New York City is seeking a developer to transform a city-owned site in East Harlem, vacant for nearly 20 years, into 140 homes. The city’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) on Monday released a request for proposals (RFP) for the redevelopment of an empty lot known as “B-East,” located on Second Avenue between East 125th and East 126th Streets, that presents a “significant opportunity” to deliver mixed-income housing, retail, and other community uses. Upon redevelopment, the lot, a key component of the 2008 East 125th Street rezoning, is estimated to deliver roughly 140 housing units.
Led by the NYCEDC and the city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the East 125th Street development spans three parcels situated on roughly six acres in East Harlem, from East 127th Street to East 125th Street, and from Third Avenue to Second Avenue.
The project is intended to deliver approximately 1.7 million square feet of new residential, retail, and commercial space, while driving local economic growth and job creation, encouraging private investment, and improving quality of life.
So far, the two agencies have delivered more than 450 housing units, marking substantial progress toward the more than 1,000 homes anticipated across the remaining sites. The development has also delivered 121,000 square feet of healthcare space at the Proton Center.
“B-East,” one of the sites, has sat vacant for years, presenting a prime opportunity to address East Harlem’s critical need for new affordable housing. The project also complements major public investments in the area, including the Second Avenue Subway extension and Harlem River Greenway.
“For nearly two decades, this site on Second Avenue sat vacant, even though it already had the approvals needed to move forward. At a time when New Yorkers are desperate for more affordable housing, we simply can’t afford to let shovel-ready projects gather dust,” Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal said.
“I’m grateful to Mayor Mamdani, NYCEDC Interim President & CEO Jeanny Pak, and HPD for getting this long-stalled site back on track and transforming it into 140 much-needed affordable homes for East Harlem.”
According to the RFP, the site should host an affordable and high-quality residential development that offers mixed-income housing, including affordable homes as part of the city’s 485-x tax abatement program, without public subsidy.
The proposal should maximize the site’s “developmental potential” while adhering to zoning requirements and advancing sustainability, energy efficiency, carbon neutrality, and other climate resiliency goals.
The project should also include an “active ground floor” that complies with local business requirements outlined in the 2008 rezoning, along with other “community-serving” uses.
The building itself should be appealing, livable, and attractive, enhancing the “built environment” of East Harlem, while meeting or exceeding a 30 percent Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) participation goal.
The proposal should include a hiring and wage program designed to support local communities and create job opportunities, including for candidates from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
The RFP complements Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Land Use Inventory Fast Track (LIFT) Task Force, established on his first day in office to identify city-owned sites that could be transformed into housing for working-class New Yorkers.
“East Harlem families are facing the same affordability crunch as the rest of the city, and this site has sat vacant for too long while the need for housing has only grown,” Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su said.
“This RFP puts city-owned land to work for the people who live here, with mixed-income units, local hiring requirements, and a strong M/WBE participation goal built in from the start. That’s what it looks like to use the tools of city government to make this city more affordable.”
NYCEDC will host an optional site visit for interested developers on Tuesday, August 18. RFP responses are due by 5 p.m. Tuesday, October 20.
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