550,000 Square Foot Land Parcel to Be Redeveloped at Gun Hill Road Bus Depot
Redeveloped Depot Including Electric Bus Charging Facility Will Be the First of Its Kind in the Bronx
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to facilitate the development of an electric bus charging facility on Gun Hill Road in the Baychester neighborhood of the Bronx.
Accelerating the MTA’s delivery of bus electrification and a zero-emission bus fleet, the RFP calls for proposals to develop the 550,000 square foot MTA-owned industrial land adjacent to the existing Gun Hill Road Bus Depot. This development will be required to include the construction of space for an electric bus charging facility as part of a larger industrial development. The completed depot will be the first of its kind in the Bronx.
The MTA has set an ambitious goal of reaching a zero-emission bus fleet by 2040. In 2021, the MTA ordered 60 fully-electric buses, a pace that will accelerate as additional bus-production, facilities, and funding come online. This new electric bus charging facility will allow the MTA to accelerate the conversion of the other MTA bus depots in the Bronx to zero-emissions.
“This RFP is good for the residents of the Bronx, for New Yorkers, and for the MTA,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “This two-part strategy will leverage private developer funds and project management to deliver a new, modernized electric bus charging facility. Public Private Partnerships of this kind deliver smart planning solutions and save taxpayer money.”
“Industrial space options are increasingly rare in the Bronx, and New York City in general,” said MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer. “This property serves as the catalyst for the large-scale electrification of our diesel-powered Bronx bus fleet by providing swing-space to accelerate the conversion of our existing bus depots to electric power, making the Bronx an early beneficiary of carbon-free buses. Early interest from prospective developers indicate that this will be the greenest industrial facility in North America, which is exciting for Bronxites as we take combustion-engine vehicles out of circulation.”
“This is an excellent example of how MTA pursues development opportunities that leverage MTA assets, where development revenue supports MTA’s mission, operations and capital investment needs,” said MTA Transit-Oriented Development Director Robert Paley.
In addition to its direct benefits for the MTA’s electric fleet, the RFP will also encourage the selected developer to incorporate energy conservation and green technology into its development. With direct on/off access to Interstate-95, flexible industrial zoning with up to 1,000,000 square feet of development potential, and a level construction site, the property is ideally suited to meet the surging demand for modern industrial distribution space. The RFP will encourage this development to be green and will result in the installation of more electric vehicle technology within the larger development, as well as the placement of a solar panel array on the roof. Respondents could go as far as delivering a more ambitious urban zero-emission industrial facility.
This RFP is another example of the innovative approaches the MTA is taking to leverage its existing assets to raise revenue and advance organizational priorities like electrification. The selected developer will fund the construction of the MTA facility and pay substantial ground rent towards MTA capital needs, supported by revenue that will be generated by the redevelopment of the under-utilized land. This RFP concerns only the unused development site at the south of the MTA’s property and will not impact the northwest portion of the site, which the MTA leases to a non-profit that provides little league baseball fields.
Additional RFP information, including site plans, renderings, and potential massing diagrams, are available in the link HERE.
The MTA issued the RFP the week of March 14. RFP inquiries should be directed to Nick Roberts at 212-878-7229 / nicholas.roberts@mtacd.org. Press inquiries should be directed to Eugene Resnick at 212-878-4624 / Eugene.Resnick@mtahq.org.
Background
The full MTA property was acquired in the mid 1980’s by condemnation, for the purpose of constructing a large bus depot serving the residents of the Bronx. A smaller bus depot was actually constructed, as a result of MTA budget constraints at the time. The remaining property was leased as a golf driving range, as an interim use, and to a nonprofit operating little league fields. In 2012, EDC led an RFP of the development site to generate capital funds and economic development, resulting in the closure of the golf driving range. The contract to sell the property that resulted from this RFP proved unsuccessful and expired in 2019.
During this period, MTA began developing a strategy to convert its bus operations from diesel to electric power, and this property is the cornerstone for the electrification of the Bronx bus fleet. A new RFP was developed whereby the selected site developer would fund the construction of an electric bus charging facility, which (1) reduces the MTA’s capital needs and (2) accelerates the delivery of this critical facility since otherwise funding would need to be requested in future MTA capital plans.
About the MTA
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is North America's largest transportation network, serving a population of 15.3 million people across a 5,000-square-mile travel area surrounding New York City through Long Island, southeastern New York State, and Connecticut.
The MTA network comprises the nation’s largest bus fleet and more subway and commuter rail cars than all other U.S. transit systems combined. The MTA's operating agencies are MTA New York City Transit, MTA Bus, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, and MTA Bridges and Tunnels.
The MTA’s provision of safe, clean, and efficient public transportation is the lifeblood of the New York City metropolitan area – linking millions of residents to cultural, educational, employment, and economic opportunities throughout the region.
The MTA’s Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) team collaborates with property owners and municipalities across the New York City metropolitan region to promote development around transit stations that increase accessibility and provide housing, retail, office, and public improvements. The TOD group also sells, leases, or joint ventures with private developers to maximize the TOD benefits of MTA property interests.