For the past 30 to 40 years the Bronx has received much negative press and it never seems to end.
What has ended is the fact that we, as Bronxites, no longer will remain quiet when our hometown is bashed, particularly without any real world and real-time facts.
I can go on forever on why I love the Bronx but this is really about you, the reader!
We want to know, in your own words, why you love the Bronx. You can post the comments below, you can email us at info@welcome2thebronx.com and it doesn’t just have to be just your words! Tell us in pictures or videos or Vines using the hash tag #whyilovethebronx on Instagram, Vine, twitter and Tumblr. Make sure to tag us too Welcome2TheBronx and #welcome2thebronx
This will be an ongoing project and we will feature one response a week so check back often to see if your response made it!
Yes, it happened again. An individual felt the need to not only trash talk about the Bronx but to publish their article as fact.
Meet Patricia Vaccarino, a Seattle publicist who thinks she’s an expert on all things Bronx yet she lives thousands of miles away and her only defense for the article was that she was here in November of last year.
During that time she says, “I was in the Bronx last November. I spent the day on Arthur Avenue and I didn’t see any cultural attractions except a whole lot of statues of St Francis of Assisi and bunches of guys standing around in big groups with their hands stuffed in their pockets.”
A commentator by the name of Joe responded by writing, “…if you were truly on Arthur Ave. and looking for cultural facilities you could not have helped but notice the Fermi Cultural Center which is at least a third of a city block in size and consists of one of the largest collection of Italian literature and artifacts this side of the Atlantic. And if you happened to be looking east away from the Fermi Center you would be looking in the direction of Fordham University one of the largest and more diverse Jesuit centers for learning. ”
So let me get this straight, she was in the middle of the most authentic Little Italy in New York City which has been written about countless times but she saw nothing positive to write about?
It shouldn’t be too surprising once she responded with that because after reading her poor attempt at journalism it becomes quite evident that she didn’t even bother to research her work. The article was clearly written by an individual who saw the Bronx through the lens of someone who experienced it in the 70s and 80s.
But enough about her and her sloppy, poor and dare I say unethical journalism – which Vaccarino excitedly tweeted about that she’s now a journalist with her first article.
I’m here to talk about how proud I am at this very moment of my fellow Bronxites who immediately set the record straight on such journalistic trash.
“Pray tell, Ms. Vaccarino, what reality are you currently inhabiting. Your story is, at best, deeply offensive and lacks any in-depth research or actual facts.
“Please tell, all of us, when in fact you reportedly observed, “huge groups of gangstas hanging out on the streets look[ing] like happy tourists.” What street, when? And did you seriously just reference Mayor Ed Koch? You do know he hasn’t been mayor since 1989–right? Furthermore, Ms. Vaccarino, are you honestly suggesting that his assessment of the Bronx is still relevant, today in 2013?
… you seem to be wedded to the idea that the Bronx has to be something that it no longer is–I guess that’s because it makes for good copy and you were paid for writing bilge like this.But for you, that’s sad, because you’re honestly missing one of the most amazing organic transformations happening in NYC. Now that would have been a story worth reading.”
Olga Luz Tirado, Executive Director of the Bronx Tourism Council also chimed in and challenged Patricia Vaccarino to come back to the Bronx:
”
Patricia, I am deeply disappointed that someone who obviously has the capability to compose a series of words and turn them into an article, did so without first conducting the appropriate research. The fact of the matter is that The Bronx is up and coming, whether your limited time here suggests otherwise. Pray tell, what were you doing when you “spent a day” on Arthur Avenue?
Perhaps your jaded view of the borough prevented you from venturing out to the New York Botanical Gardens or some of the other wonderful places some of my fellow Bronx lovers mentioned in the comments section.
That the Grand Concourse was fashioned after the Champs Elysee does not suggest that the architect intended the Concourse to look like Paris. Among many reasons, he was simply designing a boulevard that would be able to accommodate automobiles as well as horse and buggies. If you would have asked, one of us would have been happy to tell you.
There are fine restaurants here and a lot of wonderful things to do and see. I personally invite you to come back to The Bronx, but really come back to The Bronx. I would think that a true professional who has done his or her due diligence would be less likely to spew erroneous information. ~ Olga Luz Tirado,Executive Director, The Bronx Tourism Council
”
This wasn’t the first piece written about the Bronx with such a negative and erroneous slant on our borough and it won’t be the last. What Patricia Vaccarino didn’t count on was that the Bronx has a voice and we defend our own – loudly.
Viewing your company’s website and press kit as well as your bio, one would be led to believe that as a successful publicist (or was that part simply just “spin” on your part to make you look good?), you would research extensively that which you would write about.
So Patricia, do come back to the Bronx. Perhaps you can stay at the Opera House Hotel smack dab in the heart of the South Bronx. The luxury boutique hotel, which opened in August, has received nothing but rave reviews from guests from all across the country and globe.
Folks like you who had a myopic view of a Bronx that no longer exists due to irresponsible journalism such as you decided to churn out.
Bronx born and raised HOLA award winner for Outstanding Solo Performance, José Roldán, Jr
The Hispanic Organization of Latino Artists (HOLA) is recognizing one of our borough’s very own this year in their 14th annual award and benefit gala on October 21st. During the same event, HOLA will also be honoring such widely recognized names as Bobby Cannavale, Nadine Velázquez, and Vanessa Verduga
José Roldán, Jr, born, raised and currently residing in the Bronx, wrote ‘Father Forgive Me For I Have Sinned’ – for which he is receiving the HOLA award for Outstanding Solo Performance – as an autobiographical piece on growing up in the South Bronx during the 1980s and ’90s and dealing with his own sexual identity in an all too familiar latino household ruled by a father’s machismo softened by the love of a mother.
After missing the performance several times before, this summer I was fortunate enough to go on this journey with José as he performed this one man show and I will say that I was not prepared for what I witnessed.
José Roldán, Jr masterfully takes you on this journey and paints the scene for you with such clarity that you ARE sitting with him and his family, watching as the drama unfolds.
When he gets into one of the many characters that is his family, you are not watching José but instead you are witnessing Bruja Tía or the his sister, the queen of Freestyle.
Being an out, gay male who grew up in the South Bronx I could easily identify with the trials and tribulations which José Roldán, Jr went through but the core message of acceptance by your family transcends the gay world and you can easily see how this show relates to many different aspects of our family lives.
You can catch José perform his award winning ‘Father Forgive Me For I Have Sinned’ on the following dates:
October 26, 2013:
THE UNDERGROUND THEATER @ THE @6:30PM – GET YOUR TICKETS HERE Tickets are $8.00 but hurry before it’s sold out!
November 21st, 2013:
LEHMAN COLLEGENOVEMBER 21 @ 12:30PM -CONTACT TICKETS@JOSEROLDANJR.COM FOR TICKETS
Yolanda Gonzalez, the former chief of the nonprofit group Nos Quedamos, left a police precinct on Wednesday, charged with stealing nearly $900,000 from the charity. She pleaded not guilty.YANA PASKOVA FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES
I was approached by someone about Gonzalez several years ago. The individual was concerned about the same shady dealings Yolanda Gonzalez has been charged with. Shortly after my conversation with my source, a trusted friend was appointed to the Board of Directors and assured me it was going to be handled with immediately.
Nos Quedamos was founded by her late mother, Yolanda García, when the long time residents of Melrose where threatened by redevelopment.
City Hall wanted to bulldoze most of the neighborhood above 149th Street and create developments strictly middle and high income families. They saw the rubble as a way to clean house but they didn’t count on such strong resistance from the community.
Today, Melrose stands as the fastest growing neighborhood in the Bronx and one the 3rd in all of the city.
The myriad of mixed-income developments – no longer segregating families of different means – is a testament to Nos Quedamos’ fight so that we would not be displaced rampant development as has happened in countless gentrified neighborhoods across our city.
As residents of the Bronx and particularly the South Bronx, we must be ever vigilant and keep a keen eye on our community leaders. Report any wrongdoings immediately. We cannot let our very own people get away with this.
INTERVIEW WITH FORMER BOROUGH PRESIDENT ADOLFO CARRION
Sorry for the delay in this week’s article. An interview with mayoral candidate Adolfo Carrion was supposed to happen for this week. Unfortunately, it seems like that may have fallen by the wayside.
Carrion is on the outs with the Bronx Democratic Party. Last week, Vice Chair of the BX Democratic Party took to facebook to bash the former Beep. Lewis Goldstein posted the following:
“Mr. Carrion has abandoned the progressive ideology he used to have when he was a member of the NYC Council and Bronx Borough President. He has abandoned the needs of the middle and lower class residents of NYC. He has adopted tactics of the Tea Party and fellow travelers. He has referred to the Democratic candidate for mayor as being a Communist. He does not represent what the Bronx Democratic Party stands for. My respect for him has waned.”
So, naturally, I was looking forward to asking Mr. Carrion to respond. Hopefully we can get together soon.
Mr. Carrion is polling at 2% in the mayor’s race and has $96,000 on hand.
40 UNDER 40
Not surprisingly, City and State named two of the Bronx’s newest elected officials to their list of “Rising Stars: 40 under 40.”
Of course these two newly (presumably) elected officials are Ritchie Torres and Victor Pichardo.
And of course I have to talk some smack about both of them.
First, Torres. This guy! When asked what would he be doing if he weren’t involved in politics, he responded by saying he would be “an appellate attorney of constitutional law.” WOW! LOOK AT MR. BIG FANCY PANTS USING BIG WORDS!!!!
The problem with this is, of course, that in order to be a lawyer, one must first attend law school. And in order to attend law school, one must first get accepted into law school — to get accepted into law school one must have excellent grades as an undergrad in college. And this is where Mr. Fancy Pants falls short: he dropped out of college despite having a free ride at NYU. The last time I checked, one needed educational requirements a little higher than a high school degree to become “an appellate attorney of constitutional law.”
Now, Pichardo. Wow. Just WoW.
Direct quote: “They have to justify to themselves why they lost, not the fact that I had a better understanding of the issues. I stated a better case to my neighbors, and I put in a lot of effort and a lot of work in going up and down those stairs, meeting with a lot of my neighbors at their homes, seeing them at work, on the trains and just engaging them in a conversation. I’m focused on the folks I interacted with during my campaign.”
Or, you know, the election really was stolen and you really are an illegitimate elected official. But who is keeping score? I guess we can agree to disagree.
Erica Veras, Education and Community Liaison for the Bronx Borough Presidents office was fined $5,000 because she improperly threatened her son’s school for not letting him participate on a field trip. Then she even tried to sneak him on the bus the day of the trip.
The BP, through an unknown source, adamantly explained that Erica Veras is not part of the Diaz Jr. team; she is a civil servant who has been in borough hall since before Ruben became Borough President. In other words, they are distancing themselves from their own office?
DIAZ JR. AND DIRT BIKES
The beep also made news last week for introducing legislation that would fine gas stations that sell gas to owners of illegal dirt bikes.
Of course there were criticisms leveled on facebook. Mostly on three concerns:
1. The legislation passes the buck to the private sector.
2. What happens when a credit card is used to purchase gas? Is the gas station attendant required to shut down the pump and chase away the menacing bikers?
3. What’s stopping dirt bikers from parking around the block of the gas station, pulling out a red gas can, walking up to a pump and getting gas that way?
IS ANYBODY THERE?
I should’ve said this before, but anyone who wants to send tips, suggestions or press releases, please email me at robagiuffre@gmail.com.
Comments, views, and opinions are that solely of the author and should never be misconstrued as that of Welcome2TheBronx or any other authors of this site.
Photo credit: Yainis Ynoa stars in "Babygirl," a movie by Macdara Vallely.
I had the pleasure of reading the script for “Babygirl” several years ago and immediately was gripped by how well Macdara Vallely captured the Bronx and its residents.
Since then, the film is finally complete and is now up on the big screen downtown at the Quad until this THURSDAY October 10th ONLY. Show times are as follows:
Macdara Vallely, the writer/director of “Peacefire” and two movie shorts, wrote and directed “Babygirl,” a new movie about a plucky, parentified, Nuyorican Bronx teenager Lena (Yainis Ynoa), who is the object of advances by her mother’s sketchy boyfriend, Victor (Flaco Navaja).
Vallely, 40, who was raised in Northern Ireland, now lives in the Pelham Parkway section of the Bronx with his wife, Vanessa (an esthetician who worked as a script editor on “Babygirl”), and their 2-year-old son, Alonso.
The award-winning “Babygirl,” which was shot largely in the Bronx and features a Nuyorican cast, opens Friday, Oct. 4, at the Quad (34 W. 13th St.) for a one-week run.
You were inspired to write this movie after seeing a teenage girl on the 2 train reject the attentions of an older guy who then hit on her easily flattered mother. Did you have a parent who made relationships with romantic partners a higher priority than the well-being of her children?
No! I had two very nice parents. My mother was a teacher and my father was a musician. But I identify with the story and I know situations like that. Being a parent is very challenging. You only realize how challenging once you have your own children — then you cut your own parents some slack. I have a lot of compassion for Lucy’s predicament. Lucy (played by Rosa Arredondo) is very lonely and has a lot of needs that can’t be met within the family. If I’d become a parent in my 20s, I don’t think I’d have been such a good parent. And there is love between Lena and Lucy.
What are the similarities of Irish culture and Latino culture?
We both share colonial pasts, place an importance on family and we like to enjoy ourselves. I married into a Puerto Rican family — my wife told me she wouldn’t marry me unless I learned how to dance salsa. We’re raising a kid who speaks Spanish and Irish and understands English. We’re experimenting on our kid, because, well, you can’t experiment on other people’s kids.
Both cultures also share the influence of Catholicism. Growing up in Northern Ireland (as a Catholic) I was definitely on the on the wrong side of society — you’re not a part of the privileged class. But Latinos face the added aspect of racial discrimination. In New York, if you’re a minority there is a likelihood that you are a part of the economic underclass and live in the outer boroughs. You see it on the trains: Once the train gets past 149th St., I’m often the only white person in the carriage. That marker is just huge. I wanted this movie to be a very broad representation of Puerto Rican people — the kind of people I know. Flipping through television, you don’t get that diversity.
There are scenes that read visually like a love letter to Bronx parks.
One of the things I love about this city are the green spaces, particularly in the Bronx. People celebrate their lives in these shared spaces: We live in these tiny little apartments and people have their birthday parties and barbeques in the parks. They’re such a big part of summer in New York and provide such a contrast to all the asphalt and concrete surfaces.
But in “Babygirl,” there’s no garbage! The parks look so clean!
Well, at Lena’s Sweet 16, you’ll see she’s cleaning up her own garbage (after her birthday party). People should definitely clean up after themselves.
You thank the Irish Film Board for its support in “Babygirl’s” credits. Is Ireland more supportive of the arts than the U.S., where even major directors seek funding on Kickstarter?
On a per capita basis, there’s much more support for film production in Ireland than in the U.S. There’s a public body, The Irish Film Board, and they award funds for movies according to merit. It’s not perfect, but it allows people like myself to make movies and to break into the movie making business. It’s a really good idea and turns out good movies. The awards are contingent on doing at least a part of the production in Ireland — we did our post-production there — so it supports all the local industries as well. In the U.S., they give you tax breaks.
Props for capturing the difficulty of being a teenager — especially a teenaged girl — in NYC.
There’s a lot at stake in a person’s life at that age. Teenagers often don’t have the resources to deal with the problems they confront because they’re young and inexperienced, yet the decisions they make can have implications for the rest of their lives. That’s a situation that lends itself to drama. I was really anxious that Lena not come across as a victim. In most films, young women are either sirens or victims and I wanted Lena to be bigger than just one of those two things. She fights back.
What was your greatest challenge in making “Babygirl”?
The casting! Finding the lead actors! It just took forever. We had all but given up on the casting the lead, then during the last open call Yainis (Ynoa) read. She did the scene where the mother kicks the daughter out of the house and made my wife cry. My wife was just sitting there with tears rolling down her face.
Why don’t we see more movies about believable people with real life problems?
Tons of movies like mine are made every year — they just don’t get seen because distribution is so difficult. To roll a movie out is very expensive and filled with risk.
It’s really, really tough to get any movie made, and the people who make them are exposed to so much risk, they’re forced to go for the low hanging fruit by making movies about super heros and so on. Unless you have big stars attached to a movie, it’s very difficult to get a broad release so you rely on a good festival run and getting a few awards.
Why isn’t “Babygirl” being shown in the Bronx, the borough it depicts with so much affection?
This is a platform release. If it does well at the Quad, it could expand to the other boroughs. … I’ve lived in the Bronx for seven years and wouldn’t live in any other borough. It’s my favorite part of the city. I’m in the Pelham Parkway section and 10 minutes from my house is the Bronx Zoo. A quick bike ride away is Arthur Avenue or City Island.
Do you consider Victor, the character who courts Lucy to get access to her daughter, a pedophile?
Flaco Navaja, who played him, and I talked a lot about that in rehearsals. Victor has an intense physical attraction to Lena but actually starts to fall in love with her. “Lolita” was in the back of my mind in that regard. There’s definitely something there in terms of the power play between Victor and Lena and how that power play gets reversed. He might be physically 25 or 26, but he’s a bit of a child himself — and Lena is actually more mature.
Lena opts not to live with her aunt, who seems much more stable and better able to provide adult guidance than her mother.
In the story, Lena is given a choice of leaving her mother, but she chooses to stay. It’s a big choice, and not the easiest choice. She can’t resist the pull of family and that’s something we all deal with than in our own families.
There’s a marked absence of decent dads in the film. Where are the fathers?
This is about the relationship between mothers and daughters and girls and their friends. The fact is a lot of people in the Bronx, and in the U.S. and in Ireland as well, are from single-parent homes. It’s a small movie! You can’t do everything!
"I am #soledadspeaks" Vanessa Ferreira aka Vanessa Chica
In her first post for Welcome2TheBronx, Vanessa Ferreira (aka Vanessa Chica to most of us) brings us a new play, Soledad Speaks, which opens up downtown this week.
With over 20% of the Bronx’s population of Puerto Rican decent, AND the fact that poets Merriam Rodriguez and JF Seary are Bronxites, this is sure to be of major local interest to many.
Read what Vanessa has to say about the piece:
The Universe has brought me the opportunity to work as the stage manager for the production of Soledad Speaks, at a time that I needed to become involved in something spiritual, something magical. I needed to observe the sharing and the love that goes on during the rehearsals.
The laughter, the breakdowns, the tears. For this I am grateful.
As I sit and watch and listen to each piece of “magic” I feel connected, Inspired transported back into time and catapulted into the future while remaining in the present.
Embracing their emotions, there is no lack of goose-bumps.
Their stories are my grandmother’s stories, my mother’s stories, my stories, your stories.
They have devoted and sacrificed endless hours of creating and practicing, digging deep into their souls simply because there is a need, a need for these stories to be heard.
These stories are our stories, our forgotten stories. Let’s hear them.
Vanessa Ferreira (Vanessa Chica)
Soledad Speaks is spoken word theater at its best. This evolutionary and revolutionary stage play is created, curated, and directed by award-winning writer, Linda Nieves-Powell, and features the poetry of four dynamic female poets; Merriam Rodriguez, Maria Rodriguez, Peggy Robles-Alvarado, and JF Seary. The journey begins during the seventeeth century on the Island of Puerto Rico and ends in modern day New York City. By revisiting the colonization of an Island and the effects on its women, and their journey from slavery, to rebellion, to freedom, Soledad Speaks’ pays homage to those who came before us in the hopes of understanding how their legacy has defined who we are today.
Soledad Speaks Theater IATI located at 64 E. 4th street NYC Oct 8th-13th www.soledadspeaks.com #soledadspeaks
By Rob Giuffre, October 1, 2013 4:53PM Updated October 2nd, 2013 11:56AM
SPEAKER CARL?
As Shelly Silver is approaching what looks like *might* be the end of his decades long reign as State Assembly Speaker, insiders are speculating about who might emerge as his replacement.
Bronx Assemblyman and Bronx Democratic Party County Chairman Carl Heastie has been floated as a possible heir apparent. Let me be clear, this is complete speculation and hearsay.
When asked, Carl’s spokesman Patrick Jenkins adamantly denied anything other than complete and total devotion to Speaker Sheldon Silver, to the point where it was almost creepy.
Of course this is a smart public stance to take. Silver is known as a bulldog and anything short of total support from his members is met with swift fury – just ask Michael Bragman. “Who’s that?” you may be asking. Exactly. He’s the last person to organize a coup against Silver 13 years ago in May 2000. His political career was ended by Silver shortly after the coup failed.
It is sort of awe-inspiring the loyalty Speaker Silver demands and receives – even during his most vulnerable moments. Even the Chair of the Bronx Democratic Party, a pretty powerful position in its own right, responded with what amount to, “What are you out of your mind?” (not a direct quote, but pretty much what was said) when asked if he was even interested in the position.
That said, of course Heastie is interested. There is a lack of minority state-wide leadership. Heastie has to be one of the first five names on the short list of members who could take over the speakership.
Personal issues with Heastie put aside, it would be awesome for The Bronx if that happened. And I dare say that he might actually be a decent speaker.
Let’s say, it was interesting. Carl seemed almost belligerent and paranoid at some points. At other points, he seemed open minded and searching for respect from the intelligentsia crowd – sort of like how a mainstream movie director secretly hopes the hipsters like their films.
I also sort of noticed that Carl sort of looks like Dr. Dre. No?
A lawsuit has reportedly been filed by second place finisher, Hector Ramirez, against Pichardo, the Board of Elections, Carl Heastie and Gustavo Rivera.
Who knows what will happen with this, but it seems pretty clear that the powers that be at both the Board of Elections and Heastie’s and Rivera’s clans wants this to go away immediately.
UN-DEMOCRATIC COUNTY COMMITTEE?
Speaking of the 86th district, it looks like Bronx Party executive director, Ischia Bravo, “unfriended” third place finisher Haile Rivera from the Bronx County Committee’s facebook group.
I guess she had enough of him pressing the issue of voter fraud on the page, which aligns well with the theory above: the powers that be want this to go away.
I better tread lightly before I find myself in the unfriended zone too. Ischia, I always knew you got off on the power, but I never expected the Fidel treatment! Please don’t unfriend me.
SPEAKER VACCA? PART II
Last week I promised I’d do a vote count…let’s just say, eh, Speaker Vacca, not happening.
IS ANYBODY THERE?
I should’ve said this before, but anyone who wants to send tips, suggestions or press releases, please email me at robagiuffre@gmail.com.
I need help here!
Just about a year ago, a group of intrepid Bronxites from all walks of life with varying talents decided to get together and form The Bronx Filmmakers.
Since then, they have met each Tuesday at the Bronx Documentary Center providing a much needed resource for the filmmaking community of our borough hosting a variety of workshops related to the industry.
Join them tonight from 7PM to 9PM as they celebrate their 1 year anniversary at the Bronx Documentary Center and meet with this talented group of Bronxites!
Read more about the group via an article on DNAinfo:
Directly across the street from the Opera House Hotel will rise a new mixed-use development that promises to bring 191 permanent jobs to the neighborhood along with 151 construction jobs.
Rendering of Triangle Plaza Hub
Called Triangle Plaza Hub and once completed will house a campus for Metropolitan College, a Fine Fare supermarket as well as provide new retail opportunities for the area along with a new plaza.
The development is bounded to the south by E 149th Street, to the north by Westchester Avenue, East by Brook Avenue and West by Bergen Avenue and is where the 2 and 5 trains emerge from underground as they make their way above and through the Bronx over the El.
The Hub Is going through some exciting changes and it all seems to be happening at once. The Opera House Hotel opened in August, making it the first and only luxury boutique hotel not just in the neighborhood but the entire Bronx.
Roberto Clemente Plaza is to begin renovation and construction this fall and by 2015 we should have a brand new open plaza for local residents and visitors to the neighborhood to enjoy.
If ever there was a time for retailers to invest in Melrose and the Hub of definitely is now.
Now while we’re all excited for such a major development to take hold in the Hub we should also urge Triangle to try and resist leasing any retail space to yet another rinky sink 99 cent store or bargain shops – something we have way too much of.
Hopefully they will actively seek out a more diverse retailer to add a bit more variety for shoppers. The Hub receives over 200,000 visitors a day so foot traffic is definitely not an issue.
What kind of stores would you like to see there?
Read the press release below or click on over here.
NYCEDC, Borough President Diaz, Empire State Development and Triangle Equities Announce Groundbreaking at The Triangle Plaza Hub at 149th Street in the Bronx
September 30, 2013
by New York RealEstateRama
Project Will Include Metropolitan College of New York Campus, Fine Fare Supermarket and Public Plaza
New York, NY – September 30, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., Empire State Development (ESD) and Triangle Equities, in partnership with the Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group (Goldman Sachs), today announced the groundbreaking of the Triangle Plaza Hub in the Melrose neighborhood of the Bronx. The $35 million project will transform an underutilized municipal parking lot into an 88,000 square-foot mixed-use commercial and community facility, which will provide a variety of community amenities, including a campus for Metropolitan College of New York and a Fine Fare supermarket, which is being built in an underserved area as part of the City’s Food Retail Expansion to Support Health (FRESH) Program. In addition, the development will include new construction of an 8,000-square-foot public plaza located at the intersection of Bergen and 149th Street. The project is expected to create approximately 191 permanent jobs and 151 construction jobs, with opportunities for local residents. The development will also incorporate energy efficiency and green building principles with a minimum goal of LEED “Silver” Certification.
“The Triangle Plaza Hub will provide the Melrose neighborhood with many new amenities and jobs, enhancing the area’s economy and helping the Bronx continue to flourish,” said NYCEDC Chief Operating Officer Zachary Smith. “This underutilized lot will be transformed into a vibrant mixed-use facility that will serve the community for years to come.”
The project will be financed with a $14.8 million senior loan, $10.3 million of NMTC equity, $5.8 million from the New York Healthy Food & Healthy Communities Fund, a partnership between the Low Income Investment Fund, ESD, and Goldman Sachs, as well as $3.4 million of direct equity from Goldman Sachs.
The project benefits significantly from $35 million in New Markets Tax Credit allocation from NYCEDC’s partners United Fund Advisors (UFA), LIIF, and Goldman Sachs. UFA is providing $19.3 million of NMTC allocation; LIIF is providing $10 million of NMTC allocation; and Goldman Sachs is providing $5.6 million. Since 2008, NYCEDC and UFA have leveraged nearly $428 million of NMTC allocation to finance over $1.5 billion of development costs and create over 4,100 construction jobs and 5,400 permanent jobs located throughout Brooklyn, the Bronx and Manhattan. The Triangle Plaza Hub is the 17th project on which UFA and NYCEDC have partnered.
“I am very excited with the development of Triangle Hub in Melrose,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. “This green mixed-use commercial and community facility will positively impact the South Bronx community providing residents with much needed access to both fresh produce, new job opportunities and higher education. This is a major development that will help us revitalize the area and at the same time will provide a shot in the arm to our local economy. I thank all the parties involved in investing in our great Borough as we work together to make the Bronx a great place to live and raise a family.”
“Bringing this project to fruition has taken a very long time and a great deal of energy on everyone’s part,” said Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo. “I believe we will agree the end result will be a great transformation and a welcomed change in our community.”
“We are very excited to be a part of this special and important development project for the South Bronx”, said Lester Petracca, President of Triangle Equities. “We appreciate the tremendous support that we received from the NYCEDC, ESD, Borough President Diaz, Councilwoman Arroyo, Marlene Cintron from BOEDC, and Community Board 1, as well as our partners Goldman Sachs, LIIF and the United Fund Advisors, illustrating what it takes to make these challenging projects become a reality. We are looking forward to building a project that we believe will be a catalyst for the redevelopment of this area and provide amenities to a deserving community.”
“ESD is extremely pleased to be taking part in the development of the Triangle Plaza Hub,” said Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Kenneth Adams. “The New York Healthy Food and Healthy Communities Fund was created to support underserved communities in gaining access to both fresh produce and new job opportunities. The facilities that will be built on this site will provide the area with new resources and growth that will stimulate the local economy for years to come.”
“We are thrilled to work on this transformative project with Triangle and our financing and public sector partners,” said Alicia Glen, managing director and head of the Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group. “Triangle Plaza Hub will increase access to fresh food and higher education in a community that critically needs these options.”
“By bringing a fresh food grocery, educational opportunities and jobs to the Mott Haven neighborhood in the Bronx, Triangle Plaza Hub exemplifies the impact that the LIIF seeks to make on low income communities,” said Judi Kende, Senior Vice President, Eastern and Central Regions, LIIF. “LIIF is proud to have provided New Markets Tax Credits, as well as financing through the New York Healthy Food and Healthy Communities (HFHC) Fund for this transit-oriented project. LIIF is thrilled to be working with Triangle Equities, Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group, Empire State Development, United Fund Advisors and New York City Economic Development Corporation. Triangle Plaza Hub demonstrates the tremendous economic, health and educational benefits created when nonprofits, public agencies and the private sector collaborate.”
“Triangle Plaza will bring fresh food and job opportunities to a highly distressed community,” said Cam Turner, Principal, United Fund Advisors. “This transformative project is a shining example of the value of the New Markets Tax Credit program in providing opportunity and revitalization for the communities that need it most.”
“Bringing new healthy food retail into underserved communities is one of the core planks of New York City’s food policy, and the FRESH program has been a key part of helping us to achieve that goal,” said New York City Food Policy Coordinator Kim Kessler. “I’d like to thank the many partners that have helped to bring this project to fruition – this new supermarket will mean healthier options for neighborhood residents, and more jobs in this community.”
“This development project will provide new commercial opportunities on the main business strip of East 149th Street in Bronx Community Board #1,” said Community Board #1 President George L. Rodriquez.
“We believe that the Triangle Plaza Project will add to the buying diversity of products and services for our residents.”
“The BID is very happy that the site is being developed, and we want to thank Mayor Bloomberg, NYCEDC President Kimball, Borough President Diaz, Council Member Arroyo, Community Board 1, BOEDC, Triangle Equities and all of our other partners,” said Vincent Valentino, Executive Director, HUB/3rd Avenue BID.
