Tenants Confront Worst Bx. Landlord

With more than 2,300 housing violations and a muddled reputation, the time had come for New York City’s worst landlord to take his place on the hot seat. Ved Parkash, long dubbed the worst landlord in New York City by the Public Advocate’s annual worst landlord’s watchlist, finally met with some of his residents in a Q&A forum at the Concourse House at 196th Street and the Grand Concourse in Bedford Park on July 12. For his part, Parkash sat in the center by his lonesome, left to answer tough questions from raging tenants. The Parkash Tenant Coalition, a

Hello Faithful Readers, The month-long edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of Bronx community news you can use. With our July-August edition, are some interesting stories intended to pique your interest. We first begin in Bedford Park with a tenants meeting involving Ved Parkash, dubbed the city’s worst landlord. Hear what tenants living in his buildings had to say about conditions, which have drawn the ire of city officials. Also, hear what Mr. Parkash had to say of his buildings. Moving into the pages of the edition you’ll read up on Mosholu Montefiore Community Center‘s respected executive director,

By DAVID CRUZ

Police have a visual on a suspect wanted for robbing a cell phone, and they need the public’s help tracking him. The suspected thief (pictured), allegedly grabbed a 27-year-old victim of her phone while she was sleeping on board the uptown 4 train at the Woodlawn subway station on May 29. The suspect fled and the victim was left without a phone. She did track it down to a cell phone store at 1286A Southern Blvd. near Soundview, thanks to a cell phone tracking app. The suspect was last seen wearing a black t-shirt with white roman numeral numbers and a

The fate of a well-respected management firm that’s provided services to a Mitchell Lama complex in Kingsbridge was put on hold by the building’s board of directors who seek to replace them. For some 60 years, Amalgamated Houses has been tethered to Park Reservoir, the first Mitchell Lama cooperative in the Bronx. It offers amenities that include community get-togethers, and custodial services such as pre-dawn snow shoveling during the winter season. Tenants fear those services will be diminished should a new management firm be hired. “The board felt there was a lot of confusion and anger at them so they

By DAVID CRUZ

An enormous but barren parcel of land at the southwestern tip of the Bronx is one step closer towards development by the city, testing interest in the waterfront while advancing Mayor Bill de Blasio’s overall vision for the South Bronx. The 158,000-square-foot property, settled at the shadow of the Major Deegan Expressway and Bronx Terminal Market near 149th Street, represents one of the city’s larger available spaces in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx. The city, through a Request For Expressions of Interest (RFEI), is envisioning a whopping 40-story, mixed-used affordable housing complex overlooking the Harlem River. RFEI’s are a precursor

By DAVID CRUZ

Fifty soccer fields are expected to be built over the next five years across the city, and in the Bronx, as part of a public-private partnership to “leveling the playing field” and increase mentorship opportunities, city officials announced. Mayor Bill de Blasio visited Millbrook Houses in Mott Haven to announce NYC Soccer Initiative, a $3 million venture among the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, sports apparel Adidas, U.S. Soccer Foundation, and the New York City Football Club (NYCFC). The club’s base of operations is at Yankee Stadium. Millbrook Houses, falling under the city housing authority, is one of

Body Camera Survey The NYPD wants your opinion on its officer body-worn cameras. Take the questionnaire or submit comments at nypdbodycameras.org. TV Production Training Workshops on television production are available through BronxNet Television, the borough’s official public access television station, from July 12 through Sept. 3, at either Mercy College or Lehman College. Registration fee is $90 for in-studio training and $100 for field production. For more information, call (718) 960-1181. Free Summer Meals Free summer meals for children age 18 and under is available until Sept. 2 at public schools, community pool centers, New York City Housing Authority complexes,

This week we asked readers their thoughts on the delay of redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory into an ice skating center, and if they think the project will ever be completed. I think an ice skating rink should be built there; it would be fun. There’s not many over here. Most of them are far away, like Manhattan. I honestly think they want to build something else there, they don’t want to build a skating rink. I heard some saying it was a waste of money, that once they build it, no one would go. Jahira Davis Yonkers I

By WENDY JOAN BIDDLECOMBE

Lifelong Bronxite Samelys Lopez, former second vice chair at Bronx Community Board 7, is petitioning to become the Democratic Female District Leader for the 78th Assembly District, an area that covers Bedford Park, Kingsbridge Heights, Fordham and a portion of Belmont. The district leader is an elected and unpaid volunteer within both the Democratic and Republican parties, and responsibilities for the position include hiring poll workers, listening to and advocating for community members’ concerns and encouraging people to be involved in the local political process. There are two district leaders for each assembly district, one female and one male, who