For over 5 years, The Bronx has been the only borough without a center for the LGBTQ community since the old Bronx Community Pride Center closed its doors but now that may soon change as several community leaders have been in discussion to bring back a new center at the old Sachs building on Third Avenue and 150th Street in Melrose.

The upper floors of the building have been vacant for decades but recently Blink Fitness signed a lease for the 2nd and 3rd floors which will open in a few weeks leaving the remaining 4th, 5th, and penthouse area available―roughly 23,000 square feet of possiblilites.

Each time I passed by the building I felt that it should be the home for the LGBTQ community right on the most visible corridor in The Bronx at The Hub which is the busiest intersection outside of Times Square with over 200,000 pedestrians passing through each day.

It’s time we come out of the shadows of our almost 6 year exile in our borough.

During the beginning of the year, I approached Michael Brady, then newly appointed executive director of the Third Avenue Business Improvement District on how to make it happen.

“Over the past several months the BID has been working to bring LGBTQ stakeholders together, first through small group dinners and conversation, and then through large festivals like the 1 Bronx Festival.” said Michael Brady.

“Of late the BID, has conducted a LGBTQ community needs assessment, worked with district property owners and organizations to identify viable spaces for the center, and retained an architect to give life to a center on the Avenue. The BID has quietly worked with the private sector to secure financial commitments for the center and has worked to have the center included in the participatory budgeting and capital funds process.”

Months later, we got a walking tour of the space and immediately knew this was it.

Along on that tour was architect Anthony Crusor, principle at AQC Architects who was contracted by the Third Avenue BID to come up with some preliminary renderings of what the space could look like and what he has delivered is nothing short of what the Bronx community deserves.

The most striking feature is a skylight prism if you will, made up of the rainbow colors of the LGBTQ flag, that penetrates the roof and goes down through the 5th floor and into a 4th floor conference room.

This would stand as a beacon making the building stand out which is what Crusor’s intention was.

“The location of the proposed center, because it’s not on the ground floor and not visible from the intersection from 149th and 3rd had to have something that was readily identifiable from a distance. ” said Crusor who walked the area looking at the building from different angles and vantage points.

Another feature Mr Crusor thought was important was a green roof garden filled with trees and after seeing the renderings, we thought it would be appropriate to dedicate the garden as a memorial to all LGBTQ Bronx residents who have lost their lives to HIV, transgender violence, and hate crimes towards the queer community.

The new center would also include space for a theater for performing arts, space for community programming from HIV testing, counseling, and a host of other services as well as staff offices.

There are other plans for an LGBTQ Center in the works in the Fordham area at the old library but many in the community feel it’s too out of the way and not close enough to public transportation.

The location at The Hub makes the most sense as it is easily accessible by subway from the east and west Bronx via the 2/5 lines, major bus lines, and the 4 train 1 stop away. It is an area that has already historically served as the center of LGBTQ life with the old center once on 149th Street next to the Opera House Hotel.

But this center is far from definitive but it has the momentum and will power to make it happen.

Perhaps Michael Brady put it best when he said, “For too long has the Bronx been without adequate LGBTQ services, let alone a brick and mortar center run by an LGBT organization. The Third Avenue BID, located in the heart of the Bronx and in a major transportation hub, opens its doors to the LGBTQ community and affirms our commitment to creating a 23,000 sf center in the district.”

In less than a month, the northeast’s first of its kind Diabetes Relief Center will open its doors in the South Bronx at 2825 Third Avenue in the heart of The Hub directly adjacent to the 2 and 5 train at 3rd Avenue and 149th Street and major bus lines with convenient access to most points in The Bronx and just 5 minutes from Manhattan.

