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A TWC NY1 News report on the BX today showing a few shots of when it was Burning.... http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs...-s-fastest-growing-borough-is-heating-up.html
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"THE BRONX IS BOOMING".
- Thread starter 68jk09
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New census figures last week confirmed a remarkable turnaround: The Bronx is now the city's fastest-growing borough - its population expanded nearly one percent last year. In many neighborhoods, property values are rising and development is increasing. Forty years after the 'Bronx is Burning' era, today many parts of the Bronx are booming. Borough reporter Erin Clarke is exploring the changes, and the consequences, in a three-part series, "The Bronx is Booming." Here is her first report:
When Rudis Rodriguez became a real estate agent in the Bronx last year, he knew the market was hot, but he had no idea just how hot.
"We sold a house in less than one day on Fox Street," Rodriguez said. "We ended up selling it for about $50,000 more than what we were asking."
"We had a three family house on Vyse Avenue," Rodriguez said. "While I was putting up the sign we had over three offers."
It is a remarkable turnaround for neighborhoods that once were a national symbol of urban decay, a status cemented by arson, crime, abandonment ? and a 1977 visit by President Jimmy Carter to get a first-hand look at the desolation and despair.
"There were fires almost every day, especially in the south Bronx and it was a place where it was unlivable," said Angel Hernandez, education director of the Bronx County Historical Society. "People did not want to call the Bronx their home."
Now, almost 40 years later, many of these neighborhoods are enjoying a renaissance.
"We have the lowest statistical numbers in the borough of the Bronx and right now our criminality rate is down to 1963 levels," said Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation President Marlene Cintron.
That, coupled with soaring housing prices in other parts of the city, has made people take a second look at the Bronx.
The median listing price for homes in the neighborhood visited by President Carter is now $335,000. In Port Morris, it's $559,000, and in a section of Mott Haven, it's $704,000.
"I'm selling houses not because I'm a good agent, it's because of the momentum of the south Bronx," Rodriguez said.
"If you are living in anywhere else currently than in the Bronx, you're looking for cheaper rent or a cheaper place to buy, the Bronx is looking great," said StreetEasy Data Scientist, Alan Lightfeldt.
Anthony Rivera is one of those potential buyers. His family has outgrown its apartment in East Harlem and just made an offer to buy a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house near Crotona Park that had an asking price of $325,000.
"I just think it's centrally located," Rivera said. "Public transportation is great and you also have somewhat of a suburban feel depending on where you live in the Bronx."
Entrepreneurs and business owners are thinking that, too ? It's not just homeowners moving into the Bronx. We'll explore that next.
When Rudis Rodriguez became a real estate agent in the Bronx last year, he knew the market was hot, but he had no idea just how hot.
"We sold a house in less than one day on Fox Street," Rodriguez said. "We ended up selling it for about $50,000 more than what we were asking."
"We had a three family house on Vyse Avenue," Rodriguez said. "While I was putting up the sign we had over three offers."
It is a remarkable turnaround for neighborhoods that once were a national symbol of urban decay, a status cemented by arson, crime, abandonment ? and a 1977 visit by President Jimmy Carter to get a first-hand look at the desolation and despair.
"There were fires almost every day, especially in the south Bronx and it was a place where it was unlivable," said Angel Hernandez, education director of the Bronx County Historical Society. "People did not want to call the Bronx their home."
Now, almost 40 years later, many of these neighborhoods are enjoying a renaissance.
"We have the lowest statistical numbers in the borough of the Bronx and right now our criminality rate is down to 1963 levels," said Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation President Marlene Cintron.
That, coupled with soaring housing prices in other parts of the city, has made people take a second look at the Bronx.
The median listing price for homes in the neighborhood visited by President Carter is now $335,000. In Port Morris, it's $559,000, and in a section of Mott Haven, it's $704,000.
"I'm selling houses not because I'm a good agent, it's because of the momentum of the south Bronx," Rodriguez said.
"If you are living in anywhere else currently than in the Bronx, you're looking for cheaper rent or a cheaper place to buy, the Bronx is looking great," said StreetEasy Data Scientist, Alan Lightfeldt.
Anthony Rivera is one of those potential buyers. His family has outgrown its apartment in East Harlem and just made an offer to buy a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house near Crotona Park that had an asking price of $325,000.
"I just think it's centrally located," Rivera said. "Public transportation is great and you also have somewhat of a suburban feel depending on where you live in the Bronx."
Entrepreneurs and business owners are thinking that, too ? It's not just homeowners moving into the Bronx. We'll explore that next.
As before. Our (50/19) busiest box in the area 70-72 was 2323, Cauldwell and 160. Dispatchers would just say on the air "50 start out for gasoline alley. One July we had 17 all-hands or higher at 2323 for the month. Putting the line back one time I asked an elderly gentleman standing there "why are you allowing them to burn you out like this?" He said, "we are going to get Garden Apartments here." He was right of course, but, probably died 30 years before it came to be. The winners, Real Estate agents, the boro, the city. The losers, the brothers who passed a few years, if that, after retirement, pensions saved, the children without their fathers, wives without husbands, the pain and life with the injuries, the Bronx then for many years as the arson went North; the poor burned out home after home. Great to see "The Bronx is Booming."
