CCNY students pitch designs to revitalize Arthur Avenue Market at Designing the Bronx showcase

City College of New York students on Wednesday presented design proposals aimed at revitalizing Arthur Avenue Market, highlighting parking, a community exhibition area and mixed-use additions as steps to preserve the market’s cultural character while improving economic viability, a presenter said.

At the annual Designing the Bronx event, supported by the Bronx Borough president and the American Institute of Architects, student teams showed sketches and 3D models that responded to community input, according to event remarks. “Our main priority was identifying the needs of the community,” one presenter said, adding that the top two needs identified were parking and a place for residents to gather and showcase the Bronx.

The students described a layered approach: a graded parking solution at street level, a vertical exhibition space above it, and optional mixed uses including hotels and affordable housing to help the project balance community goals with financial sustainability. “We developed a parking space well grade, and then we went vertical to add an exhibition space,” the presenter said.

Another presenter said the concepts could outlive the showcase if local stakeholders pursue them. “It’s a big possibility that we can move forward in having conversations with the Arthur Avenue market, Belmont businesses and elected officials and say, here are some designs that our students at CCNY came up with,” the presenter said, suggesting follow-up engagement rather than immediate implementation.

Design details emphasized creating visible activity and circulation: renderings showed additional stalls, children and families using the space, and stairways to encourage movement and social interaction. “How do we show as many people interacting with the space?…the more people that are there kind of makes it feel like it’s a place to be at,” a presenter said.

Organizers and students framed the work as a starting point for community discussion rather than a finalized plan. No formal commitments, funding approvals or municipal actions were announced at the event. The reporter for BronxNet was Nicole Rosado.

The Designing the Bronx showcase leaves open possible next steps: student designs may inform conversations among market operators, local businesses and elected officials, but presenters said any advancement would require further stakeholder talks and approvals.