Simone Development to build and develop 33-acre former OMH site at 1500 Waters Place in the Bronx

According to Joseph Simone, president of Simone Development Cos., his firm has submitted the winning bid to acquire and develop a 33-acre site at 1500 Waters Place, adjacent to their existing 42-acre Hutchinson Metro Center office park. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The site comprises the northeastern portion of the NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) Bronx Psychiatric Center campus, including three primary buildings comprising a total of 900,000 s/f, as well as four smaller buildings and a steam generating powerhouse. In an effort to reduce its facilities footprint, OMH is consolidating its current operations and will maintain a smaller, 43-acre campus of newly constructed buildings adjacent to the site. It is anticipated that the entire 33 acres will be available for development by mid-year, after being vacated by OMH. In phase I, the existing Betty Parker Building at the site will be reconfigured to include infill at both ends, creating two open air courtyards. Upon completion, the revitalized building will total 500,000 s/f for business or medical offices, targeting such uses as a healthcare training institute, educational space and an incubator for biotech research. The existing John W. Thompson Building will also be redesigned to include a business hotel with meeting facilities and a community college, both totaling 100,000 s/f. A 60,000 s/f parcel in back of the building will be converted into a two-level parking garage. Phase I will also include construction of two new one-story retail buildings of 20,000 s/f each featuring service, retail and restaurant tenants. Simone will also build new athletic facilities including a baseball diamond and turf football/soccer/lacrosse field. Both fields will include related amenities and lighting for evening events. Phase II of the project will include four new 10-story buildings of 250,000 s/f each for business and medical offices, as well as an adjacent parking garage. All of the buildings in both phases will be clad in aluminum composite panels to blend harmoniously with Simone's existing buildings at the Hutch Metro Center and target LEED certification and Energy Star rating. The existing Parker and Thompson buildings will be upgraded with LED light fixtures, high Solar Reflective Index and low flow plumbing fixtures to reduce energy use and conserve water. The parking lots will include electric vehicle charging stations.