The MTA has decided to sell off the property that was once a driving range, adjacent to its Gun Hill Bus Depot..
A Request for Proposals will soon be released to sell the former Bronx Golf Center at 1825 E. Gun Hill Road. The 640,200 square foot parcel divestiture is part of ongoing efforts by the MTA to reduce costs and maximize its revenues from real estate holdings, Aaron Donovan, a MTA spokesman, confirmed.
According to a presentation released by the MTA about the properties it intends to dispose the expansion of the bus terminal is no longer being contemplated. The area is zoned M1-1 making it suitable for a big box retailer if a special permit is obtained, according to the offering. The property is situated at the end of E. Gun Hill Road at I-95.
The Chester Civic Improvement Organization has worked with Senator Jeff Klein’s office to have the area around the property cleaned of debris, as litter and garbage have been allowed to encircle the property, said CCIO board member Donald Gilligan.
“It is right on the doorstep of our community, and a lot of people go by, and if it is dirty it reflects poorly on the community,” Gilligan said. “So anything that would keep that property neat and clean, and remove those towering poles, would be acceptable, short of anything objectionable to the community as a whole.”
As of press time, Klein’s staff has confirmed that 25 bags of garbage had been removed by MTA work crews. The MTA has confirmed that the remainder will be cleaned within days, Klein said.
“I am glad that Pelham Gardens residents brought this site to my attention,” Klein stated. “While this site is currently listed as up for sale, it should be properly maintained. We received a commitment from the MTA that the site would be cleaned by next week. I look forward to this being done.”
The netting that previously surrounded the driving range has been removed by the MTA at the community’s request after it began to collapse, Gilligan said.
The property also contains batting cages, a miniature golf course, and an area currently used for storage by a contractor, Gilligan stated.
The property is zoned M1-1, a designation for light manufacturing as well as for auto storage, retail use, and community facilities like schools, houses of worship, and libraries, Gilligan stated.
“If it would be another business that would be a convenience for the neighborhood” said Gilligan about the future of the site, “I don’t think that anyone would object.”
