Italian community Villa Avenue (New York, Bedford: real estate, 2014, crime rate)
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Is there anything left of the Italian-American community of Villa Avenue, the Bronx? I walked through it every day to get to school (Bx Science) from 1967-70.
Just the shrine where the Virgin Mary appeared to Joey Vitolo.
Huge crowds of 30,000 people used to assemble there (on The Grand Concourse side) to get a glimpse of her during vigils while she was putting in her appearances. An absolute mob scene.
Joey died in 2014 but the Virgin Mary still appears there occasionally. There were reported sightings just a few month ago(in March) during a vigil for corona virus sufferers.
The 75th anniversary of her original appearance will be in October.
Joey lived at 3194 Villa Ave.( The blue house: https://goo.gl/maps/ZRB3Da1qqWzNJHev6).
The appearances were in his back yard overlooking The Concourse.
Is there anything left of the Italian-American community of Villa Avenue, the Bronx? I walked through it every day to get to school (Bx Science) from 1967-70.
Bedford Park is about one percent or less white/European, and while there still is an Italian-American presence in neighborhood, it is no where near what once was back in day. Area is largely Latino-Hispanic nowadays.
There is an Albanian presence up there as well, and as with other areas number of places with Italian names pizza places, restaurants....) are Albanian owned. Nothing bad about that, just saying...
Someone put up a bunch of videos showing block parties back in the day, so you can get your fix that way.
Bedford Park probably has... 2 persons of Italian descent left in the area... It is mostly Dominican and Puerto Rican, with a handful of West Indians, a handful of Albanians, and an even smaller handful of descendants of Irish.
This was only 30 years ago. Insane how quickly things change.
Is there anywhere in the city where Italian neighborhood parties like this are still held? Outside of Staten Island of course.
Things haven't really changed much. They still have similar block parties in various parts of Bedford Park in Summer . Biggest change is that it's now mostly Hispanic faces, food and music. But the atmosphere is very similar. The neighborhood just out having fun.
The other big change in the area since the late 80's is that the crime rate has gone way down compared to then, probably by 75% or 80 %.
Just the shrine where the Virgin Mary appeared to Joey Vitolo.
Huge crowds of 30,000 people used to assemble there (on The Grand Concourse side) to get a glimpse of her during vigils while she was putting in her appearances. An absolute mob scene.
Joey died in 2014 but the Virgin Mary still appears there occasionally. There were reported sightings just a few month ago(in March) during a vigil for corona virus sufferers.
The 75th anniversary of her original appearance will be in October.
Joey lived at 3194 Villa Ave.( The blue house: https://goo.gl/maps/ZRB3Da1qqWzNJHev6).
The appearances were in his back yard overlooking The Concourse.
New York City had at one time the highest concentration of Italians in the United States.
The only thing Italian Left in New York City is the real estate left to the children when the
parents passed away and are now being rented to the new comers while the landlords are
enjoying life somewhere, quietly,discreetly and under the radar in the suburbs.
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