There are more Bronx communities that have attributes that make it ripe for gentrification.
One of them is Longwood. It is located between Prospect Avenue and the Bruckner Expressway from East 149th to East 163rd Streets. There are brownstones along Dawson, Kelly, and Beck Streets as well as Hewitt Place. They form part of the Longwood Historic District. There is also new housing being put up in scattered parts of Longwood. The neighborhood is served by the 2/5 lines at Prospect Avenue while the 6 line serves Longwood on Longwood Avenue. A new Rite Aid was just added near the Prospect Avenue station. However, drug addicts still hang around the station on a frequent basis. In addition, teenagers are rowdy near Prospect Avenue station during lunch hours and dismissal time.
Next up is University Heights. The neighborhood is dominated by 5-story tenement buildings. Most of them were built when the current Bronx Community College campus was part of New York University's University Heights campus. In addition, the Fordham Road shopping strip is nearby. Transportation is excellent with the 4 and D lines nearby. The Bx12 bus takes you to Upper Manhattan and the East Bronx. The Bx40/42 buses take you to Throg's Neck. However, since NYU left the campus to BCC in 1973, the neighborhood declined as well. It is known for many violence and crime during the night (especially around 183rd Street (4) station).
Monday, January 14, 2008
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Which Bronx Communities are Ripe for Gentrification?
Manhattan is running out of neighborhoods for the hipsters to invade. The Bronx might be their next target. The $64,000 question is, which Bronx neighborhood will be first?
Riverdale is on the brink of being completely gentrified. Many Manhattan families with young children move to Riverdale since there are houses there. They have enough room to park their cars. Families also have excellent schools, public transportation, and a blend of small and chain stores. Many of these residents move to Riverdale rather than the South Bronx due to the negative images the latter always receives by the media. In addition, families would not have to worry about drugs or gangs ruining their streets.
Port Morris is kind of gentrified. But it's not like Williamsburg where hipsters dominate it ALL. They only live south of the Deegan Expressway. There are antique shops, furniture stores, and cafes. However, the gentrification won't spread because of what's on the other side of the Deegan, housing projects. The John Purroy Mitchel projects are located north of the Deegan. The hipsters must pass through them in order to get to 3rd Av-138th St subway station on the 6 line. In addition, there are many drug rehab centers in Mott Haven.
Speaking of Mott Haven, that might be gentrified thanks to the brownstones on Alexander Avenue. However, most of the drug rehab centers and housing projects surround it. On Alexander, Mitchel is south of 138th Street while Patterson and Mott Haven projects surround it to its north.
Bedford Park is another one due to the many schools west of the neighborhood. The "Educational Mile" features Walton and Clinton High Schools, PS 86, PS 340, Lehman College, and Bronx High School of Science. In addition, the neighborhood has easy access from many areas. The D train takes you to the West Side while the 4 serves the East Side. The Bx10 takes you to Riverdale, the Bx22 takes you to the Southeast Bronx, the Bx25, 26, and 28 take you to Coop City, the Bee-Line 4 takes you to Yonkers, and the Bee-Lines 20 and 21 take you to White Plains and Cross County Shopping Center. The Botanical Gardens are on the east side of Bedford Park. There is also a Metro-North station near the gardens.
There are other neighborhoods that will receive mentions, but save it for Part II.
Riverdale is on the brink of being completely gentrified. Many Manhattan families with young children move to Riverdale since there are houses there. They have enough room to park their cars. Families also have excellent schools, public transportation, and a blend of small and chain stores. Many of these residents move to Riverdale rather than the South Bronx due to the negative images the latter always receives by the media. In addition, families would not have to worry about drugs or gangs ruining their streets.
Port Morris is kind of gentrified. But it's not like Williamsburg where hipsters dominate it ALL. They only live south of the Deegan Expressway. There are antique shops, furniture stores, and cafes. However, the gentrification won't spread because of what's on the other side of the Deegan, housing projects. The John Purroy Mitchel projects are located north of the Deegan. The hipsters must pass through them in order to get to 3rd Av-138th St subway station on the 6 line. In addition, there are many drug rehab centers in Mott Haven.
Speaking of Mott Haven, that might be gentrified thanks to the brownstones on Alexander Avenue. However, most of the drug rehab centers and housing projects surround it. On Alexander, Mitchel is south of 138th Street while Patterson and Mott Haven projects surround it to its north.
