New York City’s largest industrial development is under construction in The Bronx

The largest industrial development in New York City is coming to the South Bronx and is currently under construction. Once complete, it will be the largest of its kind in the region and one of the largest in the region as well as the only one with direct rail access.

Known as the Bronx Logistics Center, the modern, multi-level warehouse will occupy a whopping 1.3 million square feet spread 14.2 acres, and 585,000 square feet of warehouse space across three levels.

The remaining approximately 730,000 square feet will be dedicated to parking area with 25% of parking ready for electric vehicles.

While the site, which is located at 920-980 E 149th Street wedged between Port Morris and Hunts Point at the Oak Point railyards, has direct-rail access but it is listed as optional on the website and there is no guarantee that any future tenant or tenants will utilize this to remove more trucks of the already congested and polluted streets of the South Bronx which contribute to some of the highest rates of asthma in an already over-burdened community.

Over the past few years, The Bronx has seen an influx of such interest in the industrial real estate market, creating last-mile warehouse spaces.

Amazon alone has aggressively acquired six warehouse spaces in the borough in less than three years including 1080 Leggett Avenue, a 145,000 square foot facility directly behind another warehouse that the behemoth online retailer had leased.

Meanwhile, over at the old Whitestone Cinemas site which was demolished several years ago, is now home to a brand new and massive 700,000 square foot multi-level warehouse—known as 2505 Bruckner—and first of its kind in New York City.

According to an article last year in the Bronx Times, Amazon leased a portion of the warehouse space available within the state-of-the-art facility at 2505 Bruckner and is the most recent lease within The Bronx for the online giant. Home Depot is also reported to have leased space at this location to further serve their online sales operations.

While Bronx Logistics Center and other modern facilities of its kind within The Bronx are offering a slew of innovative amenities, the fact remains that they will only contribute and exacerbate the traffic within the borough. A borough where the rates of asthma are among the highest in the nation and hospitalization rates for the chronic and deadly respiratory disease is fifteen times that of the rest of the city.

The Bronx may benefit economically from such facilities especially with the jobs that they will bring with them but must Bronxites consistently choose jobs and the economy over their health?