At the Chamber of Commerce luncheon during Bronx Week, the mayor announced a new task force to create a plan for the south Bronx. Many of us remember other plans for the south Bronx; some of them have gone a long way toward being implemented. What interests us is, that in this case, the area to be reviewed is Community Districts 1 to 4. The term ‘South Bronx’ has referred to the area below Fordham Road or Districts 1 to 6 since, at the latest, the work of the South Bronx Development Office, which started in the late 1970s.

Some communities always disagreed. Many in Mount Hope, Belmont and elsewhere always denied being in the south Bronx. People and organizations in Hunts Point and Mott Haven also see the south Bronx in narrower terms, or use “South South Bronx” for emphasis. Maybe it was the blackout in 1977 — the Summer of Sam — or the exodus of NYU, or the fight over a new Fordham Hospital and the massive demolition that was to no avail. Whatever the reason, the name South Bronx came to include neighborhoods never envisioned in perhaps the earliest plan, the South Bronx Model Cities area of 1965. That plan, developed during the Johnson administration, only included Districts 1, 2 and 3.

 Neighborhood and community names are not solid in the Bronx. Lots of people identify with a street name: “I live by Bainbridge.” When we started using Norwood to refer to the whole triangle, some old-timers argued that the west side was really “Jerome Avenue.” And, in truth, “Norwood” originally referred to an 1888 real estate development east of the Oval.

Where does Bedford Park end and Fordham (north) begin? Whatever happened to south Fordham? What is the boundary between University Heights and Kingsbridge Heights? And whatever happened to the Jerome Park neighborhood?  There’s no Bain Bridge but there was a William’s Bridge and a Gun Hill. Who gets to say? Maybe the mayor gets to call a particular collection of neighborhoods the South Bronx, but if history is any guide, there is no guarantee it will stick.

Armory Clock Anniversary

A year ago, we started running the Armory Clock after local elected officials and the governor toured the Kingsbridge Armory. We said we’d run it until the officials identified an alternative site for the National Guard units that remain at the facility. That was the major stumbling block at the time.

But in May, Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff promised the city would issue a request for proposals (RFP) by the end of August, even without a new Guard site in mind. A year ago, it was thought that a Guard site needed to be identified by the city or state before an RFP was issued. But that, thankfully, has proven not to be the case.

If an RFP is indeed issued next month, that will get the ball rolling. Prospective developers may then identify their own sites for the Guard, as one already has. The city may also help scout a suitable location.

Whatever the final outcome, we should all keep our eyes on the ball – getting the RFP issued in August. We will keep the clock running until that happens.