Bronx River Alliance 2015 Assembly last night at Hostos Community College
Last night at Bronx River Alliance 2015 Assembly, Bronxites came out to Hostos Community College to celebrate one of our most precious resources: The Bronx River.
Much like The Bronx, the river itself has gone through its ups and downs and is going through some major transformations and last night, residents were able to watch some slideshow presentations catch up on some of the bigger projects going on including the construction of Bronx River House which will be the new home of the Bronx River Alliance once it opens (hopefully) in October of this year.
Nilka Martell of G.I.V.E and who was selected as one of the 25 most influential women of the year by the Bronx Times this year, held a brief moment of silence for the late Morgan Powell who’s love of the Bronx River and history was a gift he freely gave to all with his tours, talks, and writings, and research.
Bronx River House / Courtesy of Kiss+Cathcart, Architects
Bronx River House is truly a wonderful building that will compliment The Bronx River in so many ways via every inch of its design. The building, which is being constructed in Starlight Park, will be covered in lattices which will allow for plants and vines to grow across it and will, in essence, be a part of the living ecology of The Bronx River.
A boathouse with storage capacity for 30 canoes, 9 kayaks, and other boats
A nature classroom along with a multipurpose community room
Bronx River House / Courtesy of Kiss+Cathcart, Architects
During the evening the crowd was also presented with some water safety tips by the United States Coast Guard based out over in City Island (a very appropriate topic considering some of the tragic deaths in the river this past year) and talks about water quality were also part of the program.
Of course, the evening wouldn’t have been complete without a short talk on New York City’s FIRST fish ladder along the Bronx River (you can watch a quick video here on a test run with water running through it). Once operational this year, the fish ladder will allow for the alewife herring to be able to migrate and return to their freshwater spawning grounds for the first time in hundreds of years!
As usual, it was a beautiful evening uniting Bronxites from all corners of our borough celebrating our love for this place we call home and all the wonderful natural resources we are lucky to have.
The evening was made possible by sponsors such as are favorite coffee purveyor Lovie Pignata of Morris Perk who served up some delicious brew and organic earl grey tea along with amazing cookies by Taylor Made Creations, Inc., Lloyd’s Carrot Cake, Fairway, and The Wine Cellarage.
We’re looking forward to the continuing revival of The Bronx River and preserving it for future generations to come.
About a month ago I began receiving emails and text messages that homeless men were seen congregating around the Pyramid Reception Center at 161st and Elton and Washington Avenues, a former YMCA turned youth detention center that was purchased in October 2013 for $6.65 million.
Last week, upon visiting the building, I was able to confirm BronxWorks was indeed running a men’s homeless shelter in the building as per conversation with the staff. I was told that there were currently 115 men living in the building and they would be able to accommodate a total of 200 men but no more than that. 16 social workers were also in the process of being either hired or moved to the facility as well to provide services for these homeless men.
Although they screened for sex offenders, I was told by David Pobereskin, Director of Security for BronxWorks, that they do not screen for drugs and alcohol but if someone was found to have such substances on them, they would be ejected from the shelter immediately.
Responding to community complaints of many of the homeless men sleeping in the park and at Boricua Village and other nearby places, BronxWorks instituted a policy that no loitering was allowed on such premises and if residents did not comply, they would also be removed from the premises. To date, one individual did not want to comply with the new policy and was removed from the facility.
The Melrose community had been blindsided, yet again, by another homeless shelter facility opening in the neighborhood without community input particularly given the fact that the site sits in between major existing and proposed cultural venues in the area.
“This building, as a former YMCA, is a unique structure that should be used in a way that serves the community and adds to the cultural corridor that is being established there with the Bronx Music Heritage Center and No Longer Empty.” said Hannah Leshaw, a Melrose resident and Community Board 3 member.
“It is outrageous that The Bluestone Group, DHS and BronxWorks secretly opened a homeless shelter on this site. It is outrageous that the community board and neighbors were not notified or consulted.” added Leshaw.
She is not the only one upset about this building which has so much potential to be utilized in such a manner.
Steven J Bloomfield, a resident of Melrose whose great-grandparents had settled here in the beginning of the 20th century also was extremely dismayed.
“This former YMCA building is also of tremendous symbolic importance to our community, by embodying our hopes and dreams for the future. The Melrose community buzzed with excitement last summer when Pyramid Detention Center was sold at auction, bringing with it hopes that the vacant building would finally come back to life and play a vital role in the community through one of many creative proposals that had been made for its re-use.” Bloomfield said in a letter addressed to Mayor de Blasio.
