From The Peopling of New York City
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The tour around Grand Concourse with Anthony Greene had made the text that we read in class more realistic. The tour had helped bridge the gap between the words and history within the text and the life and movement of people in the streets. Greene had brought to our attention the fact that the buildings and structures of the Bronx did not just spontaneously sprout up from the ground on their own; concentrated planning and construction played a major role in shaping the Bronx into the city that we know today.
The Bronx, as a city, had undergone a series of changes, both architecturally and socially, from its past suburban life to its growth as city of potential wealth to its subversion into decay and slum life to its present reconstruction; through all these changes there were similar movements within the neighborhoods. Greene had demonstrated to us some of these changes, mostly the physical and architectural developments, by describing and showing us photographs of how certain parts of the Bronx, such as the area around the court house and Yankee Stadium, used to look. It was fun to know that the original Yankee Stadium was not really the first stadium and that it was in actuality a reconstructed version of the first due to its decay back in the day; personally, it was a relief to know this history because I had misgivings about demolishing Yankee Stadium in lieu of the new stadium because the original one was a historical structure but since the old one was not really the “House That Ruth Built” my mind was more at peace with its destruction.
Amid the drastic changes that had occurred in the Bronx, such as the many paved roads, and city developments where unpaved tracks and farmland used to be, much of the Bronx remained the same, this was especially true for the Grand Concourse for much of the burning of the Bronx in the 70s did not reach this area. Apartment buildings that were considered luxurious and ahead of its time back when they were built in the 1920s are still standing and functioning with its architectural designs intact, such as the stone structures and engravings on the top story, albeit worn and in need of repair.
It was astounding to understand how grand the Bronx had been and the planning that had went into shaping the city, especially in contrast to how far it had fallen in stature and disrepair. There were rumors of how South Bronx was being gentrified and Greene had clarified for us that the term ‘gentrified’ might have been too exaggerated a word for the subtle developments that were taking place in that locale. People from foreign countries, other states, and different parts of New York had certainly started to settle in the Bronx, but they did not arrive in troops, only trickles here and there, so, yes, the Bronx is definitely undergoing another change, and there might be even greater effects once the new Yankee Stadium is finished, but it is too soon to make any valid conclusions.
Impressions of the South Bronx, Part II
Getting off at 161 St Yankee Stadium, I could see both the old and new Stadium looming overhead. The area around the two stadiums, other than the ever present construction crew, is uncannily vacant of people. It is hard to imagine that such renowned entertainment attractions can be so deserted during off seasons. Yet once I cross the street in the direction of Grand Concourse, the shift in atmosphere and population is immediate, the area is the picture of a small city. Directly across from the train station is a McDonald’s and only a couple of streets over is another fast food chain, Burger King, but the region is also rich with the neighborhood’s ethnic foods in restaurants like Great Wall, and Jamaican & American. The area is bustling with traffic, business and people.
A difference between this particular region and any other major cities, such as Manhattan, is that though the population in the South Bronx is large, it is not as diverse. I have noticed that during my visits around the Grand Concourse, through our class walks and field work for the scavenger hunt, that most of the populace consists of African Americans and Spanish speaking ethnic groups, which seems to be the consensus for the last thirty years or so.
As a procedure of precaution, one should wear goggles as one walks down the Concourse because it is more than likely that unwanted debris, such as dust, and sand, will blow into one’s eyes because of the considerable amount of construction in the area. One would not be exaggerating much if one said that there is construction going on in every corner and just to name a few, there is the finishing up of the new Yankee Stadium, the reinstitution of the Bronx Terminal Market, and various road reconstructions. After the walk through Grand Concourse with Anthony Greene, I realized that much of the remnants of the past still resides in the area, the Art Deco buildings are functioning, the old Courthouse is standing like a monument of the past, though a new one was built, and the original Grand Concourse Hotel is right across the street from the old Courthouse.
There is talk about gentrification in the area but if one takes a walk around the South Bronx one would realize that though the rumors are not exactly false, they are indeed exaggerated. The economy in the region is doing very well by all appearances because there are a lot of stores, businesses, and money going into the construction works but there is no imminent fear of an influx of rich people displacing the people in the neighborhood nor are there big corporation settlements and skyscrapers being built in the near future. It is true that some of the apartment prices have been soaring, but overall, the South Bronx is taking steps in the positive direction.
On the day of the Yankee game, the South Bronx had magically transformed into an alternate Disney-esque attraction for a few hours, because the ordinarily desolate area was “kicking with life.” Hordes of people of diverse ethnicities, though I have to admit that most were Caucasian, milled about and the cheers and sound of people were never as lively on a normal day in the South Bronx. And as befitting to this day of magical transformations, the baseball-oriented stores that lined the stadium that were usually closed for business, and for which I have never noticed had existed before that day, had opened and were selling overpriced trinkets like hotcakes.
It is a shame that the magic, like in all fairytales, only last till midnight and in this instance only until the cheers of victory for the Yankees have rang through the air. The South Bronx of today may not be as affluent as it had once been back in the 20s, when it was the place to be for the middle class and those who aspired to become middle class, but then again nothing is what it had once been in the roaring 20s. This once infamous region had come a long way from the dust of its burning and it shows great potential for further growth.
