The East Bronx History Forum will transport us back to the Bronx of 1960 at Freedomland! Freedomland was larger and safer than Disneyland, or was it? Come on down to Westchester Square and find out. Wednesday February 18th at 7:30pm!
Freedomland was touted as the world’s largest theme park and captured the history of the country, while providing wholesome family entertainment. Shaped in the form of the United States, with Little Old New York in the east to the San Francisco Wharf and great earthquake of 1906 in the west. Other attractions were the great Chicago Fire, the old Southwest, New Orleans and the Santa Fe Railroad transporting visitors from coast to coast. It had something to offer for everyone.
Thomas X. Casey, co-author of “Northwest Bronx “ and “Bronx Views, the Postcard Book” and Secretary of the EBHF led us on a visit to Freedomland in 2007 and he will now lead a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the closing of Freedomland. You will see numerous images! Please get there early as seating is limited and Free. You can also see many souvenirs that were available for sale at Freedomland. Look forward to seeing you Wednesday February 18th at 7:30pm, at the Huntington Free Library (next to Apple Bank). MOMMY AND DADDY, TAKE MY HAND, TAKE ME OUT TO FREEDOMLAND! Look forward to seeing you there!
The Bronx had one of the biggest and best amusement parks EVER, Freedomland! Here is a picture of the park; you can see a horse drawn trolley carrying excited visitors. It was shaped like the United States and had historical themes and attractions, such as the Chicago Fire and Old New York. It was built where present day Co-Op City is, currently the largest cooperative housing development in the world. Sadly, it only lasted 4 years as the location was tough to get to and the colder seasons did not allow for as many visitors as sunny California or Florida would allow for the Disney theme parks. Wednesday, February 18th at 7:30P, there will be a FREE lecture on Freedomland at the East Bronx History Forum.
The East Bronx History Forum is located at 9 Westchester Square:
Piraña, proprietor of La Lechonera Piraña which made the list, ever playful and greets each one of his regular customers like family. This was taken last year for the Puerto Rican Festival on 152nd Street and Jackson Avenue.
The Bronx, home to New York’s congressional district with the highest percentage of Puerto Ricans has long been a bastion of all things Puerto Rico including the birth of Salsa and many cultural institutions. Even though the area has seen an influx of a more diverse latino population in recent decades, the heavy Puerto Rican influence in our latino communities still lingers.
The culinary offerings of Puerto Rico, of course, are one of the most visible aspects of the culture as you can’t venture too far before running into a cuchifrito or Puerto Rican restaurant. Sure we know that the fried delicacies shouldn’t be a daily staple of our diets but it’s so hard to resist the smells when you walk by one of these establishments.
Chris Crowley, an avid food writer for various magazines recently picked his top 5 Puerto Rican joints and in the intro he says:
“Already the birthplace of hip-hop, home to America’s most storied baseball franchise, and haven for West African, Albanian, and Bangladeshi immigrants, the Bronx is also a critically important stop on the salsa train. Since 2003, it’s been a majority Latino borough—as well as the center of gravity for the city’s Puerto Rican community dating back to the ’50s. Despite a surging Dominican presence, lechoneras (roast-pork temples perfumed with garlic) still abound, and there are still many places to fulfill a craving for conch-stuffed fritters and cans of Coco Rico.
We’ve compiled a list of must-try places for pastelillos, mofongo, and other specialties of the island’s pork-centric, sofrito-powered cuisine—that wonderful blend of Spanish, American, and African influences.”
I was particularly happy to see Lechonera La Piraña on the list but I didn’t see Isla Cuchifritos on 149th Street and Morris Avenue in Melrose (I love that place since it’s open 24 hours all year round and serves a rotisserie chicken that is so soft and juicy that it falls off the bones.
Van Cortlandt House, where President George Washington slept at least twice and also where he began his journey from into Manhattan to re-capture New York from British rule thus ending their control in America.
While many of us are off today for Presidents’ Day, do you know the connections that The Bronx has to Washington and Lincoln?
Some of you may already know your Bronx history, especially if you’ve read our Bronx Facts we’ve been compiling since last year but since today’s a holiday why not talk a little more about our borough’s place in history.
Let’s start with our nation’s first president, George Washington.
