A massive fire at 2363 Prospect Avenue in Belmont claimed the lives of at least 12 people according to Pix11 News/Credit Frank Franklin II/Associated Press
A five alarm fire broke out at 2363 Prospect Avenue in Belmont aka Little Italy, just a block from the Bronx Zoo, claiming the lives of at least 12 people, including a baby, according to Pix11 News.
The first emergency call came in at 6:51PM and the blaze, in just an hour, had grown into a four alarm fire with over 160 firefighters on the scene and eventually escalated to a five alarm blaze.
We took a look at building records and found no open violations or complaints in the building. Cause of fire has yet to be determined.
Once more details are made available, we will post them.
NYPD officers from the 40th Precinct at a crime scene in Melrose last year/Welcome2TheBronx.com
When the controversial and racially discriminatory NYPD practice of stop and frisk ended in 2014, many residents were concerned that NYC and The Bronx would be plunged back into the nightmare years of the 80s and 90s when murders were at all an time high but a look at statistics showed a dramatic 30% drop in murders in The Bronx this year compared to last year.
In the closing days of 2017 there have been 68 murders in our borough versus 97 last year.
According to NYPD stats, in 1990 there were 653 recorded murders in The Bronx and if we maintain at 68 we’re looking at a 90% drop in murder from 27 years ago.
Overall crime rates are down 4.89% for 2017 versus last year and down 71% compared to 1993.
Only grand larceny showed an increase in major crimes going up 3.8% from 2016. Grand larceny in The Bronx has increased by 12.6% since 2014 bucking a citywide overall decline.
Citywide, rapes are statistically even with 2016 but misdemeanor sex crimes are up by 9.3%. In The Bronx, however, such crimes are down 4% along with rape which is down 5.2% in our borough.
The 41st Precinct covering Hunts Point and Longwood showed the biggest drop in murders with a 75% decrease in 2017 vs 2016.
The 41st, 45th, 49th, 52nd precincts all tied with the lowest murders in The Bronx registering 2 murders in each precinct for 2017
With 10 murders reported for 2017, the 43rd Precinct covering Parkchester, Castle Hill, Soundview had the highest increase in murders with a 25% increase from 2016.
The 48th Precinct covering Belmont, Fordham, Tremont also registered an increase in murders with a 14% increase from 2016.
So how did your precinct and neighborhood do?
40th Precinct (Melrose, Port Morris, Mott Haven)
41st Precinct (Longwood, Hunts Point)
42nd Precinct (Morrisania, Claremont, Crotona Park East, Crotona Park)
Bronx Commons, future home of Bronx Music Heritage Center at The Bronx Music Hall is the second most expensive development to break ground in 2017 at a cost of $133 million.
Construction starts are set to exceed $2 billion for the second year in a row with 2017 possibly coming in a little higher than last year according to New York Building Congress.
The report indicates that approximately $2.3 billion in construction both public and private will have started construction this year the most expensive of which is the $232 million for the replacement of the Unionport Bridge and the $133 million Bronx Commons, the mixed-use residential and commercial development in Melrose featuring The Bronx Music Hall, the future home of The Bronx Music Heritage Center.
Over 4,200 units of housing are expected have begun construction this year surpassing 2015’s 4,240 units of housing which according to the Commercial Observer was the most in the last decade.
New developments are no stranger to The Bronx which has seen a dramatic increase of market rate housing particularly in the South Bronx ranging from condos selling as high as $995,000 to luxury rentalswhere studios start at $2,100 and 3 bedroom units as high as $4,400.
Although most of the residential units under construction are “affordable” housing, they are not all permanently affordable and can go to market once those protections expire which is generally 15 years after construction.
Meanwhile, just a couple of weeks ago The Bronx recorded a record-breaking sale for a single building with the sale of the old Melrose Building on 161st Street for $115 million.
But according to many folks, gentrification isn’t happening in our borough.
Let’s see what 2018 has in store for Bronx real estate news.
Fabulous ‘Fab’ Flournoy of the Newcastle Eagles/Image credit North News & Pictures/2DayMedia
44 year old Fabulous Flournoy, a player-coach for the Newcastle Eagles in the UK, is considered to be the most celebrated figure in the history of British Basketball was born and raised in the great borough of The Bronx.
