Projects

The Bronx Institute for Urban Systems supports its work through GIS Services. Below are three projects that were completed by staff and interns from the Institute. Reach us to learn more about the projects and how we can help.

Affordable Development in the Crotona Neighborhood

The Mary Mitchell Center is the first organization to support the Institute.  They ask us to gather information about the affordable developments in the Crotona neighborhood in the Bronx. 2018

Food Environment Map

Community Board 1 is a Food Desert. Bronx Health REACH hired us to know what establishments in the Community Board sell healthy food. 2018

Cultural Asset Map

The Bronx Council on the Arts and the Institute gathered data to create a web map of the Cultural Assets in the South Bronx. 2019

Mill Brook Garden

Mill Brook Garden
“Urban Nature, when provided as parks and walkways and incorporated into building design, provides calming and inspiring environments and encourages learning, inquisitiveness, and alertness.” This is one of the facts revealed from research done by an environmental psychologist and for example, current research being done at the University of Washington (Mental Health & Function from the University of Washington Urban Forestry/Urban Greening Research Department). Green spaces also provide educational opportunities, community unity, and economic benefits. The vision goes beyond the renovation of green spaces at Mill Brook Houses. The vision is to design and construct a smart, green, beautiful and inspiring common space and civic spaces to be enjoyed by all NYCHA Housing residents. We chose Mill Brook Houses as the pilot site to complement the work done by New Yorkers for Parks (NY4P).

Mill brook Garden is located in a green space between two buildings in the Mill Brook Houses Development.

New Yorkers for Parks completed the Mott Haven Open Space Index Study for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). The study described the conditions and use of open spaces in Mott Haven. The report also provides recommendations as to how to improve these open spaces. However, the report does not focus on fenced Green Spaces in the Mott Haven Communities NYCHA development. On page 17 of the Report, NY4P excluded these spaces from the report: “We excluded spaces with restricted access, such as fenced daycare center playgrounds, and spaces that were intended for ornamental use such as lawns, which may produce public benefits such as storm water management, tree canopy coverage, and aesthetic beauty, but do not accommodate physical use by the public.” We proposed to eliminate some of these fences. These restricted spaces can be un-fenced to construct communal, educational, and organic farming spaces. Some fenced green spaces are too small for plazas or educational programming so these spaces can be used to promote civic art, green infrastructure, or landscaping practices. The vision goes beyond Mill Brook Houses; it is a vision that other developments can follow and for them to find the best means to implement their ideas. I want to provide the framework and tools for them to proceed with their ideas.

Mill Brook Garden is a project that displays the potential these fenced green spaces have on improving the Mill Brook Community. Mill Brook Gardens is designed to be used by senior citizens, youth, and adults. It has communal spaces, organic farming, and educational components. The purpose of the educational components is to teach residents about energy, storm water reduction, air pollution, and for them to learn the history of the South Bronx Community.

My method is to locate sites for either communal, organic farming, or civic spaces. From this information, work with community members and artist for them to redesign these spaces and for an artist to display their work. We will work with stakeholders to seek resources to implement design ideas.

Risks and challenges
The project needs to be approved by the New York City Housing Authority. The project may cost at least $20,000 to start. The $20,000 covers phase one.
This project to show how gated spaces can be used to construct communal spaces and also use them to teach Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, and Science.
The funds are being used to put a team of Architects and Designers to locate places for future design and other funds to begin the process of constructing Mill Brook Gardens.