Bedford Park is another one due to the many schools west of the neighborhood. The "Educational Mile" features Walton and Clinton High Schools, PS 86, PS 340, Lehman College, and Bronx High School of Science. In addition, the neighborhood has easy access from many areas. The D train takes you to the West Side while the 4 serves the East Side. The Bx10 takes you to Riverdale, the Bx22 takes you to the Southeast Bronx, the Bx25, 26, and 28 take you to Coop City, the Bee-Line 4 takes you to Yonkers, and the Bee-Lines 20 and 21 take you to White Plains and Cross County Shopping Center. The Botanical Gardens are on the east side of Bedford Park. There is also a Metro-North station near the gardens.
There are other neighborhoods that will receive mentions, but save it for Part II.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Difference Between Fordham and Morrisania
It has been nearly 13 years since my family moved out of 2440 Marion Avenue. I currently live on East 165th Street in the Forest Housing projects. These two places have their share of differences.
I lived on Marion Avenue from 1991 to 1995. It was between 187th and 188th Streets in the Fordham section of the Bronx. We lived on a 3rd floor apartment in a five story walk-up tenement. A block away was the Fordham Road shopping district. Back then, our family used to go to Roy Rogers, an old fast food joint that closed right after we moved out. I used to love the burgers and fries that were there. I always appreciated our closeness to the stores, the main library, Poe Park, and our pediatrician. The D line was a few blocks west at Grand Concourse while the 4 line was not too far from reach either. I always remember walking to my aunt's house on 182nd Street and Grand Avenue, not too far from my current school, Bronx Community College. I will always remember my brother and I racing my mom up the hills to get to University Heights.
However, there was always a downside. First, we would have trouble falling asleep due to the constant noise. We would always hear people blasting gangsta rap or merengue music. In addition, there was frequent crime in the area, ranging from robberies to drugs and gang violence.
However, the high rents and the constant crime forced us to move to the Forest Houses in Morrisania. It was St. Patrick's Day 1995. Once we set foot on Morrisania, a smell of change was in the air. The shopping district was 10 minutes south of us on 3rd Avenue. If not, we walked 10 minutes east to Southern Boulevard. The 2 and 5 lines were 5 minutes away at Prospect Avenue while the 6 was 10 minutes away at Longwood Avenue. There was still noise, but mostly at night. During the day, it is very serene (it still is today). We have our share of rowdy teens crawling through the streets on Friday and Saturday Nights. But we know who not to trust these days.
Now that we have lived in Morrisania for almost 13 years, we know a good chunk of the people that live in our neighborhood, something that is lacking in Fordham. In addition, Morrisania had more schools and parks than Fordham. My mom has it easier thanks to the easy parking (it's only a pain on Saturday nights). I'm just glad that I live in Morrisania and not anywhere else.
I lived on Marion Avenue from 1991 to 1995. It was between 187th and 188th Streets in the Fordham section of the Bronx. We lived on a 3rd floor apartment in a five story walk-up tenement. A block away was the Fordham Road shopping district. Back then, our family used to go to Roy Rogers, an old fast food joint that closed right after we moved out. I used to love the burgers and fries that were there. I always appreciated our closeness to the stores, the main library, Poe Park, and our pediatrician. The D line was a few blocks west at Grand Concourse while the 4 line was not too far from reach either. I always remember walking to my aunt's house on 182nd Street and Grand Avenue, not too far from my current school, Bronx Community College. I will always remember my brother and I racing my mom up the hills to get to University Heights.
However, there was always a downside. First, we would have trouble falling asleep due to the constant noise. We would always hear people blasting gangsta rap or merengue music. In addition, there was frequent crime in the area, ranging from robberies to drugs and gang violence.
However, the high rents and the constant crime forced us to move to the Forest Houses in Morrisania. It was St. Patrick's Day 1995. Once we set foot on Morrisania, a smell of change was in the air. The shopping district was 10 minutes south of us on 3rd Avenue. If not, we walked 10 minutes east to Southern Boulevard. The 2 and 5 lines were 5 minutes away at Prospect Avenue while the 6 was 10 minutes away at Longwood Avenue. There was still noise, but mostly at night. During the day, it is very serene (it still is today). We have our share of rowdy teens crawling through the streets on Friday and Saturday Nights. But we know who not to trust these days.
Now that we have lived in Morrisania for almost 13 years, we know a good chunk of the people that live in our neighborhood, something that is lacking in Fordham. In addition, Morrisania had more schools and parks than Fordham. My mom has it easier thanks to the easy parking (it's only a pain on Saturday nights). I'm just glad that I live in Morrisania and not anywhere else.
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