Now of course you might be asking, “they play basketball in the UK?” and sure as the original article in the New York Times says that the sport is naturally behind soccer and might even be behind darts even but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s probably the biggest name and persona in the sport across the great pond.
Nor does it change the fact that he’s the first BBL coach to reach 500 wins.
Flournoy went to Jane Addams High School in Morrisania before heading to college where soon after headed to England where eventually he began his professional basketball career in 1996 with the now defunct Birmingham Bullets.
This past March, he became a Member of the Order of the British Empire in Buckingham Palace by Prince William according to the article in The New York Times.
The article is a fascinating look into the life of Flournoy who’s passion for living a healthy life borders on obsession. Perhaps this obsession with perfection comes from his early life.
Scott Cacciola of The New York Times writes:
“His speeches — to students, to law firms, to car dealers — are events.
“If you’re in a room of 500 people, I guarantee there’s someone in there that lost a loved one,” he said. “I guarantee there’s someone that got bullied. I guarantee there’s someone that got mistreated. I guarantee there’s someone that wants to be more than what they are. I guarantee there’s someone that’s just like me.”
Flournoy delivers his speeches without notes. He laughs. He cries. He might mention how his father abused his mother when he was drunk and how she eventually left him, working to provide for her four children while shuffling them from one ragged building in New York to the next, where Flournoy and his siblings would cram into one bed”
This past Thursday, The Bronx Music Heritage Center held their annual Melrose Holiday Parranda through the streets of the Bronx.
For those who don’t know, a parranda is the Puerto Rican version of Christmas caroling and this year’s parranda stopped by local community garden casitas as the revelers made their way towards the finish line at Casa de Chema aka Rincon Criollo community garden.
We know when we post about this we may end up getting hate mail because so many folks have their own personal pizza joints that are their favorites but alas, these lists can’t accommodate every pizzeria in The Bronx.
So who made the list? Well here you go (and in no particular order):
Tommy’s Pizza (Throggs Neck) 4033 E Tremont Ave
According to Gaetano “Tommy” Labue, he started selling pizza for 75 cents a slice back in 1977. amNY thinks that their plain slice is “…just the right ratio of low-moisture shredded mozzarella to tomato sauce to cornmeal dusted crust.”
Louie & Ernie’s Pizza 1300 Crosby Ave
This one consistently pops up on the radar and we cannot argue that this is indeed one of the best pizzerias in The Bronx. Not only have they been at the same location in Schuylerville since but ownership has changed hands since then.
Owners Cosmo and John Tiso claim that their thin-crust sausage pizza is one of the best you’ve ever had according to the post in amNY.
Sorrento Pizza 2004 Williamsbridge Road
Using cast-iron trays that are 60 years old, Tony Nardi is said to make an amazing Sicilian but hey, don’t take their word for it. Just try this Morris Park staple of over 40 years.
Patricia’s 1082 Morris Park Avenue
And of course what would a list of the best pizza in The Bronx be without good old Patricia’s of Morris Park?
A good tip from the article: “Ask for a table all the way in the back, and you can watch cooks like Luis Piedia prepare your pizza through the glass partition between the restaurant and kitchen. When Piedia makes the crowd-favorite prosciutto pie from scratch, he tops it with fior di latte mozzarella (as opposed to buffalo, this wet, fresh kind is made with cow’s milk) before sliding it into the oven. He adds arugula, cherry tomatoes and chilled slices of dry-cured ham imported from Parma after the pizza has cooked for roughly three minutes. That brisk bake in extremely high temperatures leaves its mark as “leopard spots” — i.e. clusters of char on the crust — and a floppy center.”
Full Moon 600 E 187th Street
This Belmont pizzeria’s gargantuan slices will set you back $6 bucks and apparently you need two paper plates to eat this beast but they say it’s quite worth it.
Cafe Al Mercato 2344 Arthur Avenue
Right inside the Arthur Avenue Market, you can pull up here and order up a Nonna aka grandma which is kind of like a Sicilian but not quite. You’ll just have to try it if you haven’t.
