Nine brand new affordable housing units are now available at Washington Manor in the Tremont section of The Bronx.
Located at 1969 Washington Avenue, the development is an eight-story building with 49 units of which the nine available units are targeted at those making 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI).
There are currently six 1-bedroom units available renting for $1,141 a month with income requirements of $39,120 to $64,440 depending on size of the applying household.
Only three 2-bedroom units are available renting for $1,381 a month for households with two to five people making anywhere from $47,349 to $77,340 a year.
1969 Washington Avenue in Tremont aka Washington Manor
Washington Manor does not have much in terms of amenities as per the listing at Housing Connect outside of the bare minimum of a shared laundry room although there is underground parking, however, additional fees apply and is subject to availability.
Fifty percent of the units are set aside for residents of Bronx Community Board 6 where the development is located and five percent set aside for New York City employees. Five percent and 2 percent are set aside for those with mobility and vison/hearing impairments, respectively.
The closest subway station is a hike up towards the Grand Concourse for the B and D line at East Tremont but there is the Metro North Tremont Station which would take you into Harlem and Grand Central Station in under 20 minutes or for those reverse commuting to points north, towards Westchester County.
Typical Kitchen layout
Just a few blocks away is St Barnabas Medical Center and directly north of that is Arthur Avenue in Belmont, home to New York City’s real Little Italy.
Residents can enjoy open air dining along Arthur Avenue’s ‘Piazza di Belmont’ which closes to vehicular traffic on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays as part of New York City’s “Open Streets” plan for dining that came as a result of the pandemic.
You have until May 24, 2021 to apply and you can do so online by visiting Housing Connect or you can apply by mail by sending a self-addressed envelope to:
Washington Manor c/o Infinity Management, 2806 120th Street, Flushing, NY 11354
As with all New York City Affordable Housing Lotteries, remember to only apply once as multiple entries into the lottery for the same development can and will disqualify you so either apply online or by mail but not both as it will NOT increase your chances of success but in fact work against you.
Also remember, please do not contact us as we are not connected with this or any other development and we cannot assist you. We’re simply bringing you the news.
After over a year of being closed to the public as a result of the pandemic, the New York Public Library system will re-open some of their branches across the system including twelve within The Bronx.
Beginning May 10, you will be able to walk into any of the following libraries for a limited time during each visit:
According to the COVID-19 guidelines set forth by NYPL, you may reserve to use computers where available, however, there is a 45 minute time limit which cannot be extended whatsoever as to limit the time you spend indoors.
The same goes with browsing for books and other materials which is limited to 30 minutes. In order to speed up the process and limit contact with staff and others, you’re encouraged to use express self-checkout or the new NYPL app which provides the fastest and easiest service of all available options.
The High Bridge New York Public Library/Image via Google Streets
Should you need assistance, staff-assisted checkout will also be available.
Also, for the safety of others, once materials are returned, they will be quarantined for 24 hours to ensure that they are safe for use for others.
As more and more people get vaccinated and COVID-19 infection rates continue to drop across the city, more “little” things like these reopenings appear to be returning life to some sort of normalcy or at the very least offer some semblance to that effect.
With the warm summer months coming up ahead, this is yet another activity that people can partake in and get themselves out of the house even if it is for such a limited time.
Although libraries remained physically closed to the public since the onset of the pandemic, they have increased their presence and availability virtually by offering access to e-books, audiobooks as well as other virtual events.
Libraries are one of the most important institutions within our communities where many members congregate, exchange ideas, and is a source of a wealth of information that goes beyond merely the books they house.
They are places where many residents find out what’s going on locally, it’s where residents seeking to become US citizens go to learn more about the exam process and learn what it takes to pass the exam.
For those the vulnerable that are home and alone, particularly seniors, it’s an escape to other worlds offered by books so even if it’s for a very short time, this reopening will be surely welcomed by many.
In 1948 a scar began to appear across the center of The Bronx running west to east and much like a line drawn across wet sand with a finger, it erased everything in its path.
It was the beginning of the construction of the Cross Bronx Expressway, one of the many ill-conceived works by Robert Moses, that would leave an indelible mark on our borough.
As construction of what would eventually be one of America’s most congested highways continued, it tore communities in half, leaving one side stranded from the other and while white and communities of color were both impacted during its construction, it was the Black and Latino community that bears the brunt of its legacy years later.
Decades later, with over 200,000 vehicles spewing toxic fumes into the air as they creep along towards their destinations each day, Bronx asthma rates, as a result, are some of the worst in the nation, as particles from the constant traffic like Nitric Oxide and PM 2.5 particles are released into the air.
A study identified 2.5 miles of the Cross Bronx Expressway, like the area above, that can be capped to create new park land.
Is it any wonder that The Bronx has some of the highest such rates in the nation? Is it any wonder why we have some of the worst health outcomes in not just the city or state but also the nation?
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, The Bronx became the epicenter with the highest death rate in New York City and one of the highest in the nation as the coronavirus is a respiratory tract infection making people with such pre-existing conditions all that more vulnerable the majority of which are Black and Latino
So when Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that racism is built into our country’s highways, it wasn’t hyperbole as it is these very communities that have been suffering from the negative impacts of environmental racism for more than half a century.
But it doesn’t have to stay this way and New York City’s greenest borough can become even greener.
Slowly across the country, more and more cities are creating new green spaces as well as acres of land for more housing.
Before and after Dallas, TX where a portion of Woodall Rodgers Freeway was capped creating the 5.2 acre Klyde Warren Park in 2012/Image via American City and County
And this is exactly what we need to do in The Bronx and heal the wounds created by Robert Moses when he cut our beloved borough in half with the Cross Bronx Expressway.
By beginning to cap the Cross Bronx, we can begin to help literally clean up the air in these very vulnerable communities with the added benefit of creating new land that can be used for a combination of open green spaces and to create critically needed housing in our borough, and housing that is truly affordable.
Not only would we help restitch The Bronx and its communities that were destroyed by Moses but we would also help alleviate our current housing crisis and abysmal health rankings.
Less toxic fumes from an expressway = cleaner air and less asthma triggers.
And this isn’t getting rid of the expressway, it’s simply covering it up and letting our borough carry on with a greener, cleaner future for all.
Imagine a day in the future when you can walk across a park instead of a highway spewing deadly pollutants.
It’s possible. We just need the political will and muscle to make it happen.
For the past few years momentum has been building from Bronx residents across the borough fighting for environmental justice like Nilka Martell of Loving The Bronx from the Parkchester area of the borough and one of the many neighborhoods greatly impacted by the daily intrusion of the expressway.
Martell has been working with local elected officials on capping a small portion of the expressway in her neighborhood but now with President Biden’s infrastructure plan, many of us are daring to dream big.
According to a study led by Peter Muennig, MD, MPH at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in 2018, 2.4 miles of the expressway were identified as areas that could be capped over and thus creating more greenspace.
“Deck parks can produce multiple health benefits. Most notably, they remove contact between pedestrians and automobiles. In doing so, they not only reduce accidents but they also encourage active, pollution-free transportation such as biking or jogging.” reports the 2018 study.
Reimagining the Cross Bronx Expressway decked over to create green spaces.
It goes on to indicate that, “…deck parks also place vehicles in a tunnel, thereby reducing noise and air pollution in surrounding neighborhoods. Finally, deck parks provide green space in which people can exercise and relax. In doing so, deck parks have the potential to reduce diabetes, heart disease, mental illness, cancer, low birth weight, and death associated with accidents.”
And all it would cost, according to the study, would be approximately $757 million. While it may sound a lot, the potential health benefits outweigh any upfront costs in the long term. Healthier people are less of a financial burden on our precarious health care system.
In a borough where we have the highest rates of diabetes, asthma, obesity, and cardiovascular disease, we have a mandate to do right by our communities and those who not only live in them today but the generations that will continue to call The Bronx home long after we’re all gone.
We deserve to live and breathe.
But the moment to do so is now, while there is political will to spend our hard earned tax dollars on one of the largest infrastructure proposals in our nation’s recent history.
A version of this article was originally published in StreetsblogNYC on Friday, April 23, 2021.
HUNTS POINT—Urban Health Plan and The Point Community Development Corporation have joined forces together with Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr to bring greater access to COVID-19 vaccines in one of the hardest-hit areas in The Bronx.
Vaccinations began this past Monday at The Point and are being administered by Urban Health Plan health care providers.
Previously, an appointment was required but in order to make it more readily accessible and easier for residents to get inoculated you can now simply walk into one of the two facilities.
Vaccinations are being adminsited at The Point’s location on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays between the hours of 9am and 3pm and over at The Point CDC located at 940 Garrison Avenue (entrance on Manida Street).
Local elected leaders gathered at The Point CDC with Urban Health Plan to launch the vaccination site which will operate until June 2nd
Eligible residents can still pre-register at Urban Health Plan’s Project HOPE location at 854 Hunts Point Avenue if they’d like to and someone from Project HOPE can walk you over to The Point.
You can also text VACCINES or VACUNAS (Spanish speakers) to (833)-240-2830 to register ahead of time.
New Yorkers 18 of age and older are eligible as are people without health insurance. Please note, that even though New York State residents 16 and over are now eligible, only the Pfizer vaccine can be administered to those 16 or 17 years of age.
The vaccine site at The Point will be in operation from now until June 2nd so it’s important to help spread the word to your friends, family, and neighbors to help stop the spread of the coronavirus throughout our communities which has already left a devastating toll.
Many Bronx residents are more susceptible to more severe and life-threatening symptoms of COVID-19 as people suffering from comorbidities are at greater risk for such events.
Particularly vulnerable are individuals suffering from asthma, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and compromised immune systems.
Unfortunately The Bronx has the highest rates of these aforementioned conditions which is one of several reasons it led to our borough to become not just the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic but also have the highest rates of death from the disease.
According to the most recent data from the New York City Department of Health’s website, Hunts Point has the lowest rate of vaccinations in The Bronx.
Despite the devastation the pandemic has left on our borough with many Bronxites witnessing their loved ones dying, there still remains a high hesitancy for the vaccine.
Currently, the 10474 zip code covering Hunts Point has the lowest rate in The Bronx of residents who have received either 1 dose or are fully vaccinated. As of yesterday, only 31% of eligible residents have received one shot and only 21% are fully vaccinated compared to The Bronx’s rate of 40 and 29% respectively.
This is a stark difference from 10471 covering Riverdale and Fieldston where 62% of residents have received one shot with 50% fully vaccinated.
The opening of the site at The Point in partnership with Urban Health Plan can hopefully close the gap so that we can move forward together as a borough and city and get on the road to recovery for all.
Over the past year, rents have been dropping across the city as the economic fallout from the pandemic is felt across all sectors.
A new study indicates that rents for one bedroom apartments near 418 of NYC’s 473 subways dropped between 2020 and 2021.
But three stations in The Bronx are on the top five list that saw the biggest rent increases in the city during this same period.
Rents near the 167th Street Station on the B and D line saw the highest increase in all of New York City for one bedroom apartments according to a study by RentHop
According to data from RentHop’s recent study, rents for one bedroom apartments near the 167th Street Station on the B and D line on the Grand Concourse saw an increase of 5.6% to $1,795 when compared to last year—the biggest increase in the city according to the study.
Located just one stop after Yankee Stadium, the area has easy access to midtown by subway or express bus and is next to the Bronx Museum, Andrew Freedman Home, Yankee Stadium and sits within the Grand Concourse Historic District.
The station itself was renovated in late 2018 and reopened in early 2019 and features mosaics of prominent Bronx public figures (or those with some connection to the borough) from Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the nation’s first Latina to sit on the country’s highest bench to activist and poet Audre Lorde.
Next on the list is the 238th Street and Broadway stop on the 1 line which saw a 5.2% increase to $1,890 a month for a one bedroom.
One of several mosaics at 167th Street which honors prominent Bronxites or those with connections to our borough at some point in their lives.
Located in Kingsbridge with Spuyten Duyvil, Riverdale, and Fieldston in close proximity just blocks away, it’s not surprising that this relatively stable area has seen an increase in rents.
Rounding out the top five list is a tie between 183rd Street and Fordham Road Stations on the 4 line with a 4.4% increase to $1,775.
According to RentHop, these are the top 5 stops that saw the largest increase in the city:
167th St. — B/D trains ($1,795; YoY 5.6%)
238th St. — 1 train; $1,890 (YoY 5.2%)
Far Rockaway/Mott Ave. — A train ($1,673; YoY 4.6%)
New Lots Ave. — 3/4 trains ($1,724 YoY 4.5%)
183rd St and Fordham Rd. — 4 train ($1,775; YoY 4.4%)
This is a huge difference when compared to several Manhattan subway stops which saw the largest rent drops like 66th Street Lincoln Center on the 1 line which dropped by 23% to $3,100 and others all of which saw greater than 21% decrease in such rents.
Overall, rents for one bedroom apartments near 88% of subway stations saw drops but the aforementioned three in The Bronx bucked the trend.
A quiet Fordham Road in late March 2020facing the Fordham Road Station on the 4 line
The study, which was conducted by data scientist Shane Lee at RentHop, took a look at rental data for one bedroom apartments between January 1st and March 31st of both 2020 and 2021 and looked at a minimum of 50 rental listings within a half mile from the stop. If less than 50 listings were available, the search was expanded by 1 mile.
The Bronx was and continues to be one of the hardest hit places in America as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and had the highest unemployment rate in history during this time that exceeded 25%—figures unseen since the Great Depression—so it’s baffling that landlords think it’s acceptable to increase rents in what’s still the most economically depressed borough of the city.
MOTT HAVEN—Less than a week is left to apply for brand new affordable housing units at the newly built Park Haven development being promoted via the New York City Housing Lottery.
Unlike other nearby developments being touted as “affordable”, this particular one is truly affordable with deep affordability as income requirements for qualifying households are 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) making it accessible to very low and low income households.
Rendering of Park Haven
This means that beginning at the 30% AMI, this translates to residents making $14,915 to $23,880 a year can qualify for a studio renting for only $362 a month or $18,789 to $32,220 for a one bedroom apartment renting for $465 a month.
5% of units are set aside for applicants with mobility issues and 2% for those with visual or hearing impairments.
50% of units are set aside for applicants who live within Bronx Community Board 1 (you can enter your address here to see which community board you live in) and 5% of units are set aside for New York City employees.
Park Haven, at 345 St Ann’s Avenue is almost complete
Amenities include Laundry Room, Fitness Center, Community Room, Landscaped Terrace, LVT Floors, Security Cameras, Electric appliances, and Granite countertops with backsplash.
For outdoor space, besides the private exterior areas at Park Haven, you have St Mary’s Park just up the block which is currently undergoing a $30+ million renovation or you can head down to Randall’s Island and enjoy 480 acres of open, green spaces, ballfields, tennis courts, and simply being on the water given that we don’t have much access to our waterfront in the area.
Typical two bedroom layout
Interested applicants should apply online here or you can request an application by mail by sending a self-addressed envelope to:
PARK HAVEN, P.O. BOX 316 BRONX, NY 10470
Just a reminder that you should ONLY apply once either by mail OR online and NOT both. Applying more than once per lottery may disqualify you.
Application deadline is April 26, 2021.
