Mt. Vernon extremely run-down (New York, Mount Vernon: lofts, home, college)

[roskybosky]

I still can't believe the Italian thing...it sounds so funny to me. But my family has been here since the late 1800s and has always been well off. To me, the Italians have the big houses and perfect lawns, and play a lot of golf and tennis and hope their kids get into the Ivy league. Well, I guess in the beginning they probably had language barriers...just hard to believe.

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by roskybosky

Mount Vernon used to be the perfect example of small-town America, and we all know those days are gone. But it serves a different and perhaps more important purpose these days (and I don't live in the area so I don't read about the crime, etc.) The people who have come to live in Mt.Vernon are using it as a stepping stone, or even as a final destination. From the outside, they might be a population that's looked down on, but from the inside they are their own kind of mover and shaker. When I drive through Mount Vernon these days (well, summer days) it's hard to find a block that doesn't have several houses being worked on; new siding, new decks, paint, additions. The houses are old and nice. It's a bustling place. I even had a Margarita in a sidewalk cafe and watched all different people calling out greetings, waving to friends. It was a very 'urban' feeling. But the city serves as a stepping stone for people and immigrants trying to better themselves. They're not anything like other Westchester populations. They're in a different stage of the game.

It actually always was like that, only difference is who the immigrants are. Just replace "Jews and Italians" 50 years ago with "Brazilians and West Indians" today. It may feel more "urban" now, but believe me, it's still very much a "big small town" where a lot of people still know everyone.

[roskybosky]

Well, not really. There's a distinct difference.

When my great grandparents settled there, it was still rural, especially near the Hunts Woods section. Gramatan avenue was a dirt road. Mt V was originally a second-home cooperative for wealthier people in the city. You paid a membership fee and dues, and you could build a home there for recreational purposes, or just use the facilities. The northern part of the town was a golf course.

It built up in the early 1900s to become an elegant suburb, with parks, fountains, a thriving shopping center. It had 2 high schools, and several middle schools scattered throughout the city.

When the town built 1 high school in the early 60s, and bussed all the students in town to the 1 school, the white flight began and never stopped. The single high school threw together everyone of all economic groups, and it created a discord.

The folks who are there now inherited the urban-ness. The original inhabitants actually created the town. My mom remembers when Gramatan ave was still a dirt road, and she was born in 1927.

(BTW, Bronxville had a town anniversary several years ago, and the stores all had black and white photos from earlier in the 20th century. Judging from the photos, Pondfield road was also dirt road, so I guess it was common in that area.)

It slowly built up over time, many of the families I knew moved on to Bronxville, Scarsdale or other Westchester towns, and slowly the demographics changed.

I'm always glad to see the locals fixing up the old homes, but Mt V will always serve a different purpose than it did originally.

[DarkWolf]

Originally Posted by hilltopjay

I disagree. I think big box stores help increase the curb appeal of the area mainly because their store fronts and landscaping around the store is done in good taste with clean lines. Everything looks orderly. That's usually not the case with mom and pop shops as the majority that I've seen look run down or poorly maintained. They can be an eye sore to the area.

Streetscaping can be done without the Big Box stores look at Downtown Jersey City or The Ironbound there retail streets have been upgraded. You can set rules and change the zoning codes to make the Mom and pop stores look nice. Mom and Pop stores strength a community while Big Box often ignores and destroys the community.

[nonny]

I think that the big box stores brought a lot of people and jobs to Mt. Vernon.

[hilltopjay]

A lot of the bad areas of Mt. Vernon reminds me of Newark. Very run down and ghetto. Its basically the class of people that live there that make it that way.

[ABQConvict]

Mount Vernon is a city that should be doing better because there are many hardworking and proud folks there, not only in Fleetwood, but the whole city. The problem is that the southside is plagued by certain segment that is proud to be stupid (and violent) who are ruining it for their neighbors and the rest of the city. Some people are willing to stunt their city and their own children in exchange for 'street cred'.

[nonny]

I know! Isn't there some way of reaching those kids?

[jjinla]

Not to sound cruel, but one could start by not paying certain people to have more of them in the first place. Especially when most of the money is used for things other than keeping their kids fed.

I think we've pretty much proven as a society that creating a welfare state doesn't work so great for generations of people.

[hilltopjay]

Originally Posted by jjinla

Not to sound cruel, but one could start by not paying certain people to have more of them in the first place. Especially when most of the money is used for things other than keeping their kids fed.

I think we've pretty much proven as a society that creating a welfare state doesn't work so great for generations of people.

I agree. A Welfare state does not help these people. It just keeps them lazy and under achievers as they get free money for doing nothing. What incentive do you have to improve your lifestyle if uncle Sam keeps giving you a hand out?