After a soft launch this past September and with several exhibitions since then, WALLWORKS NEW YORK in Port Morris will officially launch their gallery tomorrow, Saturday, January 10th at 6PM with the exhibition ‘Ikonoclasts’ featuring the works of the late trio of graff artists, A-One, Dondi, and Rammellzee.
When we first interviewed Crash, aka John Matos last year, he told us about his vision for WALLWORKS:
A little over a year ago in December of 2013, the Bronx Documentary Center held its first ever Gentrification Conference (which received heavy media attention from NY1, Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York, TimeOut New York, Gothamist, DNAinfo, and The Daily News.
During that first initial conference, we talked about the many issues and pending developments in The Bronx. Now this year’s conference will be solution-oriented focused on the issues surrounding the controversial topic.
Please note: SPACE IS LIMITED and you must purchase tickets in advance. If you are a Bronx resident and cannot purchase a ticket in advance, there will be a total of 15 tickets at the door exclusively for Bronx residents ONLY and will be available at a discount of $7. A valid ID showing your Bronx address must be presented so that we can ensure that these tickets go to Bronx residents ONLY.
The Wall Street Journal reports that developer, Arker Cos, just purchased 18 buildings, mostly in Morrisania section of The Bronx, and plans on $70.5 million in upgrading the units with new kitchens, bathrooms and other undisclosed improvements — all while keeping them affordable. All the units are currently subsidized by section-8. Such a move is virtually unheard of in The Bronx and probably throughout the city where a developer comes in and will make major improvements after purchasing such a portfolio and let alone keeping the rents the same.
FreshDirect once again had an opportunity to purchase new electric trucks as they promised to do but instead they chose to purchase ten brand new diesel trucks, Welcome2TheBronx has learned.
We went over to Milea Trucks Sales & Leasing on 149th Street and Austin Place to investigate after a local concerned citizen took some photographs and sent them over. What we saw really shocked us at how FreshDirect continues to lie to our community about their intentions. Sitting on their lot were 10 brand spanking new diesel trucks. I checked each and every truck and all of them were diesel with “certified clean idling” stickers. I asked one of the workers at the office what that meant and they said, “All that means is that when they stop, they don’t pollute but as long as they’re driving around, they still are spewing diesel fumes.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. What about all the promises to convert to electric?
Many people often ask why we fight against the proposed move of FreshDirect move to the South Bronx — an area that is already plagued by asthma where 1 in 4 children have the life-threatening ailment. The truck intensive and polluting industry that is FreshDirect will only exacerbate such ailments in our community, something which many studies have clearly shown is a health problem.
Now, just after last month’s announcement about Columbia University’s study linking pollution to childhood ADHD, Harvard has released a study which indicates that pregnant women are at almost TWICE the risk of giving birth to a child with autism due to smog spewed by vehicles, or smoke stacks: something which the South Bronx has been a dumping ground for.
#WeNeedToBreathe
It’s been almost a 3 year battle since FreshDirect sweetheart deal was announced as a done deal to dump a trucking and pollution intensive industry in the growing residential neighborhood of Port Morris directly impacting those living in the immediate area including Mott Haven. The deal would bring over 1,000 trucks and trips a day adding to an area with 8x the national rate of asthma and now FreshDirect has hit a new low.
Word has been received that the company is planning a “secret” groundbreaking at the Harlem River Yards on Monday, December 22nd at 10AM so we are calling all those who have been fighting against environmental injustice and racism to join us on this date to rally against this move.
Just around the corner (literally) from 2417 Third Avenue — the loft building that is under contract for $31 million, 101 Lincoln has just sold for $32 million. This property sits across from Bruckner Bar and Grill Mott Haven Bar and Grill and according to the Real Deal the developer can build up to an 800,000 foot building on the site.
This past Saturday, Hostos Community College hosted the 9th Annual Puerto Rican Artisans Fair & Exhibition along with the 3rd Annual Puerto Rican Authors Book Expo in celebration of the 28th Anniversary of Puerto Rican History Month organized by Comité Noviembre. The day also saw 5th Annual South Bronx Folk Festival which celebrates the spirit and cultures of the community.
This week has been one for the books for the South Bronx. First we heard about the loft building at 2417 Third Avenue in Port Morris being under contract for $37 million, then we reported about the “Banksy” building being developed into market-rate rental apartments. Now we have 4 additional developments on the radar.
Dozens of people from all over The Bronx and the city came out today for a sneak peak tour of the new Randall’s Island Connector which will connect our borough to the 432 island park. Once the connector is completed by Summer 2015 it will provide Bronx residents with walking access onto the island which currently is only accessible from the Bronx by car via the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge (Triboro Bridge) or via Manhattan through East Harlem. This, of course, is ironic considering that The Bronx is closer to the island and only separated by 30 feet at the narrowest point by the Bronx Kill — during low-tide you can walk from The Bronx to Randall’s Island.
Last year, on October 21st, the infamous street artist known as Banksy struck in the Melrose neighborhood of The Bronx on E 153rd Street (just down the block from me) where Elton and 3rd Avenues meet prompting thousands of fans to trek to the area and catch a glimpse of his controversial ‘Ghetto 4 Life’ piece. The 4 story buildings have been vacant for decades (close to 30 years) with the exception of the retail spaces on the ground floor. Now the owner is beginning the process of converting the top 3 floors into market rate residential units.
The Real Deal just reported that the 175,000 square foot loft building 2417 Third Avenue — just a few hundred feet away from the Mott Haven Bar and Grill — is under contract for $31 million with Hornig Capital.
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