“The last thing we ever expected was that Pyramid would instead be used for purposes detrimental to our community with the potential to undermine and rollback the many gains that we have made in recent years here in Melrose.” he continued.
Assemblyman Michael Blake gave a tour of the neighborhood on Friday to various individuals and one of the stops was the Pyramid Center to discuss the potential of the building. Blake is aware of the situation on the building but when asked for a comment from his office, none was provided.
Making matters worse, owners at the Aurora Condominiums found homeless men sleeping in the vestibule of their building which is directly behind the shelter.
When the building was purchased last year by the Bluestone Group, Barry Altmark, Director of Acquisitions, contacted Welcome2TheBronx to discuss the purchase and to help identify a community based organization to occupy at least 20% of the building since it was part of the terms of sale during the auction of the building by New York State.
But instead, The Bluestone Group decided to lease the building to an unknown entity which they have yet to disclose who subsequently subleased the building to BronxWorks.
When I contacted Mr Altmark last week, I was immediately told that there was no homeless shelter operating in the building but when confronted with the fact that I had made a site inspection and had confirmed it, I was told that he’d have to get back to me.
After our phone conversation, I immediately emailed him to recap our conversation to which Altmark responded, “As I was unsure of the current status and use of the property, I inquired with my bosses and verified that we have net leased the property to a 3rd unrelated party. As such, we have no relationship or involvement with BronxWorks or any operations related to this property.”
When further pressed on the issue as to what their involvement was with the tenant, and who the current leasehold was, Altmark simply replied, “We have entered into a net lease with an unrelated real estate entity on the entire property. Who they sub-leased or contracted with to occupy the property is their concern, and we have no involvement or control in that. I will pass along your information to them and have them reach out to you.”
Further attempts to get information from The Bluestone Group was unsuccessful and it is very disconcerting to have someone as a landlord so callously allow such a building be utilized for such services and not benefit the entire community.
It should be noted that the community is not opposed to the homeless population nor are ignorant to the crisis we are facing in New York City and in our own backyard in The Bronx, but Melrose and the surrounding communities have an over-saturation of such facilities and the Pyramid Center is not an appropriate building for a homeless shelter considering the huge potential the building has to serve the entire community and not just one segment of the population.
Even resident Juan Pablo Jimenez, who lives in the North Rose Apartments at Boricua Village and once found himself homeless felt the same way.
“While I was homeless myself once and understand the importance of any homeless shelter in this city, I have seen first-hand how some homeless shelters in NYC are owned and operated. A lot of times residents of these shelters are allowed to loiter outside the building. With all this open community space right near Boricua College and the North Rose buildings I feel there will be a lot of hanging out and possibly even people sleeping in our common areas when they miss curfew. Now if the shelter is enforcing curfew and making sure no one is outside hanging out in The North Rose atrium I am fine. Kids play in these areas and we want to make sure we are keeping it safe.” said Jimenez.
Currently, CB3 is requesting all lease information from BronxWorks and to appear before the Land Use committee on April 20 at 6PM at 1426 Boston Road at the corner of Prospect Avenue.
Join Bx200 tomorrow at The Bronx Museum of the Arts from 6pm – 9pm as they hold their official launch of their directory of Bronx artists. The evening will be a fun celebration of the Arts in The Bronx as the group will have a slideshow from our wonderful, artistic community and John “Crash” Matos of WallworksNY will be on hand as a guest speaker.
Oh and did we mention that Morris Perk will be on hand providing their amazing coffee?
The 203 year old house in the village of Fordham where the great poet Edgar Allan Poe spent the last years of his life is now open 4 days a week for all to enjoy and absorb the history of this celebrated man and his life. Visitors can now enjoy a visit to the cottage on Thursdays and Fridays from 10AM – 3PM, Saturdays from 10AM – 4PM, and Sundays from 1PM – 5PM.
More details below in the press release issued by the Bronx County Historical Society who manages this great, historic treasure of our borough:
EXTENDED VISITING HOURS AND AUDIO TOUR AT THE EDGAR ALLAN POE COTTAGE!
The Bronx County Historical Society is proud to announce extended hours at the landmark historic house Edgar Allan Poe Cottage along with an audio tour to enhance the experience of a place with such an extraordinary American legacy. Since its opening after a yearlong restoration in 2011, The Society began to explore new ways to make Poe Cottage more accessible to the rapidly growing Bronx community.
