118-665: Port Morris is a mixed use, primarily industrial neighborhood geographically located in the southwest Bronx , New York City . The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 1 . Its boundaries are the Major Deegan Expressway and Bruckner Expressway to the north, East 149th Street to the east, the East River to the southeast, the Bronx Kill to the south, and the Harlem River (Park Avenue stub) to
236-702: A Carnegie library , opened in 1905 and is a New York City designated landmark . The following New York City Subway stations serve Mott Haven: The following MTA Regional Bus Operations bus routes serve Mott Haven: The 145th Street Bridge and Madison Avenue Bridge eastward and the Willis Avenue Bridge northward from Manhattan lead to Mott Haven and are maintained by the New York City Department of Transportation . The Triborough Bridge , which also ends in Mott Haven,
354-578: A boom period during 1900–1929, with a population growth by a factor of six from 200,000 in 1900 to 1.3 million in 1930. The Great Depression and post World War II years saw a slowing of growth leading into an eventual decline. The mid to late century were hard times, as the Bronx changed during 1950–1985 from a predominantly moderate-income to a predominantly lower-income area with high rates of violent crime and poverty in some areas. The Bronx has experienced an economic and developmental resurgence starting in
472-493: A deep water port established along the neighborhood's East River ( Long Island Sound ) waterfront by Gouverneur Morris Jr. , son of Gouverneur Morris , in 1842. He built a two-mile (3 km) railroad from Melrose to his family's holdings on the waterfront, later called the Spuyten Duyvil and Port Morris Railroad , abandoned a hundred years later. The area is dominated by factory and warehouse buildings constructed in
590-799: A free bridge across the Harlem River. After the American Revolutionary War , the King's Bridge toll was abolished. The territory now contained within Bronx County was originally part of Westchester County , one of the 12 original counties of the English Province of New York . The present Bronx County was contained in the town of Westchester and parts of the towns in Yonkers , Eastchester , and Pelham . In 1846,
708-460: A high school education and 43% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 26% of Bronx residents and 43% of city residents have a college education or higher. The percentage of Mott Haven and Melrose students excelling in math rose from 18% in 2000 to 37% in 2011, though reading achievement decreased slightly from 25% to 24% during the same time period. Mott Haven and Melrose's rate of elementary school student absenteeism
826-471: A mixed-development 11-story project at 188 East 135th currently in demolition and brownfield site cleanup stage. Along the Bruckner Boulevard corridor there ongoing mid-rise mixed-use residential development at 40, 91, and 138 Bruckner. Port Morris will be at the forefront of the newly planned Bronx Harlem River Greenway. This Greenway is envisioned to connect the "Randall's Island Connector" and
944-558: A mostly poor African American and Hispanic (largely Puerto Rican ) population in the West Bronx. One significant factor that shifted the racial and economic demographics was the construction of Co-op City , built to house middle-class residents in family-sized apartments. The high-rise complex played a significant role in draining middle-class residents from older tenement buildings in the borough's southern and western fringes. Most predominantly non-Hispanic White communities today are in
1062-426: A new town was created by division of Westchester, called West Farms. The town of Morrisania was created, in turn, from West Farms in 1855. In 1873, the town of Kingsbridge was established within the former borders of the town of Yonkers, roughly corresponding to the modern Bronx neighborhoods of Kingsbridge, Riverdale , and Woodlawn Heights , and included Woodlawn Cemetery . Among the famous people who settled in
1180-677: A non-fatal assault rate of 186 per 100,000 people, Mott Haven and Melrose's rate of violent crimes per capita was greater than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 1,214 per 100,000 people was higher than that of the city as a whole. The 40th Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 60.2% between 1990 and 2022. The precinct reported 15 murders, 31 rapes, 559 robberies, 850 felony assaults, 365 burglaries, 753 grand larcenies, and 306 grand larcenies auto in 2022. Mott Haven contains three New York City Fire Department (FDNY) fire stations: In addition, FDNY EMS Station 14
1298-407: A peak in the 1960s when the socioeconomic North Bronx-South Bronx boundary reached Fordham Road . At this time a wave of arson destroyed or damaged many of the residential, commercial, and industrial structures in the area. During the course of Mott Haven's growth, the communities of Wilton and North New York were incorporated into it. Later attempts to market Mott Haven as the "Piano District" and
SECTION 10
#17327724888991416-407: A place for "the vicious elements, bootleggers, gamblers and their friends in all walks of life" to cooperate and to "evade the law, escape punishment for their crimes, [and] to deter the police from doing their duty". Between 1930 and 1960, moderate and upper income Bronxites (predominantly non-Hispanic Whites) began to relocate from the borough's southwestern neighborhoods. This migration has left
1534-866: A promontory on the Hudson in Riverdale . Nearer the borough's center, and along the Bronx River , is Bronx Park ; its northern end houses the New York Botanical Gardens , which preserve the last patch of the original hemlock forest that once covered the county, and its southern end the Bronx Zoo , the largest urban zoological gardens in the United States. In 1904 the Chestnut Blight pathogen ( Cryphonectria parasitica )
1652-493: A public esplanade along the Harlem River. A high-rise residential development was announced at 2455 Third Avenue in late 2021. The development is now marketed as "The Motto" with rentals slated for Q4 2023. A 27-story residential market-rate development at 2413 Third Avenue broke ground in October 2021 marketed as "Maven: Mott Haven" which is set for completion in fall 2023, with 200 apartments. Permits were filed in late 2021 for
1770-471: A relatively high population of residents who are uninsured . In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 14%, slightly higher than the citywide rate of 12%. The concentration of fine particulate matter , the deadliest type of air pollutant , in Mott Haven and Melrose is 0.0086 milligrams per cubic metre (8.6 × 10 oz/cu ft), more than the city average. Fifteen percent of Mott Haven and Melrose residents are smokers , which
