Central Bronx Appears to be Turning Around (Eden, Walton: apartments, rental)

[Curiousguyeducator]

Many people consider me to be a nomad, someone who changes address every 1-2 years. For some reason or the other, I always end up moving, and prior to doing so, I check this forum to see get a better sense of some of the places I'm considering. For the most, many people in this forum do a good job at painting a clear image of what certain neighborhoods are like. But when it comes to the Bronx, well......many people on this board seem to be mistaken.

I just moved to the area by the Bronx Lebanon hospital and seem to think that this area is not that bad. In fact, many working-class proffesionals (nurses, social workers, teachers, etc.) live here. Furtmermore, there is a lot of greenery, many private houses, and not as many housing projects. Mt. Eden, in particular, shows a lot of potential.

[DAS]

the capitals are not working on my keyboard. can you give examples on how this area is improving. i know one person that moved to that area for about a year to save money, and find another apt in wakefield. he is a single man so he could take care of himself in that area. while some people on this forum find wakefield a bad area, he feels it is a big improvement over the mt eden area off the concourse.

i also know another person that lived there for some years, and recently bought a home in an up and coming area of south orange nj. this person also feels that this is a big improvement over the mt eden area. i have also read some not so favorable things on the nj forum concerning south orange.

both people seem very relieved not to live in the mt eden section anymore.

[Curiousguyeducator]

I know. I've been living in this area for about two years and am just now seeing things turn around. What I'm noticing is that the streets are cleaner and less noisy. Also, the Mt. Eden malls, a strip of park that runs from Moroe to Walton, are almost finished, giving the area an aesthetic boost. A couple of storefronts have also been renovated.

I have also, believe it or not, been spotting more and more proffesionals moving into the area.

[DAS]

thank you for responding. i am old enough to remember when it was a beautiful area, only professionals would live there. i could remember it being an area that people aspired to live in. when i was a child i remember 2 of my friends aunts, graduating from college, one a teacher, one a social worker, marrying and moving over there. everyone was so happy for them to be able to move into that area. i also remember year later hearing of them leaving the area because of the decay.

i know that some of the homes and apt buildings probably need renovations, but the apts are large. i hope that the area can be restored. the natural beauty of the hills and trees are nice too if you can look beyond the current urban blight.

[SuperMario]

It may appear to be changing in your eyes, but in reality nothing of the sort is happening. There isn't really any new construction going on aswell as no noticible change in demographics. It is what it has been, although better than it was 10-20 years ago.

[Curiousguyeducator]

It's not just changing in my eyes. And there is construction going on. Just look at the Mt Eden malls. Also, the Bronx Lebanon has just finished constructing a children's hospital that looks very attractive, at least from the outside. A new supermarket is also opening next to the Rite Aid on the concourse, which will mean people don't have to walk past an eyesore vacant rental property.

No, the Central Bronx is not experiencing gentrification. Not at all. But it is improving, albeit gradually. More proffesionals are moving in. Some two bedroom apartments are even being rented out for 1,500. In other words, I don't consider the area to be the bombed-out mess it was in the 90s. There's no need to be ashamed to live in that area, that's all. It's a fairly decent neighborhood that's gradually turning around.

[Curiousguyeducator]

One more thing. The demographics are changing somewhat. More asians are slowly moving into the area.

[NooYowkur81]

I think there are some baby steps starting to happen overall in Central Bronx. But overall a lot of times I feel like it's a one step forward two steps back type of thing. There is still a lot of work to be done.

[jt1775]

The Mt Eden Malls were always there- they are just redoing them. In my opinion, they were fine how they were. Also, the supermarket that is opening up next to Rite Aid was always a supermarket, except it closed down 2 or so years ago.

Not to be overly critical, but the neighborhood still suffers from a lot of dysfunction. A lot of crime, violence, drugs, and filth. As a young, single guy, I guess it's not the worst place you could live, but I would never want to raise a family there.

[Elvira Black]

I think the Bronx is slowly going back "up," but sometimes it's hard to read the signs. The things the OP and others mention are signs that the area is on an upswing rather than down, though crime in general seems to be going up again so there you go. But the whole country is in an economic mess etc.

I saw the Lower East Side turn from a hood no one would really brag about living in to a hipster destination which is now very expensive. Most of Manhattan transformed itself that way, and those too young to remember may not realize that many hoods were considered beyond the pale. Now most of the boro is very expensive, desirable, and upscale.

There's a tipping point that has yet to be hit in some Bronx hoods, but the signs are there. Other hoods are very safe (Riverdale for example) and certainly there's a lot of potential (river cleanup, renovation of parks, new stores, etc).

From my viewpoint, the area I live in is still considered "bad," but for my taste it's pretty good. Everything is very cheap, and it's near enough to Manhattan that I don't feel like I'm in Siberia, though I tend not to venture into the City much anymore. And the City seems to have become a lot tamer anyway.

There's a certain charm in working class/poorer hoods and more street life, variety, etc. If I lived in the midwest, I think I'd be pretty bored, but probably more "safe" (though that also depends on the area.)

Just my two cents.