Although the cottage is 203 years old and the last remaining structure of the old 19th century village of Fordham, it was important to bring the famed historic house museum up to date with new technological means. So in 2012, The Bronx County Historical Society and the Historic House Trust of New York City banded together and developed an audio tour that can be accessed from all over the world. By dialing (718) 971-2156 or simply scanning with a smartphone a QR code located on the Poe Cottage webpage or throughout the historic house museum, one can hear the story of the great American writer’s experience living at the cottage along with sound recordings of people reading works that Poe wrote in the house, even in Spanish. Besides unlimited accessibility and
for those with mobility and sight limitations, the Poe Cottage audio tour gives non-English speaking Bronxites an opportunity to learn more about the famed poet, as there are plans to expand the audio tour to include other languages.
Poe Cottage, as seen from within the Poe Visitor Center where a “Raven” sits by the window.
Yet, The Bronx County Historical Society thought an audio tour was just not enough.
With the cottage’s online media presence on popular sites such as Facebook and Twitter, the demand to visit the last place where Poe lived and wrote such great pieces like the “Cask of Amontillado” and “The Bells” rapidly grew. To satisfy mounting requests, The Society extended the cottage public visiting hours two extra days, Thursdays and Fridays from 10am to 3pm, in addition to its weekend hours. This gives The Bronx community and tourists the opportunity to visit the cottage during the week.
With these exciting and innovating implementations, The Society continues their mission to keep Poe’s legacy alive in the vibrant Bronx community.
The Bronx County Historical Society was founded in 1955 for the purpose of promoting knowledge, interest and research in The Bronx. The Society administers The Museum of Bronx History, Edgar Allan Poe Cottage, a Research Library, and the Bronx County Archives; publishes books, journals and newsletters; conducts school programs, historical tours, lectures, conferences, archaeological digs, and commemorations; designs exhibitions, sponsors various expeditions, and produces radio shows and cable TV programs. The Society is active in furthering the arts, in preserving the natural resources of The Bronx and in creating the sense of pride in The Bronx Community. The Bronx County Historical Society encourages the establishment of named endowment funds. Funds may be created to support many Society programs, or may be established for restricted use. The funds appear permanently on the financial records of The Society in recognition of their ongoing support of its work.
The Bronx County Historical Society is partially supported through funds and services provided by the NYC Departments of Cultural Affairs and Parks and Recreation, the Historic House Trust of New York City, the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the NYS Library, The Bronx City Council Delegation, the Office of the President of the Borough of The Bronx, the Bronx Delegations of the NYS Assembly and the NYS Senate, the H.W. Wilson Foundation, the Astor Fund, the Carnegie Foundation, the Lucius N. Littauer Foundation, The New York Times Foundation, the Verizon Foundation, the New Yankee Stadium Community Benefits Fund, the Susan Tane Foundation, the New York Public Library, and The Bronx Chamber of Commerce.
NO LONGER EMPTY PRESENTS WHEN YOU CUT INTO THE PRESENT THE FUTURE LEAKS OUT
AT OLD BRONX BOROUGH COURTHOUSE, APRIL 23–JULY 19, 2015
Photo credit: Whitney Browne Photography
Location: 878 Brook Ave / Bronx, NY 10451 (at East 161 St and Third Ave) Directions: 2 or 5 train to 3 Ave-149 St, walk northeast on Third Ave, left onto Brook Ave (10 min); 4, B, or D train to 161 St-Yankee Stadium, walk east on 161 St (20 min) or take Bx6 bus to Elton Ave–E 161 St Press Preview: Thursday, April 23, 11am–1pm, includes walk-through with Curator Regine Basha. RSVP to press@nolongerempty.org, subject line: Press Preview Opening Reception: Thursday, April 23, 6–9pm Viewing Hours: April 23–July 19, Thursday–Sunday, 1–7pm
New York, March 20, 2015 – No Longer Empty (NLE) is pleased to present When You Cut into the Present the Future Leaks Out at the Old Bronx Borough Courthouse. Curated by Regine Basha for NLE, the exhibition is one of seven projects to receive the Neighborhood Challenge Award. Built 1905–1914 and attributed to architects Michael John Garvin and Oscar Florianus Bluemner, the Courthouse, once boasting granite floors, lavish stairways, and bronze doors, remains adorned by a statue of Lady Justice. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Bronx County, the Beaux Arts-style building has been shuttered for 37 years. For more information, please visit nolongerempty.org
The Old Bronx Borough Courthouse is taken as both site and theme: a time capsule, witness, and symbol existing within a plurality of narratives about its future role in the neighborhood. Referencing a quote by Beat generation poet William S. Burroughs, When You Cut into the Present the Future Leaks Out echoes approaches attributed to cut-up poetry, early Hip-Hop, Spoken Word, and the sculptural practice of artist Gordon Matta-Clark, who sliced into urban spaces as social commentary. The exhibition will occupy three floors and include the works of 26 artists and site-specific works commissioned by NLE.