Zero Otto Nove 2357 Arthur Avenue
And yet another Arthur Ave pizzeria on the list. I’ve had their pizza numerous times and can definitely vouch that they are indeed some of the best The Bronx has to offer.
The writer suggests: “Get La Cirilo ($14.95), which comes with housemade mozzerella, mushrooms, a decadent coat of truffle oil and one highly untraditional sauce: a butternut squash puree. The puree rounds out the flavor profile of this umami bomb with a tinge of sweetness.”
Mario’s Restaurant 2342 Arthur Avenue
Another Arthur Ave pizzeria? Hmmmm…Well this restaurant, which has been operating since 1919 spanning 5 generations, doesn’t advertise its pizza. It’s not even on the menu but you can order it.
What does the writer have to say about them?
“Mario’s plain margherita pie boasts a thicker, crispier crust than the standard Neapolitan kind — in part because it’s cooked at lower temperatures in a gas oven, rather than a wood-fired one. The very bottom has an almost woodsy taste and grainy texture, from particles of high-gluten flour. Migliucci’s family keeps the toppings simple: crushed Italian plum tomatoes, salt, basil leaves and square slices of a house-made “loaf” mozzarella that blisters handsomely when cooked. (“It’s not that shredded plastic-y stuff,” said Migliucci, 55, casting shade on the New York-style slice.)”
Pugsley Pizza 590 E 191st Street
We made it out of Little Italy…finally! Pugsley’s is just Pugsley. There’s not much I can add here beyond that they’re just a Bronx staple.
Kingsbridge Social Club 3625 Kingsbridge Avenue
So this one just opened up this year and I haven’t been there yet so I can’t rate it and I’ll leave it up to y’all. I have never even heard anyone talk about this spot enough to be even listed on best pizza list of our borough so please do tell me if I’m missing something.
Sam’s Pizza 232 W 231st Street
This Albanian run pizza shop (which is quite common here in The Bronx) has been around since 1946. The husband and wife team serve up the goods here.
260 E 161st in Melrose has become the most expensive building in Bronx history after selling last week for $115 million to Jamestown, the owner of Manhattan’s famed Chelsea Market and Brooklyn’s Industry City.
The Melrose Building at 260 E 161st Street and Morris Avenue in the heart of The Bronx’s Civic Center was purchased last week for $115 million by Jamestown, the owner of Chelsea Market and Industry City in Brooklyn, and breaks the record as the most expensive building sold in our borough’s history surpassing the sale of Hunts Point’s landmark Banknote building in 2014 for $114 million.
A quick search of public sales records using PropertyShark revealed that no other single building in The Bronx has ever sold for that much going back as 1990.
Over the past years, the building has gone through a multi-million dollar upgrade and renovation including the conversion of the ground floor into retail space which has been since occupied by major national chains like Chipotle, Starbucks, Checkers, Dunkin Donuts, and Walgreens.
The story over at Crain’s calls Jamestown, “…a commercial landlord that has reaped big returns from pushing into emerging neighborhoods for offices…” and that is something that while true, Melrose and the South Bronx is anything but an ’emerging’ market for such properties.
From The Third Avenue Business Improvement District and along its future expansion corridor of 149th Street to 161st Street at the Civic Center, the general area has been the de facto “downtown” area of The Bronx and is no stranger to office buildings.
Any native Bronxite can easily tell you that.
This is not the only Melrose building to sell for such a large sum. Back in March, Michaelangelo Plaza, the 498 unit Mitchell Lama development on Morris and 149th Street sold for $78 million and is currently undergoing major capital improvements as well as a renewal of its affordable Mitchell Lama program for another 40 years.
But a buyer such as Jamestown for the Melrose Building only raises the specter of gentrification in the South Bronx and our borough as developers and landlords continue to barrel into our borough with increased confidence.
Only time will tell if it will pay off for developers and landlords or if it will bust.
Images of various ‘Nightmare Neighbors’ in The Bronx via IDC’s Report
Bronx property owners within 300 foot radius of foreclosed properties are worth on average $4,963 less than properties not as adjacent to such distressed properties according to a report issued by Independent Democratic Conference.
