A single-story commercial building at the corner of West Fordham Road and Grand Avenue in University Heights is now the site of a proposed ten-story mixed-use building, with permits filed for a 105-foot structure that would bring 62 residences to the block. The filing lands at 53 West Fordham Road after Bronx Community Board 7 voted against recommending approval for a separate, unrelated bid to open a cannabis dispensary at the same address.
According to New York YIMBY, the proposed building would total 39,836 square feet, with 35,478 square feet devoted to residential space, 3,935 square feet of commercial space, and 423 square feet for community facility use. The report lists the ownership behind the permit applications as Israel Tishler, with Revamp NYC named as the entity associated with him, and the average unit size penciling out to 572 square feet — a scope the outlet describes as likely rental housing rather than condos. The design calls for a concrete-based structure with a cellar and a 21-foot-long rear yard, with Mohammad Ahead listed as architect of record. No demolition permits have been filed yet for the existing single-story commercial building on the site, and the filing includes no announced completion date, per the same outlet's report.
A Site Already in the Neighborhood Spotlight
The address has drawn scrutiny before this filing. Bronx Community Board 7 voted against recommending approval for a proposed conditional adult-use retail cannabis dispensary at the same 53 West Fordham Road location, following debate over statutory clearance distances and concerns about neighborhood store saturation, according to Citizen Portal. That vote is advisory only, and final licensing authority for cannabis retail rests with the state Office of Cannabis Management, but it underscores the churn already underway at this particular corner.
The commercial building now targeted for redevelopment dates back to 1921, according to property listing data from Marketproof, and spans six commercial storefront units. The corridor has seen retail turnover before: discount retailer 99 Cent Deals signed a lease to relocate from 53 West Fordham Road across the street to a 10,000-square-foot space at 66 West Fordham Road in April 2017, paying roughly $24 per square foot to double its footprint; the exact move-in date was unavailable, as reported by the Commercial Observer at the time.
A Developer With a Busy Bronx Pipeline
Tishler and Revamp NYC have been especially active across the West Bronx in recent months. In July, the developer filed plans to renovate 22,445 square feet at 1925 Grand Concourse to convert the property into 32 housing units, again working with architect Mohammad Ahead, according to The Real Deal. The pair also filed applications in May for a 30,646-square-foot project in Riverdale. PincusCo reports that Revamp NYC submitted filings for 16 projects totaling 232,048 square feet across the city over the past 24 months.
Transit Hub Draws More Density
The proposed building sits near the Fordham Road subway station, which is served by the 4 train, and borders a stretch of West Fordham Road carrying the MTA's Bx12 Select Bus Service — a crosstown route with over 45,000 weekday riders, per the MTA. City Hall announced plans in February to install dedicated offset bus lanes along Fordham Road between Sedgwick Avenue and Boston Road, aiming to boost transit speeds by at least 20% along the corridor, News 12 Bronx reported, with city data showing 71% of residents along the corridor rely on transit, walking, or biking to get around.
Affordability Questions Loom Over New Construction
Affordability Questions Loom Over New Construction Any new market-rate housing near Fordham Road arrives against a backdrop of steep rent burden in the surrounding district. Norwood News reports that 53.8% of district households spend 35% or more of their income on rent. No demolition permits have yet been filed for the current storefront building, and no completion date has been announced.
