Applications are now being accepted for a new senior affordable housing development in the Longwood neighborhood of The Bronx.
Located at 909 Beck Street, 30 one bedroom apartments are up for grabs via lottery at St. Vincent de Paul Senior Apartments which is being constructed by Catholic Homes New York.
St Vincent de Paul Senior Apartments
The development also features a card-operated laundry room, community room, a lounge with a warming kitchen, outdoor recreation space including a garden, and bike storage. All units feature roll-in showers, “…to accommodate the aging in place”.
According to the Housing Connect, there will also be a full-time social worker on-site to, “…assist residents with social services, care coordination, and wellness promotion.”
Rendering of the rear yard and outdoor elements.
Rents for the units vary as eligible tenants pay 30% of their income and will have to qualify for Section 8. Also, qualifying individuals or households MUST have at least one person who is 62 years of age or older.
Income requirements for a 1 person household ranges from $0 to $39,800 a year and for a 2 person household from $0 to $45,500 a year.
The building is also located around the corner from Bill Rainey Park and the Hunts Point Branch of the New York Public Library system is just around the corner. The closest subway station is the 2 and 5 at Intervale Avenue about 4 blocks away.
In order to apply, go to housing connect here and the deadline for applications is May 22, 2020.
Remember, Welcome2TheBronx is NOT affiliated with this or any real estate development so please do not contact for further information as we cannot help you.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of Parkchester in The Bronx—one of the largest condominium projects in the country today.
As a child I was always fascinated by taking shopping trips with my mother to Macy’s and the many stores there. The architectural elements of the development kept me entertained for hours.
Early History
From 1861 to 1938, the 129 acre site that would become the world’s largest condominium development, was owned by the Archdiocese of New York and was the home to New York Catholic Protectory—an orphanage for boys and girls which, by 1904, housed 2,500 children under the care of the Protectory.
An undated aerial photograph of the New York Catholic Protectory. You can see the 6 line along Westchester Avenue and note that the neighborhood is still whole without the scar of the Cross Bronx Expressway./Image via The Bronx County Historical Society.
In 1938, Met Life purchased the 129 acre site from the Archdiocese for the grand sum of $5 million. Soon after, Met Life began construction of the massive development which would take 3 years to complete.
The name Parkchester came from the two neighborhoods where the development site was located: Park Versailles and Westchester.
By 1940, the south quadrant was completed allowing for the first 500 families to move in. The rest of development and was completed by 1941 and by 1943 all 12,271 apartments were rented.
But not everyone was welcomed.
Parkchester’s Racist Beginnings
When the development opened in 1940, it was a “whites only” development and for 28 years Blacks and people of color could not rent in this beautifully planned community and city within a city.
The fountain at Metropolitan Oval aka The Oval at Parkchester.
Despite denials that they never restricted rentals to white-only tenants, according to Parkchester: A Bronx Tale of Race and Ethnicity written by Jeffrey S. Gurock, Frederick Ecker, president of Met Life said in 1943 that, “Negroes and whites do not mix. Perhaps they will, in one hundred years, but they do not now.”
Ecker went on to further say that, “…if we brought them to the development it would be a detriment to the city, too, because it would depress the surrounding property” making an indirect reference to the now illegal practice of redlining where banks would deny loans to property owners if a Black family lived on the same block.
Typical car-free street scene in Parkchester
Banks would draw a literal red line around that block on a map and anyone seeking a mortgage would be denied due to “negro infiltration”.
This is the same policy that eventually would lead to the decline of The Bronx.
It wasn’t until 1968 that Metropolitan Life finally agreed to allow non-whites to rent in Parkchester after having been directed by the New York City Commission on Human Rights.
One of several statues at the rear of the old theater.
Metropolitan Life Insurance had no problem taking money from African American families and people of color but then went ahead and used those same funds to build a development that would exclude blacks and people of color.
Decline
Shortly after integration, that same year, Met Life sold Parkchester to real estate titan, Henry Helmsley who became a slumlord letting the property slide into decline as a result of not maintaining the development.
In 1974, Helmley began converting Parkchester into condominiums beginning with the northern quadrant which is known as Parkchester North and the remaining southern quadrant became Parkchester South in 1986 thus fully converting what was once 12,271 rental units into condos.
Many entryways are adorned with medallions and statues.
But Parkchester continued to decline and suffer despite the conversion.
It wasn’t until the late 1990s when the Parkchester Preservation Company was created through investors led by Community Preservation Corp which pumped hundreds of millions of dollars worth of upgrades and repairs after having purchased Helmley’s remaining stake which included just over 6,300 apartments and over 80 stores, including Macy’s location.
By the early 2000s, things began to turn around for Parkchester and its residents and along with everything else, property values increased for the brave home owners who purchased their units when conditions were bleak.