As a buff during the 70s and 80s I spent a lot of time in this place called the Bronx. During those days it was sometimes referred to as "The Arson Capital of the World".
I can remember after much of the area was destroyed by the fires, for anyone interested, they could buy up a vacant lot. I think the price was about $1,000 with NO takers. Of course these rubble strewn lots were full of bags of garbage, rats, abandoned burned out cars, old appliances, or basically anything you would find in a local dump area at the time. And this wasn't just one block, but for several blocks. Spaced throughout were burnt out shells of brick apartment buildings that as I remember, was also up for sale by the City of New York.
There were violent street gangs, drug addicts, prostitutes, starving dogs with their ribs showing. At times it was hard to believe this was actually a civilized part of our country. As the entire country watched the World Series being played, the late sports announcer, Howard Cosell, announced to the world, "The Bronx is Burning", as the cameras would focus between innings on a Four Alarm fire in a school burning in the South Bronx.
Last year a few of us from this web site got together and took a ride through the area. One of our stops was on Simpson St where during the arson years, the only building on that street that was NOT burned out, was the Police Pct. Today there is not one vacant or burned out building there. The street is occupied with newer two story row frame buildings. At the time, one unit was for sale just opposite that police pct. The asking price was $315,000.
Next we headed over to the famous Charlotte St where it became the center of focus during those busy years of fire activity. Now on that entire street is single family homes with yards and white picket fences. I remember when these homes were first being designed. I thought "who in their right mind would ever want to live here". To me it seemed like one of those pipedream wishful ideas which would fail as soon as they are finished. Today, walking that street is no different than walking any average suburban street of owner occupied single family homes anywhere in America.
The arson and fires did continue during the 80s and 90s, particularly to the West Bronx. Those companies began to see the increase in workload almost over night. Today that area as well is seeing a change over. Just as other parts of the city as well. It is sometimes difficult to find a vacant building today. Years ago there were streets that were entirely vacant.
Are there still ghetto areas throughout NYC ? Of course there are. It's just that things have changed so much. It just could not continue as it was. There would be nothing left otherwise. As the previous poster says (*******), some people were able to vision the future. It sure wasn't me. But for the civilian who said; "We are going to get Garden Apartments here", he sure knew what he was talking about.
It's a good thing that I am not a gambling man because I would have bet everything I had on all of these projects failing.
I can remember after much of the area was destroyed by the fires, for anyone interested, they could buy up a vacant lot. I think the price was about $1,000 with NO takers. Of course these rubble strewn lots were full of bags of garbage, rats, abandoned burned out cars, old appliances, or basically anything you would find in a local dump area at the time. And this wasn't just one block, but for several blocks. Spaced throughout were burnt out shells of brick apartment buildings that as I remember, was also up for sale by the City of New York.
There were violent street gangs, drug addicts, prostitutes, starving dogs with their ribs showing. At times it was hard to believe this was actually a civilized part of our country. As the entire country watched the World Series being played, the late sports announcer, Howard Cosell, announced to the world, "The Bronx is Burning", as the cameras would focus between innings on a Four Alarm fire in a school burning in the South Bronx.
Last year a few of us from this web site got together and took a ride through the area. One of our stops was on Simpson St where during the arson years, the only building on that street that was NOT burned out, was the Police Pct. Today there is not one vacant or burned out building there. The street is occupied with newer two story row frame buildings. At the time, one unit was for sale just opposite that police pct. The asking price was $315,000.
Next we headed over to the famous Charlotte St where it became the center of focus during those busy years of fire activity. Now on that entire street is single family homes with yards and white picket fences. I remember when these homes were first being designed. I thought "who in their right mind would ever want to live here". To me it seemed like one of those pipedream wishful ideas which would fail as soon as they are finished. Today, walking that street is no different than walking any average suburban street of owner occupied single family homes anywhere in America.
The arson and fires did continue during the 80s and 90s, particularly to the West Bronx. Those companies began to see the increase in workload almost over night. Today that area as well is seeing a change over. Just as other parts of the city as well. It is sometimes difficult to find a vacant building today. Years ago there were streets that were entirely vacant.
Are there still ghetto areas throughout NYC ? Of course there are. It's just that things have changed so much. It just could not continue as it was. There would be nothing left otherwise. As the previous poster says (*******), some people were able to vision the future. It sure wasn't me. But for the civilian who said; "We are going to get Garden Apartments here", he sure knew what he was talking about.
It's a good thing that I am not a gambling man because I would have bet everything I had on all of these projects failing.
As a Con Ed mechanic and then as a supervisor from 1973-2001 in the beautiful Bronx and also as an active volunteer, there was plenty to do. I loved every second I spent in the Bronx. Of course I was born and raised there and it is great to see the borough rebound the way it has.jks19714 said: