Apple fans rejoice. The wait is finally over for Bronxites who’ve been wanting an Apple store in the borough.
As we reported earlier this year, the world’s most valuable brand will be opening up at The Mall at Bay Plaza and we finally have a date for that opening.
According to signs up at The Mall at Bay Plaza, opening day will be Friday, September 24th and if it’s like a typical Apple Store opening day, expect free giveaways at this location in celebration of the occasion.
For years, Bronx residents, including local elected officials, have been clamoring for the store to open within the borough.
When we first heard the rumor that the iconic store was opening here at an undisclosed location, we speculated where in The Bronx it would be.
The original source said it was at a “significant property” and while there are several that match that description like the Old Bronx General Post Office, it was doubtful that they would open there.
Well Apple just let the cat out the bag! FINALLY… an Apple Store in the Bronx at Bay Plaza! pic.twitter.com/YF2suaDJad
Sure enough, just days after we wrote the story, it was revealed that it indeed was The Mall at Bay Plaza where Apple would land.
And now, five months after we have an opening date.
For decades, The Bronx was the last place where big retailers would even set foot within our borders and let alone a name like Apple but over the past several years, more and more big-name chains are calling the borough home.
But with such a big name like Apple coming into the borough, fears of increased gentrification will continue to occupy the minds of many residents and small business owners who cannot compete with the kinds of rents that such a company can afford.
Swarovski is one of the many retailers that call The Mall at Bay Plaza home and will soon be joined by Apple
We’re seeing what’s happing along commercial corridors like Fordham Road and The Hub, two of the largest in The Bronx, where more and more national retail chains are opening up where once mom and pop shops stood.
Their mere presence has increased rents out of the reach of the average Jane and Joe who want to open up a brick and mortar shop.
At The Hub, 1800Fix, which has been in business for about three decades at the same location on 149th Street at the corner of Third Avenue, is being replaced by a Krispy Kreme.
While Apple’s first Bronx store will be at The Mall at Bay Plaza, it may just pave the way for the first Whole Foods, the first Trader Joe’s, and so on and so on.
But for now, Apple fans have September 24th to look forward to.
Back in 2019, Bronxite Latanya DeVaughn revealed her plans for bringing a mobile bookstore to The Bronx that would travel across the borough with the ability to serve communities lacking such a critical resource.
It was immediately met with widespread support from not just across the borough and city but the country, with folks immediately reaching out asking how they could help or be a part of this project.
A mother and her daughter browsing through the collection at Bronx Bound Books
Now, after almost two and a half long years, most of which was through the COVID-19 pandemic, Bronx Bound Books has a fully operational bus and is already in operation across the borough.
This past Saturday, the bus made its debut at Clinton High School outside the James Baldwin Outdoor Learning Center, where it will be every first and fourth Saturday of the month from 10 AM to 3 PM until November 13th.
Residents were already enjoying the novelty of a mobile bookstore with parents and their kids going through the wide selection of offerings Bronx Bound Books has on its shelves.
“Before, when it would start raining, I would have to pack up my books and end my day early, but now I can just continue inside the bus,” said DeVaughn, who has been popping up at various locations across the borough without a bus until now.
Latanya DeVaughn shows us around the mobile bookstore
And although the bus isn’t complete as to what she would want it to look like, she said she could no longer keep waiting for it to be perfect and decided to do a soft launch as is.
DeVaughn still wants to paint the bus’s exterior and have an artist and the community partake in the process; however, an exact timeline for that is still in the works.
Since the beginning when the concept of the mobile bookstore was launched in May of 2019, the bookstore was unlike many other independent bookstores. The community truly has taken ownership and pride in the concept, whether through volunteering, donating books, or making financial contributions, they have been an integral part of Bronx Bound Books.
And it wasn’t accidental, but by design that it has been that way as DeVaughn wanted this space to be truly for the community.
You can catch Bronx Bound Books on the first and second Saturdays of the month in front of the James Baldwin Outdoor Learning Center at DeWitt Clinton High School from 10 AM to 3 PM until November 13th; each Sunday at the Riverdale Y Sunday Market from 9 AM to 2 PM until December 19th; and Every Wednesday at the New York Botanical Garden’s Farmer’s Market from 10 AM to 3 PM.