Parkchester Today
Parkchester was and still remains a place where one can shop, work and live without ever having to step foot outside of the development although most commute outside of the area for employment.
It was built to be a city within a city.
In 1941, Macy’s opened its store in the complex making it the second Macy’s in the world. The complex has its own post office and up until recently it even had its own movie theater which sadly has been converted to a cheap Marshall’s store.
Another one of Parkchester’s iconic statues.
It was constructed with over 100 stores and commercial spaces and all 12,271 apartments are spread across 171 buildings the tallest of which are 12 stories and the shortest 7 stories.
Now all of that might sound quite dense but in reality a little over 50% of Parkchester is actually open spaces and recreational areas with the rest dedicated to its roadways and about 27.5% are actually buildings according to Parkchester’s website.
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Unlike its sister developments of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village in Manhattan, also built by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company a few years later, Parkchester was built with beautiful architectural embellishments like medallions above entryways into the buildings, and terracotta statues both atop the corners of the buildings and below.
One of the dozens if not hundreds of statues you’ll find around Parkchester.
Divided into four quadrants, Parkchester’s center of life revolves around the Metropolitan Oval or simply ‘The Oval’ which residents know it as. The beautiful landscaped area sits in the middle of the 4 quadrants of development and features a gorgeous water fountain that was designed in 1939 for the World’s Fair by Raymond Granville Barker.
Metropolitan Avenue, the main street of Parkchester.
Converting to condominiums actually wasn’t a bad idea for it created 12,271 units of quite affordable housing for purchase for families at market rates thus allowing people to invest their money into real estate rather than waste away on renting.
Last year Parkchester was listed as the most affordable neighborhood in New York City according to PropertyClub, with a median sales price of $180,000 which is far below the Bronx median sales price of $450,000 and NYC’s median of $675,000.
But with the coming Metro North Station directly north of Parkchester which will provide direct access to Penn Station and north into Westchester and Connecticut, that affordability may shrivel up.
Parkchester train station on the 6 line is an express stop during rush hour. In 3 stops, when its running express, you’ll find yourself at 125th and Lexington in Manhattan.
The Parkchester of today, when you walk around the neighborhood, is a beautifully integrated community of people from all ethnic backgrounds; white black, Latino, Asian, South Asian of which many are Pakistani and Banlgadeshi (Muslim and Hindu alike), you name it. A beautiful reflection of the people of The Bronx.
It’s also where Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, better known as AOC, first lived as a child and moved back to as an adult before winning the primary election which knocked down a party boss and elevated her to not just the national spotlight but the world’s stage as a leader. (Oh, don’t forget to watch the video of AOC giving Desus and Mero a tour of Parkchester).
Next time you’re in Parkchester, remember its history but don’t forget to enjoy the architecture. Look everywhere. Just when you think you’ve seen every medallion and statue, you find one that you didn’t see before.
Click an image below to check out the gallery:
Another one of Parkchester’s iconic statues.
The fountain at Metropolitan Oval aka The Oval at Parkchester.
Metro Optics still in Parkchester after over 40 years! Although not in one of the development’s buildings it still sits in the greater Parkchester community. This particular building went up after Parkchester was built.
One of several statues at the rear of the old theater.
One of several statues at the rear of the old theater.
One of several statues at the rear of the old theater.
One of several statues at the rear of the old theater.
One of several statues at the rear of the old theater.
One of several statues at the rear of the old theater.
One of several statues at the rear of the old theater.
Back in August we took this picture for an article on Parkchester and we wrote, “Zaro’s is still there after all these years!” Now, the store will be gone in just 6 days after 56 years.
Metropolitan Avenue, the main street of Parkchester.
Many entryways are adorned with medallions and statues.
Many entryways are adorned with medallions and statues.
Many entryways are adorned with medallions and statues.
Many entryways are adorned with medallions and statues.
A cheap Marshalls is now occupying the old movie theater at Parkchester
Another statue outside what used to be the theater.
One of the statues outside what used to be the theater.
Some of the statues you’ll see along the way.
Typical car-free street scene in Parkchester
Parkchester train station on the 6 line is an express stop during rush hour. In 3 stops when its running express you’ll find yourself at 125th and Lexington in Manhattan.
The fountain at Metropolitan Oval aka The Oval at Parkchester.
Macy’s opened its second store right here in The Bronx in 1941 at Parkchester.
In a nearly unprecedented decision, the MTA has elected to periodically shut down service, closing it’s stations daily to the city that never sleeps for deep cleaning in the early hours of the morning.
Though these precautionary measures will only affect New Yorkers commuting from the hours of 1 A.M. to 5 A.M., a time slot hand picked by government and transit officials in an attempt to accommodate the many essential workers that still brave the subways, there are many for whom the change will prove more than just a minor inconvenience.
