Melrose and the surrounding area is experiencing a boom in cafes.
Starbucks is gearing up to open its first official South Bronx location in Melrose on 161st Street at Concourse Village East/Morris Avenue at The Melrose Building in a neighborhood and corridor where two cafes are slated to open and The Bronx Museum’s XM Cafe(that will be serving up The Bronx’s own Morris Perk’s ‘Bronx Blend’) is opening any day now.
260 E 161st Street aka The Melrose Central Building has undergone major capital improvements and redevelopment over the past years and the ground floor space which was once indoor office spaces were turned into retail, some of which are two levels. The redevelopment opened up the ground floor of the building to the public as well as livening up an otherwise what was a dead zone along the edifice.
BOOM!Cafe at BOOM!Health’s new headquarters at Brook Avenue and 161st Street is scheduled to open up sometime in January and WHEDco along with the Bronx Musical Heritage Center, which is slated to break ground on their new building, Bronx Commons, soon, is working on also opening a cafe once they’re up and running in their new space a few years down the road.
Starbucks isn’t the only place in the area where coffee is served as you have Palombo Bakery, the Italian Bronx born and bred mom and pop shop business which opened up a new location earlier this year much to local residents delight just 2 blocks away at a former Burger King form where the coffee giant has planted its first South Bronx roots.
This isn’t technically Starbucks’ first foray into the area as they are located inside Target at The Bronx Terminal Market but it is, however, their first brick and mortar store.
Several local residents expressed concerns when they heard that Starbucks was opening. Two gentlemen who declined to provide their name said, “Starbucks isn’t for most people who live here, we can’t afford that overpriced coffee.” The other man just said he, “…wouldn’t mind a cafe as long as it was something more local and for the community that exists.”
Once Starbucks opens up and the other planned cafes are up and running, Melrose will go from zero to 3 in a short time.
What are your thoughts about Starbucks coming to the neighborhood? Personally, I know there’s room for everyone but I’d rather sit down in a nice relaxing place that’s a mom and pop business especially if they are Bronx based. It’s important to support local over corporate behemoths in our communities for mom and pop shops are the lifeblood of our neighborhoods.
Bronx Commons, the innovative affordable housing development coming soon to Melrose and the future home of the Bronx Musical Heritage Center.
As WHEDCo gets closer to their groundbreaking for Bronx Commons in Melrose, a 361,000 square foot affordable housing development with 277 affordable green apartments, live/work space for elder musicians, a green grocer, a hydroponic rooftop garden, and recreational space as well as the future, permanent home of a 15,000 square foot Bronx Musical Heritage Center, the organization is beginning a series of events to activate spaces around Melrose to bring awareness to the community of The upcoming project as well as get in touch with their future neighbors.
The Bronx Musical Heritage Center will join the many other cultural centers located within Melrose and the surrounding communities.
To that end, tomorrow
Click to enlarge!
, Thursday August 27th from 3PM-8PM there will be a fun filled block party filled with dancing, health screenings, games, and much more!
From WHEDCo and BMHC:
Enjoy outdoor festivities on a car-free street as WHEDco and the Bronx Music Heritage Center (BMHC) shut down the streets for live performances, face painting, games, free health screenings, arts activities, and much more! Lets wrap up the summer in proper block party fashion. Bronx Music @ Melrose: ¡Salsa! is part of Bronx Salsa Fest, an annual August celebration of the art form, and will feature LIVE SALSA performances among many other salsa-themed activities. This block party is FREE and open to the public.
The event will be on Brook Avenue and 163rd Street and we hope to see you there! What a perfect way to close the summer season!
A few weeks ago as I was biking southbound along Melrose Avenue, I was abruptly stopped at E 156th Street due to NYPD vehicles parking at 90 angle that placed their vehicles over the southbound bike lane blocking it completely.
I had to think quickly and the only safe option was to immediately swerve over to the sidewalk and dismount my bike and walk the block to get back on the lane.
I immediately contacted PSA7 (Police Area 7 aka Bronx Housing Authority) in the confines of the 40th Precinct) and was told by an Officer Warden of the Community Affairs division that this was a permanent parking plan for the station.