Bronx Bound Books has a wide variety of books available with a focus on books by authors and stories that are reflective of the community.
Bronx Bound Books will also be on City Island on Saturday, September 18th, from 10 AM to 4 PM at Clipper Coffee at 274 City Island Avenue (raindate Sunday, September 19th). This event is sponsored by City Island Rising and Clipper Coffee. If you’d like to donate your own books, you can do so by dropping them off at Clipper Coffee or Archie’s Tap and Table.
Every neighborhood deserves a bookstore, and now, thanks to Bronx Bound Books, every neighborhood in The Bronx can finally have one.
September 1st, 2021 will go down as an unfortunate, historic weather event in The Bronx, New York City, and the region.
Remnants of Hurricane Ida drenched the area in torrential rains which activated the first-ever flood warning for New York City and dumped 3.15 inches of rain in Central Park in just one hour last night.
The morning after, a flooded Crotona Park with abandoned cars/Image courtesy of Damian Griffin
Across The Bronx and the city, subway stations flooded causing a halt of the system, roadways flooded stranding cars and passengers, with the Bronx River Parkway turning into an actual river as the river itself overflowed its banks.
At The Hub in Melrose, a roof collapsed at a vacant building that once housed Glory Shoe store at Third Avenue and 153rd Street. Firefighters were at the scene making sure no one was inside the building and pedestrians steered clear.
Stranded cars in a flooded Crotona/Image courtesy of Damian Griffin
On Facebook, hundreds of people in the East Bronx reported major flooding in basements with pumps unable to keep up with the pace of the massive amounts of rain falling per hour.
Not even residents living above ground on higher floors were spared flooding in apartment buildings as rooftop drainage failed, spilling over the water down elevator shafts and stairwells.
And around 9PM, The Bronx was hit with a tornado warning as conditions for such an event were just right. Luckily, the borough was spared that.
Sounds apocalyptic? That’s because in many ways it’s just a look at what to expect in the near future and no longer the distant future as climate change continues to take hold of our planet.
How can we deny that this is happening when in less than two weeks, New York City shattered the record for most rainfall amounts in an hour?
The Major Deegan Expressway underwater/Via NYC Fire Wire
On August 21st when Hurricane Henri arrived in the New York City region, 1.94 inches of rain fell in just one hour making it the most ever recorded in one hour since records began in the 1800s.
Last night, as the remnants of Ida slammed New York City, 3.15 inches of rain fell in Central Park in just one hour obliterating the days-old record.
In total, 7.9 inches of rain fell in The Bronx according to data from ConEd and University of Albany’s weather station in the borough making it second only to Staten Island which saw 8.4 inches.
These types of events are supposed to be once-in-a-lifetime but here we are with two such events within 11 days. And lest not we forget Superstorm Sandy happened almost 9 years ago.
As of this afternoon, the death toll has risen to 15 across the metro area.
Below are just a few scenes of the chaos from last night’s historic flooding and the aftermath this morning.
THE HUB—The popular Mexican-American fast-food chain Chipotle is opening up a second location in the South Bronx neighborhood of Melrose, and Krispy Kreme, one of America’s favorite donut shops, is opening its second Bronx location in the area as well.
Chipotle’s new location is currently under construction on Third Avenue between 151st Street and Westchester Avenue between CityMD and Footlocker, where Payless Shoes once stood.
Meanwhile, Krispy Kreme has taken over the corner at one of the busiest intersections outside Times Square, right outside the 3rd Avenue and 149th Street station on the 2 and 5 lines where 1800Fix had been in operation for almost three decades.
Chipotle is coming to The Hub at 3rd Avenue, where Payless Shoes once stood.
While many areas across the city have experienced significant slowdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic, especially in parts of Manhattan like Midtown, the pace at The Hub has picked up considerably with little actual vacant storefronts.
As one of the busiest areas in the city in terms of pedestrian foot traffic, they should have plenty of hungry customers to keep them in business and perhaps will do better than the Starbucks on 149th Street around the corner, which closed after less than two years in operation.
