Melrose Commons in the News

In 1994 the Melrose Commons Master Plan won approval from the New York City Council. 30 years later we’re looking back at this formative, community-centered design project and considering what we can all still learn from its core tenets today.

The Bronx was burning, and then it started building

Following the decades of divestment, including rampant fires in the 1970’s there was a clear need for substantial redevelopment in the South Bronx. But by the early 1990’s, the city’s urban renewal plans for the Melrose neighborhood saw opposition from community members who had been left out of the scheme entirely. They formed the Comité Nos Quedamos (We Stay), surveyed residents, held public meetings and ultimately became the unified voice that articulated the community’s concerns, demanding the time and opportunity to formulate an alternative plan. Nos Quedamos engaged MAP to shape a new plan which ultimately became the framework for a more equitable and sustainable renewal, one that has seen infrastructure improvements like public parks and the development of multifamily buildings and townhouses, rental and homeownership opportunities including nearly 1,500 new homes designed by MAP alone.