Did you know that decades ago Melrose streets were once was paved with red bricks???
Boricua Village – MAJOR UPDATE!
Many of you already know that Boricua Village, once completed will be a major anchor and cornerstone of Melrose with the 14 story verticle campus of Boricua College and over 700 residences of low income affordable housing as well as affordable housing for middle income families.
The developer, Atlantic Development Group, has released more details, including artist renderings on the middle income units of Boricua Village and is now accepting applications to those who qualify (see instructions for filling out the application.)
The Residences at Northrose, as the 4 buildings containing 393 middle income units within Boricua Village are called, are truly one of the most luxurious residences being built in Melrose and The Bronx as a whole. Rents range from $838 for a studio (with a minimum income requirement of $28,731 and a preferred maximum income of $53,800 and a max allowed income of $69,940) to $1,572 for a 3 bedroom deluxe unit (with a minimum income requirement of $76, 801, preferred max income of $84,480 and a max income of $99,840 – based on a four person house hold. 6 person household max allowed income is $115,830).
Some of the amenities offered at The Residences at Northrose when completed will include:
- A residents’ lounge with free access to Wi-Fi
- 70,000 square feet of outdoor space plus a state-of-the-art playground for kids
- An on-site gym that will be for the exclusive use of residents including a separate yoga, Pilates and dance studio
- A screening room where you can lounge on couches while watching movies amongst residents and friends
- A Game Room including pinball machines and billiards
- For the kids a Play room
is provided which can even be used to host parties - A Learning Center for children and adults, with Wi-Fi access and desks for quiet study.
Below are some more artist renderings of the development as well as of the apartments themselves.
Game Room
Site Plan
Kitchen
Living Room
Bathroom
Landscaped Roof
Typical Studio Floor Plan
Typical One Bedroom Floor Plan
Typical 2 Bedroom Floor Plan
Typical 3 Bedroom Floor Plan
A big Melrose THANK YOU to Atlantic Development Group for realizing what a great neighborhood that Melrose is as well as the borough of The Bronx for such a fine development!
Spotlight: Restoration Community Garden
While walking back home from my grandmother’s apartment along Courtlandt Avenue, I had the pleasure of entering Restoration Garden located between East 154th and East 155th Streets. Unlike the location of the other gardens in the neighborhood which are mostly on quiet side streets, Restoration Garden sits right in the middle of the craziness that can be Courtlandt Avenue. Directly across from New York City Public Housing, aka “the projects” and more affectionately known as the PJs, the garden offers a refuge for those who choose to walk through its gates. 
According to local resident, Nelson (last name withheld), the garden has been there for over 25 years and had recently within the past 5 years received financial support from generous donors which they utilized to spruce up the place. The names and families of the various donors are engraved in plaques or some of the red paving stones that make up the steps and patio area.
As with almost every single garden in the neighborhood, The Bronx and throughout the rest of the city, these gardens feature the “casitas” or little houses which are reminiscent of a not too distant past in Puerto Rico where mostly every home outside the cities were just small wooden shacks. These community gardens and casitas are a little slice of home for so many residents and they come in to unwind, gossip, play a friendly game of dominoes, watch the game, etc. Thanks to the casitas, rain or shine, people can still enjoy the gardens!
Each garden in the area has its own unique style, decor and feel to them so make sure you explore each and every one of them. As time progresses, Welcome to Melrose will provide a map of all community gardens within the area as well as hours of operation for your convenience. Next time you happen to be in the area if you are not a resident, come on in sit for a while…chat with the locals…they are very friendly and love to chat!
“We Honor The Fallen…” I guess it’s open to
interpretation who the fallen are but considering
how many have died in the community during its violent past
as well as those who succumbed to HIV/AIDS it is befitting of the community.
Center Yourself with Yoga – Exclusively From The South Bronx Food Co-op
As part of the South Bronx Food Co-op’s mission to empower locals on healthy eating habits and better their health, yoga is provided 3 times a week. So not only are you benefiting your body but you are also doing some good for your mind.
Most people think of yoga as simply sitting in a lotus and chanting mantra but it is more than that. The word itself means “union” in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India and that union is that of the mind, body and spirit. Yoga has a rich tradition that goes back over 5,000 years and while most of the time it was pretty much confined to the Eastern world but over the last 50-60 years it was slowly introduced to Westerners through people such as Swami Satchitananda who was the opening speaker at Woodstock back in 1969.
- Flexibility
- Strength
- Posture
- Breathing (can increase lung capacity due to the deep breathing that yoga involves)
- Can reduce stress
- The ability to better concentrate and focus
- Heart benefits are also one of the benefits from Yoga as it can help lower blood pressure and heart rate which is a benefit for people with hypertension. In fact, this is one of the leading benefits discussed and demonstrated by Dean Ornish, MD the founder and president of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute. Considering that many residents in Melrose and the South Bronx are obese and are at high risk for heart disease this a major plus for our communities.
So that being said, come over to the South Bronx Food Co-op and not only learn how to eat right but also go and participate in one of their yoga classes.
Classes are currently as follows:
Tuesdays at 3:30PM (In Spanish)
Thursdays at 6:30PM (English)
Saturdays at 11:00AM (English)
Suggested donation for yoga classes is $10.00 and all classes are held at:
La Casa de Felicidad
3097 Third Avenue at East 158th street, directly across from the co-op
Calling All Poets, Singers and Those Who Love Them
Thursday, October 8th between the hours of 4:30PM and 7:00PM PeaceLove will be hosting Express Yourself – an evening for anyone who wants to get up on the stage and grab the mike and sing, recite original or their favorite works of poetry.
So hop on the 2/5 express train to 3rd Avenue/149th Street and EXPRESS YOURSELF!
PeaceLove is located at 617 Melrose Avenue between East 151st and East 152nd Street just two short blocks north from the 3rd Avenue/149th Street 2/5 train station. For more information please call 347-577-6397.A big Melrose THANK YOU to Darada David and PeaceLove for working so hard to provide such a great venue for self-expression and relaxation and not to mention great healthy eats, drinks and sweet potato pie!
Pics of the Morning
Sculpture at the Grand Concourse entrance of The Bronx County Courthouse located to the south of the steps.
Sculpture at the Grand Concourse entrance of The Bronx County Courthouse located to the south of the steps.
Melrose Avenue facing south at East 158th Street with Jardin de Seline in the background.
Compliments of Engine 71 and Ladder 55 of the FDNY at Melrose and East 155th Street…couldn’t say it better myself. I smell a public service campaign in our neighborhood from this…
¡¡Viva El Bronx!! Celebration and Hostos Community College Homecoming
Today I strolled over to Hostos Community College (located in Mott Haven and the border of Melrose) for the annual ¡Viva El Bronx! and Hostos Community College Homecoming Celebration which was held on the Grand Concourse between East 144th Street and East 149th Street. Well they say a picture is worth a thousand words so here are a few to show you some of the highlights of this gorgeous Bronx afternoon. Be sure to click on the pictures below for a larger image…ENJOY!!
Dancing to the beats of salsa from the CD vendor
Firm E Rydaz were there showing their great lowriders which truly are works of art…see below
More dancing!
Los Macheteros Band marching in the Hostos Homecoming Parade
Ramitas de Borinquen, or Little Branches of Borinquen (what the Taino Indians called the island of Puerto Rico).
Customer inspecting a güiro
Strangers picking up instruments at one of the CD vendor tables and playing along with the music that was playing as well as dancing…gotta love The Bronx!
It truly was a gorgeous day!
161st Street/River Avenue Rezoning – Approved!
Melrose and Concourse Village will benefit tremendously from the newly adopted rezoning of East 161st street from Park Avenue , the eastern most part of the new zoning area, across to the west towards River Avenue right at the new Yankee Stadium. The new zone then proceeds south along River Avenue to East 153rd Street right where the new Metro North station opened earlier this year as well as the Gateway Mall which also opened earlier this year. (click on any image to expand the view of that image)
What exactly does this mean for us in Melrose as well as our neighbors in Concourse Village? Simply put with a minimal rezoning of just a few lots in what is the most important corridor of The Bronx, we are set to gain more office buildings as well as more residential units in an area that is still growing considering there is a recession and decline in real estate projects in general.
