Watch Gabe Pressman’s last piece he did on The Bronx below

Bronx born and raised Gabe Pressman, a legend in broadcast journalism who graced our television screens for over 60 years passed away today at the age of 93 literally working until the day he died.

Pressman was considered by many to be New York City’s first local TV reporters and he told the New York Times in 1998, “All I know, I was alone out there…I was the only one holding the mike.”

As far as his Bronx life, according the New York Times:

The man who has become one of the most recognizable memes in the world was born and raised in The Bronx!

When we saw the headline above from The Schmooze, it immediately caught our attention because we already know who ‘The Most Interesting Man in The world’ is (great job marketing department at Dos Equis for drilling that into our subconsciousness).

Jonathan Goldsmith famous for his line in the commercials, “I don’t always drink beer. But when I do, I prefer Dos Equis.” told The Schmooze that he hails from our awesome borough.

According to the article:

Goldsmith, who was replaced by younger actor Augustin Legrand in 2016, is meeting with me to discuss his new memoir “Stay Interesting: I Don’t Always Tell Stories About My Life, but When I Do They’re True and Amazing” (Dutton), published on June 13th. The book is filled with interesting anecdotes from Goldsmith’s life but the actor doesn’t have much in common with the Latino debonaire he plays in the campaign that made him in a star. In fact, Goldsmith isn’t Latino at all. He’s a Jew from the Bronx.

That plan was dashed when he got a call one day from his agent, who said she knew of a role for which he would be perfect. It was this call that would change his life forever.

Goldsmith had nothing to lose. He said yes to the audition, packed a bag, and drove his old pick-up truck out to Los Angeles. Within the year, his very Yiddishe punim had become synonymous with one of the most famous commercial campaigns of the new millennium.

“There was a line of 500 men and they all looked like Juan Valdez, the coffee merchant,” said Goldsmith of the fateful audition. “I said, I’m all wrong for this.”

The producers of the commercial were looking for an actor with an improvisational background, which Goldsmith had. But his confidence wasn’t at an all-time high.

“I didn’t know if I still had it in me, if I could still make them laugh,” he says. “They asked me to tell them a story – any story – but it had to end with ‘and that’s how I arm-wrestled Fidel Castro.’”

Goldsmith concocted a wild tale about meeting Fidel Castro through a romantic tryst with Che Guevara’s sister. The bit was a roiling success.

“I had them laughing more and more,” says Goldsmith. “And in the end, they chose a Jew from The Bronx.”

Read more: http://forward.com/schmooze/375300/the-most-interesting-man-in-the-world-is-a-nice-jewish-boy-from-the-bronx/

Who knew?!

At a recent real estate conference hosted by Crain’s, development and infrastructure experts presented ambitious proposals on how to handle an ever-growing population in New York City which is expected to hit over 9 million by 2040.

One such proposal was put forth by Curtis & Ginsberg Architects to “create” new land by decking over the Metro North tracks running through The Bronx straight to the county line at Westchester.

Curtis & Ginsberg cite Morrisania Air Rights NYCHA development in Melrose as an example showing that it has already been done in our borough not to mention Park Avenue in Manhattan which once was an exposed mess of train tracks.

While the idea of creating more opportunities for types of housing is enticing especially in a borough where there is a housing crisis with many families teetering on homelessness and the most rent burdened borough in NYC, we have to ask ourselves what exactly will be built if this plan were to go through?

Will it be simply market-rate housing or will there be a mix of true affordable housing for all?

We know that there is an affordability crisis and this is something, if done right, can help solve a lot (not all) of our housing issues.

But the plan goes even further than simply just decking over Metro North and putting up housing. Curtis & Ginsberg envisions

Check out the full presentation which looks at the entire city:

Top architects share visions for the Bronx, Rikers Island and Staten Island by crainsnewyork on Scribd

Thoughts?

On Saturday and Sunday July 15 and 16th, The Bronx will host a huge music festival in Hunts Point featuring artists like Westside Gunn & Conway The Machine, Tunji Ige, Mr Carmack, They. Post Malone, and more.

The Greatest Day Ever event will take place at the massive Bronx Expo Center at 1108 Oakpoint Avenue, a massive 90,000 square foot industrial building that was once home to Castle Oil Corporation as New York City’s largest deepwater petroleum products terminal and is now used as an event space.

According to Bronx Expo Center’s website, the venue itself, which is on 10 acres, has over 400,000 square feet of space available for events and it’s located right on the waterfront.

The space has already hosted major concerts for such as Mexican bands Los Tigueres del Norte and Los Temerarios.

As for The Greatest Day Ever, $35 Early Bird tickets for both dates are sold out already along with the $65 ‘Weekend Warrior’ ticket which grants access to both dates. At this moment, all that’s left are tickets ranging from $50 a day to $190 ‘Elevated’ Weekend Warrior tickets for both days.

The entire event will also feature amusement rides as well.

Curious as to who of our readers have tickets and are heading out!

Mott Haven―Housing lottery is now open for new construction “affordable” apartments going up on Exterior Street directly south of 149th Street across the Harlem River Waterfront but after looking at the income requirements, the question yet again is, affordable for whom?

Sure the rents are well below market rate apartments in the general area ranging from $822 for a studio apartment to a jaw-dropping $1,224 for a three bedroom. Most three bedrooms  in Melrose, Mott Haven, and Port Morris in Community Board 1 which covers where this development is located in, range from $1,800 to well over $2,500.

But in a district where over almost 65% of the population is on some form of public assistance and 56.4% of households make under $24,999, this leaves out the majority of people in the area―the most vulnerable and in need of truly affordable housing―unable to qualify for these apartments where the minimum for a single-person household is $30,069.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise though as the development at 530 Exterior Street will feature stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, bike storage, fitness room, I mean who would want to rent that to low-income tenants? (insert sarcasm here).

One would assume that at 60% of the Area Median Income, the apartments would actually be available to lower income families but we all know that the AMI is nothing but a lie since it is NOT the immediate area but using income data from the rest of NYC combined with that of Westchester, Putnam, and Rockland counties thus inflating the true area median income of the neighborhood.

But enough about my rant on why the name affordable is nothing but bull.

If you’re interested in applying for these units, you can do so here.

When a local synagogue in Parkchester could no longer afford to keep its place of worship, Sheikh Musa Drammeh opened up his mosque to the Jewish community so that they could continue to have a home and a place to worship.

We wrote about this 5 years ago when The Atlantic ran a piece on it and we said that, “After reading the rest of the story then it dawned on me that I shouldn’t be surprised that the other gentleman would suggest to look at the Bronx to see how it’s done. We are a borough of immigrants and many faiths, often times living in the same neighborhoods. People who back in their countries were taught to fear the different. Here in the Bronx they are exposed to each other and old prejudices begin to peel away like the layers of an onion.

We are far from perfect, that we know, but it’s stories like this that makes me proud to be from the Bronx. If we can overcome such obstacles, there’s no limit to what we can do when we are united.

Freethink Media has produced a beautiful video piece on this story that shows the beautiful spirit of coexisting and helping our neighbors that defines The Bronx.

Check it out and let us know what you think!

‘The Zoo’, Animal Planet’s most watched show which took the world behind the scenes of our Bronx Zoo, has been renewed for a second season scheduled to air early 2018.

The show was so successful it made the top ten ad supported cable shows for its time slot with over 1 million viewers per episode.

This year’s season not only showed how the zoo cares for its charges but also how it’s a world leader in conservation efforts and reintroducing species back into their environment from the brink of extinction.

According to a press release issued by the Wildlife Conservation Society:

“Our series, with its unvarnished look at the Bronx Zoo, its animals and the people dedicated to their well-being, has helped define what a Saturday night on Animal Planet is today: a network with heart, and inspirational characters who protect and care for animals,” said Patrice Andrews, General Manager of Animal Planet.

“We are excited to shoot another season of The Zoo with Animal Planet,” said Jim Breheny, Director of the Bronx Zoo and EVP of Zoos and Aquarium at the Wildlife Conservation Society. “The show gave viewers an opportunity to see what happens every day at the zoo, presenting an uncontrived and unscripted look at how we go about caring for the animals and linking our work at the zoo to preserving species in the wild. It was great to receive all the positive feedback from viewers and guests on the relationship between the animals and the people who care for them and the important role that the Association of Zoos and Aquariums members play in conserving species in the wild.”

Many of Welcome2TheBronx’s readers were excited for this show and we’re excited to share this news with you that the show will go on!

What was your favorite moment of the first season?

AFC Urgent Care, the nation’s second largest privately owned and operated urgent care, has opened their first location in the South Bronx neighborhood of Melrose on 149th Street between Morris and Courtlandt Avenues.

The new state-of-the-art facility will provide a largely underserved community with additional options for those seeking medical care without the hassle of going to overcrowded emergency rooms especially for non-emergency related issues.

Dr Rajesh Gupta, an ER doctor who previously has worked at Lincoln Hospital just a block away, understands the needs of the community and the issues it faces in terms of health.

From digital x-ray equipment, to an onsite lab, physicians will be able to diagnose and treat right onsite.

According to their website, AFC Urgent Care treats and diagnose, “…a wide range of non-life threatening illnesses and injuries including”:

• Cold and flu
• Back, joint, and muscle pain
• Rashes and other skin irritations
• Pink eye
• Asthma
• Allergies
• Cuts, bruises, and burns
• Breaks and fractures

AFC Urgent Care is open 7 days a week from 8AM-8PM including holidays and is located at 332 E 149th Street.

Their other Bronx location is at 839 Hutchinson River Parkway inside the Throgs Neck Shopping Center with a third location coming soon in Kingsbridge/Riverdale at 5546 Broadway.

To learn more about AFC Urgent Care, head over to their website.

The Bronx’s Arthur Avenue might just be the birthplace of Italian-American cuisine. / Caption and Image via USA TODAY

We love, love, LOVE Arthur Avenue as you can probably tell.

