Tag: South Bronx

Life And Death On The Avocado Trail – A Story Of A Bronx Mom & Pop Shop

“In December of 2013, Denisse Chavez and her husband were stopped by two unmarked white cars while driving north on the highway out of Reynosa in the Tamaulipas state of Mexico. The vehicles had been tailing her own car, a worn-out 2002 model that her mechanic’s tools permanently called home, for four or five miles. It was a scene she had witnessed many times before.

A small-time importer and business owner in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx, Chavez, forty-nine, had been traveling by car from New York to Puebla, driving over 5,000 miles each trip, for almost six years. Along the route she’d seen gunfights break out before her eyes, as well as robberies and kidnappings. But she always escaped unscathed. Typically, she made the trip to stock her Bronx bodega, El Atoradero. This time, she had gone to Monterrey to purchase equipment for her then-forthcoming restaurant.

Melrose Community Meeting This Thursday To Discuss Findings of WHEDco & Bronx Health Reach Community Survey

WHEDco and Bronx Health Reach invites you, on Thursday, September 25th from 5:30PM – 7:00PM at DreamYard Project located at 1085 Washington Avenue (at 165th Street), to learn about the findings of the survey and give feedback on their findings.

As many Melrose residents and those who work here may recall, last year from Fall ’13 to Spring ’14 WHEDco and Bronx Health Reach conducted a survey which collected data from 1,000 people who live and or work within Melrose Zip Codes of 10451, 10455 and 10456. The survey asked many questions from health issues to safety to what types of amenities the community would like to see in the area.

Bronx Residents Unite Against Climate Change; Lead Hundreds of Thousands At People’s Climate March

South Bronx Unite Against FreshDirect, buildOn The Bronx, and La Finca del Sur were some of the organizations that led the historic People’s Climate March this past Sunday down Manhattan’s West Side which saw over 400,000 people in attendance (days earlier, People’s Climate March estimated that about 100,000 people would participate). These Bronx groups were part of the first wave called ‘Frontlines of Crisis, Forefront of Change’ which consisted of ‘…the people first and most impacted and are leading the change’ led by Indigenous people, Environmental Justice, and other Frontline communities.

For the first time in history, the issue of environmental justice in The Bronx, particularly hard impacted communities in The South Bronx were pushed to the front of the global consciousness as we meandered our way down the March route through the canyons of Manhattan. Although many diverse groups were representing the Bronx, one common theme was seen among them: Stop FreshDirect from creating an environmental catastrophe in the South Bronx.

Successful Pop-Up ‘Mix Cafe’ Looking To Open Permanently In Port Morris

Earlier this year in April we got a taste of an awesome pop-up cafe called the Mix Cafe and for three glorious days we had a spot to chill, relax and have a hot chocolate or some good coffee served with a side of great conversations with out neighbors. Now the Daily News is reporting that the cafe is looking to raise the necessary capital to make it a permanent fixture in the neighborhood.

Yet Another Luxury Hotel Coming To The South Bronx

While the well-established and world-renowned Marriott Hotel chain seems to be having problems and delay after delay in opening its first Bronx hotel in the East Bronx, developers are taking advantage of the transportation rich neighborhoods of Melrose and Mott Haven.

Welcome2TheBronx has just learned from our friends over at YIMBY that plans have been filed for a 75 room luxury hotel at 335 Grand Concourse and East 140th Street.

Breaking News: YoungWoo & Associates To Restore Bronx General Post Office To Former Glory & Restore Historic Ben Shahn Murals

YoungWoo & Associates has partnered up with the San Francisco based Bristol Group, a real estate investment and development firm, to restore the Bronx General Post Office to its former glory.

Not only will the exterior once again shine gloriously but the firms will also preserve and restore the landmarked lobby, including the 13 Ben Shahn murals. “We are firmly committed to honoring the building’s historic legacy and working with the USPS to ensure that the interior landmarked lobby, including “Resources of America”—the 13 murals created by the great American artists, Ben Shahn and Bernarnda Bryson—are honored, restored to their original glory and preserved for all to enjoy” said Mr. Zucker.

Join Welcome2TheBronx For: ¡FUEGO! A Townhall Discussion About the Burning of the Bronx

Join Welcome2TheBronx and a roster of distinguished folks this Friday, September 12th to talk about the burning years of The Bronx. Event description is as follows:

A panel discussion about the tragic events and misguided policies that almost led to the complete destruction of a major U.S. city and the residents who decided to stay and fight to re-claim their neighborhoods and brought them back from the ashes of neglect, economic opportunism and political indifference. Panelists include:

Public Hearing on FreshDirect Subsidies from the State

New York State Empire State Development Corporation and FreshDirect tried to pull a fast one last week and have a meeting which gave FreshDirect weeks notice to gather supporters (only 8) and only gave the majority of residents who oppose the deal less than 24 hour notice to gather residents. This resulted in MANDATORY PUBLIC HEARING for which we must be given, at minimum, 10 days notice to prepare. Please read below on how to prepare your testimony and all necessary details regarding this process. This is a major opportunity to once and for all kill this deal which the vast majority of residents have been against since day 1.

Friends, One of the moments for which we have been preparing for over a year is here – the public hearing on State subsidies for FreshDirect – and we need you to show up and provide testimony!

Mayor de Blasio Has Not Yet Responded to Over 200 Calls / Emails Asking Him To Stop FreshDirect From Moving To South Bronx

Mayor de Blasio has not yet responded to over 200 calls/emails asking him to stop the proposed $137M subsidy of 1,000+ daily diesel trucks trips through South Bronx Asthma Alley. Instead, his office announced the monumental redesign of downtown Brooklyn – to include a 21 acre greenway connecting downtown to the Brooklyn waterfront.
The Tale of Two Cities will not change until we insist it changes. If you have not yet contacted the Mayor, please do so today. If you have not yet received a response, please call and email again (and ask 5 friends to do so as well.)