No Visit to Rikers by Biden as WITNESS launches Hats & Gloves Campaign

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Chair of the New York City Council criminal justice committee, Manhattan City Council Member Carlina Rivera, tweeted on Wednesday that she had written a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, inviting him to take a tour of Rikers Island during his upcoming visit to New York on Thursday, Feb. 3. However, a visit by the president to the controversial City jail was not on the cards in the end, as confirmed by the White House. The president’s visit was instead taken up with various discussions with Mayor Eric Adams and other gun violence prevention expert groups on immediate strategies to

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Building applications have been filed with NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) for a new, 7-story, mixed-use building at 229 West Kingsbridge Road in Fordham Manor, as reported by YIMBY. Located between Heath Avenue and Kingsbridge Terrace Street, the lot is closest to the Marble Hill-225th Street subway station, serviced by the 1 train. Durgaj Properties Corporation is listed as the owner behind the applications. The proposed 70-foot-tall development will yield 25,841 square feet, with 24,666 square feet designated for residential space and 1,175 square feet for community facility space. The building will have 37 residences, most likely rentals

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Gov. Kathy Hochul joined NYC Health + Hospitals president and CEO, Dr. Mitchell Katz, Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, and District 11 city council member, Eric Dinowitz, on Tuesday, Feb. 1, to thank the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) medical team for supporting health care workers at NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx (NCB), located on Kossuth Avenue in Norwood. Hospital officials said the DoD team is comprised of providers, nurses, army medics, respiratory technicians, and command staff. The team arrived on Tuesday, Jan. 25, were trained on hospital policies and procedures, and later began

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Building applications have been filed with NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) for a new, eight-story, mixed-use building at 1506 Southern Boulevard in the Crotona Park East section of the Bronx, close to the Charlotte Gardens neighborhood, as reported by YIMBY. Located between East 172nd Street and Jennings Street, the lot is two blocks north of the Freeman Street subway station, serviced by the 2 and 5 trains, according to YIMBY, and Abdul Kayum is listed as the owner behind the applications. The proposed 74-foot-tall development will yield 20,104 square feet, with 19,480 square feet designated for residential space

By SÍLE MOLONEY & DAVID GREENE

Norwood News received a confirmed report of falling bricks at 200 West Tremont Avenue in the Morris Heights section of The Bronx on Tuesday, located south of Bronx Community College and the University Heights border. We reached out to New York City Department of Buildings for more information. A DOB official responded on Tuesday, saying, “Earlier today, DOB inspectors were called to the scene at 200 West Tremont Avenue, Bronx to investigate reports of bricks falling from the side of the building.” They continued, “Our investigation determined that an approximately 20 foot X 5 foot section of masonry

By SÍLE MOLONEY

Affordable housing units in an eight-story, residential building are still available at 2026 Walton Avenue in the Mt Hope section of The Bronx, as reported by YIMBY. Designed by Fred Geremia Architects & Planners, and developed by G & E Walton Developers, the structure yields 43 residential units. Available on NYC Housing Connect, the online portal for New York City Department of Housing, Preservation & Development, are 13 units for residents at 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $44,400 to $167,570. The attached chart by New York City Department of Housing Preservation

Editor’s Pick Join Elizabeth Cooney, Woodlawn Cemetery & Conservancy’s coordinator of educational programming for Woodlawn’s Lovers Trolley tour of the cemetery, located at 4199 Webster Ave, Bronx, NY 10470, on Sunday, Feb. 13, the day before St Valentine’s Day, at 2 p.m., at the Jerome Avenue entrance, and visit the sites of Woodlawn’s notable lovers. Tour stops include Irene and Vernon Castle, Ida and Isidor Straus, and Celia Cruz and Pedro Knight. Adults $25 and Students/Seniors $20. All guests are required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations and will be asked to wear a mask on the trolley. For tickets, go to: https://www.woodlawn.org/conservancy/tours-events/, and

By JOSÉ A. GIRALT

Concerns over growing piles of trash, suggestions for tenant education around fire safety, and the end of the eviction and foreclosure moratorium drew much of the attention at various community meetings held locally in January. Bedford Mosholu Community Association (BMCA) addressed four sanitation issues that continue to plague the area at their latest meeting on Jan. 5. As previously reported, the underpass on Webster Avenue by the 52nd precinct in Norwood, on the Bedford Park border, has been used for years as an ad hoc parking lot for cars wrecked in vehicle collisions, which await further investigation by precinct

By DAVID GREENE

Over 300 Bronxites turned out for a day of learning, planning, and healing, as dozens of local organizations converged on The Mary Mitchell Center, located at 2007 Mapes Avenue in the Crotona section of the Bronx, for “The Bronx People’s Festival” on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021. Participating groups included Mothers on The Move, Banana Kelly Community Improvement Association, Laborers International Union of North America, The Point, The Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC), the Bronx Cooperative Development Initiative and others. The various groups were on hand to provide guests with assistance, as well as free gifts, as

Norwood News

Serving Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights

Housing

No Visit to Rikers by Biden as WITNESS launches Hats & Gloves Campaign

Fordham Manor: Building Applications Filed for 229 West Kingsbridge Road

Hochul Thanks North Central Bronx Staff and DoD Emergency COVID-19 Team during Visit

Crotona Park East: Building Applications Filed for New 8-Story, Mixed-Use Building at 1506 Southern Blvd

Morris Heights: Section of Masonry Wall Falls Off at 200 West Tremont Avenue

Mt Hope: Housing Lottery Continues for Units at 2026 Walton Avenue, Deadline Feb. 14

Out & About: Woodlawn Lovers Trolley Tour, International Salsa, NYC Compost Project & More!

Trash, Fire Safety & Housing are Priorities for Norwood & Bedford Park Residents in New Year

NWBCCC Bids Fond Farewell to Karen Washington at The Bronx People’s Festival