1888-445: A small white population concentrated mainly in the western portion of Bruckner Boulevard. Almost half of the population lives below the federal poverty line and receives public assistance (TANF, Home Relief, Supplemental Security Income, and Medicaid). Nonetheless, the median income is significantly higher than that of other South Bronx neighborhoods. This is likely due to recent rezoning to increase commercial and residential activity in
2006-548: A system of major Bronx parks connected by park-like thoroughfares is usually attributed to John Mullaly . Woodlawn Cemetery , located on 400 acres (160 ha) and one of the largest cemeteries in New York City, sits on the western bank of the Bronx River near Yonkers . It opened in 1863, in what was then the town of Yonkers, at the time a rural area. Since the first burial in 1865, more than 300,000 people have been interred there. The borough's northern side includes
2124-690: Is a 1937 Neo-classical structure located at East 132nd Street and St. Ann's Avenue, built as part of the larger sewage treatment complex in Wards Island. The Bronx Grit Chamber processes raw sewage by removing large particles on its way to further treatment at the Wards Island Water Pollution Control Plant . It is currently managed by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. Port Morris Ferry Bridges The Mott Haven Herald
2242-592: Is a news outlet that reports in Mott Haven , Melrose and Port Morris. It is produced by students at the City University Graduate School of Journalism and edited by Joe Hirsch. The New York Post operated a printing plant in the neighborhood from 2001 to 2021. The following New York City Subway stations serve Port Morris: The following MTA Regional Bus Operations bus routes serve Port Morris: Bruckner Boulevard, which runs under
2360-534: Is a primarily residential neighborhood in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of the Bronx . It is generally bounded by East 149th Street to the north, the Bruckner Expressway to the east and south, and the Harlem River to the west, although these boundaries are not precise. East 138th Street is the primary east–west thoroughfare through Mott Haven. The neighborhood
2478-409: Is based on the Bronx River , while the other strictly separates South Bronx from the rest of the borough. The Bronx River divides the borough nearly in half, putting the earlier-settled, more urban, and hillier sections in the western lobe and the newer, more suburban coastal sections in the eastern lobe. It is an accurate reflection on the Bronx's history considering that the towns that existed in
SECTION 20
#17327724888992596-601: Is directly connected to its strategic location between New England and New York ( Manhattan ). Control over the bridges across the Harlem River plagued the period of British colonial rule. The King's Bridge, built in 1693 where Broadway reached the Spuyten Duyvil Creek , was a possession of Frederick Philipse , lord of Philipse Manor . Local farmers on both sides of the creek resented the tolls, and in 1759, Jacobus Dyckman and Benjamin Palmer led them in building
2714-529: Is divided by the Bronx River into a hillier section in the west , and a flatter eastern section. East and west street names are divided by Jerome Avenue . The West Bronx was annexed to New York City in 1874, and the areas east of the Bronx River in 1895. Bronx County was separated from New York County (modern-day Manhattan) in 1914. About a quarter of the Bronx's area is open space, including Woodlawn Cemetery , Van Cortlandt Park , Pelham Bay Park ,
2832-417: Is higher than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In Mott Haven and Melrose, 42% of residents are obese , 20% are diabetic , and 38% have high blood pressure —compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28%, respectively. In addition, 24% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%. Eighty-two percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which
2950-431: Is home to a community-supported agriculture program hosted at Brook Park. Recent development plans include two affordable rental buildings, a Hampton Inn by Monadnock Development and Signature Urban Properties, and the so-called Piano District . Mott Haven is a high-density and mainly low-income neighborhood. Like most neighborhoods in New York City, the vast majority of households are renter-occupied. The neighborhood
3068-691: Is land and 15 square miles (39 km ) (27%) is water. The Bronx is New York City's northernmost borough, New York State's southernmost mainland county and the only part of New York City that is almost entirely on the North American mainland, unlike the other four boroughs that are either islands or located on islands. The bedrock of the West Bronx is primarily Fordham gneiss , a high-grade heavily banded metamorphic rock containing significant amounts of pink feldspar . Marble Hill – politically part of Manhattan but now physically attached to
3186-457: Is largely Puerto Rican , with smaller numbers of African Americans, Mexicans and Dominicans present. Based on data from the 2010 United States Census , the population of Mott Haven and Port Morris was 52,413, a change of 3,383 (6.5%) from the 49,030 counted in 2000 . Covering an area of 951.01 acres (384.86 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 55.1 inhabitants per acre (35,300/sq mi; 13,600/km ). The racial makeup of
3304-411: Is less than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 72% of residents described their health as "good", "very good" " or "excellent", lower than the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in Mott Haven and Melrose, there are 25 bodegas . The nearest hospital is NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln . Mott Haven is covered by multiple ZIP Codes . The section west of Third Avenue is part of 10451, while
3422-435: Is located at Lincoln Hospital at 234 East 149th Street. As of 2018 , preterm births and births to teenage mothers were more common in Mott Haven and Melrose than in other places citywide. In Mott Haven and Melrose, there were 95 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 35.1 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Mott Haven and Melrose has