On October 12, 1776, the British landed in Throgg’s Neck with 4,000 troops who were later met with the resistance of 350 Americans who were able to hold them off at Pell’s Point in Pelham Bay Park. This allowed Washington and his troops to safely reach White Plains. Think about that. 350 Americans against 4,000 British troops!
But it wasn’t until 1783 that George Washington left Van Cortlandt House in The Bronx with his troops in what is considered the final act of the American Revolution which was the recapturing of New York City. Known as ‘Evacuation Day‘, November 25th, 1783 was that historic day when Washington triumphantly left The Bronx, crossed the Harlem River into Manhattan and headed down the island to New York as the last bit of British Authority fled the shores of America.
Photo Credit: Sgt. Jose A. Torres Jr. Maj. Gen. Michael S. Linnington, commanding general, Military District of Washington, lays a wreath at the foot of the President Abraham Lincoln statue at the Lincoln Memorial in honor of Lincoln’s birthday in Washington D.C., Feb. 12. 2012.
Then we have president Abraham Lincoln and while he never set foot in The Bronx, his most famous likeness was created right here in The Bronx.
Last night’s celebration at The Bronx Museum of the Arts for the BxArts Factory launch event was full positive vibes and energy. Although I was never fortunate enough to go to Fashion Moda, judging from the film clips and history, it felt as if I had stepped into something very much like it.
Hundreds of people came to the event from all walks of life — artist or not — and the air was full of laughter, people were dancing, performance artists were entertaining, painters were painting but best of all was watching how organically many people came together making new connections within the arts community.
During a speech by Phillip Morrow, President and CEO of SoBro (South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation) and the agency which BxArts Factory is working with to secure their space at Brook Avenue Gardens, he stressed SoBro’s commitment to the arts and fostering local artists.
Many Bronxites are excited about BxArts Factory and can’t wait for it to open. People applauded when the organizations founders spoke about the importance of connecting arts programming with our children.
The evening wouldn’t have been possible without their partners Beyond Organic Design and SoBro and their sponsors, The Bronx Museum of the Arts who generously provided the space for the event, and Morris Perk who served up a delicious Lovers’ Leap blend (with berry and chocolate flavors) by Ricks Roaster Coffee Company (provided by their rep, Denise Martino who baked the most delicious cookies!). The Bronx Beer Hall provided their great selections of local brews, Don Reyes, along with Luscious Vines, sampled some of their delicious rums and wines, Trevon Blondet’s Black Blonde Images documented the evening Flaco Coquito had their low-cal drink on hand, and all the artists who provided live entertainment.
Arthur Avenue, home of New York City’s REAL Little Italy.
We already know that Arthur Avenue in Belmont is the undisputed REAL Little Italy of New York and each time we read about it we get even happier that it continues to receive that distinction.
This time, SpoiledNYC writes:
Let’s be honest, Arthur Avenue is one of the best-kept secrets of New York City.
Tucked away within a few charming blocks of the Bronx, Arthur Avenue is home to an array of Italian restaurants, bakeries, delis, and shops that are sure to seduce your palette and never stray far from the back of your mind.
We’ve created a comprehensive guide for all you Italian-lovers and foodies out there in NYC.
Whether you’re looking for a quick slice, a sweet something to snack on, or a decadent dish topped with all the cheese and red sauce your heart desires, Arthur Avenue’s countless venues are guaranteed to deliver.
Lt. Col. Merryl Tengesdal stands in front of a U-2 Feb. 9, 2015, at Beale Air Force Base, Calif. Tengesdal is the only black female U-2 pilot in history. Tengesdal is the 9th Reconnaissance Wing inspector general and a U-2 pilot. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Bobby Cummings)
Lt. Col Merryl Tengesdal, a Bronx native, has become the first African-American female to ever pilot the U-2 — an ultra-high altitude reconnaissance aircraft used for intelligence gathering and can fly up to altitudes of 70,000 feet. The aircraft is celebrating 60 years this year in flight.
According to an article by the United States Air Force, Tengesdal, “As a child she imagined flying amongst the stars, thousands of miles above the earth’s surface, and today Lt. Col. Merryl Tengesdal is one of eight female pilots to ever fly the U-2 and the only black female pilot during the aircraft’s history.”
The article also goes on to say that she has been recommended for promotion to colonel as well.
