Coming to the ‘Joker’ Stairs in The Bronx? Here’s What You Need to Know

Highbridge is being invaded by fans looking to take pics on the now “iconic” stairs in the new Joker movie.

If you’re planning to come to The Bronx and take a selfie for that “perfect” Instagram post on the now infamous Bronx step street in Highbridge then here are a few things you need to know.

First of all, many of us do not welcome your presence in The Bronx (I guess you can say Unwelcome2TheBronx) to simply come and burden our communities with your desperate need to be “cool” and take pics because a movie made a particular local spot a “landmark”.

The 167th Street Step Street is a vital part of the neighborhood that connects our communities as people come to and from work etc.

It’s not there for you to overcrowd and stand in the way of people trying to get along with their lives.

You’re also coming into a community that is one of the most economically depressed areas in NYC so your presence can be very disruptive.

Especially if you’re not even bothering to support the local community which is pretty much every single one of you so far.

Some quick facts on Highbridge:

• With a poverty rate at 36.4% as of 2017-2018, it is the 3rd poorest neighborhood in NYC.
• Unemployment is at 12.5% placing it the 5th highest in NYC
• Highbridge places 4th in the city as one of the most severely rent-burdened communities in NYC with 39.8% of households in this category.

You probably also didn’t know or care to know that thanks to the massive Jerome Avenue Rezoning that took place last year, many auto shops that line Jerome Avenue are closing down and being forced to relocate as developers get ready to demolish their buildings and replace with “affordable housing” developments that many in the community won’t be able to actually afford.

Despite all of these “grim” statistics, Highbridge is a beautifully diverse, immigrant community with 43.8% of residents listed as foreign born where people are trying to achieve the “American Dream” whatever that means nowadays.

You are basically walking into someone’s home so treat it with respect and if you’re gonna come here, at the very least drop some of your money at a local business. I promise, we won’t bite (unless you’re just using us then all bets are off).

Coming by subway? Got off the 4 stop at 167th Street? There are literally DOZENS of small businesses you can go to and drop some cash. Even a buck or two would be greatly appreciated it by these hard working business owners because multiply that by the hundreds if not thousands of y’all and that would make the difference between a business surviving or not.

Walk up to 169th and Jerome and grab some delicious Dominican food at El Valle or to 170th and Jerome or drinks (and grub) at Suyo Gastrofusion where you can catch live music by local entertainers.

Be respectful when you get here and enter at your own risk. All exits are final.