3540-483: Is lower than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are youth and middle-aged adults: 28% are between the ages of between 0–17, 28% between 25–44, and 21% between 45–64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 12% and 10%, respectively. As of 2017, the median household income in Community Districts 1 and 2, including Longwood ,
3658-447: Is more than the rest of New York City. In Mott Haven and Melrose, 32% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per school year , higher than the citywide average of 20%. Additionally, 62% of high school students in Mott Haven and Melrose graduate on time, lower than the citywide average of 75%. Public: Parochial: The New York Public Library operates the Mott Haven branch at 321 East 140th Street. The branch,
Port Morris, Bronx - Misplaced Pages Continue
3776-669: Is part of Bronx Community Board 1 , and is located within ZIP Codes 10451, 10454, and 10455. Mott Haven is patrolled by the New York City Police Department 's 40th Precinct. The local subway line is the IRT Pelham Line ( 6 and <6> trains), operating along East 138th Street. The local buses are the Bx1 , Bx2 , Bx17 , Bx19 , Bx21 , Bx32 , Bx33 , M125 . Mott Haven
3894-822: Is served by the Triborough Bridge , the Third Avenue Bridge , the Madison Avenue Bridge , the 145th Street Bridge , and the Willis Avenue Bridge . The closest Metro-North Railroad stops are Harlem – 125th Street and Yankees – East 153rd Street . The Bronx was named after the Swedish sea captain Jonas Bronck . In 1639, the Dutch West India Company purchased the land of today's Mott Haven from
4012-471: Is sometimes confused by the lack of fixed official boundaries. Late in the 20th century the name was sometimes applied to the area to the west, into Mott Haven. Mott Haven by older definition lies to the west rather than north of Port Morris. There is some evidence that a British paymaster ship went down off Port Morris's coast during the American Revolutionary War with millions of dollars in gold aboard. The cargo has never been recovered. The name comes from
4130-475: Is the Bronx's oldest church, having been built in 1841 and dedicated to Gouverneur Morris 's mother Ann. Notable figures buried there include Lewis Morris , a signer of the Declaration of Independence; Gouverneur Morris; and former Mayor of New York City , R. H. Morris . The seventeen NYCHA developments in Mott Haven illustrate the various types of public-housing initiatives in vogue in New York City over
4248-508: The Bedford Park neighborhood; the reservoir was built in the 1890s on the site of the former Jerome Park Racetrack . Further south is Crotona Park , home to a 3.3-acre (1.3 ha) lake, 28 species of trees, and a large swimming pool. The land for these parks, and many others, was bought by New York City in 1888, while land was still open and inexpensive, in anticipation of future needs and future pressures for development. Some of
4366-553: The Bruckner Expressway ( Interstate 278 ), is the primary thoroughfare through Port Morris. As part of a conceptualization by think tank ReThink Studio that was not recognized by the city or state, a train station in Port Morris will be the northern terminal for a trunk line that would be a regional hub for transportation to other places in the states of New York and Connecticut . The station's site and context could accommodate connections to Manhattan and LaGuardia Airport via
4484-684: The Dominican Republic ), and immigrants from West Africa (particularly from Ghana and Nigeria ), African American migrants from the Southern United States , Nicaraguans , Panamanians , Hondurans , and South Asians . The Bronx contains the poorest congressional district in the United States , New York's 15th . The borough also features upper- and middle-income neighborhoods, such as Riverdale , Fieldston , Spuyten Duyvil , Schuylerville , Pelham Bay , Pelham Gardens , Morris Park , and Country Club . Parts of
4602-580: The East Bronx and West Bronx , a group of social workers identified a pocket of poverty on East 134th Street, east of Brown Place, and called it the South Bronx. This area of poverty would spread in part due to an illegal practice known as blockbusting and to Robert Moses building several housing projects in the neighborhood. The poverty greatly expanded northward, following the post-war phenomenon colloquially referred to as white flight , reaching
4720-595: The Hutchinson River (named after the religious leader Anne Hutchinson , killed along its banks in 1641), passes through the East Bronx and empties into Eastchester Bay . The Bronx also includes several small islands in the East River and Long Island Sound , such as City Island and Hart Island . Rikers Island in the East River, home to the large jail complex for the entire city, is also part of
4838-730: The New York Botanical Garden , and the Bronx Zoo in the borough's north and center. The Thain Family Forest at the New York Botanical Garden is thousands of years old and is New York City's largest remaining tract of the original forest that once covered the city. These open spaces are primarily on land reserved in the late 19th century as urban development progressed north and east from Manhattan. The word "Bronx" originated with Swedish -born (or Faroese -born) Jonas Bronck , who established
Port Morris, Bronx - Misplaced Pages Continue
4956-514: The New York City Subway contributed to the increase in population as thousands of immigrants came to the Bronx, resulting in a major boom in residential construction. Among these groups, many Irish Americans , Italian Americans , and especially Jewish Americans settled here. In addition, French , German , Polish , and other immigrants moved into the borough. As evidence of the change in population, by 1937, 592,185 Jews lived in
5074-645: The South Bronx Greenway heading west through Port Morris and continuing North using a combination of Harlem River waterfront access and abandoned rail ROW (see New York and Putnam Railroad ) and terminating at Van Cortland Park in the Northwest Bronx in conjunction with parallel projects such as the "Tibbetts Brook Daylighting". Port Morris predominantly consists of Latin Americans (primarily Puerto Rican ), African Americans as well as
5192-578: The South Bronx Greenway to Randalls Island , crossing Bronx Kill via the Randall's Island Connector under Hell Gate Bridge . The Connector opened in November 2015. A wave of arson during the 1970s destroyed or damaged many residential, commercial, and industrial structures in the area. Late in the century industry began to return to Port Morris. Many abandoned residential buildings are also being rehabilitated and designated low income housing. In 1997