It’s long been known that New Yorker’s have a lengthy commute. Chances are, if you’re not one of the 4% of straphangers graced with the luck of getting to work in 30 minutes or less, you’ve felt the substantial blow of increased wait times that have plagued the MTA’s service across the five boroughs in the last few years. Yet now such problems seem extraneous.
3rd Avenue/149th Street Station on the 2 and 5 line hours before the historic MTA subway overnight shutdown began on May 6.
For the scores of New Yorkers working from home, no longer forced to endure the mounting perils of their ever-deteriorating public transportation, the reduction in service is negligible; a minor stain on the white collars of our metropolis.
In reality, for most middle and upper class New Yorkers, the shutdown doesn’t hit close to home. But as is the case with many other aspects of the pandemic, the story is quite different in the margins.
For workers in The Bronx, the MTA has proven more essential than ever. As thousands across the county embark on the subways to their respective jobs, many will now be presented with yet another problem: how to get back home.
The schedules of essential workers in the concrete jungle are far from predictable, and those in the Bronx are no exception. With much of its workforce in fields with irregular hours, such as construction, the service industry, and healthcare, the borough’s largest employer, as the MTA makes the largest cut in service in over a century, The Bronx is bound to bite the lion’s share of the bullet.
While city and transit officials take aim at the myriad of problems brought forth by the virus, they’ve forgotten that residents of the city’s poorest borough, more likely to be employed in positions that cannot be done from home, are caught in the crossfire. Though the time frame of the MTA shutdown takes into account the schedules of a variety of commuters, the plan falls short for the workers to whom the subways matter most.
Though the work day of many Bronx residents is far from typical, the unequal treatment they face is nothing new. Much like during preceding decades of deteriorating infrastructure and declining health conditions, as citizens of the city’s most ethnically diverse borough perish at rates twice those observed in the crowned cultural jewel of Manhattan, public officials turn a blind eye to The Bronx once more.
Now, as thousands from Wakefield to Mott Haven, from Kingsbridge to Throggs Neck suffer the second longest commute in the nation still, a commute now made even longer by staggered train times, many will be given the short end of a stick that barely reaches across the Harlem River.
When faced with crisis, there is no rulebook, no comprehensive list of instructions tailored by those before us that have seen it all before. Indeed, with the crisis we now face, such predecessors do not exist.
But as the Big Apple navigates the uncharted waters of the COVID-19 pandemic, struggling to keep its people afloat, it’s lost sight of those who were destined to sink from the start.
Anchored by the weight of historical disadvantage, the needs of essential Bronx workers have long been neglected, pushed far beneath the rug with those of countless others who inhabit the outer boroughs.
Now, as officials of the city they call home deny the simple accommodation of a daily commute, it’s become clear that such needs hardly mattered to them in the first place.
While the virus continues to shed light on disparities in the minority communities of New York, disparities more systemic than viral in nature, my fellow Bronx residents and I can only wonder, when will our voices be heard?
Matt Surface works in public health and biomedical research and lives in The Bronx.
Disclaimer: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. Welcome2TheBronx only edits articles submitted by readers for grammar and spelling leaving fact checking up to the author.Welcome2TheBronx encourages reader submissions for consideration for publication on our site. It is our mission to be able to provide a platform where Bronx residents can have their voices broadcast to a wider audience.To submit an article, email us at submissions@welcome2thebronx.com
Applications are now being accepted for 255 brand new affordable housing units in the South Bronx on the Grand Concourse and Concourse Village West.
The 255 units are spread across three buildings, 741 Concourse Village West, 702 Grand Concourse, and 180 E 156th Street and features indoor and outdoor recreation areas, bike room for storage, on-site laundry rooms, and on-site parking (additional fees applicable).
180 E 156th Street is one of 3 buildings at the Concourse Village West development in the South Bronx.
Rents at Concourse Village West are as low as $426 for 1 bedroom units for households making 30% of the area median income (AMI) with income requirements as low as $17,075 a year for these 1 bedroom units.
The development is located between the 2/4/5 line at 149th and Grand Concourse and the 4/B/D at 161st Yankee Stadium as well as the BXM4 express bus and walking distance to the Bronx Terminal Market, Franz Sigel Park, Concourse Plaza Mall, just to name a few.
702 Grand Concourse
The chart below shows the various rents for all units according to income requirements per AMI category.
As you can see, roughly 20% of units are set aside for the 30, 40, and 50% AMI category which is more in line with the real local median income level.
This particular development is accepting households as high as 110% to 130% of the AMI with incomes ranging from $44,503 on the lower end for a studio to as high as $183,300 a year for a family of 7 for a 3 bedroom unit.
741 Concourse Village West
These units account for over 40% of this development and once occupied, will surely shift the demographics of an ever changing area even further.
While this development does afford deep affordability, in an area that desperately needs it, it’s not enough.