Typical 3 bedroom layout
The city needs to focus on having truly affordable developments constructed such as Park Haven in areas like the South Bronx and not advertising luxury development as “affordable” like 101 Bruckner less than a mile away with rents of $2,300 for applicants making more than twice the area’s true median income of $25,074.
Good luck to those who apply and remember, DO NOT CONTACT WELCOME2THEBRONX REGARDING THIS OR ANY OTHER REAL ESTATE LISTING AS WE ARE NOT A REAL ESTATE COMPANY. WE’RE SIMPLY REPORTING THE NEWS.
As we reported earlier this year, New York City is launching a massive e-scooter pilot program in The Bronx this year and now, the Department of Transportation has finally announced which companies will part of what will potentially be a two-year program which will be the first of its kind in the city.
Lime, Veo, and Bird are the three companies that were selected by DOT to carry out the pilot program set to begin early summer according to the city agency. When the original announcement was made earlier this year, the pilot program was scheduled to begin late Spring but it has since been pushed back.
Veo, Bird, and Lime will soon blanket the Northeast Bronx with up to 3,000 e-scooters in NYC’s first pilot program of its kind./Image via DOT
“We are proud to bring e-scooter share to the Bronx… We welcome Bird, Lime and Veo—and we look forward to working closely with them, elected officials and local Bronx communities to make e-scooter share an effective, convenient and safe way to get around.” said DOT Commissioner Gutman at the press event.
The trio of companies will flood the East Bronx neighborhoods above Pelham Parkway during Phase 1 of the pilot program with 2,000 to 3,000 e-scooters covering neighborhoods like Co-op City, Baychester, Williamsbridge, Allerton, Edenwald, Eastchester, and Pelham Gardens (except City Island) and Morris Park and Van Nest to the south of the parkway with 2,000 to 3,000 e-scooters.
Woodlawn is the only neighborhood West of the Bronx River that will be part of Phase 1 (or any phase for that matter) as the pilot will not overlap with areas served by Citi Bike.
DOT Commissioner Gutman at the announcement of the selected e-scooter companies for the pilot program./Image via DOT
Depending on how well the pilot runs, it will then be expanded to the rest of the East Bronx (minus City Island, once again) and increasing potential e-scooter coverage to 4,000 to 6,000 providing an alternative form of transportation for the area which is often described as a transportation desert.
While New York City appears to be entering the e-scooter trend late in the game, it was done by design as DOT has been studying what has worked, or not, across other major global cities that have such ride share programs of their own.
There are many concerns among residents for safe usage of the e-scooters and one way that is being addressed is that new users will not be able to ride them above 10 miles per hour during the first 30 minutes for beginners. Once they have ridden 30 minutes, the e-scooters speed limit will be upped to 15 mph.
Other safety measures include upgrading bike lanes as well as adding new ones, something that cycling activists have long been clamoring for. These infrastructure improvements will be carried out under both phases.
DOT Infrastructure upgrades to Bronx Bike Lanes and Streets
As far as pricing goes, Lime charges 30 cents a minute and Bird and Veo will charge 39 cents per minute. For all services, there will be a $1 unlocking fee. As with other ride sharing programs like Citi Bike, and Revel, there will be reduced fees for NYCHA residents and those on public assistance.
The scooters themselves will have both seated and standing options and will even have attachments to make them wheelchair accessible to make sure no one is left out from being able to enjoy this form of transportation.
Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island will have to wait until at least 2023 until they get added to the program as the pilot is carried out in The Bronx over the next few years and Manhattan won’t even get them since they’re barred by law from operating there.
It’s usually The Bronx that gets such things last so it’s nice to finally be first for something.
A new affordable housing lottery has been opened up for 28 brand new apartments right at the border of University and Kingsbridge Heights in the Northwest corner of The Bronx.
The building, located at 2724 Heath Avenue at West Kingsbridge Road, is a seven story, 64 unit new development one block from the Major Deegan expressway and is located just blocks away from major stores like Target and also close to the 1 train at 225 Street and Broadway as well as the Marble Hill Metro North station.
Rendering of 2724 Heath Avenue
Twenty-eight of the units are now available via the New York City Affordable Housing Lottery program and are targeted towards middle income residents making 120% of the Area Median Income, otherwise known as the AMI.
Depending on the household size and size of apartment, these incomes range anywhere from $56,572 for a one or two person household seeking a studio to as high as $154,680 for a family of five seeking a two bedroom unit.
Typical kitchen
Monthly rents for the units are $1,650 for the studio apartments, $1,750 for one bedroom units, and $2,000 for two bedroom apartments.
Although these units are being offered under the guise of affordability, income requirements set at 120% of the AMI leaves out a significant portion of residents who need new and affordable rents, although these rents are anything but affordable for many local residents.
Typical Bathroom
According to the most recent census data, the median household income in Bronx Community Board 7, where the development is located, is $41,336 a year and 58% of households make under $50,000.
With a minimum income requirement of $56,572, these units are definitely not targeted towards the majority who live within the district.
As far as building amenities go, there’s an onsite community center and gym for resident use along with shared laundry room. Kitchens are equipped with high end and energy efficient appliances as per the listing at Housing Connect.
Typical two bedroom layout
The development is also close to the Jerome Park Reservoir and Van Cortlandt Park as well as Lehman College.
Lottery ends on June 11, 2021 and you can apply online here or if you want to request a paper application, you can do so by writing to: 2724 Heath Ave. LLC PO Box 9 Purchase, NY 10577.
Remember to only apply once as you may be disqualified for applying multiple times.
And a reminder, we are not affiliated with this or any development so we cannot help you with the application process. We are simply reporting the news to you.
Good luck to all of those who apply and to those who don’t qualify, we must fight for truly affordable housing. Continue to keep the pressure on your elected officials.
Amazon’s aggressive move into regional industrial spaces in and around New York City has not spared The Bronx.
A fourth location in the borough has been announced for the tech giant and its second in Hunts Point.
Located at 511 Barry Street, just across from Jethro Cash and Carry, and according to New York Business Journal, is scheduled to begin operating by the end of the year.
The warehouse is currently refrigerated but Amazon does not need the equipment and will therefore take them out of the 139,700 square foot facility. The size of this warehouse bumps up the total to well over three quarters of a million square feet that the company now leases within The Bronx.
511 Barry Street in Hunts Point will be the site of Amazon’s fourth Bronx warehouse
Back in 2019, the company leased its first Bronx warehouse at 1300 Viele Avenue which is 117,000 square feet in size. Last year, the company snatched up two significant industrial properties via leases: The former ABC Carpet warehouse along the Bronx River at Bruckner Boulevard and measuring 200,000 square feet in size, and the old Model’s Sporting Goods property in Morris Park at 1500 Basset Avenue totaling 366,000 square feet in size.
These facilities are all part of Amazon’s plans to speed up deliveries by having strategically placed “last mile” facilities to make fulfillment of orders as expedient as possible.
For several years, warehouse spaces in The Bronx have seen an uptick in sales and leasing as developers and investors see a future in such last mile facilities.
The former Whitestone Cinemas, which was sold for $41 million in 2015 and demolished in 2018, will soon be home to one of the largest multi-level last mile facilities in the country and a first-of-its-kind in New York City. The futuristic facility will span 700,000 square feet and is advertised as the perfect place to reach over 9.4 million people in a 15 mile radius and was scheduled to open last year but will most likely open sometime this year.
A rendering of the distribution center to replace the old Whitestone Cinemas.
Meanwhile, over in Oak Point, plans were announced last year to construct a massive 1.24 square foot million monster warehouse spread across 4 levels which would be the largest of its kind in New York City.
It will be one of the largest such facilities in the region and the only one connected directly by rail.
While many will see that this may mean more jobs for locals, others are more concerned with the environment and the additional pollution that more and more truck traffic will bring into a borough and an area that is already saturated with such industries
The Bronx already has one of the highest rates of asthma not just in the city and state but in the nation.
These companies should be mandated to operate only electric vehicles in neighborhoods that are already suffering from such negative health outcomes.
After a brief pause during the winter months, ‘Piazza di Belmont’ will return by the end of this month to Arthur Avenue providing diners with ample room along the famed road.
Beginning Friday, April 30th, Arthur Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic between East 188th Street to Crescent Avenue, two blocks longer thank last year which was only up to 186th Street.
Street closure will be from 6pm to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays and on Sundays from 1pm to 9pm which is the same schedule as last year when it was first launched as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and struggling restaurants unable to host indoor dining. The only difference this time around is that it has been shortened by one day by eliminating Thursdays from the schedule.
“While the pandemic has devastated our city, borough, and neighborhood, we are hopeful for the future with the ongoing vaccinations, lifting restrictions, and the re-launch of Piazza di Belmont, which has become popular with our guests and allows more visitors to dine outdoors during the warmer months,” said Peter Madonia, Chairman of the Belmont BID.
Piazza di Belmont returns this month as Arthur Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic on select days.
And yes, that’s the same Madonia who owns Madonia Bakery which has been in operation for over a century on Arthur Avenue and makes its signature olive bread the same way as the day they opened all those years ago.
Madonia added, “Many of the small businesses in Bronx Little Italy are owned and operated by the same families who founded them over a century ago – some of which have already been through the 1918 pandemic. Piazza di Belmont will help to support many of these family-operated restaurants on weekend evenings, while the streets will remain open during normal business hours throughout the week to support our essential and retail businesses.”
Many of our beloved Arthur Avenue institutions will partake in Piazza di Belmont mainstays like Zero Otto Nove, Mario’s, Enzo’s (a personal favorite amongst all these great spots), Estrellita Poblana, Ann & Tony’s, Pasquale Rigoletto and many more according to the Belmont BID.
Estrellita Poblana, a local favorite
The coronavirus pandemic has forced us to rethink what our public spaces could or should look like and has given us an opportunity to experiment with more open, pedestrian, and business friendly spaces.
With restrictions placed on indoor dining to keep everyone safe during these times, restaurants have been allowed to install outdoor dining spaces without the expensive and bureaucratic paperwork that made it all but impossible for small mom and pop restaurants to even attempt to apply for the necessary permits.
Outdoor dining has been a lifeline for many establishments and in some cases has even doubled capacity.
For a place like Arthur Avenue lined with specialty shops like the bakeries, pasta shops, butchers, and fish markets, it’s a great way for folks to relax and enjoy while shopping and dining on what was called one of America’s Great Streets in 2016 by the American Planning Association.
Emilias
During that declaration, the APA wrote, “Arthur Avenue is an exceptionally rich streetscape lined with restaurants, grocery stores, and shops promoting Italian heritage, dating back to large Italian migration starting at the turn of the 20th century. Nearly every shop is an institution, passed down through generations of families that have lived in the neighborhood. There is no better place to sample delicious bread, pasta, sausage, or espresso — the Zagat Survey readers repeatedly give “Best Buy” status to more Arthur Avenue shops than in any other neighborhood in New York City.”
For those that know Arthur Avenue, do we really need another reason to go and support the place we love so much?
Probably not.
So, mark your calendars and get ready to enjoy some good dining in New York City’s real Little Italy.
BEDFORD PARK—Application deadline is fast approaching for a brand new development in Bedford Park.
Over 100 brand new construction affordable apartments in the Bedford Park neighborhood of The Bronx, with rents as low as $1,045 a month for two-bedroom units, are still available to apply for but you have 8 days left as the housing lottery closes on April 20th, 2021.
Bronxview at 2885 Marion Avenue/Image via NYC Housing Connect
Located at 2885 Marion Avenue, Bronxview Apartments is a 114 unit, 8 story mixed-income residential development with a wide range of one, two, and three bedroom units available across several income brackets.
For those who qualify, rents are as low as $1,045 for two-bedroom apartment and $1,200 for a three bedroom for those making 50% of the area median income and higher depending on income—rents that are well below the area median for similar type units.
But unlike many recent affordable housing developments, Bronxview lacks many of what are considered to be basic amenities like rooftop access, fitness centers, and bike storage—none of which are found at this development.
But within walking distance, there are many Bronx institutions that more than make up for what the development lacks.
Future residents can enjoy outdoor spaces and gems like Van Cortlandt Park, NYC’s third largest park, the New York Botanical Garden, Mosholu Parkway, Bronx River Park and Forest, and more—all a short walk away.
As far as transportation goes, Bronxview is located within walking distance of the Botanical Garden Metro North Station, the B and D subway at Bedford Park Boulevard and the 4 train a few blocks over on the same street not to mention several bus routes that run right by.
Income requirements for qualifying applicants range from 50, 60, 90, to 110% of the area median income which is anywhere from $39,018 to $155,100 a year according to household size.
As with all affordable housing developments, 5% of units are set aside for applicants with mobility issues and 2% for those with visual or hearing impairments.
Image via Housing Connect
50% of the units are reserved for those who live within the development’s community board which in this case is CB7 and 5% for those who work for New York City.
Hurry now as application deadline is April 20, 2021 and you can apply online or request an application by mail, by sending a self-addressed envelope to:
2751 Grand Concourse C/O Fordham Bedford Bronx, NY 10468
As per Housing Connect guidelines, do NOT apply online and also send in an application. Only apply ONCE per lottery or you may be disqualified for duplicate entries.
Best of luck!
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.
Due to the fact that the location hasn’t been disclosed by Apple as of yet, it remains yet to be a secret but it was indicated to be an 8,500 square foot space at a “significant” property.
When it comes to retail in The Bronx, there are really not that many “significant” properties that come to mind or locations we think we’d see one but the most obvious one that does pop up is The Mall at Bay Plaza.
When it comes to retail, it really is the borough’s most significant retail properties that can currently accommodate the reported square footage.
With stores like Macy’s and Swarovski calling the Mall at Bay Plaza home and now with Shake Shack having opened its first Bronx location there in the past few weeks, it’s really the most logical choice we think we’d see Apple opening up a store.
The only other “significant” property of note would be the Bronx General Post Office on the Grand Concourse at 149th Street which developers have been trying to turn into a retail destination but so far, it has been a dud with only one Zona de Cuba restaurant operating out of the roof top.
As far as commercial corridors, Fordham Road is another logical location given Fordham University being there and its rather central location (at least geographically) to the rest of The Bronx.
Meanwhile, over at The Hub at 3rd Avenue and 149th Street, there are no visible signs of construction at any of the local commercial properties.
For decades, major national retailers have kept out of The Bronx but in the past dozen or so years, they have been rapidly coming to the borough as retail rents remain relatively more affordable than other locations like Manhattan and the outer boroughs.
Swarovski is one of the many retailers that call The Mall at Bay Plaza Home and may be the home of Apple’s first Bronx store.
Of course, with a store like Apple coming to The Bronx, the conversation will inevitably turn to the topic of gentrification. When the world’s most valuable brand and company opens in Manhattan, one doesn’t really think of gentrification but when it opens in areas like The Bronx, one can’t help but wonder what it will do to already struggling retailers in our borough as a result of the shift from shoppers forgoing brick and mortar stores for shopping online like with tech giants like Amazon.
The pandemic pushed more people to shop online and many small businesses couldn’t survive without customers and having to still pay rents.
Wherever Apple opens up in The Bronx, that neighborhood will sure have some bragging rights but will their mom and pop shops be able to survive what will inevitably be rising retail rents?
For now, the true winners will be the landlords of wherever the Apple store opens up and the surrounding property owners, and of course, the Apple fans.