5310-407: The Spuyten Duyvil Creek ; Marble Hill's postal ZIP code , telephonic area codes and fire service, however, are shared with the Bronx and not Manhattan. The Bronx River flows south from Westchester County through the borough, emptying into the East River; it is the only entirely freshwater river in New York City. It separates the West Bronx from the schist of the East Bronx . A smaller river,
5428-622: The Wecquaesgeek (groups of Lenape tribe). Bronck built his farm on this land and named it "Emmanus". The house was located close to what is today the corner of Willis Avenue and 132nd Street. The peace treaty between Dutch authorities and the Wecquaesgeek chiefs Ranaqua and Tackamuckwas was signed in Bronck's house. This event is portrayed in a painting by the American artist John Ward Dunsmore (1856–1945). Even though Bronck only lived in
5546-470: The definite article as "the Bronx" or "The Bronx", both legally and colloquially. The "County of the Bronx" also takes "the" immediately before "Bronx" in formal references, like the coextensive "Borough of the Bronx". The United States Postal Service uses "Bronx, NY" for mailing addresses. The region was apparently named after the Bronx River and first appeared in the "Annexed District of The Bronx", created in 1874 out of part of Westchester County . It
5664-438: The 62nd and last county to be created by the state, effective in 1914. Bronx County's courts opened for business on January 2, 1914 (the same day that John P. Mitchel started work as Mayor of New York City ). Marble Hill, Manhattan , was now connected to the Bronx by filling in the former waterway, but it is not part of the borough or county. The history of the Bronx during the 20th century may be divided into four periods:
5782-488: The Bronx (43.9% of the borough's population), while only 54,000 Jews lived in the borough in 2011. Many synagogues still stand in the Bronx, but most have been converted to other uses. Bootleggers and gangs were active in the Bronx during Prohibition (1920–1933). Irish, Italian, Jewish, and Polish gangs smuggled in most of the illegal whiskey, and the oldest sections of the borough became poverty-stricken. Police Commissioner Richard Enright said that speakeasies provided
5900-557: The Bronx began in 1639. The Bronx was originally part of Westchester County , but it was ceded to New York County in two major parts ( West Bronx , 1874 and East Bronx , 1895) before it became Bronx County. Originally, the area was part of the Lenape 's Lenapehoking territory inhabited by Siwanoy of the Wappinger Confederacy. Over time, European colonists converted the borough into farmlands. The Bronx's development
6018-404: The Bronx during the 19th and early 20th centuries were author Willa Cather , tobacco merchant Pierre Lorillard , and inventor Jordan L. Mott , who established Mott Haven to house the workers at his iron works. The consolidation of the Bronx into New York City proceeded in two stages. In 1873, the state legislature annexed Kingsbridge, West Farms, and Morrisania to New York, effective in 1874;
SECTION 50
#17327724888996136-407: The Bronx saw a steep decline in population, livable housing, and quality of life starting from the mid-to-late 1960s, continuing throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, ultimately culminating in a wave of arson in the late 1970s, a period when hip hop music evolved. The South Bronx , in particular, experienced severe urban decay . The borough began experiencing new population growth starting in
6254-701: The Bronx was designated an All America City by the National Civic League , acknowledging its comeback from the decline of the mid-century. In 2006, The New York Times reported that "construction cranes have become the borough's new visual metaphor, replacing the window decals of the 1980s in which pictures of potted plants and drawn curtains were placed in the windows of abandoned buildings." The borough has experienced substantial new building construction since 2002. Between 2002 and June 2007, 33,687 new units of housing were built or were under way and $ 4.8 billion has been invested in new housing. In
6372-532: The Bronx – is so-called because of the formation of Inwood marble there as well as in Inwood, Manhattan , and parts of the Bronx and Westchester County. The Hudson River separates the Bronx on the west from Alpine , Tenafly and Englewood Cliffs in Bergen County, New Jersey ; the Harlem River separates it from the island of Manhattan to the southwest; the East River separates it from Queens to
6490-508: The Bronx's decline may have been the development of high-rise housing projects , particularly in the South Bronx . Yet another factor may have been a reduction in the real estate listings and property-related financial services offered in some areas of the Bronx, such as mortgage loans or insurance policies—a process known as redlining . Others have suggested a " planned shrinkage " of municipal services, such as fire-fighting. There
6608-542: The Bronx-based organization Great and Glorious Grand Army of The Bronx, arguing the definite article is part of the proper name. In particular, the Great and Glorious Grand Army of The Bronx is leading efforts to make the city refer to the borough with an uppercase definite article in all uses, comparing the lowercase article in the Bronx's name to "not capitalizing the 's' in 'Staten Island ' ". European colonization of
6726-577: The Bronx. The Bronx's highest elevation at 280 feet (85 m) is in the northwest corner, west of Van Cortlandt Park and in the Chapel Farm area near the Riverdale Country School . The opposite (southeastern) side of the Bronx has four large low peninsulas or "necks" of low-lying land that jut into the waters of the East River and were once salt marsh : Hunt's Point, Clason's Point, Screvin's Neck and Throggs Neck . Further up
6844-460: The New York City borough of Manhattan , across the Harlem River ; and north of the New York City borough of Queens , across the East River . The Bronx, the only New York City borough not primarily located on an island, has a land area of 42 square miles (109 km ) and a population of 1,472,654 at the 2020 census . Of the five boroughs, it has the fourth-largest area, fourth-highest population, and third-highest population density . The Bronx
6962-526: The New York City council created the "Port Morris Special Mixed-used District", the site of the first special mixed-use district (MX-1) resulting in the rehabilitation of several blocks of residential row-houses between Bruckner Boulevard and East 134th Street in an area which only previously allowed industrial uses. Following the success of the 1997 re-zoning, the city further expanded this district in 2005 to include all of western Port Morris (south of Major Deegan Expressway and west of RFK Bridge). In December 2017