Qualified candidates should email cover letter and resume to: Jordis Smith at jordis.smith@diabetesreliefcenters.com

Full-time employment opportunity is available for a Nurse Practitioner and the job description is as follows:

POSITION DESCRIPTION

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Nurse Practitioner shall perform clinical diabetes (diagnostic/therapeutic) functions and procedures as appropriate to the scope of preparation and specialty certification for which competency has been validated and maintained and as reflected in the CRNP protocol approved by Alabama Board of Nursing.  Responsible for the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of patients in collaboration with the instruction of the patient’s physician and the Company’s Medical Director.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY: (Essential Functions are noted in italics)

1. Performs APT therapy utilizing the Artificial Pancreas System, for Trina Health of Foley patients according to therapy guidelines, physician prescription under the oversight of the Company’s Medical Director.
2. Educates patients and/or patient’s families about the APT.  Answers questions and concerns and/or directs inquiries to appropriate source; following up as indicated by appropriateness.
3. Maintains legible, accurate, and confidential medical records using prescribed method of retention.
4. Documents all medical evaluations, diagnoses, procedures, treatment, outcomes, education, referrals, and consultations.
5. Facilitates evaluation of records by physician(s) according to protocols; receives and implement constructive directives.
6. Promotes preventive and health maintenance care, including annual physicals, positive health behaviors, self-care skills, and use of prescribed medical treatments and medications through education and counseling.
7. Assists with selection of clinic staff.  Responsible for the oversight and development of clinic medical staff.
8. Assists with clinic administration and operations as needed to ensure a positive patient experience.
9. Ensures equipment is maintained in operating condition by following operating instructions; troubleshooting breakdowns; maintaining supplies; performing preventive maintenance; calling for repairs.
10. Maintains safe, secure, and healthy work environment by following, and enforcing standards and procedures; complying with Safety, OSHA and other legal regulations.
11. Maintains patient confidence and protects operations by keeping patient care information confidential.  Practices HIPAA guidelines at all times.
12. Continually works to grow the clinic business by following up on leads, generating new networks and leads and ensuring a positive experience for the clinic’s patients and their families.
13. Maintains required licensure in good standing appropriate to position
14. Maintains regular attendance to ensure efficient operations
15. Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

• Current and clear certification as a nurse practitioner in the appropriate area of practice from a national certifying body recognized by the Alabama Board of Nursing.
• 1+ year clinical nursing experience. Current Alabama CRNP license. Current CPR certification.
• Prior experience in family practice or internal medicine practice is desirable
• Working knowledge of various Electronic Medical Records systems
• Flexible, self-motivated individual who is dedicated to quality patient care and customer satisfaction
• Excellent communication skills; verbal and written
• Works effectively as a team environment
• Projects a positive image and has a “Patients First” attitude
• Possess basic knowledge of PC applications, software, and database management.

PHYSICAL REQUIRMENTS

1. Ability to sit, stand or walk for long periods of time. Full range of motion capability; arms and trunk.  Ability to stoop, kneel, bend, twist, reach and climb.
2. Gross and fine motor coordination to allow the manipulation of equipment utilized in the performance of activities.
3. Ability to lift/carry medium weight (up to 40 lbs.), light pushing/pulling (up to 60 lbs.).
4. Ability to manipulate patients and equipment to facilitate positioning and treatment (with assistance) up to 150 lbs.
5. Ability to hear within normal ranges, vision (corrected if necessary) to allow reading and the discernment of color, and normal sense of touch.
6. Ability to withstand temperature fluctuations normally found within an office environment, and varying weather conditions which may exist while performing outdoor duties such as supporting activities and events.

Qualified candidates should email cover letter and resume to: Jordis Smith at jordis.smith@diabetesreliefcenters.com

The Bronx is the only borough without a bookstore thanks to Barnes and Noble’s departure, leaving our almost 1.5 million residents thirsting for parchment but thanks to a generous new organization called Boogie Down Books and an army of over than 30 volunteers, our local youth will have access to 200 books across six titles for free.

After getting their hands on these titles, the kids can then join a free book club that will be led volunteer educators to discuss the books.

More information regarding this wonderful program is as follows:

Boogie Down Books™ presents Fall Into Reading

Month-Long Celebration of Youth and Community Literacy in the South Bronx

Free Pop-Up Bookshop and Book Clubs for South Bronx Kids and Teens

Overview: South Bronx-based startup Boogie Down Books™ is presenting Fall Into Reading, a month-long celebration of youth and community literacy. On Saturday, October 28,  two hundred free books across six titles will be distributed at a free pop-up bookshop for young people ages 11-18 and their caregivers. Free book clubs on those six titles will then be facilitated by volunteer educators on November 4 and 18. The book clubs will be open to the young people and caregivers who received free books on October 28 as well as readers of all ages from the New York City area who would like to discuss these books as a community. Select authors will appear at book club meetings to participate in discussions of their books. Fall Into Reading is funded by the Citizens Committee for New York City.