Lt. Col Merryl Tengesdal is a true Bronx Hero and we are happy to celebrate her accomplishments. May her example be inspiration for all of our Bronx children that they can truly reach for the stars!
Below is the complete story from the United States Air Force for you to read:
By Senior Airman Bobby Cummings, 9th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs / Published February 10, 2015
BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) —
(This feature is part of the “Through Airmen’s Eyes” series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)
As a child she imagined flying amongst the stars, thousands of miles above the earth’s surface, and today Lt. Col. Merryl Tengesdal is one of eight female pilots to ever fly the U-2 and the only black female pilot during the aircraft’s history.
A Bronx, N.Y. native, Tengesdal is a U-2 pilot and 9th Reconnaissance Wing inspector general who was recently selected for promotion to the rank of colonel.
“I have seen the curvature of the earth,” Tengesdal said. “I have seen sights most people will never see. Flying at more than 70,000 feet is really beautiful and peaceful. I enjoy the quiet, hearing myself breathing, and the hum of the engine. I never take it for granted.”
Aug. 1, 2015, will mark the 60th anniversary of the U-2; making it one of the few aircraft to operate in the U.S. Air Force for more than 50 years.
The U-2 first flew in 1955, in the same year the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott and the Civil Rights Movement began, setting the stage for desegregation.
“The Air Force has always been on the forefront of breaking aviation and racial barriers,” Tengesdal said. “I am extremely proud of being the first black female U-2 pilot in history.”
The U-2 provides high-altitude intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance in direct support of national objectives. The aircraft enables the capture of imagery and delivers intelligence to decision makers worldwide.
These missions are often at altitudes equivalent to approximately 13 miles. Pilots are required to wear full pressure suits during flight, similar to those astronauts wear. According to many aviation experts, limited visibility caused by the required helmets, along with the U-2’s bicycle landing gear, makes it arguably the most difficult aircraft to land.
“Every aircraft I’ve flown has something unique,” Tengesdal said. “The U-2 is no exception. I enjoy the challenge of landing on two wheels.”
Tengesdal is no stranger to challenges. The colonel acknowledged that during her childhood, there were many opportunities for her to stray down the wrong path.
“Drugs and alcohol were prevalent in my hometown, but I was influenced to pursue other aspirations,” she said.
With guidance from her mother and teachers, she excelled in high school, particularly in math and science. After high school, she attended the University of New Haven in Connecticut and graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering. Afterward, she attended Officer Candidate School in the Navy, commissioned as an ensign in September 1994, and attended flight training shortly after.
“During the mid-90s, the military had just begun opening more roles for women in combat,” Tengesdal said. “Combat pilot was one of the opportunities. There was also a massive push for more minorities into the pilot training program. I remember when I attended flight training, it was racially diverse, which I was surprised to see. It was a good feeling. However, I could tell there were a few people who did not appreciate us.”
The first aircraft she flew was the Navy’s SH-60B Seahawk helicopter, used for anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, anti-ship warfare and special operations. She loved the versatility of the aircraft and its capabilities.
In 2004, Tengesdal followed her dream of flying higher and cross-commissioned into the Air Force, joining less than 1,000 pilots to join the U-2 program at Beale.
The U-2 pilot training is a rigorous nine-month course. Every candidate must conduct training missions aboard the TU-2S, a duel seat trainer aircraft located only at Beale. A solo high-flight occurs as a final challenge. Upon completion, pilots are often deployed around the world.
Lt. Col. Merryl Tengesdal receives a maintenance check on her full pressure suit by Senior Airman Garret McNeely in preparation to take flight in a U-2 Feb. 9, 2015 at Beale Air Force Base, Calif. Tengesdal is the 9th Reconnaissance Wing inspector general and a U-2 pilot. McNeely is a 9th Physiological Support Squadron aerospace physiology technician. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Bobby Cummings)
Tengesdal has been deployed to multiple locations and has flown missions in support of Operation Olive Harvest in Afghanistan and Iraq. In addition, she has also aided in preventing terrorism and piracy in the Horn of Africa. Throughout her career, she has logged more than 3,400 flight hours and more than 330 combat hours.
“I have been truly blessed to have experienced all I have during my time in the military,” Tengesdal said.
According to Tengesdal, many women have contacted her to tell her they are proud of her accomplishments and that she is an inspiration to them.
