Gentrification starts to hit Highbridge, Grand Concourse

[Bronxguyanese]

Originally Posted by Norwood Boy

Highbridge is not the Grand Concourse. I would love to see where the reporter of this fluff piece is actually from. Has the GC gotten better down there? Yes. Also there are some nice buildings along Walton Ave. One of my favorites down there is 654 Walton. Art deco building at 153rd and Walton. Highbridge, is up the hill going towards the "HighBridge". Some streets in HB are Nelson,Anderson, Woodycrest,Shakesphere, Summit, and Ogden Ave. Also in general with the area on the GC. It's the buildings that have gone coop that are doing well. BTW, I agree with BXguy. Highbridge has seen a huge uptick in Dominicans spilling over from the Heights. The 181th St bridge connects the areas. Also a sizable African community is growing there. Specifically along Jessup ave.

The city should rename Harlem River. Rio Santo Santo Domingo, Rio Quesequeya, Rio Platano, Rio David Ortiz, are the names ai suggest.

[Norwood Boy]

Originally Posted by SeventhFloor

I don't see where the confusion was...the article seemed to distinguish each neighborhood individually.

"Welcome to the Highbridge and Grand Concourse neighborhoods in the South Bronx, where income growth in recent years has been among the highest in the city, but in the process has begun to push up some of the city's lowest average rents."

The article really mentioned GC which I believe is Concourse Village? Why even mention HighBridge if no actual stats about the area. They actually spoke more of the Bruckner area. Which has been rehashed on this forum a million times. I honestly don't see any income growth in Highbridge.

[DAS]

The area is attracting people from Manhattan because it is cheaper and only a couple of train stops from Manhattan if you are used to doing things in Manhattan.

To me the word gentrifier when it comes to upper Manhattan and the south Bronx is just a code word for White people. Like saying a neighborhood is safe, means it is predominately White.

For many in the Bronx it has only been a couple of years that they are seeing Whites in their neighborhoods, so they think that means that they (the Whites) have more money. They may not in a way. They may pay for a coop or condo or even a 2 or 3 family house with all cash or most of it paid off. Then only have a low maintenance fee or have expenses paid by renters. Some long term non-White residents don't have a stash of cash to do this, and are dependent on Section 8 or some other subsidy. However for both the Whites and the non-Whites they may be in the same salary/income ranges. Just that the Whites came in with an inheritance or gifts from family to purchase something.

Also 5-10% increases over a decade may not seem like much. But many middle income non-White people are civil servants and they have not had a raise in a decade or more. The price of everything else has gone up. So many have been forced to move. For some, they actually purchased, and are able to keep their expenses down just like the Whites moving in their neighborhoods.

For others not receiving section 8 but struggling along HRA has no shortage of one shot deal applications. Many tenants and landlords rely on these yearly. The problem here is when tenants try to keep their tax refunds and get a one shot deal. Thats really trifling. At least pay your rent. But no matter the poor will get subsidy one way or another. Even the shelter system has become a means of survival for families and landlords.