Construction

Van Cortlandt Village: Building Applications Filed with DOB for Units at 3885 Orloff Avenue

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Building applications have been filed with NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) to expand a three-story structure into a four-story residential building at 3885 Orloff Avenue in the Van Cortlandt Village section of The Bronx, as reported by YIMBY. Located between West 238th Street and Cannon Place, the lot is closest to the 242nd Street subway station, serviced by the 1 train. Herman Jakob of West Street Gardens LLC is listed as the owner behind the applications.   The proposed 38-foot-tall development will yield 6,736 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 17 residential units with an average


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City Island Rising Pushes to Expand NYC Ferry Service & Hosts Narcan Training to Prevent Overdoses

By SÍLE MOLONEY
City Island Rising, a community based, non-profit association working to improve the City Island community with open discourse and civility towards all, tabled at the City Island Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Spring Arts and Craft Fair alongside Bronx Bound Books on June 3.   According to the organization, board members distributed hundreds of face masks, COVID-19 tests, and collected many signatures for a petition to expand the NYC Ferry Service to City Island. Currently, according to the organizers, the group has collected nearly 1,500 signatures for this effort.   During the final days of his administration, former New York City Mayor


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Cops Join Puzzle Life & Students & Teachers from P.S. 168 to Walk for Autism Acceptance

By SÍLE MOLONEY
A group of around 200 people, including many kids, joined together for a walk in Norwood to promote autism acceptance, unity, and inclusion on Friday, June 16. The event was organized by the group Puzzle Life in conjunction with Norwood’s P.S. 168 and the 52nd Precinct.   Kyle McClean and his wife, Liza, who live in Soundview, launched Puzzle Life, a group which aims to promote acceptance of people living with autism. Kyle told Norwood News, “Well, my wife and I, we have a beautiful princess on the spectrum and it’s the third year in a row we wanted to


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Community Awards Presented at Last BMCA Meeting before Summer Amid Noise & Package Theft Concerns 

By SÍLE MOLONEY
Joy Syeeda Lafontaine and Police Officer Stephen Echevarria were each presented with awards for their service to the community during the final meeting, before the summer break, of Bedford Mosholu Community Association (BMCA) on June 7, the same day the air quality in New York City was badly affected by Canadian wildfires.   Lafontaine, secretary of BMCA, was awarded the Mary Vallati Memorial Award in recognition of her exceptional volunteer service over the year, while Echevarria, community affairs officer at the 52nd Precinct, was awarded the Jack Kelly Memorial Award in recognition of his outstanding service to the community.  


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New Bronx Research Shows Poor Air Quality Leads to Longer Hospital Stays for Children with Asthma

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  Children with asthma spend more time in the hospital when there is a greater amount of “particulate matter” (PM 2.5) i.e. tiny pieces of solids or liquids, and Ozone (O₃), a colorless gas, in the air, according to a new study by researchers at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) in Norwood. The study was published in the Journal of Asthma just days after New York City was blanketed in wildfire smoke from the recent Canadian wildfires, as reported.   In what was described as a first-of-its-kind study in children led by pediatric hospitalist Elissa B. Gross D.O., M.P.H, the investigators


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UPDATE Elections 2023: Council Member Marjorie Velázquez Endorsed by NYC PBA in Re-Election BID in District 13

By SÍLE MOLONEY
  District 13 City Council Member Marjorie Velázquez announced on Wednesday, June 21, that she received the endorsement of the New York City Police Benevolent Association (NYC PBA) in her bid for re-election in the upcoming Democratic primary on June 27. The councilwoman won her seat in 2021. Her team said the endorsement highlights what they described as “Velázquez’s unwavering commitment to public safety and her dedication to supporting law enforcement officers who serve and protect the residents of New York City.”   Representatives for the union, which represents over 24,000 active and retired police officers, said they recognize Velázquez as


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UPDATE Williamsbridge: Affordable Housing Lottery Launches for Units at 739 East Gun Hill Road

By SÍLE MOLONEY
An affordable housing lottery is open for units in a newly constructed, 8-story building, Gun Hill Road Apartments, located at 739 East Gun Hill Road in the Williamsbridge section of The Bronx. Designed by Marin Architects and developed by RYTY Home Builders, according to YIMBY, the structure yields 134 residential units and 69 parking spaces.   Available on NYC Housing Connect, the online portal for New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) are 41 affordable housing units for residents at 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible annual incomes from $73,886 to $227,630.


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Manhattan College Student Honored at Pride Ceremony

By SARA MARTINEZ
As Bronx residents and elected officials gathered at Bronx Borough Hall on Thursday, June 1, for the annual Pride ceremony to mark the beginning of Pride Month, one northwest Bronx student was among those being honored this year. The annual tradition of honoring selected members of the Bronx LGBTQIA+ community was also an occasion to witness the raising of the Pride flag, which will fly alongside the American flag and the veterans’ Prisoner of War (POW) / Missing in Action (MIA) flag throughout Pride Month (June).   On the day, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson reiterated New York’s commitment to


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UPDATE MTA, DOT Outline Bx12 Planned Service Improvements on Fordham Road & on Other Routes

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT
Regular riders of the Bx12 bus who complain that most days the buses are crowded, and that there are not enough of them can look to the latest findings from both the Metropolitan Transportation Administration (MTA) and NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) for confirmation. Officials from both agencies updated residents and Bronx Community Board 7’s Traffic & Transportation committee at the last committee meeting before the summer break on Thursday, June 1.   Reading from a slide show presentation, one official said, “The Bx12 is the busiest bus route in The Bronx, and second busiest in NYC after the M15.”


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