What: Free Pop-Up Bookshop and Book Clubs for South Bronx Youth Ages 11-18

Why: Approximately 25% of the Bronx’s 1.4 million residents are under the age of eighteen, and yet the borough currently has zero specialty booksellers for children and young adult readers (or any general-interest bookstores, for that matter). In an effort to help address that, Boogie Down Books™ was recently launched to empower South Bronx kids, teens, caregivers, and educators through transformative reading experiences and inspiring community events. Two of the most important factors in promoting a lifelong love of reading in young people are the ability to choose what they read and the opportunity to discuss what they read with others. Fall Into Reading provides young people with both choice and community-based discussions.

Who: Boogie Down Books™; more than 30 volunteers from throughout the community; anyone who wants to read and build community in conversation with fellow readers of all ages; House of SpeakEasy Foundation.

When and Where:
Saturday, October 28, 2017
10am-3pm
M.S. 224 / M.S. 343
345 Brook Ave., Bronx
Cafeteria

Saturday, November 4 & 18, 2017
10:30am-4:15pm
New York Public Library, Mott Haven Branch
321 E. 140 St., Bronx
3rd Floor

Zumper.com issued its latest asking rent prices in New York City, the nation’s second most expensive rental market, and the Bronx neighborhoods of Mott Haven and Port Morris showed the highest jump as other parts of the city were modest or even saw dips in rents. 

Port Morris saw the highest jump with 11.9% increase to a median of $1,790 followed by Mott Haven at $1,700 representing an increase of 9%.

Meanwhile, Brooklyn neighborhoods of Borough Hall and Ocean Park saw the largest drop at 12% in both areas since the last quarter.

It should be noted that this data doesn’t present a complete picture of the actual market as only rents available on Zumper.com are utilized but nevertheless it is indicative of what’s going on in the South Bronx as gentrification continues full speed ahead despite many naysayers who deny it’s happening.

When you look at the median income of these neighborhoods which is barely $20k a year, these rents are well beyond the grasp of the majority of local residents. 

While many advocate that mixed income neighborhoods will “improve” an area for residents, we’ve already seen that this is not the case as existing residents are continuously displaced with escalating rents.

You can argue against this point all you want but just take a stroll down Lenox Avenue in Harlem, 8th Avenue in Chelsea or through Hell’s Kitchen, and of course the beacon of gentrification that is Williamsburg over on Brooklyn. 

The longtime residents didn’t really last long enough to reap the alleged benefits that gentrification is supposed to bestow upon a neighborhood. 

Let’s hope that our borough doesn’t end up like the rest.

Since the faster Select Bus Service began its New York City launch in 2008 in The Bronx with the creation of the Bx12 SBS, ridership along the now 15 routes across the city have seen 10-30% faster bus speeds, 10% increase in ridership, more reliable service, customer satisfaction of 95%, and safer streets and reduction in crashes.

Now, according to a report issued by NYC Department of Transportation in partnership with the MTA, 21 new SBS routes will be added across the city with 6 of them in The Bronx.

The six routes currently under study in The Bronx are:

• Broadway to Central Bronx (Bx9)
• Gun Hill Road (Bx28)
• University Avenue (Bx3)
• Tremont Avenue (Bx40)
• Harlem to Southern Boulevard (Bx19)
• Soundview to Washington Heights (Bx36)

According to the report, “…the existing SBS network has over 309,000 daily riders, 12% of city bus ridership. With the addition of the new proposed SBS routes, over 800,000 bus riders would be on routes with fast and reliable service, over 32% of city bus ridership.”

One thing we can agree on is that crosstown mass transit service in The Bronx is absolutely abysmal and with the Bx12 SBS and now the Bx6 SBS things are slightly better so it’s a good thing to see that these proposed routes are more focused on getting folks across our borough as fast and as efficient as possible.

The report states that implementation of the lines will begin from 2018-2019 for the first phase. No indication as to which will be the first lines to be upgraded but once we find out, we’ll keep you posted.

