More Subway Service, Housing Coming To Essex Market Site on Lower East Side
NEW YORK—New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the New York City Economic Development Corporation and Delancey Street Associates announced on April 4 the commencement of projects to make the Delancey St–Essex St Station complex accessible and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and to develop mixed-income housing on the former site of the Essex Market.
Delancey Street Associates will construct a 99 unit mixed-income housing complex and provide an easement to the MTA to allow the construction of an elevator connecting the northeast corner of Delancey and Essex Streets to the Delancey–Essex (FMJZ lines) 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.
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. Delancey St.–Essex St. (FMJZ lines) Station serves 68,000 riders per day.
With the project proceeding, New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), and 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.
Delancey Street Associates’ proposed building will rise at the site of the former Essex Street Market building, also known as Essex Crossing’s Site 9. Essex Crossing is the result of a successful collaboration between the local community, the city—through NYCEDC and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development—Manhattan Community Board 3, and Delancey Street Associates. 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% of which will be affordable.
“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,” Gov. Hochul said.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “The MTA is making subway stations accessible at five times the pace of previous administrations. Every New Yorker—seniors, young families with strollers, people with disabilities—need to be able to get to jobs, school, shopping and everything else the City has to offer, so I’m thrilled NYCEDC and Delancey Street Associates were able to figure out a deal so we can move forward on this long overdue project.”
Published: April 17, 2025.