“I’m incredibly fortunate. It’s surreal.” Tengesdal said. “From my time in the Navy to my experiences in the U-2 program, I like to think I’ve played a part in helping some of the troops on the ground get home safely.”
She has flown at the edge of space and witnessed a shooting star from the inside of a cockpit. She achieved what no African American woman ever had before.
“It is very uncommon, even for this day and age, to be a female pilot, much less a female minority,” Tengesdal said. “My career field is very male dominated, but I hope I have helped other females with similar aspirations to realize this is an option. I think we are all limitless as to what we can accomplish.”
The BxArts Factory will be located in the nationally landmarked Brook Avenue Gardens building on 148th Street and Brook Avenue in Mott Haven at the border of Melrose.
“We are thrilled to have a place in the Melrose-Mott Haven area. This is a very diverse community with an immense need of arts programs and already filled with many artists. It’s a great opportunity to help bring everyone together to empower society through art”, said Laura Alvarez Vice-President and COO of the BxArts Factory as well as a founding member.
The organization will occupy approximately 2,500 square feet of space in the cellar of the building, otherwise known to local residents and its tenants, as the ‘Casket Building’ as the edifice was once a casket-making factory during its last incarnation. BxArts Factory is still under negotiations with the building’s landlord on the terms of the lease, however, the organization is happy to say that this will be their new home.
Located behind the Opera House Hotel and just 2 blocks from the 3rd Avenue and 149th Street subway station on the 2/5 express trains gives the BxArts Factory access to the millions that pass through the area not to mention that The Hub has over 200,000 pedestrians making it the busiest intersection outside of Times Square.
Melrose, Mott Haven and the immediate area are already brimming with arts-based organization and the BxArts Factory will be yet another welcomed organization. Within a 20 minute walking radius you have the Bronx Documentary Center, Longwood Gallery of the Arts, Pregones Theatre, BronxArtSpace, The Bronx Museum, and the Andrew Freedman Home, WallworksNY, and not to mention, the future home of the Bronx Music Heritage Center which will begin construction in Melrose on 161st this year.
Yolanda Rodriguez, President, CEO, and founder of BxArts Factory said, “The Bronx has been my home since 1997. I love the Bronx and I love the people that make it so unique. I am thrilled to be able to bring our organization to the Melrose-Mott Haven area. I remember visiting the area local businesses often with my aunt when I first moved here.”
“I am honored and humbled to be able to serve the community that I hold so dear to my heart. I am happy to be able to follow in the footsteps of so many other amazing organization that have worked tenuously to make arts and culture an integral part of our Bronx community!” added Rodriguez.
Rendering of the Bronx Children’s Museum Powerhouse Discovery Center at Mill Pond Park
After 10 long years, The Bronx will finally have a permanent space for the Bronx Children’s Museum.
In Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito’s State of The City address today, she mentioned the opening of the Bronx Children’s Museum by 2017 ending an era where we are the only borough in NYC without a dedicated cultural institution for our 250,000 children under the age of 9.
For years the museum has been slated to open at the old Powerhouse Building in Mill Pond Park along the Harlem River and across from the Bronx Terminal Market but funding has not been there — and it still isn’t fully since there as $4 million is needed to complete the museum but the commitment from the city to open by 2017 is there.
According to a press release issued by the Bronx Children’s Museum executive director, Carla Precht said:
“The Bronx Children’s Museum is a symbol of NYC’s Tale of Two Cities. On behalf of the children of the Bronx who cannot vote and do not have a voice, we applaud the Speaker’s clarity about issues critical to the future of our great city — the empowerment of all vulnerable New Yorkers, including children like those of the Bronx, who for too long have been denied equal access to educational, enrichment and economic opportunities. There are 250,000 children in the Bronx under the age of nine.
“Every other borough in the City has at least one accessible and affordable educational and cultural institution devoted expressly to its children and their needs and aspirations. Until very recently, the Borough of the Bronx only had the Bronx Zoo. With the upcoming opening of the Bronx Children’s Museum’s Kids’ Powerhouse Discovery Center, which the Speaker and our Borough President have been advocating for, the era of exclusion will finally be over. The development of the Museum’s building near Yankee Stadium is finally on track and is slated to open in 2017. The Museum needs to raise approximately 4 million dollars to finish developing the site.”