Artists: Daniel Bozhkov / Melissa Calderon / Beth Campbell / Paco Cao / Onyedika Chuke / Abigail DeVille / Teresa Diehl / Elastic City (Todd Shalom) / Nicolas Dumit Estevez / Ellen Harvey / Skowmon Hastanan / Adam Helms / Iman Issa / Paul Ramirez Jonas & Deborah Fisher / Lady K Fever / Michelle Lopez / Ivan Navarro / Daniel Neumann & Juan Betancurth / Shellyn Rodriguez / David Scanavino / Lisa Sigal / Julianne Swartz / Xaviera Simmons / Valerie Tevere & Angel Nevarez
To activate the empty space and directly involve the community members, NLE will host public programs and activities. Approximately 20 events will include: No Longer Bored Family Day: Urban Gardening Workshop (Saturday, April 25, 1–4pm); BX200 Virtual Artist Studios (Sunday, April 26, 3–5pm and Friday, June 12, 6–8pm); Teens Curate Teens exhibition opening and teen day (Saturday, May 16, 1–7pm); Bronx Fashion Week (Saturday, May 9); and conceptual walks with Elastic City (Friday, May 29, 1pm and Saturday, May 30, 1pm and 5pm). Bilingual support materials will be available where appropriate.
Additional event and programming dates to be announced: New York Public Library Community Oral History Project, an evening of dance and performance with Bronx Academy of Arts & Dance, walking tours by Ed García Conde, Founder and Editor of Welcome2TheBronx, a prospective tenant party hosted in partnership with SoBRO, and more! Stay tuned at nolongerempty.org
Community Partners: ArtsConnection / Bronx200 / Bronx Academy of Arts & Dance (BAAD!) / Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education / DreamYard Project / Ed García Conde, Welcome2TheBronx / The Kelly Street Community Garden / New York Public Library Community Oral History Project / Percent for Green / South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (SoBRO)
Official media sponsors: WNYC Radio and Ed García Conde, Welcome2TheBronx
ABOUT NO LONGER EMPTY
Founded in 2009, No Longer Empty’s mission is to activate public engagement with contemporary art through curated, community-responsive exhibitions and educational programming that revive underutilized properties. NLE’s unique approach begins on site, with extensive research and engagement with the assets and needs of the community that culminates in program development, implementation, and legacy.
Partnering with building owners, community groups, non-profits, museums and universities, NLE has organized 18 museum-quality exhibitions throughout NYC; showcased the work of 219 artists; and commissioned 141 artworks. In addition to hosting 188 public programs, NLE has developed educational programming including No Longer Bored Family Days & School Tours, Y.DOT Youth Docent Program, Teens Curate Teens in partnership with ArtsConnection, and our legacy program NLE After-School & Beyond. In 2013, the organization launched NLE Curatorial Lab, an annual professional development program for curators interested in site-specific practice.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
#nolongerempty #oldbxcourthouse #whenyoucutintothepresent
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and with generous support from NYC Department of Small Business Services, New York City Economic Development Corporation, National Endowment for the Arts, The Joan Mitchell Foundation, The Robert Lehman Foundation, and The Gilbert MacKay Foundation. Support for No Longer Empty’s educational programming is provided by The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation and The American Chai Trust. We gratefully acknowledge our project partner, Liberty Square Realty Corporation. Opening reception sponsored by Bronx Brewery.
###
No Longer Empty activates public engagement with contemporary art through curated, community-responsive exhibitions and education programs that revive underutilized properties.
This is an excellent discussion considering the Jerome Avenue Study Area that is going on in The Bronx. Take a look at the video below. If you can’t view it, follow the link below.