Directly behind Chipotle, a ten-story office building and charter school are currently under construction, as well as La Central, where hundreds of residents are moving into as over 400 units of affordable housing recently became available.
That particular development is still under construction and, once completed, will contain just under 1,000 units of housing spread across five buildings.
Meanwhile, Krispy Kreme has taken over the busiest corner in The Bronx, right outside the entrance to the 3rd Avenue and 149th Station on the 2 and 5 lines
While many in the area have called for a greater variety in food options and some eagerly await the opening of these chains, there are others online in social media forums such as several Facebook groups who are not necessarily thrilled with the opening of more fast-food and junk food options given the health disparities that plague The Bronx, and in particular, the South Bronx.
The South Bronx has some of the highest rates of diabetes in the city and state, as well as obesity, along with the additional complications these bring with them, such as heart disease.
Options are great, but there needs to be a balance in healthy offerings for locals versus all the junk food they’re bombarded with daily.
One thing’s for sure, and that’s that these two franchises will survive where Starbucks failed, given the propensity for Bronxites to flock to such foods.
For those that want authentic, home-cooked, and real Mexican food, you can get your fill at local favorites, Xochimilco and La Morada.
As for the donuts at Krispy Kreme, at least they’re freshly baked in The Bronx where they are shipped to the rest of their stores in the city, but even that has a local alternative over at Capri Bakery on 149th Street near the corner of Morris Avenue which is where you’ll catch us grabbing freshly baked donuts.
A Bronx woman and local artist has created a colorful children’s book celebrating the history of Poe Cottage in the Fordham section of the borough with a squirrel named Eggie as the hero of the story.
‘Eggie’s Adventures at Poe Cottage’ is a fictional tale that follows a squirrel who’s interested in the history of the cottage and learns that his great grandfather was the famed American writer’s best friend.
Cover art courtesy of Laura Álvarez
The artist, Laura Álvarez, was inspired to writing and illustrating this tale after having been inspired by working at the Poe Park Visitor’s Center where she would have a full view of Poe’s Cottage and squirrels going about their daily lives and business.
In her own words, she writes of the book:
“The story is about a little squirrel named Eggie who is quite interested in the history of the cottage. He learns that his great grandfather was actually Edgar Allan Poe’s best friend, which makes him want to be a helper to Neil, who is the caretaker of the house. Instead of helping, he keeps getting into trouble; until the day when Neil goes to the city and completely forgets he had a group of children coming to visit the cottage. Eggie steps up, and of course, saves the day! Thus the story is about not only the history of the cottage but persistence as well; because if we don’t get it right the first time, that doesn’t mean it won’t end up well, especially if we try something different…“
Laura Álvarez at the Poe Park Visitor Center with Poe Cottage in the background/Via Laura Álvarez
“Between classes, the center was pretty quiet and I would look through the window. I really enjoyed seeing how the squirrels hid their food in the fall, and how they would jump into the snow like it was a pool to retrieve it during the winter. “
Edgar Allan Poe lived in the cottage from the Spring of 1846 with his wife Virginia who died in the house the following year. Although Poe died in Baltimore in 1849, the cottage remained his final place of residence.
The idea for the book itself started six years ago and took her about a month to both write and illustrate it but it took her this time to feel ready to go ahead with production.
When asked why Poe Cottage of all places for a children’s book, Álvarez said the fact that many people pass by it each day without knowing its history.
“In my opinion, we need to focus more on the amazing things we have in The Bronx looking inwards, instead of always thinking that what other people have is better,” said Álvarez
She added, “…the Bronx is a place of culture and creativity that many times is overlooked because of everything the borough has gone through.”
Laura, a native of Valencia, Spain, moved to our borough in January 2009 and has lived here ever since living in various parts from Castle Hill, to Valentine Ave almost across from Poe Cottage and more recently Concourse Village.
During her time here, she has fallen in love with The Bronx where she says, “… I have always felt loved and appreciated.”
Her favorite place in our borough is just being next to the Bronx River or canoeing in it.
Laura with her parents at Poe Cottage
In order to help with printing and production costs, Álvarez launched a Kickstarter campaign with a goal of $5,000 which has already been met. 60% of the campaign goes towards printing and shipping, 15% to receiving and storage, with the remainder split up with Kickstarter fees, taxes, and getting an ISBN number.
Although the campaign is funded at $5,000, Álvarez has even greater goals. Should she reach $6,000 by August 27th, she will have the digital copy of the book translated into Spanish and for $7,000 it would also be translated into Catalan.
For $10,000, or double the original campaign goal, the Spanish translation of the book will be available in print.
As for how you can order the book, you can do so now by making a donation of $10 for a digital copy of the book and a downloadable coloring book to go along with it. For $15 you’ll get a hard copy of the book and the digital coloring book and for $20 you get the book, the coloring book as well as a digital download.
Printing is expected to begin as early as next month and books should be received by October. Álvarez is hoping to begin shipping the books by November so that they arrive in time for the holidays in December.
And this won’t be the only adventure for Eggie. ” I see Eggie as a little kid from The Bronx, like the ones I used to teach, that gets excited about everything he doesn’t know, so I have many plans for him,” said Álvarez enthusiastically.
While she’s extremely grateful and excited to have the project funded thanks to the warm response to the Kickstarter campaign, she’s hoping to be able to stretch the goals to publish it in Spanish.
She said, “I believe in spreading love, and when you get to share stories that are close to your heart with other people in their own language is always a plus.”
MOTT HAVEN—For almost a decade after the Lower Concourse area of the South Bronx was rezoned back in 2009, not many developers rushed in to take advantage of the new zoning.
But in the past four years, there has been a flurry of construction, and now another set of plans have been for a new building at the foot of the Grand Concourse at 138th Street.
Rendering of 261 Grand Concourse at the corner of E 138th Street/Rendering by S. Wieder Architect
261 Grand Concourse, which is currently occupied by a two-story commercial building housing several contracting companies, will be demolished to give way to a 12-story residential building with 96 residences.
Rendering via S. Wieder Architect
Once complete, the building will be 89,672 square feet and will have a host of amenities, including roof decks, balconies, and a fitness center, to name a few.
Currently, there is no indication of whether or not this will be “affordable” or just straight-up luxury. Still, given the trend in the immediate area, it will most likely be “affordable” housing but not for the majority of the local community, much like 276 Grand Concourse, which bills itself as affordable housing, yet studios in the luxury building are renting for $2,000 for residents making $65,143 a year.
Fitness center at 261 Grand Concourse / Rendering via S. Wieder Architect
In 2009, the Lower Concourse Area, roughly defined as everything south of 149th Street and west of Morris Avenue, was rezoned from mostly manufacturing to residential as many buildings were being underutilized, and the city was moving to help solve the housing crisis.
There was little to no activity for almost ten years, but in recent years, entire blocks have been demolished, as was the case at 149th Street and Exterior Street, where several residential buildings, a hotel, and an office building occupy what used to be an industrial block.
Aerial rendering of 261 Grand Concourse / Rendering via S. Wieder Architect
The same thing happened across the street from 261 Grand Concourse, where 276 Grand Concourse is almost complete. That site was once home to several automotive shops.
The area’s first new construction condominiums were built just two blocks over from 261 Grand Concourse, where two penthouse units shattered South Bronx records for the highest-selling condominiums ever in the area, reaching almost $1 million.
Rendering via S. Wieder Architect
But now, things are different in Mott Haven as developers are in a construction frenzy with literally over 2,000 units under construction within the rezoned area alone, including the Harlem River waterfront development, Bankside, which is 1,500 units of luxury living going up and almost half complete as of this writing.
Although census tract level data has yet to be released for the 2020 Census of the area, one can already see the rapid changes in the neighborhood, and one can only imagine what the area will look like by the time the next census rolls out if we only look to the fate of other low-income neighborhoods across the city.
Today The Bronx made history as New York City’s first e-scooter share began its pilot program in our borough before any other place in New York City.