What’s baffling is that they have two large lots behind them which occupy the majority of the block with many vacant spots.
To make matters worse, the FDNY across the street constantly blocks the northbound bike lanes with firefighters double parking their person vehicles.
As Hannah Leshaw, a Melrose resident said, “The new way that the police are parking in front of PSA 7, perpendicular to the curb, is blocking the bike lane and, in fact, blocking some of the southbound traffic lane. On the other side of the street the bike lane, again along with some of the northbound traffic lane, is blocked by cars affiliated with the Fire Station.”
“That leaves the equivalent of one lane for two directions of traffic on a busy street including a route of articulated buses. Everyday it’s a game of chicken between buses, trucks, cars, bikers and pedestrians.” added Leshaw.
And indeed it creates such a hazard. As I was walking back to photograph the scene, a pedestrian was struck by a cab at that very intersection barely 15 minutes when I first encountered the hazardous conditions.
Caroline Samponaro, Deputy Director of Transportation Alternatives, an organization dedicated to reclaiming streets for pedestrians and making them safe for everyone including vehicles (and one of the partners for the successful Boogie on The Boulevard which saw a record 7,500 attendees over 3 Sundays), told us regarding our situation in Melrose:
“Bike lanes are like sidewalks for people on two wheels – safe space intended to be free from the dangers of vehicles. When a driver blocks the bike lane, they force bike riders to go out into moving traffic, putting everyone in harms way and making the bike lane meaningless. Bronx residents depend on City Agencies to set the example for other drivers, not break the law and make our streets less safe.”
And with Vision Zero, Mayor de Blasio, along with the NYPD, Department of Transportation, Department of Health, and other agencies were able to accomplish dramatic drop in pedestrian fatalities during 2014, his first year in office when he implemented the innovative plan.
Pedestrian fatalities dropped almost 26% and according to the New York Daily News, was the lowest since 1910—114 years of rising pedestrian fatalities wiped out with Vision Zero implemented citywide.
But how are we to continue towards our goal of Vision Zero if agencies like the NYPD and DOT think it’s ok to alter street parking that completely cuts off bike lanes and allows the NYPD and FDNY to break the laws by letting them double park?
The Mayor and his administration has a lot of explaining to do to residents of The Bronx for how this was allowed to occur under his plan to reduce pedestrian fatalities.
Hundreds came out to check out BOOM!Health’s new Wellness Center and headquarters which is still under construction but open for business.
For 3 years now, The Bronx LGBTQ community has been without a place to call home but now that’s all set to change as BOOM!Health is partnering up with Councilman Ritchie Torres in creating such a new space for Bronxites.
The initiative couldn’t come at a better time as BOOM!Health just opened their new headquarters in Melrose which was filled with members from the LGBTQ community and this past Friday, an event was held where hundreds of LGBTQ youth were present, enjoying a health fair, fashion show, and a host of other activities.
Hundreds of LTBTQ Bronxites came out to celebrate Pride Month this past June at the Old Bronx Courthouse for BAAD’s (Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance) with ‘Bronx Comin’ Out to The Courthouse Carnival’ during No Longer Empty’s exhibition ‘When You Cut Into The Present The Future Leaks Out’.One of the many performers during BAAD’s Pride event back in June at the Old Bronx Borough Courthouse.
These are examples and a clear indication that there is a need for such a center for the community as we have discussed before. A need for a safe space for everyone within the LGBTQ community within the safety and comfort of their own home borough.
BOOM!Health is launching the visioning of this project by collecting information and data from the community on what we would like the space to provide (please take the survey here)
According to BOOM!Health, “The Bronx currently does not have a brick and mortar Center for the LGBTQ community. We feel that establishing physical space is essential to addressing the economic and personal development needs of the LGBTQ community in the Bronx.”
Our community has been clamoring for a new organization to take its place but so far not a single organization has been successful at such an attempt and now we have the momentum, political power, as well as the experience BOOM!Health brings to the table to make such a center a reality once again.