Via NY1:
NY1 VIDEO: Errol Louis discussed development, affordable housing and gentrification in East Harlem with a special panel: Debralee Santos, editor of the Manhattan Times; Chairman of Community Board 11 Matthew Washington; Raphael Benavides, the president of the East Harlem Merchants Association, and journalist and documentary filmmaker Andrew Padilla.
“City should prioritize local health concerns, say advocates
More employment opportunities are needed in the area, but how those jobs are created should have minimal harm on the environment, said Kellie Terry, executive director of The Point Community Development Corporation during a panel hosted by the Center for Bronx Nonprofits at Hostos Community College. The city should reform its zoning and land review processes so that businesses are required to perform environmental impact analyses of their operations before city agencies approve applications, she said.
“We need to reimagine our environmental process,” Terry said. “The issue is complex, but it’s not beyond fixing.”
Elected officials cannot address the employment needs of the South Bronx without also tackling how proposed projects will affect the environment, the panelists said. The increase in available quality jobs should not come at the expense of residents’ health, they said.
“Politicians should be responsible for the lives of the people in the community,” said Mychal Johnson, a founding member of grassroots coalition South Bronx Unite. “We can’t change the dynamic after the deal is done.”
The impending FreshDirect relocation to the South Bronx is a project that will bring jobs but hurt residents, Johnson said. The city gave the food delivery company the green light to move its distribution hub, which broke ground in December, to Port Morris from Long Island City before the community could weigh in on its potential environmental impact, he added.
1040 LOUNGE at the Bronx Museum located at 1040 Grand Concourse
In honor of its 25th Anniversary, the film Paris is Burning will be screened at the Bronx Museum, followed by a Q&A led by BronxWorks’ Sexual Health Promotion Through Youth Leadership youth as well as a Voguing Workshop led by Visual AIDS artist Kia LaBeija. The iconic film provides a dynamic and intimate portrait of the Harlem drag balls of the 1980s, where rival fashion “houses” competed for trophies and cash prizes in categories like “face,” “femme queen realness” and “voguing.” Winner of a Sundance Grand Jury Prize, Paris is Burning celebrates how African-American, Latino, gay, and transgender New Yorkers, for whom racism, poverty, and homophobia were daily struggles, created a world of sustenance and joy. Presented in collaboration with Visual AIDS (visualaids.org) and BronxWorks.
We will be joined by a number of community partners, including HealthPlus Amerigroup, Planned Parenthood, and Tantalizing Productions, Inc., who will offer hand outs and more information on sexual health and wellness.
Public and Community Engagement Programs at The Bronx Museum of the Arts are made possible by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, and The New York Community Trust. Beer has been provided by Bronx Brewery.
———
Artful Health is a series of programs presented by the Bronx Museum focused on an array of health issues of extreme relevance to the Bronx community. Considering the prevalence of health conditions such as asthma, obesity, diabetes, sexually transmitted infections, and mental illness in the borough, we hope to providing safe, engaging, and dynamic public spaces for South Bronx residents to learn more about these issues, gain access to health resources, and share their experiences through diverse art forms to which they may not otherwise have access.
———-
Kia LaBeija (AKA Kia Michelle Benbow) is a multi-disciplinary artist working in photography, performance and installation. A member of the Iconic House of LaBeija, Kia’s work explores the intersections of fantasy, nightlife, community, politics and fine art. As an activist and founding member of the GrenAIDS Collective, her work is focused on HIV/AIDS awareness -specifically in relation to youth- by educating and creating space for new conversations. About Visual Aids
Visual AIDS utilizes art to fight AIDS by provoking dialogue, supporting HIV+ artists, and preserving a legacy, because AIDS is not over. Fully committed to HIV prevention and AIDS awareness, Visual AIDS enables public dialogue and scholarship around AIDS and contemporary art with exhibitions, public events and publications. About BronxWork’s Sexual Health Promotion Through Youth Leadership Program
The South Bronx has some of the highest rates of HIV, STIs, and teen pregnancy in NYC. In an ongoing effort to lower these numbers, BronxWorks Sexual Health Youth Leaders provide sexual education to our Bronx peers and connect them with local resources.
Welcome2TheBronx teamed up with Curbed to help identify several major projects in The Bronx that are considered to be game changers in our borough.
These are crucial to keep an eye on and their impact on surrounding areas as threats of gentrification continues to creep in. Places like the Bronx Documentary Center have been pivotal in keeping the conversation going on gentrification and what residents can do to come up with solutions as not to be pushed out and they have also documented the changes in our neighborhoods.