7080-703: The North Side or North New York. This area was part of New York City after the incorporation of Greater New York in 1898. The Chase Manhattan Bank at Third Avenue and East 137th Street was originally the North Side Board of Trade Building (1912). It later became the North Side Savings Bank, which became the Dollar Dry Dock Savings Bank , which became Chase. In the 1940s when the Bronx was usually divided into
7198-650: The Port Morris Special Mixed-Use District re-zoning laws. The western end of Port Morris is rapidly transitioning from light-industrial uses to high-density residential developments along the newly created "Special Harlem River Waterfront District". The area centered in Alexander Avenue-Bruckner Blvd is now the main commercial corridor in the neighborhood with a growing crop of restaurants and other services. Two structures in Port Morris have been landmarked by
SECTION 60
#17327724888997316-400: The South Bronx as "SoBro" have not found traction. There has been a significant wave of residential redevelopment in the neighborhood especially along East 138th Street corridor with developments such as "The Joinery", the first luxury mid-rise condominium in the area, in addition to recently built affordable housing such as "Borinquen Court" and "Tres Puentes" apartment complex. Mott Haven
7434-450: The South Bronx. The IRT White Plains Road Line ( 2 and 5 trains) began to show an increase in riders. Chains such as Marshalls , Staples , and Target opened stores in the Bronx. More bank branches opened in the Bronx as a whole (rising from 106 in 1997 to 149 in 2007), although not primarily in poor or minority neighborhoods, while the Bronx still has fewer branches per person than other boroughs. In 1997,
7552-553: The Third Avenue Bridge as people buy apartments and renovate them. Several boutique and chain hotels opened in the 2010s in the South Bronx . New developments are underway. The Bronx General Post Office on the corner of the Grand Concourse and East 149th Street is being converted into a market place, boutiques, restaurants and office space with a USPS concession. The Kingsbridge Armory , often cited as
7670-687: The acquired land was set aside for the Grand Concourse and Pelham Parkway , the first of a series of boulevards and parkways ( thoroughfares lined with trees, vegetation and greenery). Later projects included the Bronx River Parkway , which developed a road while restoring the riverbank and reducing pollution, Mosholu Parkway and the Henry Hudson Parkway . In 2006, a five-year, $ 220-million program of capital improvements and natural restoration in 70 Bronx parks
7788-578: The area for four years, the land became known as "Broncksland" and the river that bordered his land kept the name Bronck's River. The first time the spelling "Bronx land" was used, was in 1697 in the First Legislature outlined the County of West Chester. The area that is now called Mott Haven was sold to the Morris family in 1670. A small part of the larger swath of land known as Morrisania , it
7906-456: The area prior to annexation to the City of New York generally did not straddle the Bronx River. In addition, what is today the Bronx was annexed to New York City in two stages: areas west of the Bronx River were annexed in 1874 while areas to the east of the river were annexed in 1895. Under this system, the Bronx can be further divided into the following regions: Mott Haven Mott Haven
8024-544: The area, including the Third Avenue Elevated Line . By the early 20th century, the population density of the area supported the construction of many tenement-style apartment buildings. From the end of the 19th century through the 1940s, Mott Haven was a mixed German-American (north of East 145th Street) and Irish-American neighborhood (south of East 145th Street), with an Italian enclave west of Lincoln Ave. The first Puerto Rican settlements came in
8142-637: The area. Based on data from the 2010 United States Census , the population of Mott Haven and Port Morris was 52,413, a change of 3,383 (6.5%) from the 49,030 counted in 2000 . Covering an area of 951.01 acres (384.86 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 55.1 inhabitants per acre (35,300/sq mi; 13,600/km). The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 1.7% (867) White , 24.7% (12,927) African American , 0.2% (95) Native American , 0.4% (214) Asian , 0% (7) Pacific Islander , 0.2% (124) from other races , and 0.6% (310) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 72.3% (37,869) of
8260-492: The borough's name is sometimes disputed. Generally, the definite article is lowercase in place names ("the Bronx") except in some official references. The definite article is capitalized ("The Bronx") at the beginning of a sentence or in any other situation when a normally lowercase word would be capitalized. However, some people and groups refer to the borough with a capital letter at all times, such as Bronx Borough Historian Lloyd Ultan , The Bronx County Historical Society , and
8378-404: The building they lived in so they could qualify for emergency relocations by city social service agencies to better residences, sometimes being relocated to other parts of the city. Out of 289 census tracts in the Bronx borough, 7 tracts lost more than 97% of their buildings to arson and abandonment between 1970 and 1980; another 44 tracts had more than 50% of their buildings meet the same fate. By
8496-630: The city council approved the expansion of the "Special Harlem River Waterfront District" to cover two super blocks in western Port Morris. This latest rezoning allowed high-density mixed-used development along the banks of the Harlem River from Lincoln Avenue north through Mott Haven up to 150th Street in Concourse Village . The neighborhood has been experiencing massive revitalization with many historic warehouses, factories and various manufacturing buildings being converted into lofts. The former Estey Piano Corp factory, now The Clock Tower, has
8614-577: The city in 1896. Following these two annexations, the Bronx's territory had moved from Westchester County into New York County, which already included Manhattan and the rest of pre-1874 New York City. On January 1, 1898, the consolidated City of New York was born, including the Bronx as one of the five distinct boroughs . However, it remained part of New York County until Bronx County was created in 1914. On April 19, 1912, those parts of New York County which had been annexed from Westchester County in previous decades were newly constituted as Bronx County,
8732-496: The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission . The Estey Piano Company Factory, now referred to as the "Clock Tower", is located at the corner of Lincoln and Bruckner Boulevard. While the Clock Tower is now a commercial and residential building it is reminiscent of the time period in which Port Morris was a hub for piano manufacturing in the city. At least one piano manufacturer remains in the neighborhood. The Bronx Grit Chamber
8850-514: The coastline, Rodman's Neck lies between Pelham Bay Park in the northeast and City Island . The Bronx's irregular shoreline extends for 75 square miles (194 km ). Although Bronx County was the third most densely populated county in the United States in 2022 (after Manhattan and Brooklyn ), 7,000 acres (28 km ) of the Bronx—about one fifth of the Bronx's area, and one quarter of its land area—is given over to parkland. The vision of
8968-549: The community. As a result of these changes, the neighborhood is slowly becoming a hub for upscale eateries in the South Bronx. Additionally, in 2015, Silvercup Studios announced it would convert a 115,000-square-foot warehouse at 295 Locust Avenue for film and television productions. Silvercup North, as the facility was known, opened in mid-2016. The Piano District is the name proposed by two developers for Port Morris. The two developers, Somerset Partners and The Chetrit Group , purchased two riverfront properties for $ 58 million with
9086-493: The decades. The Mott Haven Herald is a news outlet that reports in Mott Haven, Melrose and Port Morris . It is produced by students at the City University Graduate School of Journalism and edited by Joe Hirsch. Mott Haven and Melrose are patrolled by the 40th Precinct of the NYPD , located at 257 Alexander Avenue. The 40th Precinct ranked 59th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. As of 2018 , with
9204-539: The developers of a lack of empathy and basic awareness. Additional developments continued to take place at Port Morris. In June 2016, the Bluestone Group purchased a 235,584-square-foot (21,886.5 m) former factory building at 825 East 141st Street for $ 44 million; That building was renovated in 2019 and became Union Crossing, a mixed-use development with offices, retail spaces, and studios. In 2020, renting commenced for The Arches at 224-228 East 135th Street,
9322-412: The early 1980s, the Bronx was considered the most blighted urban area in the country, particularly the South Bronx which experienced a loss of 60% of the population and 40% of housing units. However, starting in the 1990s, many of the burned-out and run-down tenements were replaced by new housing units. In May 1984, New York Supreme Court justice Peter J. McQuillan ruled that Marble Hill, Manhattan ,
9440-613: The early industrial buildings remain, they are little used for manufacturing anymore. In the 1870s the Mott Haven Canal emptied out into the Western Port Morris riverfront serving industry in the Mott Haven area. After being declared a "nuance" by the Board of Health in 1896 the canal was slowly re-filled, its last segment being in use until 1960s. Today only a small indentation in the Harlem River remains The area
9558-497: The eastern and northwestern sections of the borough . From the mid-1960s to the early 1980s, the quality of life changed for some Bronx residents. Historians and social scientists have suggested many factors, including the theory that Robert Moses ' Cross Bronx Expressway destroyed existing residential neighborhoods and created instant slums, as put forward in Robert Caro 's biography The Power Broker . Another factor in
9676-624: The first European settlement in the area as part of the New Netherland colony in 1639. European settlers displaced the native Lenape after 1643. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Bronx received many immigrant and migrant groups as it was transformed into an urban community, first from European countries particularly Ireland , Germany , Italy , and Eastern Europe , and later from the Caribbean region (particularly Puerto Rico , Trinidad , Haiti , Guyana , Jamaica , Barbados , and
9794-426: The first market-rate high-rise rental development in Port Morris. Another rental development at 101 Bruckner Boulevard, with 55 units, was announced in early 2021. In addition, Brookfield Properties is currently developing "Bankside", a complex of seven high-rise residential towers on the banks of the Harlem River with over 1,350 units. The first phase at 2401 Third Avenue was topped out during 2021. Bankside will include
9912-480: The first six months of 2007 alone total investment in new residential development was $ 965 million and 5,187 residential units were scheduled to be completed. Much of the new development is springing up in formerly vacant lots across the South Bronx. In addition there came a revitalization of the existing housing market in areas such as Hunts Point, the Lower Concourse, and the neighborhoods surrounding
10030-509: The goals of establishing luxury residences and retail. However, there is opposition to the renaming, and critics and proponents have accused one another of racism. The developers were criticized by Melissa Mark-Viverito , the president of the New York City Council for conducting a Halloween rave, attended by numerous celebrities and featuring flaming trash cans and hulks of burnt-out and bullet-riddled cars. Mark-Viverito accused
10148-608: The highest concentrations of New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) projects in the Bronx. The total land area is roughly one square mile. The terrain is low-lying and flat except around St. Mary's Park , where it is somewhat hilly. Three Historic Districts are located in Mott Haven: Mott Haven, Mott Haven East and the Bertine Block. St. Ann's Episcopal Church is located on the west side of St. Ann's Avenue, between East 139th and East 141st Streets. It
10266-411: The largest armory in the world, is currently slated for redevelopment. Under consideration for future development is the construction of a platform over the New York City Subway 's Concourse Yard adjacent to Lehman College . The construction would permit approximately 2,000,000 square feet (190,000 m ) of development and would cost US$ 350–500 million . Despite significant investment compared to
