All across the city, we are seeing neighborhoods being destroyed by real estate speculation pushing out longtime residents and established small businesses. Predatory landlords target working class communities inhabited predominantly by ethnic minorities, repackaging it as a “luxury community” which intentionally drives out longtime residents and small businesses. The question is no longer if gentrification is coming to the Bronx, the question is how fast will it happen and what are the consequences to Bronxites?
Real Estate
Last year, Bronx Borough Developer, I mean President Ruben Diaz Jr called to study three Bronx rail yards for possible decking to spur further development throughout our borough.
Today he has issued the findings of the report which singles out the Concourse Yards in Bedford Park and nixing out the 149th Street yards in Melrose and Broadway Yards in Riverdale as currently logistically unfeasible.
In a letter to the editors of Crain’s, Michael J Gill, one of the founders of the South Bronx Overall Economic Corporation and former chairman of the little loved SoBro, is proposing that the Yankees owner Hank Steinbrenner, along with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr, consider moving the legendary Madison Square Garden to The Bronx.
Located in Morrisania on Clay Avenue between 165th and 166th Streets, this tiny historic district has been selected by New York City’s Historic District Council’s ‘Six to Celebrate’ which, unbeknownst to many, sits on the former Fleetwood Trotting Track, a horse racing course.
Entering it’s fourth year, the program highlights six areas as the agency provides year long support not just in shining a spotlight but also helping with issues the district or organization may be facing.
The development and construction boom continues (frankly it hasn’t stopped since the rise of Melrose Commons which reached a crescendo in 2011 and picked up again last year) in The South Bronx and now yet another hotel is coming to the area along with a 12 story and a 13 story mixed-income “affordable housing” apartments.
This Sunday from 2PM to 5PM, the 3rd Annual Bronx Gentrification Conference will be held, this time, at New Settlement Community Center at 1501 Jerome Avenue.
Since The Bronx Documentary began this series in December of 2012, speculation and gentrification have crept into our borough at a rapid rate despite our Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr denying that gentrification is happening.
2015 became the year that The Bronx was put up for sale and is being sold to the highest bidders not to mention the Piano District party and fiasco which has angered a borough.
If you have been living in New York City for the last several decades (since the early 1980s to be more precise) then you know who Jonathan Zizmor, MD is. He’s the famed dermatologist who’s subway ads have been splattered everywhere—and haven’t been changed much in as long as he’s been in business.
Now, just as his mansion in the Fieldston section of Riverdale in The Bronx has finally entered contract to be sold for $3,075,000, Zizmor has shut his offices to his practice for good at the age of 70.
Yes, you read the headline correctly. Tucked away on the bluffs of Riverdale is a mansion that was constructed specifically to be the residence of Christianity’s Messiah, Jesus Christ, which he’s supposed to occupy on his Second Coming—all for $10 million. (The property was listed numerous times including 2009 when it was originally listed for $15 million).
Zaro’s Bakery was founded in The Bronx back in 1927 by Polish immigrant Joseph Zaro and in 1959, the iconic location at Parkchester was opened. For 56 years the store has been a favorite for generations of Bronxites and now the store is closing its doors for good.
Decades before The Bronx neighborhood of Morris Park came to be, it was home to the 360 acre Morris Park Racecourse which ran from 1889 until 1904 as an important center of American thoroughbred horse racing which was the home of the Belmont Stakes from 1890 until 1904 and even saw the famous Preakness Stakes in 1890.
Bronxites see it all the time: An ad for the perfect apartment which they can afford but then the line that sinks their hopes—”sorry, no Section 8 or programs.”
Many hard working Bronx residents working low wage jobs, qualify for such lifelines like rental assistance to get them by and even those who are unemployed for health reasons too.
But it is illegal, yes illegal, for a landlord to deny housing to someone based on their legal income which includes section 8 programs and the likes.
In response to the wave of real estate speculation threatening the South Bronx and that will open the doors to hyper-gentrification, we present below a Statement of Principles on Private Development. These principles have been in the making for upwards of a year by members of the Mott Haven-Port Morris Community Land Trust (in consultation with experts in each area) in response to the decades of “development” without community engagement that has caused a health epidemic and now threatens mass displacement. As some of our elected officials choose to deny the existence of gentrification, many developers have already bought land, filed plans and erected buildings “as of right”, and many are not requesting any zoning changes, variances or government subsidies that would trigger wider accountability. Over the coming weeks, members of the community will be assessing adherence to these principles of each developer – from Carnegie, Cheskel Schwimmer and Chetrit to Hornig, JCAL, Savanna and Somerset, among many others – and sharing the information publicly so that we can best direct the breadth of efforts to protect and uplift our community.
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