The DreamYard Project is nurturing Bronx youth through the arts in hopes of changing the world, some of the works of the late Tony Award-winning Bronxite Boris Aronson who began his career in Yiddish theatre, and the greenest borough’s best hiking spots, all in this evening’s Bronx PM Links.
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.
This morning on Bronx AM Links, you’ll read about Bronx immigrants who recently shared their migration stories at the Bronx Documentary Center, the move to have deer crossing signs installed on Shore Road in Pelham Bay Park, and Bronx born and raised author and queen of suspense, Marry Higgins Clark, still has it. You’ll also find how a rise in African immigrants in our borough has led to an increase in demand for interpreters, and an Upper West Side veterinarian who spays and neuters Bronx dogs and cats for free.
For decades, residents have been demanding that the MTA restore elevator service that was once available at 149th Street and Grand Concourse on the 2, 4,and 5 subway lines—the borough’s 4th busiest with 4,536,888 riders in 2014 which saw a 2.5% increase from the prior year.
Now, in the MTA’s proposed 2015-2019 Capital Program, 149th Street and Grand Concourse, along with Bedford Park Boulevard and Grand Concourse on the B and D line, and Gun Hill Road on the 5 Dyre Avenue line, stand a chance at finally getting elevator access at these critical locations in our borough—if approved.
This morning on the Brian Lehrer show, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr said that he thinks gentrification is wrong for our neighborhoods but when a caller by the name of Collin questioned him on what’s happening in our borough, Diaz became dismissive and rude. Here’s our list showing gentrification is real in The Bronx.
This morning’s top stories (we didn’t forget about you yesterday, there just wasn’t enough newsworthy items for a list!) are the abrupt resignation by the scandal plagued Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo, more great restaurants along the 2 (and 5) train, and the worst slumlords in The Bronx as Public Advocate Letitia James took a tour of one of the worst buildings. (See the full list in the link)
Bally’s gambling complex proposal at the former Trump Links in Throggs Neck relies on getting state approval to alienate parkland, but lacks local leaders’ support as the legislative session winds down. By…
A Torah scroll from 1880 that originated in the town of Domazlice, Czech Republic, has made its way to Calvary Hospital in The Bronx.
According the The Daily News, the Torah was damaged when Nazis took away religious and cultural artifacts from Jewish communities in Europe during World War II.
Although still damaged, the scroll will be restored with care at Calvary Hospital and then will be able to be used in ceremonies for its Jewish patients.
Legionnaires update on the second outbreak in The Bronx in Morris Park, Puerto Rican Heritage Month’s Artist and Book Expo at Hostos Community College, and Migration Stories at The Bronx Documentary Story are part of this evening’s Bronx PM Links roundup.
Today was a special day in The Bronx at Joyce Kilmer Park on 161st Street and The Grand Concourse. Local school children gleefully joined residents, elected officials, NYC Parks employees to celebrate the millionth tree which was planted last month at the park as part of the MillionTreesNYC program initiated by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
When the millionth tree was planted last month at the park, it was 2 years ahead of schedule as 2017 was the target date for completion of the project to green up New York City—especially the areas which lacked greenery and green streets such as The South Bronx where the ceremony took place.
The Bronx actually received the 2nd most number of trees with a total of 276,600 adding to the greenest of the five boroughs of New York City. Queens received the highest number of trees but only by a little over 8,000 more trees at 284,755.
The top story this morning continues to be how community boards across New York City are striking down de Blasio’s zoning changes. Meanwhile, a look into the world of green taxis, Comptroller Scott Stringer thinks it’s fine time to shut down Rikers, 4 buildings get a new lease on life, and a peek inside the Bronx General Post Office and plans for the landmark.
Pandas in The Bronx, buying South Carolina crabs right here in our borough, and a new documentary explores the difficulty of extreme poverty facing single fathers and devastate impacts on their families are some of the stories you’ll find in this evening’s edition of Bronx Links.
The New York Times has released an article on a recent poll they conducted which indicates that roughly half of New York City residents are barely able to make ends meet. In The Bronx, that number is at 36%. The Bronx also leads New York City with the percentage of residents (25% of respondents) who do not feel confident that local government elected officials are not addressing the multitude of problems facing our borough.
