grand-concourse-library-rfp-process-faqs

Housing Preservation & Development


Grand Concourse Library and Affordable Housing RFP


Grand Concourse Library and Affordable Housing RFP - Process and FAQs

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RFP Process and FAQs

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RFP Process and Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the RFP Process?

Community Visioning
Click the How to get Involved tab to learn more.

Open Request
HPD and NYPL will issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) that seeks development proposals for a brand new library and affordable housing at the location of the existing Grand Concourse Library. Development teams will propose projects in response to the criteria and requirements outlined in the document.

Submissions Review
HPD and NYPL will evaluate development proposals based on their ability to meet the requirements and advance the goals described in the RFP document and the Community Visioning Report (CVR).

Developer Designation
The development team with the strongest proposal will be selected to proceed with the development.

Public Approvals
The project will go through the City’s public approval process, better known as the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), and secure financing before construction can begin.

Construction
The existing library will be demolished, and the new library and affordable housing building will be constructed.

Housing Lottery
When construction is almost complete, the new affordable homes will be made available through HPD’s lottery process.

Check out the additional information below to learn more about the RFP process, milestones, and FAQs. Throughout the process, updates about the RFP release, pre-submission conference, required forms, addenda and more will be posted in the Submit an RFP Response tab.

Frequently Asked Questions

Want to learn more about the development process and milestones? Check out the FAQs below.

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Click a topic, or press the enter key on a topic, to reveal its answer.

Library Service

Why is the City using the Grand Concourse Library for this project?

HPD is partnering with the NYPL to build a brand new state of-the-art library for the community, along with much-needed affordable housing.

Will the library close for the project? How long will it close for?

The branch will not close until construction on the project begins, which won’t take place until the RFP and public approvals process is complete. The Library will send regular email updates to patrons who have selected the location as their home branch and will also post flyers with important updates for the community.

What will happen to the library’s existing programs and services during construction?

The Library will provide temporary services while the branch is under construction, working with local community organizations and utilizing its Bronx-based bookmobile.

Community Input

How will community input be incorporated into the RFP?

The results of the community engagement will be summarized in the Grand Concourse Library Community Visioning Report (CVR). The CVR is provided as part of the RFP document so that developers can understand and craft proposals that are responsive to the priorities and needs of the community. (See a recent CVR for a development site on Stebbins Avenue in Crotona Park East.) Proposals will be evaluated in part on how thoughtfully they consider and respond to the priorities and needs. See the How to Get Involved tab for opportunities to provide your input on the project.

Will residents who are not able to attend meetings have an opportunity to provide input?

We are including opportunities for people to provide input in a variety of ways. For people who are not able to make it to the meetings, there is an online Project Questionnaire available on the project website. Community members can also offer feedback and submit questions about this project by emailing GrandConcourseLibrary@hpd.nyc.gov. For community members without access to the internet, there will be information packets with paper versions of the Project Questionnaire available at several neighborhood locations. Stay tuned for a full list of participating pick-up and drop-off locations.

HPD and NYPL will present our findings at a public report-back meeting when the community visioning phase is coming to an end.

Will there be additional opportunities for community feedback after the developer is selected?

Yes. The community engagement process does not end with the release of the CVR or RFP. Once selected, the developer and HPD will present the project to the Community Board and other key stakeholders, and periodically report back about project progress toward major milestones.

Will input from people who live far away from the site have the same weight as people near the site?

While we get input from many different types of stakeholders, our goal is to focus on the big picture and to hear as many perspectives as possible. We are conducting extensive outreach in the community to ensure that those who may be most impacted by the new development are informed and have opportunities to provide feedback.

Once the building is complete, how can I apply to live in one of the units?

After construction, newly available apartments go through a housing lottery process. Visit NYC Housing Connect online for more information about current affordable housing lotteries.

Supportive housing and formerly homeless units are leased through referrals from the New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS), Human Resources Administration (HRA), HPD, or other sources.

For help on how to apply for housing, contact a nearby NYC Housing Ambassador in the Bronx.

Requests for Proposals

What is a Request for Proposals (RFP)?

A Request for Proposals is a document issued by HPD that seeks proposals for new housing and community amenities on City-owned land. Development teams propose projects in response to the criteria and requirements outlined in the document. Such proposals are evaluated based on their ability to meet such requirements and advance the goals as reflected in the competitive criteria of the document as well as the CVR that will be attached to the RFP document.

Why are HPD and NYPL issuing an RFP on this site?

Many New Yorkers are experiencing homelessness, living in poor quality housing, or struggling to keep up with housing costs. At the same time, the Grand Concourse Library (built in 1959) needs major repairs and upgrades.

