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NYur I would disagree with you...there are A LOT of opportunities for middle class people, but they want their cake and eat it too in the most expensive city in the world. RIGHT NOW you an have a completely renovated 3 family brownstone building in the Bronx (southern Bronx) for the grand total of $300,000...all 3 bedroom apts. But it's not selling...and hasn't been for along time. Why? Because people don't want an "opportunity" they want the finished product at the "opportunity" cost (i.e. they want the middle class neighborhood with all the perks/amenities for the low-income neighborhood price). That's not a middle class oppportunity..thats simply wanting your cake and eat it too.
There are LOTS of opportunities in the Bronx, especially the Southern Bronx..but you can't have your cake and eat it too. If you want OPPORTUNITES they are all over, if you want ESTABLISHED middle class areas at low-income prices...it ain't gonna happen. So therein lies the problem...
And since some people have touched on the Armory redevelopment fiasco..here is my 2 cents:
How can you negotiate a deal when Ruben Diaz, and his contingent of lackies profess "no job is better than a job" ..in other words..we rather be hanging out and on welfare (which is what happens when you don't work) than work for a living.
We as NYC residents, should be VERY afraid of that entitlement mentality of "we deserve more because we say so, otherwise we rather have nothing" because that is ultimately why the Bronx never recovered the way other boroughs have. The retail wages paid the same as they do in every other borough in NYC, and they were never meant to support a family of 4, a mortgage, 2 cars, private schools, and vacations. The purpose of these jobs was to provide people an OPPORTUNITY to work, gain experience, earn a wage, NOT be the head of household with 3 kids. But somehow, Ruben Diaz believes these jobs should do just that..why? Because he says so and "we deserve it."
The problem? 1-We don't DESERVE anything....you earn things. You want a higher wage? It is not by extortion and claiming racism, it is by going to school and/or gaining higher paying skills (that takes WORK!). Ruben Diaz would have you believe you need do nothing, and simply sit around and demand things regardless of your education/skill set...and until you get whatever it is you want, simply hang out on welfare. 2-Ruben Diaz believes we "deserve" this living wage, and the Bronx does not want these $7.25 per hour jobs because we "deserve" better. Ok...so then why is he standing alongside all the other local merchants who DO pay $7.25 an hour but are demanding Related pay $11 per hour (or whatever the amount is)? Why is it ok for them but not Related? Furthermore, why is it ok for so many other companies/jobs in the Bronx to pay these wages? Don't we "deserve" it? Should he not be demanding it from ALL employers in the Bronx and not just Related? We "deserve" it after all..right?
Wanna read more about this fiasco and what other are saying..take a look..this is all quite informative:
The failure of the armory really,really gets under my skin. Kingsbridge residents embarrased the borough. Maybe im looking at this naively, but these people want to make a living off jobs, normaly reserved for high school teenagers? I dont get it. They were directing their attention at the wrong project. It was a selfish act, the armory would have been a win for the whole borough
Meh I have mixed feelings about the failed Armory project. I'm not sure a mall was really the best use of the property considering there is a "outdoor mall" literally just a few blocks away. Maybe it turns out for the best if something else is developed there, I just hope its sooner rather than later.
While I can agree with that NYur. the problem is 1-there was no plan B..and never was. Why not? 2-Playing the race card/blame game apparently is a sure way to get elected, but also a sure way to sink the borough, as we have learned.
After 20 years of workign towards doing SOMETHING, ANYTHING with this beautiful but abandoned site, we FINALLY had a deal that was not perfect (aka a retail outlet), but nevertheless it was the ONLY viable deal in the last 20 years, and there was NO plan b. So instead of a retail outlet that would have renovated this historic building, eliminated this eyesore, provided the community with jobs, retail amenities that are not available at the "outside mall", as well as community space, and a tax stream for the city, we have NOTHING but "ideas" from the Borough President Ruben Diaz.
It took 20 years for this deal to happen, how long, if ever, will Ruben's "ideas" take? The credit crunch is here to stay, investors are few and far between, and now you have any potential investors/developers scared off for fear of attacks/claims of racism by the Borough President and his lackies for not doing whatever it is they say. What a freakin joke.
SoBro I totally get what your saying and hopefully the economy picks up and there will be better projects but right now it looks pretty grim and like a mistake overall not to have gone through with it...
If there were more home ownership opportunities in the Bronx (i.e., condos and co-ops) that are priced right, you might get more of a middle class moving in. With more home ownership you might get more community pride and things could change. I have looked for co-op/condo opportunities outside of Riverdale but they are few and far between.
there are a LOT of condos and co-ops in the Bronx. Many of the older prewars converted to co-ops/condos throughout the borough in the 80s. They were priced right too. I should know because I purchased my first condo in Pelham Parkway when I was 22 for 85K, handyman special. Now I know that it is impossible to get one for that price now I still think you can find something in a decent neighborhood within your budget. I don't think it's lack of affordable homeownership opportunities that's preventing a middle class migration. Although I must say that in many of the decent neighborhoods, it is largely populated by middle income people.
Yknow people are going to feel however they want to feel. Doesn't really ranckle me anymore. I'm proud to have been born and raised in the Bronx, and I didn't worry excessively about being shot at either. You learn in NYC to mind your business wherever.
People are going to think whatever they're going to think. Stigmas are stigmas. People who are actually in the know know that the Bronx has some very beautiful parts - ie Van Courtland Park, Pelham Bay, City Island, even where my mom lives in Clason Point - her view of Manhattan is just the best.
Bronx politicians irritate the hell out of me because they largely support one type of constituent. Can't remember if it's Carrion or Diaz who proclaimed the Bronx as another P.R. county. Not ragging on people of Hispanic descent because I'm half Latin but cmon the Bronx is more than just one racial group and income level and everyone's input should be appreciated. I would have loved to see some quality shopping. I did all of my shopping in Westchester.
I was so happy when I moved out of the Bronx, it was disgusting. Sure there are some nice areas, like Pelham, but there's also a different class of people there that make it nice. I know it sounds wrong, but the Bronx has many, many neighborhoods that I wouldn't dare walk through. I lived in Soundview, and that bang bang sound you heard outside was not a car backfiring. I am happy to learn that the streets are slowing getting cleaned up, but in general, I don't see the Bronx becoming home to the luxury condos and better developments. Every state needs its trash and poor area..the bronx is just that..new york's dumpster. Sorry, just my opinion .
I was just reminded of how bad my hood can be. Drug dealers out in full force today. But this is nothing new to the west Bronx, which is basically large buildings, graffiti, and drugs.
Can't wait to get out of here!
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