Riverbank America has announced the appointment of William Procida as president of its real estate subsidiary, Shorehaven Properties Inc. (SPI), which is developing a 1,000-home community in The Bronx at the site of the former Shorehaven Beach and Pool Club.

William Procida is one of New York's most accomplished young real estate entrepreneurs, who has been responsible for the revitalization of numerous Bronx neighborhoods through the creation of thousands of residential units and the rebuilding of commercial strips.

Shorehaven, the affordable, luxury-style town homes now under construction, marks the first effort to develop the waterfront for affordable housing in that area of the city.

As president, Procida will bring his hands-on management style, dedication, energy and vision to oversee the Shorehaven project, which already includes 172 occupied homes, and 84 more that are now being built. The overall community could eventually contain more than 1,000 homes.

Procida said, "In the past, I have usually been involved with a number of projects at one time. But Shorehaven is one of the most significant housing developments in the metro region and deserves my full attention. I am anxious to focus all my enthusiasm and energies on bringing high-quality housing to the working families of the Bronx."

For more than a decade, Procida has been involved with the construction of thousands of new homes in more than 50 developments. His past accomplishments in The Bronx include the development of Melrose Court, a $30 million condominium development which won the National Builders Association "Best Inner City Development Project in the United States" award, and Crotona Terrace, a 52-unit affordable housing apartment building developed through a public/private partnership, which was given the Governor's Award for Excellence from former Governor Mario Cuomo.

These successes and others have made Procida a widely recognized leader in Bronx development. During the past decade, Procida was a borrower with an excess of $100 million from private financial institutions, and successfully repaid the entire debt load.

At the age of 33, Procida is already one of the most distinguished and accomplished residential developers in New York. Last year, Procida was a principal in the team named the most outstanding developer in New York by the Associated Owners & Builders of Greater New York, an award previously bestowed upon Donald Trump, Sam LeFrak and other long-term members of the development community. Procida notes, "The Bronx, as both news and anecdotal accounts will confirm, is experiencing an economic resurgence of dramatic proportions. And right now, Shorehaven is the only residential development that can meet the area's growing demand for luxury homes at affordable prices."

Procida has lectured on real estate and construction at Yale University, Columbia University, New York University, Rho Epsilon Real Estate Fraternity, Association of Real Estate Women and the Associated Builders and Owners of Greater New York. Procida has been recognized for his commitment to the revitalization of New York by the Bronx Borough President, who awarded Procida the "Citation of Merit" in 1995. He has also received the American Jewish Congress "Horace M. Kallen Award" for community service in 1989; Mid-Bronx Desperados Community Housing Group "Business Person Award" in 1988; and in 1989, at the age of 28, was the youngest person ever to receive the Bronx Chamber of Commerce "Crystal Apple Award."

Shorehaven Properties, Inc. is an affiliate of New Rochelle-based River Bank, the parent company of the East River Savings Bank.