Congestion Relief Zone revenues to fund MTA Delancey St-Essex St. Station Complex accessibility and TOD projects
A series of projects have been announced by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the Delancey Street Associates to make the Delancey St–Essex St Station complex accessible and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These projects will also work to develop mixed-income housing on the former site of the Essex Market.
“Making the Delancey St-Essex St station complex fully accessible with an affordable housing development at Essex Crossing is possible with the revenue from congestion pricing — a program that will put the proceeds toward New Yorkers’ needs,” Hochul said. “We are committed to creating a more accessible and more affordable New York with improvement plans that are focused on bettering opportunities and the transit customer experience for riders.”
The MTA says Delancey Street Associates will construct a 99 unit mixed-income housing complex and provide an easement to the agency to allow the construction of an elevator connecting the northeast corner of Delancey and Essex Streets to the Delancey–Essex F, M, J, Z station complex. The MTA announced that it is commencing design on that elevator and a comprehensive set of accessibility upgrades needed to make the station complex fully ADA-accessible. This will include three elevators to ensure that all connections and transfers within the station can be made step-free.
The MTA notes these accessibility improvements will be supported by proceeds from the Congestion Relief Zone. The project is included in the MTA’s 2020-24 Capital Plan.
“The Delancey-Essex subway station's accessibility upgrades will spur forward the Essex Crossing project, which continues to transform the area into a dynamic, mixed-use hub for economic opportunity and growth,” said NYCEDC President and CEO Andrew Kimball. “After more than a decade since the project's initial approval, today's announcement by the MTA — in partnership with NYCEDC and Delancey Street Associates — is a testament to this administration's commitment to delivering on past promises, addressing our city's housing challenges and meeting the needs of New Yorkers.”
With the project proceeding, NYCEDC, MTA and the Delancey Street Associates will enter into a binding agreement and advance the new station entrance design. Delancey Street Associates expects to start construction in 2026 on 99 mixed income units of housing.
According to the MTA, the project, which originally received ULURP approval in 2012, has delivered a new home for Essex Street Market, 175,000 square feet of retail space, 64,000 square feet of community space and with Site 9, will deliver approximately 1,100 units of housing overall, 50 percent of which will be affordable.
“Delancey-Essex is at the heart of the Lower East Side and ensuring the complex is accessible will open up new trips for thousands of people, including seniors, caregivers with strollers and people with disabilities,” said MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo. “It is great to see projects moving forward with funding from congestion relief and fantastic that it will be paired with affordable housing units right at the station.”