That being said, check out the full details here (pdf) and if you want to apply, go to Housing Connect and good luck!
Remember, do not contact us at Welcome2TheBronx regarding this development as we do not have anything to do with this or any real estate development. We’re just reporting the news.
As unemployment continues to reach record highs due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic shut down which has paralyzed the city, state and most of the country, many Bronx residents have been unable to pay their rents as their incomes disappeared overnight.
Currently, New York State unemployment is at 13% up from 3.7% which was the lowest on record for New York State since 1976.
And it has been exacerbated by New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo’s refusal to simply cancel the rent during this period.
Mortgages need to be canceled as well during the this crisis, not just rents.
Now the eviction moratorium enacted by Cuomo on March 20th for 90 days will end on June 20th without further protections of tenants.
Below is a press release from tenant leaders and organizers involved with the Housing Justice for All campaign which calls out Governor Cuomo for misleading the public on this issue:
New York – On Friday, May 7, Governor Cuomo falsely claimed he would extend the existing eviction moratorium with a new executive order.
Here’s the truth: Cuomo actually ended the current eviction moratorium.
Today, outraged tenant advocates and leaders involved in the Housing Justice for All campaign called out Cuomo’s lie, and condemned him for ending rather than extending the current eviction moratorium.
The eviction moratorium currently in place protects all tenants, commercial and residential, from eviction across New York State. Until June 20, no tenant can be evicted for any reason, period. But Cuomo’s new executive order issued this past Friday ends the current eviction moratorium on June 20th. Indeed, it forces thousands of tenants to face lawsuits and risk their health in order to fight for their homes.
“While Governor Cuomo’s public remarks on Friday gave the impression that he extended the moratorium until August 20, his new executive order offers tenants very limited protections. It allows landlords to bring cases against renters who cannot pay rent, while offering limited protections to a limited number of households. By opening the door to all these new eviction cases and evictions, Cuomo’s new executive order will quickly take us back to overcrowded housing courts and families facing homelessness. Cuomo is endangering thousands of New Yorkers, and public health,” said Cea Weaver, campaign coordinator of Housing Justice for All.
“This non-extension of the current eviction moratorium will unconscionably force thousands of New York tenants into housing court and further dehumanize them to prove their financial hardship. But New York’s billionaires, Wall Street bankers and their shareholders are always bailed out and forgiven off the backs of the working poor and the people’s tax dollars,” said Anita Long, Tenant Leader with Community Action for Safe Apartments. “Landlords will still be allowed to sustain their incomes off the backs of their tenants who have lost all or some of their income, are dying and are hungry.”
“Instead of keeping a roof over tenants’ heads during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor’s new executive order opens the door to new eviction cases and marshals executing eviction warrants,” said Marika Dias, Managing Director of the Urban Justice Center’s Safety Net Project. “This order will put lives at risk, by forcing thousands of tenants into housing court eviction cases and potentially into homelessness. The Governor’s order is not the protection for tenants he made it out to be, and it is not the protection New York tenants need right now.”
Here’s How Cuomo’s New Executive Order Fails to Protect Tenants:
· From June 20th to August 20th, only tenants who can prove they didn’t pay rent because of a COVID-19 related financial hardship or who qualify for unemployment insurance, may be protected from eviction.
· From June 20th-August 20th, landlords are prohibited from starting new cases against tenants who have been financially impacted by COVID-19, but as this will be incredibly hard to enforce, thousands will be sued who shouldn’t be.
· This order puts the onus on tenants to show they are entitled to not be sued or evicted. This means thousands of tenants will still be sued in non-payment eviction cases and they will have to face intrusive inquiries into all their personal financial information, just to get dismissal of an eviction case that should never have been brought in the first place.
· Many tenants who have currently suspended eviction warrants are at great risk of being evicted come June 20th, because they won’t know how to stop the eviction, even if they do qualify for the moratorium.
· It does not protect tenants who are sick with COVID-19, who have lost loved ones to COVID-19, or who have been impacted by COVID-19 in any other non-financial way. All of these tenants can be sued by their landlords and evicted.
· It does not stop marshals and sheriffs from evicting tenants who faced eviction for reasons other than non payment (holdover cases). This means many tenants can be evicted as of June 20th, if they have a pending eviction warrant that was issued in a holdover case.
· It does not stop landlords from filing new holdover eviction cases against tenants after June 20th. So landlords who want to evict tenants for anything that isn’t about non-payment of rent, will be able to. This will undoubtedly lead to a rise in new holdover eviction cases.
“I have a friend from the islands without a green card. She watches 2 children, 1 school age and the other a toddler. With school closing she watched both kids until the parents started working from home so they no longer needed her to watch the kids. She was always paid in cash so she has no pay stubs. She lives in a basement apartment and still needs to pay her rent. How can she prove she was affected by Covid?,” askedAvril Haynes, Tenant Leader with Flatbush Tenant Coalition.
