In the heart of New York City’s South Bronx, work is underway to bring new life to the Mott Haven-Port Morris waterfront. Home to a vibrant community of approximately 60,000 residents, the South Bronx has long awaited its turn in the city’s waterfront renaissance. The Mott Haven-Port Morris Waterfront Plan is not just a blueprint for change; it’s a testament to the resilience and determination of a community that has endured environmental and social injustices for far too long. Aiming for urban renewal, this plan focuses on revitalizing the South Bronx by enhancing green infrastructure, mobility, and waterfront access, while improving environmental health and community resilience.
The South Bronx is recognized as an environmental justice community, a term that reflects the area’s struggle against environmental racism and the disproportionate impact of pollution and industrial activity on its predominantly Black, Brown, and low-income residents.
For decades, access to the waterfront has been virtually non-existent for this coastal community. Instead, the waterfront has been dotted with facilities that contribute to the area’s industrial profile: waste transfer stations, peak power plants, and last-mile warehouses for companies such as Fresh Direct, which alone accounts for approximately 1,000 daily diesel truck trips.
Industrial operations have not only hindered access to the waterfront but have also imposed a heavy environmental toll on the community, contributing to a range of health issues, including high rates of asthma, infant mortality, poor maternal health, cognitive impairment, and other chronic diseases.
The Mott Haven/Port Morris section of the South Bronx in New York City is home to a community of around 60,000 residents. For zip code 10454, the median household income is $26,400, with a 45.1 percent employment rate. The population of Mott Haven is approximately 97 percent Black or Hispanic. Additionally, 69 percent of the community is considered low income, and 22 percent of people live with a disability. The community is a part of the poorest congressional district in the country (NY- 15).
South Bronx Unite initiated and developed the Mott Haven-Port Morris Waterfront Plan through a series of community visioning sessions and other forms of community engagement. This dedicated community organization has tirelessly worked to ensure that the voices of South Bronx residents are heard and that their priorities, realities, and needs are at the forefront of the waterfront’s transformation.
It is critical to the community to reclaim and transform its environment into a space that supports the health and well-being of its residents. It is a powerful testament to the community’s determination to overcome a legacy of neglect and to build a sustainable and equitable future.
For over a decade, South Bronx Unite, founded and led by community residents, has been engaging local stakeholders to convert parts of the waterfront into accessible and recreational spaces. Open space on the waterfront counteracts the health impacts of an over-saturation of highways and truck-intensive businesses. Their efforts have been recognized as a New York State Priority Project and align with the DEC Open Space Plan, as well as the NYC Parks Department Harlem River Watershed and Natural Resources Management Plan for the Bronx. South Bronx Unite received the Waterfront Alliance’s Dr. Edward William Waterfront Champion award this spring.
The Mott Haven-Port Morris Community Land Stewards, a sister organization of South Bronx Unite, is positioned to be the vehicle for waterfront development and stewardship. This community land trust aims to manage public property so that local residents can preserve a stake in their community, profoundly impacted by environmental injustice and economic neglect.
The Mott Haven-Port Morris Waterfront Plan is a transformative initiative designed to revitalize the South Bronx through sustainable urban development. It focuses on green infrastructure, such as bioswales, microforests, and expanded planted strips along Lincoln Avenue and 132nd Street, to combat heat and flood effects. The plan also emphasizes pedestrian and bike mobility, with wider sidewalks, improved crossings, bike lanes, signage for the waterfront, and shared streets, complemented by new bus shelters to enhance public transport. Street design changes aim to slow truck traffic, improving safety for non-motorized users.
Mott Haven-Port Morris Waterfront Plan. Credit: South Bronx Unite
In addition to infrastructure, the plan includes placemaking efforts with public art and better lighting to foster a safer, more inviting community space. Waterfront access is a priority, with a proposal for the introduction of a deck and barge at 132nd Street for recreational use. Environmental health initiatives are also integral, featuring shoreline restoration and oyster reefs to improve water quality and support local ecosystems. This comprehensive approach seeks to not only address the environmental and infrastructural challenges, but also to empower the community with a resilient, sustainable, and vibrant future.
The plan’s environmental and social benefits are manifold. It envisions an improved residential environment with greater access to green and blue spaces, leading to cooler ambient air temperatures from a more extensive tree canopy. The introduction of green infrastructure will reduce combined sewer overflows, stormwater and coastal flooding, while enhancing water quality. Living shoreline components will further purify the water through the filtration capabilities of bivalves. These greener, more stabilized shorelines will also bolster the community’s resilience to storm surge, coastal flooding and the challenges posed by future climate conditions, such as sea level rise. Health outcomes are set to improve meaningfully. Cleaner air and water, coupled with increased access to pedestrian-friendly and bike-friendly spaces, will promote better physical and mental health. Street design improvements are expected to decrease traffic-related incidents, making the streets safer for all.
Overall, the social fabric of the community would be strengthened through increased social cohesion and resilience, thanks to the creation of new waterfront community spaces.
The Mott Haven-Port Morris Waterfront Plan is more than an urban development project; it’s a movement driven by over a decade of advocacy. Rooted in the needs and desires expressed by the community, the community is poised to realize their vision and begin rectifying the long-standing injustices they have borne. With the support of funding opportunities, such as the EPA Community Change Grant, the South Bronx is on the cusp of a long-overdue waterfront activation that will bring environmental, health, social, and economic benefits to its residents. This is not just a plan for the waterfront; it’s a plan for the people.