USA Today posted an article on ’10 Delicious Stops to Make on The Bronx’s Arthur Avenue’ listing some of our favorite and usual suspects of spots like The Bronx Beer Hall, Borgati’s, and Madonia Bakery.

What’s truly fascinating besides the rich culture and history of The Bronx’s Little Italy (and let’s face it, NYC’s REAL Little Italy cuz Mulberry Street ain’t got nothin’ on us, nothin! You got that?!) is the longevity of all these businesses.

Many of these mom and pop shops have been in business for over a century and others not too far behind.

They’ve withstood the test of time to some degree and even if they’re no longer owned by the original founding families, new owners seldom tinker much with these institutions even using recipes and equipment from the previous families to churn out the amazing baked goods.

This is something you don’t see much of throughout our city and we’re happy and proud that you get to see this right here in our borough of The Bronx.

So what’s your favorite place along Arthur Avenue? What’s the one thing you crave the most? We want to know so sound off in the comments below or on our Facebook page!

In the meantime, check out USA Today’s List: 10 delicious stops to make on the Bronx’s Arthur Avenue: Eat & Drink Article by 10Best.com

Join us on Saturday June 24th at the Bronx Documentary Center as we officially launch the Bronx Queer Forum, an independent organization providing monthly screening events of LGBTQ films and documentaries.

The Bronx is home to a large, vibrant, and diverse LGBTQ community but we have been lacking a center since 2012 and safe spaces for our communities to meet in on a regular basis are extremely limited.

We believe that there is absolutely no reason that we have to always leave The Bronx and head into Manhattan or other boroughs to be able to spend time together and it was this that led us to begin the Bronx Queer Forum as a monthly event and unite us under one roof even if it’s just once a month to start with.

Our first screening on Saturday June 24th will start at 7PM and will feature ‘Pariah’, the story of a black teenage lesbian from Brooklyn leading a double life hiding her identity from her family all the while exploring it with her peers.

These events will always be free and we hope you can join us for this special evening!

The Bronx Queer Forum will launch with 3 events throughout the summer at The Bronx Documentary Center in the months of June, July, and August.

The Bronx Documentary Center is located at 614 Courtlandt Avenue at 151st Street and is easily accessible by subway at the 2/5 line to 3rd Avenue/149th Street and by many buses including the 2, 4, 41, 19 and several others.

We are extremely grateful for the Bronx Documentary Center and their generosity in allowing us to hold this event at their space.

Please RSVP to the event over on Facebook

For more information on the Bronx Queer Forum or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Ed Garcia Conde at 917-532-7504 or info@welcome2thebronx.com

On Thursday, June 15th, The Bronx Junior Photo League will host the opening reception from 4PM-7PM of ‘Journeys: Immigration Stories‘ including a multimedia presentation at 5PM by the students.

This exhibition is the culmination of the 12-18 year old students’ photography and journalism after school program at the Bronx Documentary Center where the exhibition will be on view from June 15th through June 25th.

As part of their instruction, the students photographed and interviewed members of The Bronx’s immigrant community including a Vietnamese nun, “…an exiled Russian journalist…” and a Dominican artist among others.

Last year, Bronxite and New York Times journalist and photographer David Gonzalez wrote:

A co-op apartment at Executive Towers on the Grand Concourse has shattered a record on the famed boulevard as it cracked the half million mark and sold for $510,000 back in April after only being on the market for a little over a month.

The large 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom unit with a balcony was originally listed for $595,000 by Halstead and closed at almost 15% below asking but it wasn’t the first apartment to list above $500k.

Back in October, we wrote about a 2 bedroom apartment in the same building that was listed at a ridiculously unsupported price of $575,000 which was soon taken off the market. Maybe our reporting on the utter greed had something to do with it?

But at $510k, this apartment isn’t the highest selling in the general Grand Concourse area.

A 1,450 square foot 3 bedroom unit at 675 Walton Avenue sold for $553,000―39% above asking price of $399,000 last September, confirming the rumors of bidding wars going on in the general area.

With these two sales, the benchmark has been set for 3 bedroom units along and around the Grand Concourse below E 167th Street within the 78 building Grand Concourse Historic District which was designated back in 2011.

The $500k mark was once exclusively the domain of Riverdale up in the Northwest Bronx for cooperative apartments but now the South Bronx is beginning to chip away at its

And of course, what would this post be without mentioning the obvious gentrification issues.

With these prices, more and more Bronxites can no longer afford to buy an apartment in the general area and in the ultimate act of irony after decades of decay and neglect, the Grand Concourse is once again returning to its former roots of excluding certain demographics, this time not policies based on race but of economics.

For decades, people of color were denied the opportunity to rent an apartment on the Concourse and it was something that even went on during the 70s with my parents being told there were no vacancies when all signs said there were.

Will the future of the Grand Concourse be as diverse as it is now or will it succumb to the disease that is gentrification that has overtaken NYC?