“Sadly, the Governor’s recent so-called extension of the eviction moratorium opens the door to the potential eviction of thousands of New York City tenants at the precise moment when they are most in need protection from losing their homes,” saidRaun Rasmussen, Executive Director of Legal Services NYC, the nation’s largest provider of free civil legal services. “We need real solutions that keep tenants in their homes and out of court during the COVID-19 crisis, not a confusing order that will increase fear and potentially start a flood of new evictions at a time when courts, tenants and their advocates need to keep doing all we can to protect against the spread of the virus. Too many low-income tenants and their families have already been devastated —now is not the time to increase their vulnerability and threat of homelessness.”
“Allowing evictions during a public health crisis and sending people into overcrowded and unsafe homeless shelters makes no sense. We urge Governor to rethink this shameful policy and ensure that people can continue to shelter in place in their homes,” saidJudith Goldiner, Attorney in Charge, Civil Law Reform Unit, The Legal Aid Society.
“Governor Cuomo: there’s a large number of people who haven’t got their unemployment or stimulus checks yet. In addition to paying rent, we are trying to keep food on the table with limited funds,” said CASA Leader Kim Statuto. “Most can’t pay rent or utilities and giving landlords a loophole to file eviction cases will hurt innocent people. You say you won’t put lives over opening up the economy yet you are not helping tenants who could become homeless to no fault of their own. Why?”
“We know that people don’t have enough to feed their children or pay their other expenses. I think a universal moratorium will be the best thing at this point. How can people prove that they need shelter over their head? What about undocumented people? What else do we have to prove to him? There are food lines all over the place. Also, Cuomo should just cancel the rent and it must be universal, so people don’t have to stress over their rent balance. If he doesn’t do this, New Yorkers will suffer even more financially after the health crisis is over. He talks about flattening the COVID19 curve, but if he doesn’t do something about rent, he will raise the financial crisis curve,” saidPaulette James, Tenant Leader with Flatbush Tenant Coalition.
Applications are still being accepted for Mosholu Grand in the Bedford Park area of The Bronx.
The 13 story building located at 150 Van Cortlandt Park East features amenities like a recreation room, fitness center and is a few short blocks from the Mosholu Parkway station on the 4 line.
Income requirements for units ranges from 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI) to 60%, 90%, and 110% making it a mix of affordable and market-rate units.
Rents go as low as $667 a month for those qualifying at the 50% AMI to as high as $2,346 for a three bedroom for a family making 110% of the AMI.
Rendering of Mosholu Grand
If you’re interested, you have to act know and apply as the deadline is May 15, 2020 and you can do so by going here.
Good luck to you and remember, Welcome2TheBronx is NOT affiliated with this or any other real estate development so do not contact us for more information.
With little fanfare, Revel, a popular moped ride sharing service that has been available in Brooklyn and Queens since 2018, arrived in The Bronx.
Hundreds of these electric mopeds were deployed and parked across the South Bronx south of the Cross Bronx expressway and west of The Bronx River covering neighborhoods like Highbridge, Morrisania, Port Morris, Melrose, Mott Haven, Hunts Point, Longwood, and Charlotte Gardens.
And they couldn’t have arrived at a better time given the current COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and its impact on public transportation in New York City.
A map via Revel’s app shows you where you can find available mopeds.
I was surprised at how quickly Revel had expanded into The Bronx after having only been in NYC for less than two years.
To that, Frank Reig, CEO and Co-founder of Revel told Welcome2TheBronx, “The Bronx has always been part of the plan for Revel, and when we saw the spread of the coronavirus devastate Bronx communities, we knew we had to start offering service now.”
“That’s why we opened this new service area including major hospital centers, to further support essential workers in New York City so they can get to and from work during this difficult time…This expansion will give residents a new way to commute within the South Bronx and to Upper Manhattan while maintaining social distance” added Reig.
A Revel moped on 149th Street
Currently, there are no plans to expand further into The Bronx but according to Reig, Revel is, “…constantly assessing the situation to see if any adjustments to our service may be needed in the future…and hope to serve The Bronx for a long time.”
In order to use them, though, you must have a valid driver’s license which will be verified when you sign up for membership.
There’s a one-time $5 fee to verify your driver’s license but other than that, there are no monthly or yearly fees.
Cost per ride is $1 unlocking fee and $0.31 per minute of usage.
Helmets, which are mandatory, are included and just in case you’re riding with someone else, there’s an extra helmet as the mopeds are built for up to 2 people.
The day they arrived, I decided to take them for a test drive so after I signed up and downloaded the app, I looked for the nearest Revel scooter and walked four blocks to get it.
Revel’s coverage area is pretty decent.
The app tells you how much charge is left on the battery and how far it will take you and you can even reserve it for up to 15 minutes so you don’t waste time walking over only to find that it’s gone.