Starting today, up to 3,000 e-scooters are being deployed across parts of the East Bronx in the first phase of the pilot, covering all neighborhoods north of East Tremont Avenue and East of the Bronx River and, up until the Hutchinson River Parkway.
The selected companies for the pilot program, Lime, Bird, and Veo, will each drop 1,000 across the pilot area and will be available to unlock for use via each company’s app for $1. There are per minute costs which vary by company. Lime charges only 30 cents per minute of usage, while Bird and Veo both charge 39 cents per minute.
Locals try out a Lime Scooter at a recent event/Image courtesy Shawn Garcia of Transportation Alternatives
All companies are also offering discounted pricing to increase accessibility and equity across the system, including discounts for NYCHA residents and those on public assistance.
“This is an exciting announcement as we officially bring shared micromobility to the East Bronx community. With safety as our top priority, we look forward to a continued collaboration with Bird, Lime and Veo, elected officials and local Bronx communities to make e-scooter share an effective, convenient, and equitable way to get around.” said DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman.
Shawn Garcia, the Bronx Organizer for Transporation Alternatives, said, “We’re thrilled about the launch of e-scooters in the East Bronx. The majority of residents in the Bronx don’t drive — instead walking, biking, or taking transit. With e-scooters, our neighbors living in transit deserts will have affordable and accessible connections to local businesses, workplaces, our transit system, and beyond.”
Lime scooters ready to go/Image via Shawn Garcia
While excited for the launch, Garcia also added the need for safety and better infrastructure.
“But we must push for safer conditions on our streets. With almost no protected bike lanes in the East Bronx, we’ll continue to advocate for safety upgrades on our streets and counteract decades of environmental racism in the Bronx because of the unacceptable car and truck traffic in residential neighborhoods,” he added.
While many advocates for the program are excited for the East Bronx having been selected as New York City’s area for the pilot program, an area that is often overlooked and is a relative transit desert when it comes to public transportation options, many residents are sounding off on public forums across social media that they are not happy with scooters coming to their neighborhoods.
Many in local Community Board Facebook groups such as Community Board 10 and 11 complain that this will be a disaster with people riding around in the scooters running red lights zooming in and out of traffic-causing accidents. Yet, according to a report by Streetsblog, they found that a small fraction of “injury-causing crashes” were caused by e-scooters and other micro-mobility devices.
Map of East Bronx pilot area
Other concerns that have been addressed by the New York City Department of Transportation are the cluttering and parking of the e-scooters. DOT has installed over 90 corrals in heavily trafficked areas where the e-scooters must be parked within these mandatory corral zones. In other areas where there are none, you can park them on sidewalks away from the flow of pedestrian traffic or up against the curb.
The specific neighborhoods in the phase one pilot program are Van Nest, Morris Park, Pelham Parkway, Pelham Gardens, Indian Village, Allerton, Williamsbridge, Co-op City, Edenwald, Baychester, Eastchester, and Woodlawn (the only West Bronx neighborhood in the program).
Next year, the pilot will expand to the rest of the East Bronx (except for City Island), covering Throggs Neck, Westchester Square, Soundview, Parkchester, Castle Hill, Country Club, Clason Point, Schuylerville, and Pelham Bay.
During the pilot, DOT will assess various data points, including usage, clutter management, and safety. After the pilot program, the agency will issue recommendations before a wider implementation across New York City. Under current law, Manhattan will be the only borough where e-scooters will be unavailable.
We’re hoping for the best for this pilot program. Residents of the East Bronx deserve access to such ride sharing programs given that Citibike will not be coming to the area any time soon.
And drivers, be careful out there. Remember, your vehicle has exponentially more of a chance to kill someone on the road than a bicycle or e-scooter. As drivers of vehicles, you need to remember that pedestrians always have the right of way.
According to the latest data released on the 2020 Census, The Bronx continues to grow and has achieved a population record set in 1970 when 1,471,701 were recorded living in the borough.
Today, according to the 2020 Census, The Bronx has a record-high population of 1,472,654 who call our diverse borough home.
This represents a 6.3 percent increase from the 2010 Census when the population was 1,385,108 (an increase by 87,546 residents.
