After the success of the High Line and Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposal to build housing on top of the Sunnyside rail yard in Queens, a City Council member is now proposing to rezone a rail yard in the Inwood neighborhood in Northern Manhattan in hopes of transforming the area into a tech hub.
Council member Ydanis Rodriguez proposed a rezoning of a 100-acre manufacturing area at the 207th Street rail yard, according to Crain’s. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority owns the the property, Which Is Located Between 10th Avenue and the Harlem River as well as 207th and 215th streets.
The councilman hopes that a rezoning would transform the neighborhood into a “technology community,” the publication reported, that would include residential, commercial and retail development.
“We applaud (Councilman) Rodriguez’ leadership. We look forward to working with his office and the community to bring much-needed affordable housing and economic development opportunities to this vibrant neighborhood,” the mayor’s office responded in a statement to Crain’s.
The plan would need approval from Governor Andrew Cuomo. Rodriguez told Crain’s that he doesn’t expect a lot of resistance against his idea. “No one has to be displaced from the area,” he told the publication. “It can be a win-win situation.”
The rail yard serves the A, C and 1 subway lines. It also serves as a storage facility for old subway cars. [Crain’s] — Claire Moses