Now I’ve never driven a moped let alone ridden on one but I was surprised at how easy they were to use.
It did take me a few minutes to get used to it but once I got the hang of it, I was able to cruise down the streets safely.
That is, of course, after I realized just how sensitive the throttle is when starting it so a warning: BE CAREFUL ON YOUR FIRST TRY.
I honestly wanted to just take it for a quick spin to see how it rode but I ended up on a 20 mile, two hour trip that took me up to Tremont and then down the Grand Concourse and straight into Manhattan.
I ended up at Lincoln Center.
They’re that easy (an addicting) to use.
Although I’m an avid cyclist and bike everywhere across New York City, I welcome yet another option to get around our borough and city especially for the days you don’t want to pedal and just enjoy the day getting from point A to B.
Although they’re available in Queens and Brooklyn as well, you cannot ride them from The Bronx to Queens or Brooklyn and vice-versa due to laws regulating driving mopeds on highways and major bridge crossings.
The Bronx lucked out because we’re the only borough that can go to and from Manhattan on Revel or the other way around.
Parking them is easy too and they don’t require docking stations like Citi Bike. Instead, you park them just like a motorcycle in any legal parking space that’s available but you must do so in a spot that it can sit for at least 24 hours without having to move it so pay attention to street parking regulations wherever you end your trip.
Parking is easy when you’re riding a moped.
Speaking of ending your trip, you can only do so within the boundaries on the map but you can pause your ride in the darker gray “forbidden” areas.
Because of ridiculous parking regulations in Manhattan, there are very few areas you can end your ride in Manhattan below 59th Street so it’s best to check with the map to see if your destination meets those requirements.
Revel is also committed to making sure that their ride sharing program is available to low income communities, which is a must for The Bronx, and offer 40% discounts to individuals meeting one of the following requirements:
Revel also offers a 20% discount on to, “…individuals who are active duty members, Reservists, National Guard members, Veterans and Retirees of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.”
Active EBT CardsPublic Housing Program
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF)
Safety Net Assistance (SNA)
As for essential workers, Reig said that the company had begun offering free rides for health care workers and first responders and can apply here.
In terms of safety, what I can say is that you’re only as safe as you drive and obey all traffic laws and that vehicles around you are doing the same since you are driving in traffic.
That being said, I never felt unsafe and Revel had done a good job of providing clear and concise instructions on proper usage and they even offer in person training for those who want that extra level of safety on how to operate them.
This isn’t to say that there aren’t any safety concerns, however, as pointed out by Streetsblog not only due to the sensitive throttle but the fact that it is a different type of vehicle; Not a bike nor a car.
And in terms of safety given that we’re in the current coronavirus crisis, Revel has enhanced their disinfection process on top of what they were already doing and making sure that high touch areas like handlebars and breaks, seat, helmet case, and helmets are thoroughly disinfected using cleaning agents proven effective against covid-19.
As for their popularity in The Bronx? Personally, I’ve seen at least a dozen riders since they launched in the borough last week and according to Revel, “…in terms of trips either starting or ending in The Bronx, 10,000 miles have been driven on those rides. “
That’s a lot of mileage in a week.
Local Bronx resident, Alejandro Brown of Mott Haven, said he welcomes yet another alternative form of transportation to The Bronx. Although he hasn’t used the mopeds yet he plans on doing so soon.
“Given the current circumstances, I would use the service to get to areas of the city open for business that normally requires train travel, which I don’t feel comfortable getting on right now.” 31 year old Brown told Welcome2TheBronx.
Brown said that it’s, “…a chance to change the scenery safely. It’s another way to connect with the rest of our city.”
Have you used Revel yet? We’d like to hear from you.
And don’t forget: Easy on the throttle!
Dear reader: If you enjoyed this or any of our stories and photography throughout the past 10 years, kindly consider donating to support local Bronx journalism for decades to come:
After almost 7 long years since the nation’s largest bike share system began operating in New York City, Citi Bike is finally here in The Bronx.
The first three docking stations, with over 60 bikes, have been installed in Melrose and the Mott Haven/Port Morris area of the South Bronx in Community Board 1 with one placed directly in front of Lincoln Hospital as an effort to support critical health care workers.
The first 3 (of many) Citi Bike docking stations are live.
Installations will continue over the course of the next few weeks with installation of over 50 docking stations within Community Board 1 covering the neighborhoods of Melrose, Mott Haven, and Port Morris.
Earlier today, crews installed The Bronx’s first Citi Bike station at Lincoln Hospital in Melrose on 149th Street and Morris Avenue/Image Courtesy of Citi Bike/Lyft.
The next expansion will be in Community Board 4 covering the neighborhoods of Highbridge, Mount Eden and the Concourse followed by Community Boards 2 and 3 covering Longwood, Hunts Point, Morrisania, Melrose, Bathgate, Crotona Park East, and Woodstock.