For those of you who do not know, East 161st Street is the heart of The Bronx as it is the main thoroughfare in Civic Center. Within 3 blocks you have The Bronx Borough Hall, Yankee Stadium, what will be the Heritage Park once the old Yankee stadium is demolished, the old Criminal Courthouse, the new Bronx Hall of Justice, Concourse Plaza Mall which currently houses the office building where the offices of the Borough President are located. On the western end of that corridor you have the 4, B and D trains at River Avenue/E 161st Street and the easternmost end of the new zoning area you have the Melrose Metro North station at 162nd Street and Park Avenue.
The new zone is divided into 3 nodes each with specific goals and are as follows:
- The Transit Node, which comprises River Avenue from East 162nd Street down to East 153rd Street, will encourage high-density development adjacent to the 4, B and D train station at 161st Street and River Avenue. Some of the lots that are now rezoned will allow for 10, 18 and 27 story office towers. Of all 3 nodes, the Transit Node will eventually have the most dramatic impact on the area once a developer comes up with an idea to properly integrate office towers of such heights in the area which should not be difficult since they will be located at the nexus of The Bronx’s courthouses.
- Civic Node focuses on the heart of, well the Civic Center and runs from Concourse Village West between East 159th Street and half a block North of East 161st Street down East to Concourse Village East and Morris Avenue. This node will focus on the fact that there is a wide open gap between the Concourse Plaza Office building and the Melrose Office Building which is occupied by the mall’s parking lot. As described above, this gap can now be filled in with a 10-13 story office building with enough set back to still allow access to the mall itself and the movie theatre. There are also a few underutilized lots with only 1-2 stories of commercial use where a 6-8 story commercial building can be built.
- Residential Node is at the easternmost end and meets the Melrose Commons area of Melrose as well as the currently-under construction Courtlandt Corners. This node will now allow for development on the current commercial and residential lots which are occupied by 1 story commercial and 2-3 story 2-3 family homes. With 161st Street being such a busy street, this area is very underutilized and does not benefit the neighborhood as is improved. Where the commercial building sits at the northeast corner of 161st Street and Morris Avenue, a 12 story residential building will now be allowed with a commercial overlay to allow for ground floor commercial. The entire block which it sits on has now been rezoned for such development.
Once developers take advantage of the new zone and the City of New York does its part now that it has approved the zoning, the 161st Street Corridor will be a beautiful street linking the Transit Node where the 4, B and D trains are located, Bronx Borough Hall, Yankee Stadium, Civic Center with the new Boricua Village and its vertical 14 story campus for 2,000 students, 4 residential apartments of low to mixed incomes and middle incomes (approximately 700 apartments in total) and Courtlandt Corners currently under construction which an additional 323 units.
This is truly an exciting time to be living in Melrose. A big Melrose THANK YOU to the City Council and Department of City Planning for approving the new zoning on September 30, 2009! Thanks for your continued support in rezoning a once neglected and abandoned area!
Diagrams compliments of New York City Department of City Planning.
Illegal Dumping in Melrose
Thanks to my daily walks around the neighborhood (and really thanks to my gorgeous Siberian, Kanela) I get to see more of the neighborhood everyday than I normally would otherwise.
Well today I passed by 688 Courtlandt Avenue at the corner of East 154th Street. For years the backyard of this 5-6 unit building with a vacant store on the ground floor has been the dumping ground in the vicinity for all things: mattresses, toilets, refrigerators and just garbage. We can thank the owner, Green Courtlandt Realty, Inc (ironic name, isn’t it?) who has neglected to repair the broken chain-link fence which has been wide open to the street for as long as I can remember. The garbage just spills right onto the sidewalk creating a breeding ground for all types of bugs, bacteria and rats…large ones.
I passed by 688 Courtlandt Avenue at the corner of East 154th Street. For years the backyard of this 5-6 unit building with a vacant store on the ground floor has been the dumping ground in the vicinity for all things: mattresses, toilets, refrigerators and just garbage. We can thank the owner, Green Courtlandt Realty, Inc (ironic name, isn’t it?) who has neglected to repair the broken chain-link fence which has been wide open to the street for as long as I can remember. The garbage just spills right onto the sidewalk creating a breeding ground for all types of bugs, bacteria and rats…large ones.
