How Bronx Logistics Center Became The East Coast’s First LEED Platinum Warehouse

In the last few years, New York City has taken steps to ensure that local commercial real estate firms will take a greener approach to development. The city’s Local Law 97, which passed in 2019, requires buildings over 25K SF to cap their carbon emissions by 2024. 

The overall goal is to reduce carbon emissions by 40% in 2030 and by 80% in 2050. Many real estate firms have already begun to retrofit their existing buildings and adjust plans for new developments with the goal of net-zero emissions in mind.

Turnbridge Equities, a Manhattan-based real estate development and investment firm, is leaving no stone unturned in its quest to ensure its 1.3M SF industrial project in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the South Bronx, called Bronx Logistics Center, exceeds sustainability expectations when it opens later this year, despite its impressive size. It’s a years-long design and construction effort that has culminated in a pre-certified LEED Platinum rating, a first for a distribution warehouse on the East Coast.

“We wanted to bring a development to the South Bronx that was not only a multistory, Class-A industrial project that provides efficient last-mile delivery, but one that also reflected our approach to sustainability with regard to this massive undertaking,” Turnbridge Equities Managing Partner Ryan Nelson said. “Not only does it make financial sense to be more sustainable with the construction, but I feel it’s our responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint.”

The completed Bronx Logistics Center will include 32-foot clear heights on both of its two warehouse floors, two exclusive site entrances for 585K SF of total warehouse space and 17 acres of parking and truck court areas, accommodating more than 1,500 parking spots. 

The property will also feature bicycle storage rooms, smart metering for managing water usage, light fixtures to help limit light pollution and MERV 13 filters to improve indoor air quality. It will also feature a 2.9-megawatt solar-powered rooftop, making it one of New York City’s largest private sources of renewable energy, Nelson said.

The company worked with ownership partner Dune Real Estate Partners, construction lender KKR and the design-builder ARCO Design/Build to help bring this massive project to fruition and navigate the challenges of building something this large in NYC while keeping the community in mind. 

“While we faced initial challenges with acquiring the land that makes up the site, we had the benefit of great partnerships, and were able to eventually purchase five individual parcels from a variety of owners, totaling 14.2 acres,” Nelson said. “We were able to build trust with both corporate and mom-and-pop owners by creating an open and honest dialogue between them.” 

Turnbridge Equities took a proactive approach to sustainability with this project. The U.S. Green Building Council, or USGBC, a nonprofit promoting sustainability in building design and construction, gave BLC a formal pre-certified letter and designated it with a LEED v4 Platinum rating, the highest LEED certification available from the organization.

“We’re proud to be the first distribution warehouse on the East Coast and the 10th project across the country with this prestigious rating, helping to fulfill USGBC’s vision to be more environmentally and socially responsible,” Nelson said. “Hopefully the certification speaks for itself to demonstrate how committed we are to sustainability.”

Nelson said that while NYC laws are pushing buildings to become more sustainable, it’s not just government officials who care about this issue. Investors are also increasingly prioritizing sustainability in their investment decisions, and developers who do not prioritize environmental, social and corporate goals in their practices may find themselves left out. 

“Sustainability may have been the 10th box you checked years back, but now this has jumped to the second or third box on the list,” he said. “Many of the large investors, especially European ones, will pass on your project if you don’t meet certain sustainability criteria. Real estate developers who don’t take a more sustainable approach to their projects have their heads in the sand.”

Nelson said that along with its beneficial sustainable features, the BLC project will also help transform this underutilized area of NYC and provide thousands of jobs for the community. He added that the building is in an ideal location for future employees, close to numerous MTA bus stops and a five-minute walk to the 6 train. The site is adjacent to Bruckner Boulevard and I-278, just a short drive away from Manhattan’s Upper East Side, with immediate connectivity to I-95, I-87 and I-295.

Nelson said that this is a long-term project that will help build some much-needed infrastructure in this part of the South Bronx, and provide locals with close, quality jobs.

“I think this project can have a lasting impact in the community beyond the construction jobs we’ve brought through the build-out of BLC,” he said. “Our partners can look at this project and say not only did we go LEED Platinum and respect how we’re using this building, but we’re creating thousands of jobs for the community. Our Bronx residents don’t have to venture to New Jersey or somewhere else for work.”

Nelson predicted that these multistory developments will continue to rise in areas where there’s seemingly a lack of developable land, and he is proud that BLC is one of the first of its kind. 

“We are already seeing the second generation of new warehouse projects of this type not only in the city but nationwide,” Nelson said. “I’m proud that we can be one of the first to implement this type of industrial project and present it in an innovative and sustainable way. I’m excited to see how we continue to evolve while staying environmentally responsible and helping to transform underserved communities.”

This article was produced in collaboration between Studio B and Turnbridge Equities. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

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