CB7 to Review Proposed 11-Story Building Plan

By MARTIKA ORNELLA

Community Board 7 has plans to discuss the proposed 11-story building in Bedford Park at its next Land Use, Zoning and Housing Committee meeting on Sept. 4. Fresh renderings of the apartment residence coming to Bedford Park Boulevard were recently released. Images of the future site of 33 Bedford Park Blvd. show a narrow 11-story residential and commercial building, with balconies on every floor and a roof deck. The mixed-use property will look somewhat out of place on the boulevard, with adjacent buildings averaging a more maximum five-stories in height. The irregularity of the planned building’s height isn’t lost on

The Bronx Breaks Ground on its Second YMCA

By MARTIKA ORNELLA

Speaking in front of a crowd of community leaders, lawmakers, and youth activists at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Edenwald YMCA, Mayor Bill de Blasio explained why the new facility will progress his goal of making New York the “fairest big city in America.” “For all of us who have spent a lot of our lives at Ys, we know the passion that people bring to the work,” de Blasio said at the ceremony on Aug. 20. “The fact that so many Bronxites are about to benefit because of what will be built here is truly, truly inspiring.” The 50,000

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

By DAVID CRUZ

A regulatory body empaneled to update the city’s written policies looks to impose term limits on community board members, a rule that will likely be on the ballot for a vote in the November general election. The City Charter Revision Commission, charged with updating the New York City Charter, a document akin to the U.S. Constitution, said the proposal will allow board members a maximum of four consecutive two-year terms. Currently there are no term limits. Members would have to reapply one year after they are no longer on the board, under the proposal. Community boards serve as ad hoc

By DAVID CRUZ

North Central Bronx Hospital (NCBH) is here to stay, according to officials for the city-funded hospital. But it will once again come with some changes at the top. Officials with NYC Health + Hospitals announced at an employee town hall a “restructuring” of high-level management, with the current CEO of NCBH’s sister hospital, Christopher Mastromano of NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi, slated to manage both hospitals. The move comes amid the retirement of NCBH’s CEO, Maureen Pode, and several promotions that raised several eyebrows. The retirement of Pode opens the door to “build on the close relationship” between NCBH and Jacobi,

Free Air Conditioner Free air conditioners are available to Bronx residents who either receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Temporary Assistance (TA), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and did not receive an air conditioner by the Home Energy Assistance Program. Income-eligibility requirements also apply. For more information, call (212) 331-3126, or visit the Department of Human Resources Administration at 1932 Arthur Ave., Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Commercial Lease Help Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition offers free legal help to small businesses in negotiating commercial leases with their landlords. Businesses have to be in New

Pols- Elevator Needs at Mosholu Pkwy. Station

By DAVID CRUZ

A petitioning campaign is underway in Norwood aimed at putting pressure on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to prioritize the installation of a much-needed elevator at the Mosholu Parkway 4 No. train station. The effort is noticeably led by Eric Dinowitz, District Leader for the area’s 81st Assembly District who’s expressed interest in running for the City Council seat currently held by Norwood Councilman Andrew Cohen. Cohen, whose district overlaps with the train station, was not there. “We know that more than 10 percent of the population here has a disability, so you could figure it’s over a thousand people who

By PROF. ANTHONY RIVIECCIO, MBA, PFA

Well, I am sure by now you heard the ramblings from TV, social media, radio, and of course our President: “Our economy is growing at 4.1 percent.” So what? There are many things you do not hear in those 30-second soundbites. One of them is that 4.1 percent represents, the second quarter of the year (April through June), not the whole year. What if I told you after you account for the first quarter of 2018, that 4.1 percent now gets averaged to three percent for six months? Now, don’t get me wrong. first half of the year growing at

As has been the case for years, the Norwood News will be taking its summer hiatus, and this current edition will cover virtually the entire month of August. This means readers won’t see another print edition until Aug. 30. We’ll be around, of course. You’ll find our bylines on the website, www.norwoodnews.org. You may also continue to send tips, letters, and story ideas to Editor-in-Chief David Cruz at dcruz@norwoodnews.org or norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org.

At NYCHA’s Bailey Houses, Quality of Life Impacts Mental Health

By DAVID CRUZ

Though Tiesha Jones comes from a tight-knit family, hosting a holiday gathering with her extended family remains out of the question. Living for the past four years in Bailey Houses, a decrepit complex that’s home to some 900 tenants, Jones is embarrassed over her living quarters. From the first floor up to its last, a list of fixes is required at the 20-story property overlooking the Major Deegan Expressway. A faulty plumbing system, sloppy patchwork and caved-in ceilings characterize Bailey Houses, a property belonging to the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) that was built in 1972. Enduring years of