So what does the Mayor of Melrose do about this? I snapped photographs, called, 311 and filed a complaint against the owner of the building for neglecting his property and letting it be utilized as an illegal dumping ground. Citizens of Melrose and any neighborhood for that matter, if you have similar problems in your neighborhood you have the right to have something done about it and this is especially EASY if you live in NYC with our handy 311 system. Stay tuned to find out how long it will take to remediate this situation!
A big Melrose SHAME ON YOU to Green Courtlandt Realty, Inc for allowing 688 Courtlandt Avenue’s backyard to be a cesspool of filth in our neighborhood. Maybe you can create a private garden so that your tenants can enjoy a little greenery instead of staring at a mound of garbage?
Things to Do Outside of Yankee Stadium – Compliments of The New York Times
Yesterday, The New York Times published a great article on what to do in the Concourse Village neighborhood which is directly to the West of Melrose and in the spirit of what Welcome to the Village of Melrose is about – not only our neighborhood but the neighborhoods which surrounds us, check out this article by David Gonzalez.
Also don’t forget, tonight at PeaceLove: Open Jam Session Hosted by Alvin Rogers so come on out tonight and play that funky music amongst some cool kats at a great establishment. PeaceLove is located at:
617 Melrose Avenue
Between E151st and E152nd Streets
Bronx, NY 10455
Take the #2 or #5 Express train to 3rd Avenue/149th Street and walk up 2 blocks on Melrose Avenue or you can also reach PeaceLove by the, 2, 4, 15, 19, 21, 41 and 55 buses which all stop at 3rd Avenue/149th Street so there’s no excuse! That’s why Melrose is known as The Hub because we are at the crossroads of the South Bronx!
Pictures of the Day – Evolution of 2-3 Family Homes in Melrose
Back in 1991 when Melrose was mostly burned out lots, vacant buildings and rubble, the first 2 Family homes were built along Elton Avenue between East 154 and East 155th Streets as well as those same streets between Elton and Melrose Avenues. These pictures below are of the evolution of what architects thought belonged in a low-income neighborhood from 1991 to the present. If anyone lived in the area and has photographs of what it looked like back in the 1970’s through the early 1990’s, please feel free to send them to me so that I may post them!
Year built: 1991
Elton Avenue @ East 155th Street facing North. These first homes, when built, added a much needed splash of color to a neighborhood that was just burnt out buildings or garbage filled lots.
Elton Avenue @ E 155th Street facing South.
Year built: 1994
East 153rd Street between Melrose and Elton Avenues. A little drab, but homes nonetheless in an area once dominated by rubble.
East 154th Street between Melrose and Courtlandt Avenues
Year built: 2000
Elton Avenue between East 157th and East 158th Streets…although a little bland, these 3 family homes that dominate Elton Avenue turned a desolate street into a calm and quiet tree lined street.
Year built: 2001
Elton Avenue between East 158th and East 159th Street. These homes were the first Green Homeownership Development in the Bronx and in 2003 they received the Platinum award, the highest level, from HUD’s Secretary’s Award for Excellence as well as first place in the residential category for Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) in 2003 as noted in ArchitectureWeek.
East 158th Street between Courtlandt and Melrose Avenues
Year built: 2004
Courtlandt Avenue between East 158th and East 159th Streets
Year built: 2004
East 159th Street between Courtlandt and Melrose Avenues. These 2 family homes here offer an owner’s 3 bedroom duplex with Central AC, 1 Car Garage, a full, finished basement as well as an ample back yard…beautiful grass and all. They also happen to be located on the same block as the community garden recently featured here.
Year built: 2005
East 154th Street between Melrose and Elton Avenues. Although these homes are nice to look at, they lack a backyard. What is the “backyard” is barely 5 feet in length. This is one of those instances when they should have come up with a better idea to provide more outdoor space for the homeowners instead of trying to squeeze out every inch of the lot to make a profit.