Here’s what Curbed had to say:
“For decades, the Bronx has been ignored in the larger conversation of a changing New York City. But as big developers like Chetrit Group and Greystone turn their eyes north, and Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. announces his lofty desires for creating a Brooklyn Bridge Park-style public space along the Harlem River, it seems like momentum is starting to build around the fledgling borough. “The South Bronx has experienced an unprecedented amount of capital flowing in the past years over some major developments,” Ed García Conde of Welcome2theBronx tells Curbed, referencing progressive mega developments like La Central and Via Verde. Also in the southern part of the borough, landmarked buildings like the Kingsbridge Armory and Bronx Borough Courthouse are being appropriated for cultural events space. Here’s a look at a few of the big things that will spearhead more change in the Bronx.
—With input from Ed García Conde of Welcome2theBronx.
Just got a chance to look at the first ever The Bronx 2015 Visitors Guide by The Bronx Tourism Council and I must say they did a pretty good job. Of course not all of our neighborhood favorites made it to the list but nevertheless it’s pretty comprehensive and highlights many of our treasures big and small and off the beaten path ones too.
The guide highlights all corners of our beautiful borough from our greenways, landmarks, cultural attractions and culinary delights to the natural beauty of The Bronx.
Check out the visitors guide below by clicking below!
Gary Axelbank with Carmen Rivera Vega of CASA and Barry Smith from 100 Black Construction Workers Local 79
One of the hottest topics in Bronx real estate is the proposed Cromwell-Jerome Avenue Study area which has the potential to transform a 73 block area which overlapping two community districts and multiple neighborhoods such as Highbridge, Mount Hope, Mount Eden, Morris Heights, Fordham, and University Heights. So much so that part 2 of the series which aired on Monday has already been seen over 28,000 times as of this posting.
Critics, including many area residents and community based organizations are cautious about any rezoning plans that does not include the true stakeholders in the neighborhoods — the residents, business owners, and the many organizations that have been embedded in the community for decades.
This caution comes from decades of rezonings and upzonings that have been forced upon communities with little to know input from said groups, however, Department of City Planning’s Bronx Director, Carol Samol has insisted that this is unlike any other studies and rezonings because there has been no actual proposals as to what will happen in the massive 73 block area.
Samol has said that instead, this is a clean slate where the community can come together to help shape a neighborhood the city has identified could use a look at given that it hasn’t had any zoning in over half a century. Already meetings are being held by DCP, the first of which was held on March 14th with several more coming over the next few weeks, including a Spanish session for the area’s Spanish-speaking residents.
Dates of DCP community meetings for the Jerome Avenue Study Area
Gary Axelbank, the host of the long running BronxTalk, held a two-part series of discussions on the issues with the first having aired Monday, March 10 with Carol Samol on the show to talk more about the process and the study. On Monday, the second air showed which gave community groups such as CASA and Local 79 a chance to present their thoughts and ideas on the situation at hand.
Watch the videos on the conversation and let us know what you think.
Part I – BronxTalk, March 9, 2015 – Jerome Avenue Study Area with DCP Bronx Director Carol Samol and Daniel Hernandez of HPD.
Part II – BronxTalk Jerome Avenue Study Area with Carmen Vega Rivera of CASA and Barry Smith from 100 Black Construction Workers Local 79
The Bronx is the only borough of New York City situated on the American mainland. Formerly a wilderness of forests, meadows, and streams inhabited by various Indian tribes, The Bronx was settled by the Dutch in the seventeenth century. Marginally separated from upper Manhattan by the narrow Harlem River, The Bronx quickly became a convenient destination for migrants seeking to escape the overcrowding and high costs of Manhattan.
The Irish first came to the Bronx in the mid 19th century as gangs of laborers who constructed the New York and Harlem Railroad, the Hudson River Railroad and the High Bridge. Their back-breaking and highly dangerous work inspired the saying that American railroads had “an Irishman buried under every tie.” Later, Irish migrants filled the newly-built Bronx factories or commuted to jobs in Manhattan. They settled their families in neat wooden frame houses within the Bronx neighborhoods of Mott Haven, Melrose, and Highbridge, where they tended to pigs, cows and chickens and cultivated vegetable gardens in the backyards.
