Bringing New Life to an Abandoned Amtrak Station

Providing an Action Plan for the Westchester Train Station in The Bronx, NY

Project Summary

Community: Bronx, New York

Technical Assistance: Action Plan

Former Use: Amtrak Train Station

Future Use: Community area and gateway to Bronx

River Greenway

In 2019, the South Bronx Overall Economic Development
Corporation (SoBro) and the Youth Ministries for Peace
and Justice (YMPJ), a community organization, completed
a Brownfields Area-wide Plan and redevelopment strategy
for brown field sites along the Bronx River - Sheridan
Expressway. The area includes a high concentration of
low-income residents that are cost burdened by housing
and negatively impacted by surrounding land uses
including major thoroughfares and current and former
industrial facilities. YMPJ was made aware that Amtrak
was planning to demolish their Westchester Avenue
Station, a former train station originally constructed in
1908. YMPJ informed Amtrak of its interest in acquiring
the station with the intent to reuse the structure as a
community space and to create a gateway to the Bronx
River Greenway trail and Concrete Plant Park.

The Community's Challenge

The site includes a 2,700 square foot head house and
waiting room structure that has been vacant for decades
and has deteriorated. Amtrak has outlined a path forward;
however, there are numerous steps that would need to be
completed to initiate an offer, complete an acquisition
agreement, and complete the implementation of the
project. To take on this challenge, YMPJ and SoBro
sought assistance in defining an action plan geared
toward restoring the abandoned Amtrak station.

EPA's Land Revitalization Technical Assistance

In 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Land Revitalization Program provided contractor technical
assistance to complete a "Restoration Roadmap" to inform
the local community about the opportunities and
challenges related to repurposing, and potentially taking
control of, the Westchester Avenue Station. Groups such
as YMPJ, SoBro, the Bronx River Alliance, SLO
Architecture, Loving the Bronx, and others worked
together to outline how the Westchester Avenue Station
can be leased or acquired, restored, and repurposed in an
environmentally sustainable way. The roadmap presented
several alternatives that would involve acquiring the site
and renovating or relocating station components while
undertaking new construction projects. The report also
included order-of-magnitude cost estimates for each step.

By outlining a clear action plan, YMPJ and SoBro can
begin the process of acquiring the abandoned Amtrak
station. When restored, the revitalized station will preserve
an important piece of history in the South Bronx, provide
space for public amenities like public restrooms, and serve
as a gateway to local trails.

Preferred Conceptual Alternative A (with options)

For more information, contact Schenine Mitchell, EPA
Region 2 Brownfields Program, at

Mitchell.Schenine@epa.gov.

United States
Environmental Protection
hi	Agency

Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization
560-F-21-205

-------