Back then, if The Bronx were a city of its own, it would have been the 9th largest city but with the population growth since 2010, the borough and birthplace of Hip Hop and Salsa would now be the 7th largest city in the United States after Philadelphia.
Neighborhoods Fueling The Growth
The population growth over the past decade was seen across the entire borough but in terms of numbers, the Port Morris-Mott Haven area along with Morrisania, and Williamsbridge-Olinville each saw an increase of about 5,000.
The Crotona Park East neighborhood was one of the fastest growing in The Bronx, fueled by new affordable housing construction in the past decade
In the Port Morris-Mott Haven area, this increase was helped by real estate developers turning their eyes on the area and the influx of hundreds of units of luxury housing with thousands currently under construction. During the same period, Morrisania saw a significant increase of affordable housing helping drive the increase in that area.
In terms of percent change, Morrisania was the fastest growing neighborhood in The Bronx with an increase of 22 percent, followed by Crotona Park East with an increase of 15 percent. Both of these neighborhoods have seen an explosion of new affordable housing developments in the past decade.
Decreasing White Population While Hispanics Solidify Majority
As for key racial demographic statistics, The Bronx continues to be a predominantly Hispanic borough with 54.8 percent of the population identifying as such, an increase of 8.8 percent from 2010. While the number of people identifying as Black increased in The Bronx by 2,698, the share of the borough’s population dropped from 30.1 percent in 2010 to 28.5 percent in 2020.
The largest increase of the Hispanic population in the borough, which increased by 65,050 individuals, was felt the most in the northwest Bronx neighborhoods of Riverdale-Spuyten Duyvil with a 59% increase followed by Pelham Bay-Country Club-City Island with a 50 percent increase, and Morris Park with a 38 percent increase. Hunts point actually saw a 5 percent decline.
The largest decline of the Black population in The Bronx was felt in many West Bronx neighborhoods like Norwood and University Heights-Fordham each with an 11 percent decline, Concourse-Concourse Village with a 7 percent decline. Meanwhile, the Black population saw a marked increase in Morrisania and West Farms with an increase of 22 and 20 percent respectively.
Across the city, the Black population saw a decline of 4.5 percent with Brooklyn having the most dramatic drop with a decrease of 8.7 percent.
City Island (together with Pelham Bay and Country Club) saw a decline of 20% of its White population from 2010 to 2020 while experiencing a 50% increase in its Hispanic population during the same period
The White population in The Bronx continues to decline and it was the largest such decline of the 5 boroughs with a drop of 20,413 individuals identifying as White, or a 13.5 percent decline. The White population now only accounts for 8.9 percent of the overall population of the borough and is the lowest in New York City. Queens, which has the second-lowest percentage of White people, now has 22 percent of the population identifying as such making The Bronx, by far, the home to the most BIPOC community in the city.
Pelham Gardens saw the largest drop of the White population with a decline of 23 percent followed by Throggs Neck-Schuylerville with a 21 percent loss, and Pelham Bay-Country Club-City Island with a 20 percent drop.
Asians See a Marked Increase in The Bronx
Parkchester saw a 130% increase in its Asian population, the largest such increase in the borough.
Asians had the highest increase in The Bronx out of the four main groups with a 43.2 percent increase fueled by a 130 percent increase in Parkchester and 99 percent increase in Castle Hill-Unionport although these significant jumps were due to the borough’s relatively lower-than-average Asian population.
In our borough, Asians account for only 4.6 percent of the overall population as of 2020 which increased from 3.4 percent in 2010 from 47,335 to 67,766 identifying as such.
Other Key Indicators
The Bronx’s increase of 6.3 percent was below the city’s increase of 7.7 percent. Brooklyn saw the largest increase at 9.2 percent, followed by Queens at 7.8 percent, Manhattan at 6.8 percent, and Staten Island at 5.8 percent.
According to the New York City Department of City Planning, one in six New York City residents live in The Bronx.
The number of residents under the age of 18 saw the largest decline in The Bronx of all the five boroughs dropping from 26.6 percent of the population to 23.7 percent representing an overall decrease of 5.1 percent. This downward trend in this category was in line with the rest of the city.