An RFP is one of the ways the City facilitates new affordable housing development on City-owned land. A priority for the mayoral administration is for HPD to finance and preserve more affordable housing, and to enable new affordable housing developments to include important community amenities.

This project is part of the City’s effort to address the housing issues New Yorkers face, and would bring a new, state-of-the-art library to the community.

What is the timeline of the RFP and project? When will the library and affordable housing be completed?

The development of public sites is a multi-year process, and we are currently in the early stages. After community visioning and the release of the RFP, developers will have time to respond, and the City will then review the proposals. Then, public approvals will be obtained, financing will be finalized, and the building will be constructed. Please note that the current Grand Concourse Library branch will continue to operate until the new building is ready to begin construction.

Can the community help choose the developers or proposal for the site?

We highly value community input to inform the RFP before it is written and issued, which is why we designed activities and a survey that gather your input. HPD takes the integrity of its RFP competitive review process seriously. As such, HPD is required to ensure that the RFP process prevents potential conflicts of interest (and disqualifications of teams because of potential conflict of interest) and cannot allow community members to partake in the review.

As stated above and in the How to Get Involved tab, the input gathered throughout the engagement process is published in the CVR and attached to the RFP for development teams to refer to in crafting proposals. Proposals will be scored in part on how well they respond to the visions of the community.

Will we be able to see the RFP when it is released?

Yes. The RFP and any relevant supplemental information will be linked on the Project Homepage and the Submit an RFP Response tab. Anyone who is interested will be able to downloadable the RFP documents as PDFs.

Site Design and Zoning Parameters

What is the current zoning for this site? Is a rezoning being considered?

The site is currently within an R8 zoning district, which allows for a residential building of up to 11 stories. The building’s base height, or height along the street frontage, may only go up to eight stories, and the remaining three stories must be set back from the street line. This zoning district permits community facility uses (such as a library) on the ground floor.

A rezoning may be considered to allow the new building to house as many New Yorkers as possible, while ensuring the building’s shape and height are contextual to the surrounding neighborhood.

More information about zoning districts can be found in the Department of City Planning’s Zoning Handbook.

What is the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP)?

ULURP is a New York City Charter mandated procedure whereby certain actions affecting the land use of the city are publicly reviewed. Key participants in the ULURP process are the City Planning Commission (CPC), Community Boards, the Borough Presidents, the City Council, and Mayor.

Housing Affordability

What will be the rents and income qualifications for the new homes?

The RFP for the Grand Concourse Library site will require proposals where 100% of the units are affordable according to the incomes outlined in HPD’s financing programs for different types of housing (Senior, Supportive, Rental, Homeownership, etc.). The qualifying incomes for these programs range from less than 30% of Area Median Income (AMI) up to 130% AMI, and include units set asides for formerly homeless households. HPD will analyze which programs are feasible and appropriate for the site and will also hear from the community as to the types of housing and affordability levels that will be most beneficial.

Will there be homeownership opportunities as part of this development?

HPD will consider a variety of housing programs for the site including homeownership. Sales prices for homeownership units on this site would be affordable to families with incomes between 80% and up to 130% of the AMI.

Will market rate housing be part of this development?

No, the RFP will require proposals for housing that is 100% affordable, where all units are income restricted and rent regulated through a regulatory agreement with HPD.

Will the units be permanently affordable?

RFP respondents are required to put forth proposals with long-term or permanent affordability. HPD will also convey the site subject to an extended affordability reverter, so that title to the site will revert to the City upon expiration of the initial regulatory period, unless the parties agree to an extended term of affordability.

Will there be a preference for community residents in the new development?

Under current policy, a developer must, during initial rent-up of an HPD development, give preference for 20% of the income-restricted units to applicants who, at the time of application, are residents of Bronx Community District 4 in which the site is located. If the development is advertised for initial rent-up after April 30, 2029, the developer must give preference for 15% of the income-restricted units to applicants who are residents of the Community District in which the site is located.

Depending on the housing programs selected and the resulting financing sources, different rules may apply to parts of the development which could result in a community preference, a borough-wide preference, or no geographically-based preference at all.

Economic Development and Other Community Impacts

Will jobs be available for Bronx residents?

All projects financed by HPD must include a plan for job outreach to community residents related to employment opportunities generated by the project. HPD is also connecting Bronx residents to jobs in the building trades. The HireNYC program requires that housing developments receiving $2 million or more in HPD subsidy post their open positions with the Workforce1 system and consider qualified candidates.

Do we know how the new development will impact the neighborhood and associated infrastructure (schools, transit, noise, etc.)?

Because the project will involve transfer of City-owned land, there will be an extensive public review process. As a part of public review, an environmental review will be required to assess potential impacts to the surrounding area. If any adverse impacts are identified, steps will be taken to mitigate them to the greatest extent practicable.