Buffing Up The Bronx

City planners are rezoning an area of the Bronx known for auto shops and storage units to try to create a new bustling neighborhood like SoHo.

1 minute read

February 9, 2009, 8:00 AM PST

By Tim Halbur


"By rezoning 30 blocks of the industrial area to allow mixed use, the city hopes to see vacant loft buildings fill with artists and new businesses to revitalize the area.

"The Grand Concourse symbolizes the aspirations of the Bronx, and we expect that this rezoning will catalyze new investment and economic opportunities," said City Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden.

On Monday, the City Planning Commission voted to begin the formal review process needed for the rezoning plan.

While the Upper Concourse - originally modeled after the glamorous Champs Élysées in Paris - is called the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world, the Concourse below E.149th St. was given over to the light manufacturing that thrived there in the early 20th century.

Following the citywide decline of manufacturing, the Lower Concourse became an underused wasteland of self-storage warehouses, auto shops and vacant buildings."

Thanks to Jen Houser

Wednesday, February 4, 2009 in The Daily News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Metrorail train pulling into newly opened subterranean station in Washington, D.C. with crowd on platform taking photos.

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”

The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

June 2, 2025 - The Hill

Large crowd on street in San Francisco, California during Oktoberfest festival.

The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns

In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.

June 2, 2025 - Robbie Silver

Street scene in Kathmandu, Nepal with yellow minibuses and other traffic.

The Small South Asian Republic Going all in on EVs

Thanks to one simple policy change less than five years ago, 65% of new cars in this Himalayan country are now electric.

30 minutes ago - Fast Company

Bike lane in Washington D.C. protected by low concrete barriers.

DC Backpedals on Bike Lane Protection, Swaps Barriers for Paint

Citing aesthetic concerns, the city is removing the concrete barriers and flexposts that once separated Arizona Avenue cyclists from motor vehicles.

2 hours ago - The Washington Post

Bird's eye view of studio apartment design.

In These Cities, Most New Housing is Under 441 Square Feet

With loosened restrictions on “micro-housing,” tiny units now make up as much as 66% of newly constructed housing.

4 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive