So you go to the local hardware store or Home Depot and purchase that compact florescent light bulb (CFLs) because we’re told that it’s great for the environment since it uses 75% less energy than a conventional incandescent bulb. You go home, replace the bulb and voila – you think you are now a happy green individual.

The usual brass was on hand today at the official ground breaking ceremony in Melrose for the ambitious and long awaited Via Verde (spanish for “Green Way”) development. Attending the ceremony was Secretary Shawn Donovan, the 15th Secretary for Housing and Urban Development of the United States, Council Speaker, Christine Quinn, Bronx Borough President, Ruben Diaz, Jr (as well as his notorious father, State Senator, Ruben Diaz), Congressman Jose E. Serrano and of course, New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg. The event was coordinated to coincide with HPD and HDC celebrating the financing of 100,000 affordable units – a milestone towards the 165,000 units goal.


Although there was much excitement in the crowd, not everyone was thrilled with the ground-breaking of Via Verde.  The union rats were in full force on display outside the tent where the ceremony was held with chants from the union workers of, “BLOOMBERG – DO THE RIGHT THING” over and over again, unhappy about the lack of union jobs for the project.  The chants began during Bronx Borough President, Ruben Diaz, Jr’s speech to which he said, “They chose to start as I started to speak – but they have a right to have their voices heard and practice freedom of speech.”


The $99 million mixed-income rental and homeownership Via Verde is an exciting “green” project developed by Phipps Houses and Jonathan Rose Companies, in partnership with Dattner Architects and Grimshaw Architects which will offer residents approximately 40,000 square feet of open space and is designed to achieve LEED Gold designation.


Some of the features that residents will come to enjoy are:

• 3 different unit types, a tall 20 story tower with views of Downtown Bronx and Manhattan Skyline, midrise duplex apartments and townhome style dwellings
• Solar panels will power Via Verde’s common areas
• Rainwater will be harvested to irrigate the vegetable and fruit gardens that will be available to residents to grow food.
• All 221 units will have cross-ventilation and solar shading to cool off the units more efficiently during summer months.
• 34,000 square feet of planted green roofs to create “sky gardens” for the enjoyment of its residents.

Construction is expected to be completed in 2012.  This is yet another big win for the Bronx and our great neighborhood of Melrose where we continue to lead the City and State in what it means to be GREEN!

Congressman Jose E. Serrano

Council Speaker Christine Quinn

The “Mayor” of Melrose with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg

So today was MUCH better than yesterday’s dreadful meal of fried wings and french fries. I decided to make up for my poor choice by going to the South Bronx Food Cooperative on Third Avenue and East 158th Street. I picked up some portobello mushrooms, veggie pasta and spinach – all organic and all by the bulk which is pretty awesome that I could purchase the quantities which I NEEDED and WANTED and wasn’t forced to purchase some prepackaged stuff.

That was dinner…breakfast and lunch were pretty good as well…opted for a couple of oranges and a yogurt and then for lunch I had fresh made guacamole – can’t beat that!

Living in the South Bronx is ROUGH when you want access to the good stuff…every corner there’s a bodega with 99% of the items being pretty toxic if you consider all the chemicals, sodium, high fructose corn syrup, sugars, etc – it’s no wonder why we’re not only one of the hungriest but also one of the most obese districts in the country. Corporations are slowly killing us because we are only seen as $ signs and not as HUMANS.

You would think that after attending and participating at the Bronx Food Summit that I would have made a better choice in eating but such is the danger of living in a Food Desert – it’s easier to eat something that kills rather than nourishes. Last night I ordered fried wings and french fries from the local Chinese take-out. I will try and make up for it later.

Tomorrow, Saturday May 1st you can meet me, the “Mayor” of Melrose as well as a bunch of other great Melrose residents, business owners (such as Darada David of PeaceLove Cafe)and Bronxites as well at the first ever Bronx Food Summit at Hostos Community College from 9AM – 5PM.


Please come meet members of the South Bronx Food Cooperative, which is located right here in Melrose, who will be facilitating the following workshop from 11:45am – 12:45pm:


CLASSROOM 462What is a food co-op and why are they important?
South Bronx Food Cooperative
Not exactly sure what a food cooperative is and how it can benefit you and your community?  Come and find out exactly what a cooperative is, how it functions as well as how it is integrated into the very fabric of our communities.  Learn the difference between a cooperative and your traditional bodegas and supermarkets as well as how you can take control of where your food comes from.


And from 2:30pm – 3:30pm you can come and listen to me speak on the following Panel Discussion:


Afternoon Panel Discussion #1:  C-390 STUDENT LOUNGEHealthy Food Now! Exploring Food “Deserts” and Alternative Solutions for Bronx Communities
Moderator:  Paula Lukats, CSA in NYC Program Manager, Just Food
Panelists:  Kim Latimer-Nelligan, Chief Operating Officer, Low Income Investment Fund; Kate Scallion, Food and Fitness Business Development Coordinator, NYC EDC; Ed Garcia, Board of Directors President, South Bronx Food Cooperative; Christina Grace, Manager Urban Food Systems Program, NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets; Robert Volosin, Chief Operating Officer, Inner City Development 
A food “desert” is defined as a specific area lacking access to healthy food options due to a shortage of supermarkets and places to buy fresh food. In place of supermarkets and places to by fresh  food, there’s an abundance of fast food chains, dollar stores and bodegas selling highly processed, poor quality food. Many health care professionals believe there’s direct relationship between the lack of access to healthy fresh food, too many fast food chains and obesity and diabetes.  Hear directly from supermarket developers, policymakers, CSA organizers, and Food Coop owners about the issue and the solutions.


or you can attend the following workshop from 2:30pm to 3:30pm and meet Darada David, owner and operator of Melrose favorite, the healthy PeaceLove Cafe:


Afternoon Workshop #5:  CLASSROOM 454Bronx Flavors: The Television Show!
Facilitator(s):  Baron Ambrosia, Culinary Ambassador and host of Bronx Flavor; Darada David, owner of Peace Love Café; Sybil, H.I.M. Italian Restaurant
Have you ever seen the show Bronx Flavor?  Meet Baron Ambrosia, creator and producer of this TV show featuring the many different flavors of Bronx culture and the foods we eat.  Learn about one restaurant that’s keeping it real with fresh, healthy ingredients.

The much loved neighborhood establishment, Coqui Mexicano, has been SAVED! After a court date yesterday to appeal the unexpected eviction notice, community support including letters from local congressman Jose E. Serrano, and Henry Weinstein (owner of the old Bronx courthouse) to name a few, helped save the restaurant from closure.


After much persuasion and the show of overwhelming support from the community, the landlord caved in and generously offered a 6 month payment plan that met the needs of Coqui Mexicano.


News12 the Bronx was at Coqui Mexicano yesterday as well as the Daily News to cover the story which was first heard here and picked up by our friends, the BoogieDowners. The broadcast appeared last night on Bronx Cablevision channel 12 at 10pm.


Furthermore, a writer from the New York Times was there today to write about Coqui after hearing what was going on from welcome2melrose.


So alas, a neighborhood came together to shout out to the world in unison that we were not gonna let one of our own go down without a fight.


A big Melrose THANK YOU to all who came out in support of COQUI MEXICANO! ¡ÓRALE WEPA GÜEY!

A little over a week ago the cultural soul of Melrose received an eviction notice – Coqui Mexicano, which in less than two years since it opened has become not just a restaurant but a myriad of things to a people as diverse as its offerings.  


Melrose residents have long enjoyed frequenting Coqui Mexicano, or Coqui as it is affectionately known by locals, not just for the deliciously healthy and affordable food which they offer (yes – it sounds like an oxymoron that a Puerto Rican/Mexican fusion establishment can be considered healthy but alas it is achieved through the use of high quality ingredients, including the use of olive oil in all recipes instead of the lard and artery clogging oils that other restaurants in the area use) but they also come for the live music which spontaneously, without warning just comes together or for the free literacy project which Danisha, the coqui aspect of the name, started to combat the dearth of bookstores in our area.


Coqui also is a community dining room where friends converge and discuss anything from politics to love and just life in general so it was with great shock to the residents and family – for all who come here are considered to be part of an extended family, that they were on the verge of losing their beloved restaurant. 


This past Friday, April 23rd, patrons including Henry Weinstein, owner of the beloved “Old Bronx Courthouse” and Fred Connelly of Real Estate Financing, Inc. (REFI) and members of the South Bronx Food Cooperative all converged to raise funds for Coqui and was organized by the Bronx Defenders (the non-profit 501 (c)(3) public defenders located in Melrose) who are always fighting for the underdogs of the South Bronx.  For an organization always representing the little guys they truly were there, en masse, vowing that all will fight for the survival of Coqui Mexicano.  


Just as positive things are happening in the neighborhood with residents of Jardines de Seline moving in (the first development with mixed, low and middle-income units), the 400 middle-income apartments of the 700 unit Boricua Village called Northrose scheduled to begin occupancy beginning June 2010 through August 2010 and Courtlandt Corners, another massive project of 343 units of mixed, low and middle income units as well beginning occupancy around October 2010 residents are concerned that this may be a sign of things to come otherwise known as the dreaded “g” word: gentrification.  Many were quick to comment that it all seems too big of a coincidence that they receive the eviction notice just when almost a 1,000 new units are about to come online within the next 6 months and not to mention that business had picked up at Coqui considerably.


In the meantime, locals will continue to rally alongside Coqui Mexicano and fight to make sure cultural gem of Melrose remains open and for those of you who have yet to taste what it’s all about, come on down and step into our kitchen. 


Oh and don’t forget to sign the online petition! It literally takes less than 1 minute to do so!


Where:
Coqui Mexicano
871 Brook Avenue (where Third Avenue meets 161st Street and Across from the Old Bronx Courthouse)
Bronx, NY 10451
718-450-3477


When: 
Mon-Fri, 7:30AM to 6PM
Sat, 8AM – 6PM
Sun, CLOSED

Proud Owners, Diego and Danisha

Henry Weinstein, owner of the Old Bronx Courthouse

speaks with Diego

Check out this book by a former trial chief of the Bronx Defenders available at a great price only from Amazon.com.
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