What are your thoughts on this? While it’s not the perfect subway system that we envisioned for The Bronx where we could go crosstown without having to take a bus, it’s something, no?

After years of advocacy by local Bronx residents, and myself included, attending dozens of meetings to advocate for increased Metro North rail service at Melrose and Tremont Stations in The Bronx, the MTA has approved a major increase in service at these stations thanks to a successful year-long pilot program.

Last October, the MTA increased service at these stations to hourly up from every two hours along with an increase in the service day for the pilot.

During this time, ridership at both stations increased by a whopping total of 81% (67% increase for weekday ridership and 101% increase in weekend ridership).

Back in August, a public hearing was held to discuss the pilot and finally, thanks to the success of the pilot program, service is now permanently increased at these stations.

These increases are critical because The Bronx has the highest percentage of residents who reverse commute than any other county in the nation as more Bronxites head north into Westchester and Connecticut for employment.

Between 1990 and 2012 there was an increase of 150% of reverse commuters and in 2011 of 8.1 million rides taking to and from The Bronx, two-thirds were Bronxites heading away from the city and heading north.

According to the MTA the permanent service will be as follows:

Details of increased service at Melrose and Tremont stations are below:

• Weekday inbound service is now available from 5:51 a.m. to 12:47 a.m.
• Weekday outbound service is now available from 5:38 a.m. to 1:20 a.m.
• Weekend inbound service is now available from 6:44 a.m. to 12:44 a.m.
• Weekend outbound service is now available from 6:25 a.m. to 1:20 a.m.

Let us know what you think! This is a perfect example of community residents and activists banding together for the community.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Puerto Rican Pulitzer Prize, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony winning composer and playwright behind the hit plays Hamilton and In The Heights, has written a benefit song for Puerto Rico relief efforts due to the devastation left behind by Hurricane Maria.

‘Almost Like Praying’ features Bronx artists like Rita Moreno, Fat Joe, and Jennifer Lopez aka J Lo alongside other Puerto Rican and Latin American recording artists who got together to record this beautiful song that not only pays tribute to the island but each of the 78 municipios (municipalities or counties if you will) that make up the Puerto Rican archipelago.

You can buy it on iTunes, Apple Music, Google Play, and Amazon. All proceeds will go to the Hispanic Federation’s Hurricane Relief Fund.

Watch:

This past Monday’s edition of BronxTalk focused on the new Diabetes Relief Center coming to the South Bronx―the first of its kind in the northeast.

Dr Jack Lewin, MD, Chief Medical and Science Advisor at Diabetes Relief Center speaks on how this new way to fight diabetes has shown in 90% of patients in research they’ve done so far to eliminate 90% of neuropathy along with other comorbidities.

Please watch this video to learn more about the new center which will open its doors by November 1st of this year. You can also come next week to the center for a preview informational session but space is limited so place RSVP here at this link.

Watch the video:

We first broke the news last year of the first new construction market-rate luxury condominium coming to the South Bronx at 221 E 138th Street and now they have finally put out the welcome mat announcing the development as “The Joinery Condominiums” and that they’re “Making The Bronx Great Again.”

What?!

Newsflash: The Bronx is already great and we don’t need gentrifying developers approval or interest in our borough for us to know that.

Adding more insult to injury, the website touts, “Over the past several years, the neighborhood residents have witnessed the beginning of the gentrification of this area.” as if this is a selling point they should be proud of. They actually legit used the word gentrification.

Story continues below the break

According to the sales office, they have already released 5 of the units to the market of which 3 are already in contract. These units were sold to individuals who had been calling for months since construction began so they created a waiting list and began working from there.

Two units currently available are 1 bedroom units. The first is #201, a 579 square foot unit for $373,455 and the second is #507, a 655 square foot unit for $432,850.

This averages out to $650 a square foot for these units which the developer’s office said the first 5 units all averaged out to including the 3 currently in contract.

For the next phase of sales they are planning to offer them at $750 a square foot and both offerings are significantly lower than the average list price of $1,100 for condos in neighboring East Harlem which is literally just blocks away over the Madison Avenue Bridge (and Third and Willis Avenue Bridges for that matter).