Future home of the Bronx Children’s Museum will be located on the 2nd Floor of the Powerhouse building which is currently occupied on the first floor by Stadium Tennis and a cafe which operates 16 tennis courts in Mill Pond Park.
Sonia Manzano, who was raised in The Bronx and known to millions of adults and children alike as Maria from Sesame Street, also issued a statement regarding the museum stating that, ”
“Children’s museums today are just like libraries used to be when I was growing up in the Bronx. A children’s museum can unlock a young child’s imagination and creativity, inspiring a life-long love of learning. I am so happy that our Bronx children will finally be getting their own interactive educational and cultural institution — something I have been advocating for almost a decade. In order for our children to get ahead they need equal access to the arts, enrichment and children’s museums.”
This is truly wonderful news for the children of our borough. The location couldn’t be more ideal as it sits right along the Harlem River in beautiful Mill Pond Park, a 10 acre park which opened in 2010 as part of the new Yankee Stadium deal to create more parks in the neighborhood for destroying the original Macombs Dam Park. The park is popular with families and children and is also slated to double in size, once funding is secure, towards 149th Street at the foot of the 145th Street Bridge.
New signage noting the Grand Concourse Historic District is finally going up across from the old Concourse Plaza Hotel after more than 3 years since receiving designation.
It’s About Time!
In October of 2011, after almost two years from being calendared for consideration, of community meetings, historical studies, and testimonies from residents, homeowners and landlords alike, the New York City Landmarks Commission created the Grand Concourse Historic District stretching from 153rd Street and the Grand Concourse, all the way up to 167th Street.
Now, over 3 years later since that designation, the terracotta colored street signs with white lettering which mark a historic district, are finally being installed with signs at 161st Street and Grand Concourse and west on 161st and Walton.
The district consists of 78 buildings various architectural styles from differing decades which can be found along the Grand Concourse as well as side streets such as Walton, Gerard, River, and Sheridan Avenues and Concourse Village West and Carroll Place.
“The Grand Concourse Historic District consists of 78 properties located along, or on the streets adjacent to, a one-mile stretch of the Grand Concourse between East 153rd and 167th Streets. In addition to 61 apartment houses, constructed between 1917 and 1959, the historic district also contains two parks and several public institutions, including the Bronx County Courthouse and Andrew Freedman Home, both designated New York City individual landmarks.
The “Grand Boulevard and Concourse,” later shortened to the Grand Concourse, was conceived in 1891 as a means of supplying a link between the park systems of Manhattan and the sparsely settled region of the Bronx. At the time of its completion in 1909, the boulevard featured bicycle paths and pedestrian sidewalks in addition to a central vehicular speedway. In 1924, the boulevard was extended south from East 161st Street to East 138th Street, and the roadway soon became the major north-south artery of the West Bronx.
Though residential construction along the Grand Concourse lagged behind the rest of the Bronx at the turn of the century, the completion of the Jerome Avenue subway line in 1918, which made the West Bronx more accessible to Manhattan, and the passing of a 1921 state law allowing 10- year real estate tax exemptions for apartments constructed between 1920 and 1924, helped spark a period of intensive residential development. Prompted by the Tenement House law of 1901, which mandated more fire protection, light, and air, thereby making it unprofitable to build multi-family dwellings on small lots, the five- and six-story apartment house became the dominant building type along the Grand Concourse, and within the borough as a whole.
Nearly half of the apartment houses within the historic district were built during the first period of development, between 1922 and 1931. The buildings of this era typically reflected the fashions of Manhattan, characterized by revivalist architectural styles such as Tudor, Renaissance, and Colonial Revival. The largely brick and terra-cotta buildings were evocative of faraway places and featured decorative elements such as corner towers, faux half-timbering, elaborate brickwork, and classically decorated main entry porticos.
A second wave of development was precipitated by the 1933 opening of the northern leg of the IND Subway, which provided much improved access to the Garment District and other parts of Manhattan’s West Side. Once again influenced by Manhattan tastes, Art Deco and Moderne became the residential styles of choice for the Bronx – as evidenced in the 27 apartments within the historic district constructed between 1935 and 1945. In the Bronx, the Art Deco style was marked by streamlined elements such as curving walls, recessed spandrels creating an effect of continuous window strips, brickwork arranged in vertical or horizontal patterns, wrap-around corner window openings, and materials suggestive of the “Machine Age,” such as steel-and-glass casement windows. The related Moderne style was also characterized by streamlined geometry, but with more minimal ornamentation, and by a fascination with aerodynamics. The Art Deco and Moderne style buildings of the historic district, which utilized materials including terra cotta, cast stone, beige brick, and mosaic tile, are typically found in small clusters interspersed among the apartment houses of the earlier boom.
