Since we posted about Starbucks coming invading the South Bronx and opening up shop in Melrose, many folks have spoken for or against its opening in the neighborhood. So far the vast majority across all social media networks have overwhelmingly commented that they are not happy with the corporate giant opening up in the South Bronx.
So we’re turning to YOU to take a quick poll and see where your loyalties are. This survey is in no way scientific, we just want to know how YOU feel.
And then there was Starbucks, the harbinger of gentrification.
Melrose and the surrounding area is experiencing a boom in cafes.
Starbucks is gearing up to open its first official South Bronx location in Melrose on 161st Street at Concourse Village East/Morris Avenue at The Melrose Building in a neighborhood and corridor where two cafes are slated to open and The Bronx Museum’s XM Cafe (that will be serving up The Bronx’s own Morris Perk’s ‘Bronx Blend’) is opening any day now.
We are at a critical juncture in our borough’s history.
101 years ago, when The Bronx was born as the 62nd and last county of New York State in Melrose at The Old Bronx Borough Courthouse, there began a frenzy and expansion into our borough that forever changed our landscape.
Today we are facing a second gold rush so to speak as we are considered the last frontier in real estate development in New York City—a city that is no longer recognizable to us with the loss of many neighborhoods that have succumbed to the white washing of gentrification and “progress” littered with the same chain store after chain store.
This is a chance to mingle and meet other Bronxites concerned about the future of our borough and the issues we face. It doesn’t matter if you’re from Riverdale, The South Bronx, Morris Park, Soundview, Throggs Neck, Kingsbridge or anywhere in The Bronx—this is an event for ALL of our residents.
Panel: Thursday, June 18, 11:30am–1pm
Opening Reception for Mini Exhibition, Undesign the Redline: Thursday, June 18, 5:30–7pm
In conjunction with the panel discussion, Undesign the Redline, organized in tandem with Designing the We, is a mini exhibit that explores the history of Redlining (PDF FILE); maps its effects into the present day; and prompts, collects, and showcases the experiences and knowledge of visitors.
After six years of filings with NYC’s Department of Buildings and construction delays, 500 Exterior Street is rising with the 11 story hotel slated to be completed sometime in 2016 and Holiday Inn Express has leased the building according to owner Harshad Patel. The property sits across from the Special Harlem River Waterfront District where a proposed waterfront park would go along with 4,000 units of housing (2.8 million square feet of housing, 2.3 million square feet of commercial space, 1 million square feet of community space).
Courtlandt Corners in Melrose, the development which comprises of Courtlandt Corners I & II and Courtlandt Crescent, has rebranded the phase II building on the northern side of 161st Street as ‘The Upton’ offering ‘affordable luxury living’ but at rents that are well above the neighborhood average and clearly are not affordable to the general area population.
Coming Soon: Bushwick…If We Let It.
The following is syndicated from CityLimits and is very appropriate and applicable to The Bronx as signs of gentrification continue to manifest itself in the South Bronx. Is this what Bronx residents have to look forward to as developers are given free reign by our politicians to come into our neighborhoods and development with rampant disregard?
New York City has become a sterile, cookie-cutter “suburban” city. Neighborhoods in Manhattan and many parts of Brooklyn no longer have a distinct character or are losing them and becoming more homogeneous. Is this what we really want to happen to The Bronx?
On Tuesday, May 5th, the South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation—better known as SoBro—held a “second” visioning session on the Special Harlem River Waterfront District to discuss the issues of developing the waterfront, residential, needs, and gentrification issues.
The reason I say second in quotes is because SoBro held a block party last year where they had a small station in a corner where they collected surveys about the waterfront yet that was never heavily promoted. Many residents were unaware that a “first” session had occurred.
DNAinfo published a piece yesterday that pretty much hyped up the area’s prospects of pending gentrification much to our chagrin.
Unlike a recent piece on Melrose which focuses on revitalization, this piece is more on the pro-gentrification side which will cause much displacement of long time residents.
Right now, rents are so high in the area that those living in rent stabilized unit wouldn’t be able to afford moving in at this point in time.
It also goes on to talk about a lot of what we’ve been reporting in the area about speculative purchases, etc and the money that’s been pouring in.
SoBro has just announced a visioning session to gather community input on what residents want to see on our waterfront along the Special Harlem River Waterfront. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5th at Mott Haven Bar and Grill from 6:30PM – 8:30PM so mark your calendars and get ready to make your voices heard.
After a long battle with thousands of people voicing their pleas to save PS 31 aka The Castle On The Concourse, the city will be demolishing this beautiful landmark and treasured building filled with history.
Here’s an interesting piece on a topic close to home in The Bronx: Affordable Housing.
The article skims the surface of what is a tangled web in which affordable housing developers have to navigate which is so much deeper than Next City can even get into but it does speak briefly about the Jerome Avenue Study area and other parts of New York City.
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