One of the issues surrounding any such organization is how will it thrive and sustain itself and BOOM!Health says, “This Bronx LGBTQ Center will be sustained through a unique model that integrates social enterprise businesses and traditional donor engagement. The profits generated by the social enterprises housed in the Center will be reinvested back into the Center’s programs, services, and operations.”
The actual location of the future LGBTQ Center has yet to be determined but it is expected to be open as soon as 2018.
Tomorrow, Saturday August 22nd from 10:00AM to 3:30PM you’ll be able to go on a guided tour of 3 of these gardens with entertainment and cooking demonstrations along the way.
The first stop is one of the more recent entries in the area, Melrose New Generation Garden at 377 E 160th Street between Melrose and Courtlandt Avenues at 10AM where La Bruja aka Caridad De La Luz will be performing and hosting a Storytelling/Poetry Workshop until 11:30AM.
Then it’s off to Vogue Community Garden on E 156th Street and Elton Avenue where a cooking demonstration will take place from Noon until 1:30PM.
Little Green Garden/Rock Garden
The final destination will be at Little Green Garden/Rock Garden on E 160th and Elton Avenue where Bombazo Dance Co will be holding a Bomba dance and performance workshop from 2:00PM until 3:30PM.
It’s going to be a beautiful day of nature and art so come out and check out the neighborhood and some of these special places residents spend time cultivating relationships with their friends, families, and neighbors.
Customers enjoy a great meal in a small, quaint, yet modern atmosphere that feels like you’re in someone’s dining room.
In a sea of the green, white, and red of Italian flags that dominate Morris Park sits La Masa, a Colombian restaurant proudly displaying their flags and colors outside their eatery.
For decades, Morris Park was a predominantly Italian ethnic neighborhood but over the past years it has become increasingly mixed with a diverse population that is very representative of the beautiful tapestry of the people that make up our borough.
I’ve been meaning to make my way to La Masa for months since I heard it had opened about 8 months ago and I must say I am annoyed with myself for not having gotten here sooner!
The place specializes in empanadas—as they’re known throughout South America but known as pastelitos in Dominican Republic and pastelillitos in Puerto Rico—which are basically Latin American turnovers usually filled with chicken, beef, or pork.
But La Masa takes it to an even bigger level.
They have over 25 different types of fillings which are made fresh everyday as all the ingredients are including “la masa” which is the “dough” made out of cornmeal.
During my visit to this gem, I ordered 3 different empanadas; eggplant, mixed veggies, and broccoli rabe with sausage along with a side of yucca fries and a fresh pineapple passion fruit smoothie to wash it all down.
Does this not look amazing? I had 3 empanadas: eggplant, mixed veggies, and broccoli rabe with sausage with a pineapple/passion fruit smoothie to wash it all down.
Each and every one was delicious with every bite. I decided not to try the traditional ones of chicken or beef since I’ve had so many of those in my lifetime but I’m sure they’re just as amazing.
Besides the food being amazing, the service was impeccable and everyone, whether it’s the many regulars who walked in or newcomers, are treated as friends who just came over for a visit.
Mike, who works in the neighborhood, “for a very long time,” said that he likes La Masa because, “…it’s a different atmosphere, good food, good people, and they’re very adaptive to make changes something and make you something that’s not on the menu.”
“It’s not a problem for them to customize for you, they’re really nice people.” Mike added.
While I was eating at the counter, a customer called in an order and Laura immediately recognized the voice and asked, “Is this Alex?”
Laura mentioned that they like to ask for people’s names not just to make sure the person gets the right order especially of you have certain food allergies of which they are extremely cautious of, but to also get to know their clients.
“I remember the names of our patrons especially what they ordered.” Laura told us.
One of the many fire hydrants painted in the colors of the Italian flag as well as on streets and light posts that is not an uncommon sight. It represents a community that was once the vast majority but now is one of the many that live and work in this neighborhood of our borough.
When Alex, a lifelong resident of Morris Park came in, we also asked him what it is about La Masa that keeps him coming back for more?