The population of residents under the age of 18 dropped in The Bronx by 5.1%, the largest such decline in New York City between 2010 and 2020
From 2010 to 2020, The Bronx saw an increase of 35,134 units of housing, a 6.9 percent increase with the vast majority in the South Bronx. As for vacancy, The Bronx had the lowest such rate at 4.5 percent well below the city average of 6.9 percent and by far lower than Manhattan’s 10.5 percent vacancy rate.
The Road Ahead
With the construction of thousands of luxury units of housing along the Harlem River in the South Bronx over the course of the next years with thousands more planned, it will be interesting to see if the White decline will continue or will it reverse.
In parts of the city that are experiencing high gentrification, there has been a significant drop in the local Black population like Bushwich and Bedford-Stuyvesant which saw a decline of 26 and 26 percent respectively between 2010 and 2020 while the White population increased by 351 percent and 445 percent respectively in those same neighborhoods. The Hispanic population also dropped by 19 percent in Bushwick during this same period and was Brooklyn’s largest decline of Hispanics.
2401 Third Avenue, the end (or the beginning) of the avenue in The Bronx where 1,500 units of luxury housing are being constructed in Port Morris.
These scenarios are playing out across historically Black and Brown neighborhoods across the city that are now deemed as desirable by developers who are changing the historic working-class fabric of these enclaves with luxury housing.
One thing remains for sure, however, is that we are still a pretty diverse borough made up from peoples across the globe who decided to call The Bronx home.
You can view the full data from New York City’s Department of Planning here.
Many kids growing up in The Bronx playing baseball dream of playing for the Yankees right here in their own borough but competing with thousands across the country, for many, it’s just that—a dream.
But for one Bronx kid from Morris Park, his dreams have come true.
Andrew Velazquez, 27, made his debut with the Bronx Bombers as an infielder on Monday night in Kansas City against the Kansas City Royals in an 8-6 winning game with extra innings.
The 27-year-old baseball player grew up in the Morris Park section of the borough and went to St Francis Xavier and then onto Fordham Prep, where he played in the school’s ball team.
At Fordham, Velasquez started as a center fielder until becoming the team’s shortstop in his senior year.
A 10-year-old Velasquez at the old Yankee Stadium (left) and Velasquez fulling his childhood dream (right)
Then in 2012, he was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks until being traded in 2014 to the Tampa Bay Rays, where he played for five years.
It wasn’t until December of 2020 that he finally arrived at the Yankees in a minor league contract, but on Monday, through a fluke of fate due to a thumb injury to shortstop Gleyber Torres, Velasquez was finally promoted to the Major Leagues by the Yankees.
Velazquez said his dream of playing for the Yankees crystallized around age 10, when his parents booked a birthday party at the original Yankee Stadium. He was able to take photos on the field and toured Monument Park, vowing that he’d dedicate himself to getting back to that stage.
“This is something I’ve thought about since I was a child, so it’s amazing to me,” Velazquez said. “I used to have Yankee uniforms when I was a kid. I used to go to the Stadium all the time. I mean, this is where my love for baseball began.”
It’s beautiful when your dreams as a kid growing up in The Bronx become a reality against all odds. Much through our lives living in The Bronx, we’re facing and battling against many negative stereotypes.
But in many ways, that’s what makes us stronger and gives us that spirit of determination and perseverance to fight against all odds to be the best and leave a positive mark in this world.
Velasquez is that hometown dream come true of making it to the big leagues (literally). Living in the shadow of Yankee Stadium, home to some of the most storied ballplayers in history and the franchise with the most World Series wins, having taken home a whopping 27 victories, makes it a daunting and formidable task.
A new Batgirl is coming to your television screens but watch out, and she’s from The Bronx.
Leslie Grace, the Grammy nominee singer and actress, born in The Bronx to Dominican parents, has landed the role of the iconic superhero in an upcoming HBO Max movie which will bring the character to life for the first time in decades and making her the first Latina to portray the crime-fighting hero.