Among the architects who designed buildings within the historic district are several prolific local firms (some more well-known than others), including Charles Kreymborg, Gronenberg & Leuchtag, Springsteen & Goldhammer, Horace Ginsbern, H. Herbert Lilien, and Jacob M. Felson. Many of the firms were responsible for buildings constructed in both the earlier and later waves of development. Kreymborg, and the successor firm Charles Kreymborg & Son, are credited with the design of the greatest number of apartment houses within the district, totaling 10, followed by Felson, credited with the design of eight apartment houses. Emery Roth, one of New York City’s most renown apartment house architects, is credited with the design of the striking Art Deco-style apartment house at 888 Grand Concourse.
Several of the apartment houses within the historic district are representative of the garden apartment, an innovative housing form that took shape in the late 1910s and 1920s. The type was 5 characterized by low-rise apartment buildings on large lots organized around an interior and/or exterior courtyard. The Thomas Garden Apartments (840 Grand Concourse) was designed in 1926- 28 by Andrew Jackson Thomas. Credited as the innovator of the garden apartment, Thomas had already made a name for himself designing garden apartments in Jackson Heights, Queens when John D. Rockefeller hired him to design Thomas Garden. The garden apartment type was so influential that even the less-grand apartment houses of the historic district are typically built to lot lines and feature large light courts, thereby giving the effect of the garden apartment on more constricted sites.
For nearly half a century, having a residential address on, or in proximity to, the Grand Concourse was a strong indicator of success. By the late 1950s/early 1960s, however, the Bronx had entered into a period of profound transformation. Numerous forces, including heavy-handed urban renewal policies, disinvestment by area landlords, accelerated turnover of tenants, and the redlining of much of the Bronx by local banks, all contributed to an economic downturn. Areas like the Grand Concourse came to be seen as old, poor neighborhoods with cheap rents, and over time, owners stopped investing in the maintenance of their buildings.
In the late 1980s, the Bronx began to see a resurgence as landlords began to work successfully with community organizations and tenants towards the moderate rehabilitation of multifamily housing. By the end of the 20th century, a new wave of building activity had come to the boulevard, and the Grand Concourse had become home to a vibrant mix of working- and middleclass residents, including immigrants from the Americas, the Caribbean, and Africa. Due to the solid construction of the buildings within the historic district, they survived largely unscathed through decades of owner neglect, retaining the architectural details and distinctive character that first attracted residents to them in the 1920s and 1930s. Though the boulevard itself underwent unsympathetic physical changes over the decades, it too remains, as the backbone of the great apartment houses, grand civic structures, and bucolic parks of the historic district, and an important visual element that contributes to the district’s powerful sense of place.”
As usual, things tend to get delayed in The Bronx but better late than never. Now let’s work on preserving the entire Grand Concourse and surrounding buildings of great architectural and cultural value.
Left to Right: Curbed Senior Editor Hana Alberts, Curbed Features Editor Sara Polsky, DJK Residential Real Estate Salesperson Teddy Montee.
From the size of the crowd at the City Island Alehouse Saturday, Feb.7th, you’d think that they were giving away free food.
Oops! …they were.
Despite the snow, ice and frigid temperatures, City Islanders and their friends came by the hundreds to eat, drink and rock and roll, all in celebration of City Island winning the 2014 Curbed Cup Neighborhood of the Year award, sponsored by Curbed, a prominent online magazine serving the real estate industry.
City Island won the competition after four elimination rounds for a contest that started with 16 nominated New York City neighborhoods. In the final round, City Island’s 1,135 total votes beat out Long Island City’s 989.
Free for the taking were Manhattan and New England clam chowders, as well as mussels, shrimp and more.
Brothers Paul Sciara and John Sciara from the City Island Beer Company were giving out free beer, with a choice of their classic ale or a seasonal pumpkin brew. Both have a distinctive taste that cannot be confused with any other brew.
The party was a team effort organized by City Island resident and real estate salesperson Teddy Montee of DJK Residential LLP, Alehouse owners Dan Srdoc and Amanda Betsold, and Alehouse manager Anthony Grillo.
A glimpse of the Alehouse party crowd.
“It was a blast,” said Curbed magazine’s Senior Editor Hana Alberts in a phone interview when she returned to her office on Monday. “It was my my first time in City Island, but I definitely plan to come back.” She said she was impressed by the mix of younger and older generation, skilled workers and professionals, and was wowed by how “everyone knows each other.”
Curbed’s Features Editor Sara Polsky also attended the event.
The temperature rose as City Island’s own Tom Flynn played guitar and sang a set of tunes with a chorus of friends chiming in.
Much later in the evening, the headliners, the Blue Collar Band, took to the stage and blasted out a set of southern rock, blues, and just plain tight jammin’ rock and roll.
As a sequel, Montee is planning to throw a big party at his City Island home this Fall in conjunction with the scheduling of the Fall Arts & Crafts Festival sponsored by the City Island Chamber of Commerce. He said the food for that party will be catered by City Island’s Bistro SK.
Richard Jannaccio is an award-winning journalist, editor, community activist, creator and administrator of City Islanders & Friends on Facebook, and a resident of City Island, Bronx, NY.
All sales within the the Melrose area and immediate surrounding streets within 2014. Commercial transactions are also included in this map via PropertyShark
Such sales do not include commercial transactions, including high profile sales such as the Bronx General Post Office at $19 million, the old YMCA building on 161st Street for $6.85 million, and the College of New Rochelle’s sale of their Melrose campus for $10.5 million, and vacant land transactions — little of which is left of in the area that is not slated for affordable housing developments.
Shkury said in the article:
“The bourgeoning South Bronx attracted a slew of investors, developers, and tenants to pair with a strong pipeline of residential and hotel developments, which had a positive effect on the entire borough’s pricing. More buildings traded in the South Bronx neighborhood of Melrose than any other neighborhood in the borough – 41 properties over 18 transactions valued at $192 million.”
This doesn’t come as much of a surprise since Melrose is the borough’s fastest growing neighborhood and over 4,000 units of “affordable” housing has been built in less than a decade with several thousands more to come. The area benefits from an excellent transportation network with just 2 stops into Manhattan and 15 minutes into Midtown Manhattan and less than 20 minutes at the Melrose Metro North Station to employment centers in Westchester County and points north.
The area, since the birth of The Bronx as a county, has been the civic heart of our borough and continues to be the unofficial downtown area in the mainland borough.
With so many purchases going on in Melrose and the surrounding areas and the Special Harlem Waterfront District just a few blocks over, fears of gentrification are mounting every day.
The community wants to see the neighborhood continue to revitalize but not to be priced out. They want to continue to be part of the conversation of what happens here as they are stakeholders whether landowners or renters. They want to strengthen our small businesses, our mom and pop shops which are the heart of our communities.
We can achieve a revitalized neighborhood for everyone without displacement if we work together to protect the most vulnerable. Let us never forget that everything is possible.
Bailey Provetto, of the wonderful Tasty Ladies NY, constantly provides us with great reviews and eating options around The Bronx, Westchester, and beyond. Now she offers up some great suggestions for Valentine’s Day which is perfect for those who want to stay local in The Bronx and support our small businesses!
4029 E Tremont Ave (718) 829-4400 http://www.wickedwolfny.comEnjoy a Romantic Valentine’s Day Dinner Concert @ The Pine…Call Today For Reservations…Space is Limited 1913 Bronxdale Avenue 718-792-5956 Contact Mike for reservations. http://www.fjpine.com
Ice House Cafe 140 Reynolds Ave (Bottom of Harding Ave Just Before Entrance to TN Bridge) (718) 863-5580Tosca’s 4034 East Tremont Avenue 718-863-6363 for reservations http://www.toscamarquee.comPine Bar and Grill 1634 Eastchester Road 718-319-0900 http://www.pinebargrill.comCabo 3764 East Tremont Avenue, 718-863-0091 for reservations. http://www.cabobx.comSiete Ocho Siete 3363 East Tremont Avenue, 718-828-3363 http://www.sieteochosiete.com