10384-546: The largest park in New York City— Pelham Bay Park , which includes Orchard Beach —and the third-largest, Van Cortlandt Park , which is west of Woodlawn Cemetery and borders Yonkers . Also in the northern Bronx, Wave Hill , the former estate of George W. Perkins —known for a historic house, gardens, changing site-specific art installations and concerts—overlooks the New Jersey Palisades from
10502-627: The late 1940s along the length of Brook Avenue. African-Americans came into the area when the Patterson Houses were built. One of the largest parades in New York City took place here in the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was organized by the veterans of the Irish Republican Army , who marched every Easter Sunday, down Willis Avenue from the Hub to East 138th Street, then west to St. Jerome's. The Star of Munster Ballroom at
10620-438: The late 1980s that continues into today. The Bronx was a mostly rural area for many generations, with small farms supplying the city markets. In the late 19th century, however, it grew into a railroad suburb. Faster transportation enabled rapid population growth in the late 19th century, involving the move from horse-drawn street cars to elevated railways and the subway system, which linked to Manhattan in 1904. The South Bronx
10738-650: The late 1990s and continuing to the present day. The Bronx was called Rananchqua by the native Siwanoy band of Lenape (also known historically as the Delawares ), while other Native Americans knew the Bronx as Keskeskeck . It was divided by the Aquahung River (now known in English as the Bronx River ). The Bronx was named after Jonas Bronck ( c. 1600–1643 ), a European settler whose precise origins are disputed. Documents indicate he
10856-569: The mainland immediately north of the Dutch settlement of New Haarlem (on Manhattan Island ), and bought additional tracts from the local tribes. He eventually accumulated 500 acres (200 ha) between the Harlem River and the Aquahung, which became known as Bronck's River or the Bronx [River] . Dutch and English settlers referred to the area as Bronck's Land . The American poet William Bronk
10974-685: The mid-to-late 19th century, convenient to the railroad yards, of which the Oak Point Yard is the main survivor. Notable early businesses were the R. Hoe Co. ; Cutler & Hammer Tool Works; Mothers Friend Shirt Waist factory (1888) at Willow Avenue between East 135th and 136th Streets; and the Estey Piano Company Factory (now designated a city landmark by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission ). While many of
11092-505: The neighborhood was 1.7% (867) White , 24.7% (12,927) African American , 0.2% (95) Native American , 0.4% (214) Asian , 0% (7) Pacific Islander , 0.2% (124) from other races , and 0.6% (310) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 72.3% (37,869) of the population. The entirety of Community District 1, which comprises Mott Haven and Melrose, had 98,403 inhabitants as of NYC Health 's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 77.6 years. This
11210-451: The northeast corner of Willis Avenue and East 138th Street was a center of Irish music for decades. It was speculated at one time that there were more bars on Willis Avenue than on any other city street, given its short length. More recorded Irish musicians lived in Mott Haven than in any place outside Ireland. Mott Haven and Port Morris were the first neighborhoods to give rise to the term "South Bronx". Together, they were earlier known as
11328-566: The official maps of the city. Since the late 1980s, significant development has occurred in the Bronx, first stimulated by the city's "Ten-Year Housing Plan" and community members working to rebuild the social, economic and environmental infrastructure by creating affordable housing . Groups affiliated with churches in the South Bronx erected the Nehemiah Homes with about 1,000 units. The grass roots organization Nos Quedamos' endeavor known as Melrose Commons began to rebuild areas in
11446-541: The population. Port Morris contains a variety of zoning districts ranging from manufacturing, commercial, residential, and mixed-use. The eastern half of Port Morris contains primarily light industrial, warehousing and distribution uses guided by the Port Morris Industrial Business Zone. The Bruckner Boulevard corridor is primarily a mixed-use corridor transitioning from previous industrial uses to commercial and residential usage spurred by
11564-427: The post war period, many exacerbated social problems remain including high rates of violent crime, substance abuse, overcrowding, and substandard housing conditions. The Bronx has the highest rate of poverty in New York City, and the greater South Bronx is the poorest area. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , Bronx County has a total area of 57 square miles (150 km ), of which 42 square miles (110 km )
11682-408: The rest of the city and not gentrifying . Mott Haven is dominated by tenement-style apartment buildings and large public-housing complexes. There are three historical districts consisting of brownstone-style rowhouses. In the last two decades, construction of modern two- and three-unit rowhouses and apartment buildings has increased the percentage of owner-occupiers. The neighborhood contains one of
11800-493: The restaurant Charlies Bar & Kitchen operating on the ground level. Port Morris has become a burgeoning community of artists and other young professionals looking for more reasonable options outside of Manhattan . Efforts by the New York Restoration Project are underway to revive the waterfront in an area that historically suffers from high asthma rates. This will create much-needed green space for
11918-473: The same time, an upper-middle class residential area, marked by brownstones built in an elaborate and architecturally daring fashion, started to grow along Alexander Avenue by the 1890s (Doctors' Row, aka the Irish Fifth Avenue). A series of brownstones on East 134th Street, east of Willis Avenue., was known as Judges' Row. Soon after, the Bronx grew more quickly, especially with public transit into
12036-499: The sections east of Third Avenue are part of 10455 (north of 145th Street). The section south of 145th Street is part of 10454. The United States Postal Service operates three post offices in Mott Haven: Mott Haven and Melrose generally had a lower rate of college-educated residents than the rest of the city, as of 2018 . While 16% of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, 41% have less than