This would place some of the remaining units like a 1,300 square foot 2 bedroom apartment on the top 7th floor at a whopping $975,000.

Other than Bronx Bricks which was a condo loft conversion, this is the first time that luxury market-rate condos are being constructed and sold in The South Bronx.

People will argue that this isn’t gentrification because there was “nothing” on this site before and it isn’t displacing people but that’s not the full story of what gentrification is. When luxury housing is built, it has a ripple effect in the neighborhood and landlords begin raising their rents both commercial and residential forcing long time resident out.

Residents who rebuilt this neighborhood and stabilized it when no one wanted it.

This is yet another nail on the coffin that will swallow up The Bronx.

Tomorrow at Brook Park, thanks to the amazing folks at Green Worker Cooperatives, you have an excellent chance to participate in community building in The Bronx’s own version of the famous Stone Soup folktale.

From Green Worker Cooperatives:

The Sancochazo is organized by Green Worker Cooperatives, and our goal is to provide an opportunity for the community to come together, learn and get involved in the cooperative movement in NYC. We’ll have interactive games and activities for all ages, for you and the whole family.

The story of Stone Soup, which most of us read as children, captures the essence of the impact of community effort, that by working together, with everyone contributing what they can, a greater good can be achieved. Similar to that story, the Stone Soup Event will challenge community partners –cooperatives, social justice organizations, restaurants, and the community‐ to come together and get energized.

So join us, bring an ingredient for the soup, share a skill with the community but more than anything, have fun!!! Bring a team of your friends, family, neighbors to play together! You will want to take advantage of the beautiful day and have sancocho and other delights on the grass under a tree.

There’s much more to be announced, and we’re looking for volunteers to make this event a success! Please email ileia@greenworker.coop to share a performance, a dish, or lead an activity.

Hope to see you there tomorrow and check out this link to find out what you can contribute!

In the mid 80s, over the course of about 5 years, the City of New York sent out photographers to literally photograph every single property in the five boroughs resulting in over 800,000 images.

While I was perusing the interactive map, I was pleasantly surprised with seeing an old style carnival aka “las machinas” on Third Avenue and 156th Street which is where Aldi, Rite Aid, Foreman Mills, and others now stand.

These images were to be used by the Department of Finance to determine market value of properties for tax purposes but inadvertently created a time capsule or even a time machine of sorts if you will and now thanks to 80s.nyc can readily access the maps and just see what’s available.

What’s really jolting is seeing so many buildings abandoned in the South Bronx block after block without end sometimes and shuttered storefronts but then you’d get to an area like The Hub at Third Avenue and 149th Street and bright colored storefronts and droves of people all over the place further illustrating that life went on despite the hardships we went through during those decades.

Check out the website for yourself but be prepared to lose a lot of time going down memory lane…literally! Oh and thanks to Bronxite Javier Medrano for this awesome tip!

Called Bronx Point, L&M Development Partners won the bid to build a development on stolen public land known as Pier 5 which was designated as part of Mill Pond Park expansion at 149th Street right at the foot of the 145th Street Bridge.

The development calls for 1,045 units of (un)affordable housing which we all know will be luxury on the waterfront not made available to the actual residents who live in the neighborhood.

Bronx Point is slated to also include a multiplex and yet another food and beverage hall that will be run by curated by Brooklyn outsider Anna Castellani who curated the popular Brooklyn food hall Dekalb Market.

Besides the clear theft of land which the city denies is happening because they claim that it was never designated for parks despite that even the friggin’ map at Mill Pond Park shows it as part of the expansion as well as NYC Parks website had it as well along with the acreage of the site until they removed it, it is absolutely disgusting that the city has its hand so visibly in the gentrification process of the South Bronx.

This is absolutely unforgivable and we as Bronx residents will remember the sell-outs during election day.

“You can disguise luxury real estate by claiming that the “Universal Hip-Hop Museum” will be part of the development. But will it really? And is massive gentrification an adequate trade-off to finally aggregate our regional historical culture?” said Edwin Pagán, Program Manager, Bronx Culture Collective (BxCC).

Is our neighborhood worth that little to our community leaders that they will settle for crumbs just to have us displaced?