Map of all Citi Bike docking station which will be installed in the Bronx Community Board 1 neighborhoods of Melrose, Mott Haven, and Port Morris
You can provide feedback on this “Suggest a Station” map on New York City Department of Transporation’s website.
As a reminder, Citi Bike, operated by Lyft, has deep discounts for residents of NYCHA and individuals receiving SNAP benefits can get monthly memberships for just $5 a month versus their standard rate of $169 for the entire year.
These reduced memberships are made possible through a partnership with Healthfirst. To get your reduced membership go here. For the regular annual membership, you can apply here.
If you’re a critical workforce employee, Citi Bike is offering a full year for FREE thanks to a partnership with Mastercard. Over 5,500 such workers have already joined this program.
To see if you qualify and to apply, go to their website here but act fast as the deadline is May 31, 2020.
Happy riding to all and to Citi Bike, WELCOME TO THE BRONX!
Dear reader: If you enjoyed this or any of our stories and photography throughout the past 10 years, kindly consider donating to support local Bronx journalism for decades to come:
Applications are now being accepted for 280 brand new affordable apartments in the West Farms area of The Bronx.
Located at 1932 Bryant Avenue, the units at the brand new 15 story Second Farms Apartments range from studios starting at $354 a month to $1,184 a month and three bedroom apartments starting at $637 a month to $2,075 depending on household income.
West Farms Apartments is one block from the 2 and 5 line stop at West Farms Square/E Tremont Avenue stop.
There are also one and two bedroom units available and are priced according to income.
In order to qualify for these units, applicants must have a yearly household income anywhere from $14,640 a year to as high as $141,000 depending on number of people per household and apartment size.
50% of units are set aside for Bronx residents living in Community Board 6, 5% for people with mobility disabilities and 2% for the visually impaired.
5% are also set aside for municipal employees.
Unlike many other new affordable housing apartments in The Bronx, this particular one offers deep affordability with incomes guidelines that reflect the local median for some of the units.
Second Farms Apartments include basic amenities such as card operated laundry, live in super, outdoor yard, and bike storage.
It’s also located within walking distance to the Bronx Zoo.
As far as transportation goes, the building is just a short walk to the 2 and 5 line at West Farms Square / E Tremont Avenue at the crossroads of several bus lines as well.
PLEASE NOTE: Welcome2TheBronx is NOT affiliated with this or any real estate venture so please do not contact as as we cannot help you. We are simply reporting the news.
Dear reader: If you enjoyed this or any of our stories and photography throughout the past 10 years, kindly consider donating to support local Bronx journalism for decades to come:
If you’re from The Bronx then you know about Metro Optics, a local home-grown small business that is still operated by the same owners for over 40 years.
Like many businesses, they were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and out of an abundance of caution, they decided to close their doors of all but one store on March 19 in order to protect their employees and clients alike.
The remaining store at Westchester Square remained open but on a very limited basis.
Despite shutting down, John Bonizio, decided to continue paying all of his 56 employees.
According to PIX11 News, that meant that he had to utilize not only $350,000 of his own money but he also borrowed $250,000 against his life insurance policy.
But to myself and others in The Bronx who know him, we know that this is who he is and what Metro Optics embodies.
Metro Optics isn’t just a place to get your eyes checked up and get your glasses or contacts but they are a true and generous community partner throughout the over 40 years they have been in business.
Judith Greifer-Braunstein, a retired school nurse told Welcome2TheBronx her fond memories of Metro Optics, “I was a school nurse at CS 102 in Parkchester for 30 years”, she said.
“I had many children who really needed glasses, but couldnt afford them. I approached Michael Ungaro, one of the owners of Metro Optics, and explained the situation. He was so wonderful, as long as he had a letter of consent from the parent, he would examine their eyes. If glasses were needed he let the child pick any ones he wanted. He said if they didn’t like them, they wouldn’t wear them. I retired in 2008 with respect and gratitude for Michael and his help for the needy children.” Greifer-Braunstein added.
The spirit of Metro Optics as embodied by Bonizio and Ungaro is the spirit of The Bronx. We know first hand that life isn’t easy and that together as a community, we can survive easier than if we are left alone.
Dear reader: If you enjoyed this or any of our stories and photography throughout the past 10 years, kindly consider donating to support local Bronx journalism for decades to come:
We couldn’t be prouder to not only be a client of Metro Optics but friends of this noble Bronx business.
All their Bronx locations are now open, Parkchester, Westchester Square, Hunts Point, and Throggs Neck, and should you need to make an appointment just head over to their website.
This is perhaps the most difficult post we’ve ever written because we have never asked for donations for Welcome2TheBronx but the current COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything.
Like many of you, we have also been impacted financially due to the coronavirus crisis and shutdown.