12154-457: The southeast; and to the east, Long Island Sound separates it from Nassau County in western Long Island. Directly north of the Bronx are (from west to east) the adjoining Westchester County communities of Yonkers , Mount Vernon , Pelham Manor and New Rochelle . There is also a short southern land boundary with Marble Hill in the Borough of Manhattan, over the filled-in former course of
12272-457: The three towns were soon abolished in the process. The whole territory east of the Bronx River was annexed to the city in 1895, three years before New York's consolidation with Brooklyn , Queens , and Staten Island . This included the Town of Westchester (which had voted against consolidation in 1894) and parts of Eastchester and Pelham. The nautical community of City Island voted to join
12390-441: The trunk line, Northeast Corridor , and local bus routes . The station, a planned adjacent convention center, and supporting development is proposed to encourage other growth in the South Bronx. Bronx The Bronx ( / b r ɒ ŋ k s / BRONKS ) is the northernmost borough of New York City , coextensive with Bronx County , in the U.S. state of New York . It is south of Westchester County ; north and east of
12508-455: The west. Its ZIP Codes are 10451 and 10454. The neighborhood is served by the NYPD 's 40th Precinct. Oak Point, the southern tip of the West Bronx , is in Port Morris; it contains the Oak Point Yard . The area is also traversed by the Bruckner Expressway , a major freeway. Most of the neighborhood is within walking distance from several stations of IRT Pelham Line ( 6 train). The history of Port Morris, as with other neighborhoods,
12626-564: Was $ 20,966. In 2018, an estimated 29% of Mott Haven and Melrose residents lived in poverty, compared to 25% in all of the Bronx and 20% in all of New York City. One in eight residents (12%) were unemployed, compared to 13% in the Bronx and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 58% in Mott Haven and Melrose, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 58% and 51%, respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018 , Mott Haven and Melrose were considered to be low-income relative to
12744-464: Was a Swedish-born immigrant from Komstad, Norra Ljunga parish in Småland , Sweden, who arrived in New Netherland during the spring of 1639. Bronck became the first recorded European settler in the present-day Bronx and built a farm named "Emmaus" close to what today is the corner of Willis Avenue and 132nd Street in Mott Haven . He leased land from the Dutch West India Company on the neck of
12862-418: Was a descendant of Pieter Bronck, either Jonas Bronck's son or his younger brother, but most probably a nephew or cousin, as there was an age difference of 16 years. Much work on the Swedish claim has been undertaken by Brian G. Andersson, former Commissioner of New York City's Department of Records, who helped organize a 375th Anniversary celebration in Bronck's hometown in 2014. The Bronx is referred to with
12980-416: Was a manufacturing center for many years and was noted as a center of piano manufacturing in the early part of the 20th century. In 1919, the Bronx was the site of 63 piano factories employing more than 5,000 workers. At the end of World War I , the Bronx hosted the rather small 1918 World's Fair at 177th Street and DeVoe Avenue. The Bronx underwent rapid urban growth after World War I. Extensions of
13098-411: Was also much debate as to whether rent control laws had made it less profitable (or more costly) for landlords to maintain existing buildings with their existing tenants than to abandon or destroy those buildings. In the 1970s, parts of the Bronx were plagued by a wave of arson. The burning of buildings was predominantly in the poorest communities, such as the South Bronx. One explanation of this event
13216-485: Was begun (financed by water and sewer revenues) as part of an agreement that allowed a water filtration plant under Mosholu Golf Course in Van Cortlandt Park. One major focus is on opening more of the Bronx River 's banks and restoring them to a natural state. The Bronx adjoins: There are two primary systems for dividing the Bronx into regions, which do not necessarily agree with one another. One system
13334-478: Was continued in the "Borough of The Bronx", created in 1898, which included a larger annexation from Westchester County in 1895. The use of the definite article is attributed to the style of referring to rivers. A time-worn story purportedly explaining the use of the definite article in the borough's name says it stems from the phrase "visiting the Broncks", referring to the settler's family. The capitalization of
13452-546: Was found for the first time outside of Asia , here, at the Bronx Zoo. Over the next 40 years it spread throughout eastern North America and killed back essentially every American Chestnut ( Castanea dentata ), causing ecological and economic devastation. Just south of Van Cortlandt Park is the Jerome Park Reservoir , surrounded by 2 miles (3 km) of stone walls and bordering several small parks in
13570-435: Was purchased by Jordan Lawrence Mott for his iron works in 1849. A vestige of the iron works can be seen just west of the Third Avenue Bridge on East 134th Street. St. Ann's Church ( ECUSA ) on St. Ann's Avenue is the resting place of Lewis Morris , Gouverneur Morris and other members of that powerful colonial family, and a Registered Historic Place . As the city below grew, the area quickly developed residentially. At
13688-525: Was simultaneously part of the Borough of Manhattan (not the Borough of the Bronx) and part of Bronx County (not New York County) and the matter was definitively settled later that year when the New York Legislature overwhelmingly passed legislation declaring the neighborhood part of both New York County and the Borough of Manhattan and made this clarification retroactive to 1938, as reflected on
13806-423: Was that landlords decided to burn their low property-value buildings and take the insurance money, as it was easier for them to get insurance money than to try to refurbish a dilapidated building or sell a building in a severely distressed area. The Bronx became identified with a high rate of poverty and unemployment, which was mainly a persistent problem in the South Bronx. There were cases where tenants set fire to
13924-597: Was the site of the Hell Gate generating plant of Consolidated Edison , where George Metesky , the Mad Bomber who plagued New York City for decades, was injured. The most notable architectural/engineering feature of Port Morris is the northern approach to the Hell Gate Bridge supported by concrete arches (1917) northward from East 132nd Street, between Willow & Walnut Avenues. Plans are afoot to extend
#898101