Bronx Irish Golden Age
South Bronx Neighborhood 1920s
Other waves of immigration in the early twentieth century brought Italians, Germans, and Eastern European Jews to the Bronx. At the same time, Manhattan subway lines extended north and attracted furious development. Brick walk-ups sprouted seemingly overnight, lining street after street, providing rental housing to the mostly working class residents and transforming the Bronx into its own city. By the late 1920s, the Bronx was booming with over 1.2 million people, mostly first- and second-generation immigrants who worked as carpenters, brick masons, house painters, tailors, garment makers, store clerks, small shop owners, and salesmen.
The Bronx community of the 1930s was self-sustaining for a majority of its residents, complete with new apartment houses, tree-lined streets, spacious public parks, good schools and ample shops. Social life blossomed on stoops and in apartment courtyards, weaving a tight fabric of community life. Millions of Americans came to know the Bronx through “The Rise of the Goldbergs,” a popular radio and, later, television show depicting the lives of a Jewish family from the Bronx.
Bronx Irish Depression
A Great Depression “Hooverville”
The Bronx that greeted Irish immigrants in 1930 was a hopeful place, but one that could not escape the growing despair of the age. Despite its charms, The Bronx was hit hard by the Depression. A Hooverville emerged on the Harlem River near Highbridge. New construction dropped 75% from its 1920s highs. Evictions tripled throughout the city.
Bronx Irish Catholics
Many Bronx Irish sought refuge from their dire circumstances in the predominant institution of Irish culture since the arrival of St. Patrick: The Catholic Church. Community life in Bronx Irish neighborhoods revolved around the Catholic Church. Catholic churches and schools were abundant in Bronx Irish neighborhoods and were commonly attended by the children of Irish immigrants.
Bronx Children Walking to School
Youngsters descended daily from apartment stoops around Bronx Irish neighborhoods and paraded up the avenues to the school grounds, filling the morning air with shouts and laughter. Mobs of parishioners filed through church doors for mass on Sundays and holy days, or to celebrate a wedding or bid farewell to a loved one. The highlight of spring featured First Communion processions down major thoroughfares, followed by graduating eighth-graders in the early summer. Irish American boys played pool, ping pong or boxing in school recreation rooms and joined girls at church dances on Friday nights. Catholic priests walked the neighborhoods, mingling with parishioners and keeping the children out of trouble. Nuns sold carnations outside churches every May to celebrate motherhood.
Bronx Irish Community Life
Bronx Children Eating Sno-Cones
Beyond church grounds boys played in the streets — games like stick ball, hand ball, kick the can, pitching pennies, Johnny on the pony, and marbles. Girls played jacks, hopscotch and jump rope. Kids raised pigeons or flew kites on rooftops and raced gleefully through alleys and courtyards. Adults congregated and watched over neighborhoods from stoops and fire escapes. In summer, kids opened fire hydrants or flocked to sprinklers and wading ponds of nearby parks for relief from the sweltering heat. They rented bikes for 25 cents, jumped on a mobile merry-go-round for a few pennies, and sat on blanketed fire escapes after sundown to unwind in the cool night air. Villagers traversed Bronx Irish neighborhoods on trolleys for a nickel and children hitched on the back for a free ride. The downtrodden sang in courtyards and alleys for coins and bottle caps.
Saturdays were scored by sounds of the Metropolitan Opera streaming from radios and reverberating through windows and alleyways of Bronx Irish neighborhoods. Holidays lured block parties and parades to crowd Bronx thoroughfares. The carnival set up once or twice a year by Jackson Avenue station, casting a nightly glow over the South Bronx. Small shops lined sidewalks and thrived on abundant foot traffic. The South Bronx portion of Westchester Avenue from Wales to 152nd featured Dolan’s Irish Food Store, Olympia Florist, Cushman’s Bakery, an ice cream parlor, a drugstore, a Jewish baker, a candy store and two newsstands.
Bronx Irish Charity
Bronx Shop 1930s
Many shop owners offered store credit to poor Irish families in need of bread, milk or meat for their children. Other neighbors and friends offered support when they could, providing small loans or passing along used clothing to needy families.
For a few weeks every summer, thousands of New York’s poor children, including many Bronx Irish, were given a respite from the strains of poverty and city life through the New York Herald-Tribune Fresh Air Fund. Wealthy families welcomed poor children into their summer homes in Upstate New York and Connecticut, providing these young Irish Americans a rare experience to roam the rolling mountains and lush fields outside the Great City, just as their ancestors had roamed the Irish countryside in bygone years.