For over ten years, Welcome2TheBronx has been telling the stories about our beautiful Bronx. We started back in 2009 because we were tired of the negative coverage that was being done about our borough in the mainstream media.
So much beauty and they always chose to focus on the negative.
This isn’t to say that we should ignore our issues but we are so much more than just those aspects.
And change we did.
Since then, Welcome2TheBronx has been quoted and or featured in the mainstream media well over 500 times including The New York Times, New York Daily News, New York Post, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and appeared on NY1, PIX11 News, and News12 The Bronx just to name a few.
And because of your support, along with the help of other Bronx-based brands, we’ve been able to change that narrative around and create a platform that has ushered in a pride in The Bronx like no other.
And we have done it all without selling out and will continue to do so with the same integrity.
If you’ve ever enjoyed our stories and they have moved you or our photographs have made you happy, then kindly please consider donating or sharing out campaign.
We really appreciate it and even if you can’t and we don’t make our goal, we’ll still continue to provide the content you’ve come to enjoy and care about and we’ll still continue to make you proud that you’re from The Bronx and this is your home.
Our home.
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This past Saturday, May 2nd the weather was finally nice enough for one of my long bike rides which is one of the things I love doing with such gorgeous weather: See our city and document my journey.
Little did I know that on what would be a 30 mile, four borough ride through Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and The Bronx, that one photo I took would blow up and become viral across not just the city but the nation.
My 30 mile journey through the city this past Saturday, May 2nd.
From The Bronx, to Astoria and Long Island City in Queens, Williamsburg in Brooklyn, Chinatown, and Battery Park City, the streets and parks were pretty full but with mostly everyone in masks and practicing social distancing as best as you can in a crowded city of almost 9 million.
But the scene was shockingly different when I arrived at the Christopher Street Pier in the West Village along the Hudson River.
Privilege in action at the Christopher Street Pier on Saturday, May 2nd at approximately 4:50PM
During normal times, the pier is packed with sunbathers in speedos and bikinis.
But these aren’t normal times and it was PACKED.
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Small and large groups of people sitting together mostly with barely 2 to 3 feet apart. Out of clearly over a 100 people only perhaps 6 or 7 wearing masks.
Besides the utter disregard and disconnect from the crisis we are still living in with over 13,000 confirmed deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic and another probable 5,500 deaths yet to be determined, the glaring difference was that there was zero NYPD enforcement of social distancing.
Meanwhile just a few miles over in the East Village, cops brutalized three Black men for not obeying social distancing.
On Saturday in The East Village, officers arrested a man for disobeying social distancing after dragging him/ Daquan Owens/@PAULY466 via Storyful
I went back yesterday to see if the crowds would return and arrived around 2PM and sure enough it was already starting to fill up.
But this time, because of the outcry that my photo sparked, there were about a dozen NYPD cops patrolling the scene. Eventually most left but about 3 or 4 and instead of encouraging social distancing they just handed out masks to the sunbathers. Not summonses, not dragging them across the street like the NYPD did to the Black men in the East Village.
Yesterday, Sunday May 3rd, NYPD officers were handing out masks.
Not that we want that to happen to them but it just goes to show how differently, how literally BLACK AND WHITE it is to live in NYC.
NYPD at the Christopher Street Pier on Sunday May 3rd handing out masks.
But to Blacks and people of color across the city especially in low income communities, we are not surprised about what happened because that is what life is like in New York City.
The mostly white crowd on the pier hanging out, many are often drinking alcohol in open containers which is a punishable offense but rarely do you see any enforcement.
NYC Parks arrived at the Christopher Street Pier on Sunday, May 3rd to close off half the lawn due to it having been recently reseeded. This resulted in the remaining open area to get crowded. Barely anyone wearing masks again.
Come to The Bronx and not only is there a greater chance of you being ticketed for the offense but you’re also at greater risk of being brutalized by the cops or worse.
So you see, this isn’t shocking to us in The Bronx because we’re used to this tale of two cities. It doesn’t make it right, but we’re used to it.
In The Bronx, we have an infection rate for COVID-19 that is twice that of Manhattan with a mortality rate that is also double that of Manhattan.
Elected officials allow polluting industries to dirty our air in our communities but they would never allow such a thing to happen in the West Village or anywhere in Manhattan for the most part.
This contributes to some of the worst air quality in the city and in turns one of the reasons in the South Bronx the asthma rate is 9x the national average.
In the South Bronx neighborhood of Mott Haven with a median income of just above $21,000 a year and is located in the nation’s poorest congressional district, you have thousands of units of luxury market-rate housing rising across the highway from severely housing projects of NYCHA, New York City’s public housing.
All you have to do is take a trip to our borough to see how pervasive the signs of a tale of two cities are readily apparent in The Bronx and we live it every, single day.