Bronx-Born singer and actress Leslie Grace will star as Batgirl aka Barbara Gordon in an upcoming HBO Max movie
Recently this year, Grace has enjoyed success in Lin Manuel Miranda’s In The Heights, the hit Tony award-winning Broadway show turned movie produced by Jon M. Chu, starring as Nina Rosario.
Now, she will return to the screens once again, this time, as the iconic Barbara Gordon from the DC Comics universe who’s Gotham City’s police commissioner James Gordon’s daughter who fights alongside Batman as Batgirl unbeknownst to the world.
The character first appeared in January 1967 in Detective Comics’ “The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl” and later that year on the Batman television series played by actress Yvonne Craig.
Leslie Grace as Nina in ‘In The Heights’ (center)
And now we will get to see her portrayed by a Latina from The Bronx, which will debut and stream exclusively on HBO Max.
But Grace isn’t the only one who’s “from The Bronx.”
Two Bronxites created the iconic character of Batman: Bill Finger, a writer, and Bob Kane, a cartoonist, both of who would go to Poe Park on the Grand Concourse to hash out the details of what would eventually become one of the most popular superheroes in the world.
Without the genesis of Batman we more than likely would not have Batgirl and we can thank two Bronxites who created the character over 80 years ago right here in our beloved borough of The Bronx.
The borough’s contribution to superheroes doesn’t end there as the father of Marvel Comics, the late Stan Lee was raised in The Bronx and attended DeWitt Clinton High School. Lee created characters like The Hulk, Iron Man, Black Panther, the X-Men, Thor, and Spider-Man just to name a few of the most popular and well-known pantheon of characters.
We’re looking forward to watching Leslie Grace kick ass on the screen keeping the streets of Gotham safe from crime.
Release date for Batgirl has yet to be announced but we’ll be sure to keep you posted.
New York City’s Housing Connect has launched a lottery for 283 brand new apartments in a three building development in the Soundview neighborhood of The Bronx.
With income requirements at 30, 40, 50, and 60 percent of the Area Median Income for the majority of the units, this development is truly affordable to most local and Bronx residents. Units for middle income families are also available at 100 percent of the AMI.
Rendering of 1755 Watson Avenue LLC courtesy of NYC Housing Connect
This means that households with incomes as low as $15,052 can apply for a studio apartment renting for $375 a month or $18,960 for a one bedroom renting for $481 a month.
For households making 100 percent of the AMI those same units are renting for $1,225 a month and $1,542 a month respectively illustrating the need to make units available at the lower end to make it accessible to more households.
Rendering of 1755 Watson Avenue LLC courtesy of NYC Housing Connect
Located at 1775 Watson Avenue, 1111 Commonwealth Avenue, and 1115 Commonwealth Avenue, once complete, the development will contain a total of 323 apartments of which a total of 131 will be permanently affordable spread across 312,880 square feet among the three buildings.
Rendering of 1755 Watson Avenue LLC courtesy of NYC Housing Connect
The development is situated just a couple of blocks from the St Lawrence subway stop on the 6 train and is also easily accessible by the BX4A, BX5 and BX36 bus lines.
Residents will have access to such amenities like a media room, yoga and dance studio, a community center, bike storage room and apartments will feature high end countertops and finishes. The development is also smoke-free.
Typical three bedroom layout
As with many of these affordable housing developments, 5% of units are set aside for people with mobility issues, 2% for vision and hearing impaired, 50% for residents who live within Community Board 9, and 5% for New York City employees.
In order to apply, you can do so online by going here or you can request an application by mail by sending a self-addressed envelope to: 1755 Watson Ave LLC, 77 Cuttermill Road Great Neck, NY 11021.
Please remember, do not submit duplicate applications and only send one application per lottery. Do NOT apply both online and by sending in a paper application. Doing so and applying more than once may disqualify you.
Lottery closes on October 4, 2021
Good luck to everyone who applies!
Please note: Welcome2TheBronx is NOT affiliated with this listing or any other real estate developments nor do we receive any commissions from these posts. We are simply bringing the news to you.Please do NOT contact us as we cannot help you with these listings.
