In Rare Exception Across the City, Portion of Woodlawn Downzoned

By VIVIAN CARTER

The trend in New York City real estate development is unquestionably upward. But residents in the Woodlawn Heights section of the Bronx have orchestrated a reversal. Woodlawn Heights is an outlier, a hilly neighborhood of one- and two-family homes along the city’s northern line, surrounded by Van Cortlandt Park, the fences of Woodlawn Cemetery, and a bustling Webster Avenue corridor. The bulk of Woodlawn Heights (except along the cemetery and Webster Avenue) is zoned R4A, allowing only suburban-style homes. For years, three local homeowners groups have been working closely with local legislators and the community board to maintain the

TRAFFIC IS A jumbled mess at the intersection of East Gun Hill Road and Webster Avenue…or as the neighborhood calls it, Friday! The jumbled mess is a typical Friday at this stretch in working class Norwood. Residents have long demanded traffic-calming measures at the strip.Photo by David Cruz

Announcement of Senate Candidacy in the Bronx Doubles as Endorsement

By DAVID CRUZ

Jamaal Bailey, an employee and established protégé of Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, announced his run for the 36th Senate District, a seat currently held by Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, who plans to step down. The announcement quickly became a major endorsement for Bailey by the Bronx Democratic County Committee (BDCC). Outside Wakefield’s Butler Memorial Methodist Church, where Bailey sometimes speaks, Bailey stood alongside Speaker Heastie and other Bronx legislators, including BDCC chairman Marcos Crespo. “What a time to be alive,” said Bailey, 33, also flanked by his parents, wife and daughter as he delivered a Democratic platform of education reform, criminal justice reform and

By JASMINE GOMEZ

Inspector Nilda Hofmann of the 52nd Precinct announced a reassignment from the Five-Two precinct after more than two years on the job. “It’s bittersweet,” said Hofmann, making her announcement at Community Board 7’s general board meeting April 21. Her news was met with loud sighs and a resounding “no” from CB7 chair, Adaline Walker-Santiago. “It’s been two plus years but I wanted to thank everybody here,” continued Hofmann, who was given a standing ovation from attendees at the meeting. Hofmann began her tour at the 52nd Precinct in 2013, having replaced the previous inspector, Joseph Dowling. Hofmann began her career with the

Hello Loyal Readers! The ninth edition of the Norwood News, covering community news you can use, is out, hitting over 300 locations throughout Norwood and its surrounding neighborhoods. Of course, we begin in Norwood, at the enormous Tracey Towers. There, residents are supporting a proposal to review the books of its management company’s $40 million renovation. Read why the tenants association are backing an audit proposal. We then recap a meeting involving Norwood’s community stakeholders and the Bangladeshi community. Aldo Perez organized the meeting. Learn why he believes crimes against Bangladeshis and Muslims are under-reported. There’s also a piece on the story

The authorities swept in at dawn. At the end, 120 people were rounded up for a litany of offenses affiliated with gang life. It’s now purported as the largest gang takedown in the history of the city, and in the Bronx. The NYPD led the raid at Eastchester Gardens on April 27, with authorities from the Department of Homeland Security. They went into various apartments, cuffing suspects linked to the 2Fly YGz street gang, a subdivision of the Young Gunnaz. Another group of suspects belonged to the Big Money Bosses gang, considered a rival of the Young Gunnaz. A long list of charges include

By DAVID CRUZ

Over the last four years, Tracey Towers underwent a $40 million renovation by its building management firm following an incremental 62.5 percent rent hike imposed on its residents. It was considered the largest investment for a Mitchell-Lama residence such as Tracey Towers, home to some 3,000 residents. Upgrades went towards electrical circuit boxes, kitchens, intercoms, bathrooms, carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. But complaints still persist, which compelled 80th Assembly district committeeman Kenneth Agosto to directly ask New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer to conduct a detailed financial review of the tower through a forensic audit. Stringer had scheduled a

By DAVID CRUZ

There wasn’t quite much talk on bias incidents aimed at a forum for the Bangladeshi community. Instead, the meeting morphed into an information session with a message in mind: the community at large is here to help. The gathering was the brainchild of Aldo Perez, a community activist, who sought to bring representatives from the NYPD, Bronx District Attorney’s office, local Community Board 7, Public Advocate’s office, and the state Assembly Speaker’s office to introduce themselves and the powers each office brings. Two-dozen guests from the Bangladeshi community were at the meeting hearing from representatives. Norwood has seen an ever-growing

By DAVID CRUZ

Manhattan Assemblyman Keith Wright gave a “guarantee” that the Bronx will see a legislative office should he win in the heavily crowded race for the 13th Congressional District long held by Congressman Charles Rangel, who is retiring. “We’re actually looking to open a Bronx campaign office as well as Bronx congressional office after we win,” said Wright, standing beside Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., who endorsed him for Congress before the steps of Borough Hall April 21. Roughly 20 percent of the district, gerrymandered a few years back, is in the west Bronx, which includes Norwood. A long-held bone