Alex said, without any hesitation, “It’s a friendly place with great food and it’s different from the predominantly Italian options you have all over the neighborhood.”
He particularly loves any of the empanadas so far that he’s tried and maduros rellenos de pollo which are sweet plantains stuffed with chicken.
Oh? We didn’t mention that La Masa isn’t just all empanadas? No?
Well they also serve a wide variety of arepas which are a pancake like flatbread made out of cornmeal, and other traditional Colombian treats.
The place is spotless, the food is amazing, and the people are friendly which makes La Masa a winning hit and addition to our borough.
In just 8 months that they’ve been open, they’ve amassed a sort of cult following because of just this and they even have customers asking when are they opening up another location closer to them.
“We’ve had people come up from Brooklyn or who are driving through across The Bronx from out of state and found us on Yelp when looking for Colombian food.” said Laura.
A little slice of Colombia in Morris Park in a sea of Italian eateries. Morris Park, once a predominantly Italian neighborhood is now a tapestry of many ethnic groups making the area quite reflective of the borough’s population.
They’re open Mondays-Thursday from 10AM – 9PM and Fridays and Saturdays from 10AM-10PM but it’s not unusual to see them open beyond their set closing times said Laura and Josh.
Originally they opened at 12PM but people were already lining up at the door to get their fix on and folks asked for them to open earlier for breakfast so they complied and now offer a selection of traditional Colombian breakfast dishes. On Sundays they are closed as they have children and do like to have some quality, family time.
So to all our readers near and far, whether you’re a fan of Latin American cuisine or not, give these guys a try and come to this little Colombian oasis in Morris Park and leave a happy camper with a stuffed belly.
Tell us about your experiences!
La Masa is located at 1000 Morris Park Avenue at the corner of Colden Avenue.
Image by Mike Allen of The Bronx who posted this image shortly after the explosion at JFK High School rocked Marble Hill section of Manhattan and the surrounding Bronx neighborhoods of Spuyten Duyvil, Kingsbridge, and Riverdale.
Reports came in from NY1 and The Daily News and Twitter of reports of an explosion at JFK High School in Marble Hill area of Manhattan (which is attached to The Bronx) ripping through 3 floors of the building. Mike Allen of The Bronx said on twitter, “Blast was incredibly loud, shook my apartment even on 18th floor.”
“A gas line explosion blasted through a Bronx high school on Thursday night, injuring three workers building a science lab, authorities said.
The explosion happened at 8:09 p.m. on Terrace View Ave. at the John F. Kennedy High School in Marble Hill, firefighters said.
Seven workers were in the building to work on the lab, police sources said. The explosion happened while contractors were working on a gas main in the school.
The blast tore through the school’s fourth, fifth and sixth floors, causing major structural damage to the building, sources said.
All three burn victims were taken to Jacobi Medical Center, where one is in critical condition and two others are in serious condition, fire officials said.”
Scott Feinstein tweeted this image of the aftermath saying there was “Lot[s] of damage to one floor.”We’ll keep you posted as this story develops.
New York City Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett has just announced that The Opera House Hotel was ground zero for New York City’s largest outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease which took the lives of 12 South Bronx residents (although DOH still is not connecting the teacher who died from PS 325 in the impact zone back in April).
25 individuals who were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease have had the bacteria traced back to the strain found at the Opera House Hotel, however, others are still awaiting results.
Commissioner Bassett confidently declared the outbreak has been contained but cautioned that it didn’t mean that more cases would appear. This was evidenced by the number of reported cases having increased to 128 from 126 just a few days ago.
During the press conference, the commissioner also stated that a guest who stayed at The Opera House Hotel fell ill with Legionnaires’.
Rob ended up with not one but 3 beautiful pit bulls.
Bronx resident Rob Vassilarakis is out on a mission: He’s trying to raise $5,000 to support a wonderful organization called Second Chance Rescue that helps Pit Bull Terriers, among other animals, get just that. A second chance.
Much like The Bronx, Pit Bulls suffer from negative stereotypes and are thought by many as being vicious, fighting animals but that’s far from the truth.
Just like any person or creature, they learn what they are taught and sadly the mainstream media hasn’t helped the cause (sounds familiar? Just like our borough) by sensationalizing the worst of the worst cases and scenarios.
Rob Vassilirakis with his 3 babies.
In Rob’s own words:
“Hi! I’m Rob Vassilarakis. Anyone who is remotely acquainted with me knows that am a HUGE lover of pit bulls (I have 3 of my own). It breaks my heart to know that DAILY, approximately 2,500 thrown away, abandoned, neglected & abused pit bulls are put to sleep in kill shelters across the country. Part of the problem is the neighborhood breeders who make extra cash off of selling puppies. Everyday as I walk my dogs in the Bronx I am asked multiple times if I want to breed my dogs. With much patience I attempt to bring awareness about the staggering reality that for a couple of hundred bucks per pup (if lucky) one is contributing to the systematic killing of this loving & affectionate breed which is truly misunderstood & gets such a raw deal. Irresponsible owners with tendencies for dog fighting, sensationalist news stories, the perpetuation of myths & the stigma that marks pit bulls has also contributed to their rise in U.S. kill shelters & has made them increasingly more difficult to adopt out. Their strong appearance has largely become a symbol of violence, drug culture and gangs. However, if given the chance, pit bulls can be very loving companions that bring joy to any home as an addition to the family. Second Chance Rescue gives them that opportunity.”
Watch this video from The Huffington Post on Pit Bulls where experts break down some of these myths:
According to Second Chance Rescue:
“Second Chance Rescue was formed in 2009 on the firm belief that all animals deserve to be loved and cared for, and no animal should ever be abused, neglected or homeless. Our mission is to save animals that otherwise would have no chance and to facilitate the adoption/rehoming of these animals that have been abandoned, or given up by their former owners, and to place them in new loving homes.
We are 100% not for profit and to date have relied solely on donations from the public. We rescue dogs and cats from the streets, as well as from “death row” at municipal shelters (predominantly NYC Animal Care & Control) around New York City. Before coming to us, most of the animals that we rescue have been abandoned or abused/neglected; a large number have serious medical issues and require immediate, emergency veterinary care. We protect and ensure the long-term well-being of these rescued animals by placing them in foster homes or private boarding facilities, where they are rehabilitated and cared for until a permanent home can be found.
We are very passionate about our work; loving and caring for these animals unconditionally. All animals are transported to private veterinarians for proper medical treatment prior to adoption. All of our rescued animals are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and heartworm tested before they are placed into new loving homes. Additionally, we work to generate awareness in the community about the prevention of animal abuse and neglect, as well as adoption of homeless animals and the importance of spay/neuter acting as a liaison.
We hope that through our work and commitments we shed light on and bring attention to the dire situation our companion animals are in in this country. We know with dedication and care and the help of all our loyal and faithful supporters there is hope for these animals.”
475 Grand Concourse, the Allied Health Building at Hostos Community College tested positive for Legionella however it was 10x below the threshold for recommended cleansing per OSHA guidelines.
According to an email obtained by Welcome2TheBronx, Hostos Community College, which has an enrollment of over 7,000 students, has tested positive for Legionella, the bacteria which causes Legionnaires’ disease, however it is 10x below the threshold for recommended cleansing action by OSHA guidelines. Still, Hostos Community College went ahead and made sure that all cooling towers were treated and cleaned regardless of the results.
The building sits catty-corner to the Bronx General Post Office which tested also tested positive for Legionella and remained closed for several days while its cooling towers were treated and cleaned and is one of 5 buildings in a 1/2 mile radius from each other as you can see by zooming in on the map below.
Email from Hostos Director of Environmental Health and Safety, Diahann McFarlane. (Click to enlarge)
The college’s administration ordered the tests on August 3rd, well ahead of the city-wide mandate to test all cooling towers for the deadly yet treatable bacteria and on August 11th and 15th, the cooling towers were treated and disinfected. It wasn’t until yesterday, August 17th that the results were delivered to Hostos.