The report, which was launched by Senator Jeffrey D. Klein and the IDC, indicates that just 47 foreclosed properties are negatively impacting property values of 2,193 1-4 family homes in our borough are causing a whopping $10,615,211 in depreciation in value.
These so-called ‘Nightmare Neighbors’ are generally distressed and lacking general maintenance and upkeep and are oftentimes vacant with banks as the culprits for the condition of these properties.
According to the report:
A bank-owned or real estate-owned (REO) property is a property that has reverted to the mortgage lender after the home fails to sell in a foreclosure auction following a judgement of foreclosure. During the subprime crisis of the late 2000’s the housing market saw a significant slump and many homeowners found themselves incapable of maintaining their mortgages. This period saw a massive increase in the number of bank-owned homes as the number of foreclosures climbed and the number of buyers available dropped, leaving banks holding properties. Unfortunately, many banks failed to maintain their newly owned properties, spreading blight through many
neighborhoods.
These 47 foreclosed properties in The Bronx also have over 1,000 open violations with New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development and with Department of Buildings as well which accounts for 41% of such violations of similar properties across New York City.
The report also goes on to indicate that minority communities are impacted at a higher rate as 89% of these properties across the city were located in minority or communities of color.
Morris Park is about to get its own business improvement district.
The New York City Council has given the green light for the creation of the Morris Park Business Improvement District which would cover just over a mile of Morris Park Avenue and 188 businesses.
With the creation of this new BID, the entity will be able to provide ancillary services such as holiday lighting, street cleaning, advertising and promoting the corridor as well.
According to The Bronx Times,
John Bonizio, chairman of the Westchester Square BID, said he thinks “it’s great for Morris Park. I’m glad to see the business community and commercial property owners banding together to help provide a business plan for the business district.”
Bonizio said the BID is long overdue and he’s proud to have his neighbors in Morris Park join in the process of creating solutions to the struggles of small businesses in New York.
But the process isn’t official yet as Mayor Bill de Blasio will have to sign the BID into law after which the NYS Comptroller has 30 days to review it and then will a steering committee convene to act as the first board of directors.
The initial budget for the newly created BID will be $390,000.
Much like synagogues that once dotted the South Bronx and began shutting down as the Jewish population moved to Co-op City, Riverdale, and the suburbs, Catholic Churches have been shutting down steadily as demographics have shifted as well as shrinking parishes with fewer worshippers.
The demolition of St Augustine Roman Catholic Church in Morrisania back in 2013 after being shut down by the Archdiocese of New York in 2011 was felt throughout the community.
The 112 unit, 12 story building will have 35 units of supportive housing for formerly homeless families or families with special needs with the balance set aside for low and moderate income households.
Applications are being accepted as of today with a deadline of 2/15/2018 with a preference for 50% of units for Community Board 3 residents, 5% with mobility issues, 2% for hearing/visually impaired, and 5% for municipal employees. Note: These are simply their “preferences” but if one doesn’t meet the strict income guidelines, you will not qualify despite the “preference”.
Unit breakdown and income requirements are as follows:
To apply, go to New York City’s Housing Connect website and click apply. You must have an account set up with them in order to do so and as always, may the odds be ever in your favor!
New permits have been filed for 1755 Watson Avenue in the Soundview neighborhood of The Bronx revealing a 280,000+ square foot building with 326 residential apartments to be constructed on the site.
Located at the corner of Rosedale Avenue and across from where US Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor grew up as well as just a couple of blocks away from the 6 train at St Lawrence, the development is scheduled to break down some time next year.
Not much more details on the 9 story building but this is the second planned development for affordable housing announced in the past several weeks for the general area.
A couple of weeks ago, we reported on another big development planned for the Soundview at Park Lane Apartments on Lafayette and White Plains Road which will have a mix of senior housing along with affordable housing in two separate buildings totalling 425 units.
Combined, these two developments will bring almost 800 units of housing to the area.
Development fever is creeping into community board 9 and we’re curious as to how residents feel about this so do let us know below or on Facebook.
