Mott Haven has had one of the most dramatic glow-ups of any New York neighborhood in the last decade. The South Bronx waterfront — once mostly industrial, mostly overlooked — is now a working stretch of luxury towers, affordable lotteries, and a small army of cranes. This spring, a fresh $130 million construction loan and the city’s first-ever “fast-track” land use review are both happening here. Here’s the insider’s read on what’s actually changing on the ground.
The 360: A Grocery-Anchored Tower Lands $130M
A joint venture between Shorewood Real Estate Group and Bogopa Enterprises has secured $130 million in construction financing for The 360, a 13-story, grocery-anchored residential building that will deliver 304 apartment units to the Bronx. The grocery anchor matters: food access remains one of the long-running issues in the neighborhood, and a built-in supermarket changes the daily-life math for hundreds of families.
Haven Court: An Affordable Housing Lottery You Should Know About
The lottery is now open for Haven Court, a two-building affordable development at 290 East 149th Street and 299 East 148th Street, designed by Aufgang Architects and developed by Vertical Community Development. The project includes 163 units total, with 129 of them set aside for residents earning between 30% and 90% of area median income. If you’ve been waiting for an affordable lottery in the South Bronx, this is one of the more accessible income mixes the neighborhood has seen.
351 Powers Avenue: The First-Ever Fast-Track Review
Mott Haven is also the test site for the city’s first Expedited Land Use Review Procedure (ELURP), launched at 351 Powers Avenue. The process is intended to streamline review for the disposition of city-owned land — in this case, paving the way for roughly 84 affordable homes. If ELURP works here, expect to see the model exported to other boroughs.
What You Need to Know
- The 360 is funded. 304 units, 13 stories, with a built-in grocery anchor — a meaningful change for a neighborhood that has long faced food access challenges.
- Haven Court is in lottery. 129 of 163 units are income-restricted at 30–90% AMI. Apply through NYC Housing Connect.
- 351 Powers Avenue is the city’s pilot for the new ELURP fast-track land use review. Roughly 84 affordable units expected.
- Get there: The 6 train (Brook Avenue, 3rd Avenue–138th Street) and the 4/5 (138th Street–Grand Concourse) put you in the heart of the action.
- Streetscape concerns persist. Despite the new investment, Third Avenue and Bruckner Boulevard still need cleaner sidewalks and better street maintenance — a frequent point at community board meetings.
The Vibe Right Now
Mott Haven still feels like the South Bronx that built it: bachata bouncing off the brick, the smell of pernil from the corner spot on Willis Avenue, kids on bikes cutting across St. Mary’s Park at sunset. But the new towers along the Harlem River are visible from blocks away, and the neighborhood is having an honest, ongoing conversation about who benefits from the growth. Spring is a great time to walk the waterfront — start at the Third Avenue Bridge, work your way north along the river, and you’ll see exactly where Mott Haven is and where it’s heading.
For more from the borough, see our Bronx Earth Week 2026 events roundup.