Legionella was detected in the Allied Health Building aka Building ‘A’ located at 475 Grand Concourse on the West side of the Concourse and was detected at 10 colony forming units per milliliter.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines, cleansing and treatment is recommended when Legionella is found at 100 CFU/mL and The Association of Water Technologies’ guidelines recommend that biocide is added when the 10 CFU/mL that was detected at Hostos but does not recommend cleansing.
As of August 15th, there have been 13 deaths associated with New York City’s largest outbreak in its history of Legionnaires’ disease in the South Bronx (including the teacher who passed away in April and worked at PS 325 within the impact zone which NYC Department of Health is not counting) and a total of 126 cases with 96 patients discharged. 18 patients remain hospitalized . No new cases have been reported with symptoms since August 3rd.
After a 4 year hiatus, Michael’s arts and craft store reopens at The Bronx Terminal Market.
Bronx Artists UNITE!
Back in 2009 when The Gateway Center Mall The Bronx The Bronx Terminal Market opened featuring The Bronx’s first and only popular arts and crafts store, Michael’s. Artists and crafts-makers alike rejoiced that they no longer had to trek outside of the Bronx to get their supplies.
Then in 2011 out of nowhere the store closed down and Burlington Coat Factory moved in next door as The Bronx Terminal Market restructured its failed indoor shopping wing.
Now it’s August 2015 and Michael’s is mysteriously back at the mall but residents don’t care about why, they are simply glad that they’re back in the neighborhood.
The short and simple, according to Michael’s store Manager Chris Reid, the store closed in 2011 amid slow sales but the department store continued to pay the rent on the space and decided that it was time, once again, to open up their first and only store in The Bronx.
Shoppers quickly took advantage of the store’s reopening.
Before 2009 and after 2011, Bronxites had to travel to 98th and Columbus Avenue on the Upper West Side of Manhattan or Pelham Manor just over The Bronx/Westchester Border to shop at Michael’s but now no more.
Cinnamon Willis aka Melan Dolly who creates these amazing dolls and is from the area and who first told Welcome2TheBronx that they were back, said, “So glad to see this store open again at the Bronx Terminal Market mall! No you can’t find ALL of your art supplies there but it’s a great start for those in the immediate area that don’t want to travel far for supplies! Welcome back to the South Bronx!”
Daniel Del Valle, a Bronx fine artist and illustrator summed up his excitement by simply stating, “Yay, the candy store is back!”
Willis also wants to remind shoppers of Michael’s great savings available by online coupons via their website which they’ll honor right from the convenience of your cell phone. “They range from 20%-60% and are on their website all the time and will honor them from your cell phone.” Willis reminded us.
Shoppers at the store were delighted as well.
Elizabeth Castro-Cortes, another artist from The Bronx was happy that she no longer had to schlep for her art supply for her children’s program and her friend Nayidah Watson also from Highbridge and a painter was equally happy. “FINALLY! FINALLY!”, exclaimed Castro-Cortes when we asked her that the store was open.
Now it’s up to our local artists and craft lovers in the area to support this store and make sure it stays open! If they don’t carry something that you need or may be at another store speak to management and they will be happy to help you to the best of their abilities.
Selina Kyle aka Catwoman played by Camren Bicondova flashes us a smile while heading to the set of ‘Gotham’
For the last couple of days, Welcome2TheBronx has had the pleasure of checking out the set and filming of the popular Fox TV Crime Drama ‘Gotham’ based on the Batman franchise.
The Old Bronx Courthouse is serving as the main location set (although we can’t tell you what the scenes are, you’ll have to find out yourself when season 2 begins next month!) with a small scene being shot behind the old Hupfel Brewery on St. Ann’s Avenue.
Earlier this year we toured the Old Bronx Courthouse with the location team for ‘Law and Order’ which used the old landmark building for several scenes and in 2007 it was also the site for the film ‘American Gangster’.
![Scott Feinstein tweeted this image of the aftermath saying there was "Lot[s] of damage to one floor."](https://i0.wp.com/www.welcome2thebronx.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/explosion.jpg)