“We at Fine Fare Supermarkets are thrilled to have partnered with NYCEDC and the FRESH Program in the leasing of space for a new supermarket at the Hub,” said Frank Pimentel, owner of the Fine Fare Supermarket. “We are excited to have received assistance from the FRESH Program in order to provide better shopping alternatives to this community, which is lacking in access to fresh produce. We also look forward to creating jobs in this community.”
The Fine Fare supermarket will join a list of 16 FRESH projects to have been approved since the program’s inception in 2009. It was created in partnership with the City Council to increase access to food in underserved communities by incentivizing the establishment and retention of neighborhood supermarkets. The closest full-service grocery stores to this project are over a quarter mile away. These 16 FRESH supermarkets are expected to provide over 430,500 square feet of new or renovated space, and are estimated to retain over 500 and create over 350 jobs. They represent an investment of approximately $63 million across the city.
The development sites are part of the Bronxchester Urban Renewal Plan and the City’s South Bronx Initiative. The development of this site will help fulfill the goals set forth in these plans and serve to strengthen and complement the existing commercial and retail corridor at “the Hub”. The Hub, centered at the intersection of Third Avenue, Melrose Avenue and East 149th Street, is one of the busiest intersections in the Bronx where more than 200,000 pedestrians pass through daily.
Triangle has committed to work with HireNYC to develop a targeted local hiring and workforce development plan to fill the jobs created by the project. HireNYC is a free City program that provides connections between business owners and job seekers to ensure that local community members have access to jobs available in the area.
About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is the City’s primary vehicle for promoting economic growth in each of the five boroughs. NYCEDC’s mission is to stimulate growth through expansion and redevelopment programs that encourage investment, generate prosperity and strengthen the City’s competitive position. NYCEDC serves as an advocate to the business community by building relationships with companies that allow them to take advantage of New York City’s many opportunities. Find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter, or visit our blog to learn more about NYCEDC projects and initiatives.
About Empire State Development
Empire State Development (ESD) is New York’s chief economic development agency (www.esd.ny.gov). The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing Governor Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of “I Love NY,” the State’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, visit www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and www.esd.ny.gov.
About Triangle Equities Development Company, LLC
Triangle Equities is a diversified, full service real estate company. Triangle and its related entities develop, own, and manage commercial, residential, and mixed use properties in the New York Metropolitan area.
Triangle Equities focuses on “value-added” developments and specializes on city projects. We are efficient at obtaining all necessary approvals and working with municipal agencies to bring a project to fruition that utilizes a property to its full potential and realizes the best outcome and future potential for its tenants and community members.
About the Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group
Established in 2001, the Urban Investment Group deploys the firm’s capital by making investments and loans that benefit urban communities. Through its comprehensive community development platform, UIG is a catalyst in the revitalization of underserved neighborhoods. UIG has committed more than $3.0 billion, facilitating the creation and preservation of approximately 13,000 housing units – the majority of which are affordable to low, moderate and middle-income families – as well as over 1,300,000 square feet of community facility and nearly 2,000,000 square feet of commercial and retail space.
About the Low Income Investment Fund
The Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) invests capital to support healthy families and communities. Since 1984, LIIF has served 1.4 million people by investing $1.3 billion. Over its history, LIIF has provided financing and technical assistance to create and preserve affordable housing, child care centers, schools, transit-oriented developments and healthy food retail in distressed neighborhoods nationwide. LIIF’s work has generated $25 billion in family income and societal benefits. LIIF has offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City and Washington, D.C. For more information about LIIF, visit www.liifund.org.
About United Fund Advisors, LLC
UFA is a fund manager and financial services company that provides tax-advantaged investment capital and advisory services for community development and renewable energy projects throughout the country. With over $710 million of assets under management, all of UFA’s investments and services are driven by its triple bottom line mission “to create opportunities for profitable investments which enhance social and environmental yields.” Nearly all of UFA’s products and services involve syndication of tax credits and benefits, including NMTCs, Renewable Energy Investment Tax Credits, Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits, and other federal and state tax credits and benefits. For further information, visit www.unitedfundadvisors.com
– See more at: http://newyork.realestaterama.com/2013/09/30/nycedc-borough-president-diaz-empire-state-development-and-triangle-equities-announce-groundbreaking-at-the-triangle-plaza-hub-at-149th-street-in-the-bronx-ID02647.html#sthash.F690dHVT.dpuf
