Timber! Oval Trees Come Down in First of 71

By DAVID CRUZ The Norwood News stumbled upon the New York City Parks Department’s chopping of worn out trees throughout Williamsbridge Oval Park, starting in the north end.

Ribbon Cutting for Bedford Manor

Several Bronx community and elected stakeholders gathered April 14 to cut the ribbon on the newly opened Bedford Park Manor at 2985 and 2987 Webster Ave. The site, formerly a plumbing supplies company, houses 122 units, of which 80 percent are already rented. Amenities include a spacious courtyard. The complex was developed by The Stagg Group following major rezoning by New York City in 2009, at the behest of Community Board 7 and the Four Bronx Institution Alliance, comprised of Montefiore Medical Center, The New York Botanical Garden, The Bronx Zoo and Fordham University.

Latest Edition Of The Norwood News Hits Stands, and Online

By DAVID CRUZ The Norwood News is out with 24 pages of community news you can use, happenings and other nuggets of information. What’s intriguing about this edition (just coincidence really) is it’s heavily park-related. Makes sense, given all the parks that Norwood has been afforded these days. We begin with a push to restore some infrastructure issues at Mosholu Parkway, with representatives from the local institutions urging the community for some momentum in getting elected officials to commit to restoring the parkway. Find out what went on at a March 25 community meeting. One of our more attractive features this edition

By DAVID GREENE With news that The Doe Fund is building supportive housing in Norwood for those living with HIV/AIDS, we asked residents whether everyone deserves a decent place to live or if the infected should live elsewhere. I was caught by surprise by this, but it all comes down to one thing: knowing the basics about protection and really following it through. That’s the common law of the whole world; you don’t want to catch something you don’t want so you protect yourself. But this community as a whole accepting a building for that, affordable housing, I think it’s all right, but at the

Choosing a Supportive Housing Site Boils Down to Need, According to Developers

By JANAKI CHADHA The Doe Fund’s recent decision to build a $29.5 million supportive/affordable housing project at a vacant property on Webster Avenue comes at a time when real estate transactions have seen a major uptick along the northern corridor.

Latest Edition of the Norwood News Is Out

By DAVID CRUZ With the seasons changing hands and temperatures climbing (I also think I heard birds chirping), it’s a good time to head to your local business to pick up the latest copy of the Norwood News. We’ve packed 20 pages of community news you can use in the area, with a crime spike in the 52nd Precinct topping our news fold. Find out what the numbers are and what folks in some of the tougher neighborhoods have to say about the crime trend. We’re also following some major development news coming out of the Bedford Park/Norwood areas, beginning with

Jericho Project Given $200K for Homeless Vets

By KIMBERLY C. JACOBS The Jericho Project, a nonprofit that offers housing to homeless veterans, is slated to expand services and open its third home in the Bronx thanks to a hefty, two-year grant.

Property Housing Struggling Healthcare Nonprofit in Norwood Up For Sale

By DAVID CRUZ An office building home to a struggling social services firm in Norwood is up for sale, amid heavy selling and buying in the Bronx. The building has been home to Federation Employment & Guidance Service (FEGS), an 81-year non-profit that offers education, healthcare, disability care, housing and employment services primarily for the Jewish community, according to its website. The organization boasts 350 other locations citywide. A report in the New York Daily News in January said the firm is on the edge of filing for bankruptcy after laying off several dozen employees and revealing it’s $20 million in debt. Massey Knakal Realty

Neighborhood Notes

DYCD Application NYC’s Department of Youth and Community Development is accepting applications for the 2015 Summer Youth Employment Program through April 10. SYEP is available for young people ages 14 to 24 with up to six weeks of entry-level experience at worksites in the city. Participants are selected by lottery for the program, which runs from July 6 through Aug. 15 and are compensated for their work. Worksites interested in providing jobs have until May 16 to apply. For more information, call 311 or DYCD Youth Connect at (800) 246-4646. Poe Cottage Adds Hours The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage, 2640 Grand Concourse, is