Gentrification in the Bronx
“While new developments and investments are transforming the landscape of the Bronx, we won't really know if Bronxites are benefiting from this change for awhile. The fear of being displaced and losing the borough's cultural history is real. On the other hand we can view Comp Sci High as an example of an inclusive future that the Bronx can continue to look forward to.”
I was headed to 125th Street but I ended up getting out of the wrong train station. It was 138th Street. When I came out of the train station, I saw four tall towers which I found to be called Third at Bankside. I thought these were new developments in Manhattan, but I realized I was still in The Bronx. This is when I first started to realize gentrification in the Bronx was starting. Many of us at Comp Sci High live in the Bronx and have seen such new developments in our communities. These developments are rapidly growing and leave us all asking: why is gentrification sweeping over the Bronx and who is gaining from this?
There are many causes of gentrification in the Bronx. One of the most significant causes is the influence of Manhattan which has been densely urbanized. Manhattan, one of the most prominent and costly places in New York City, has pushed developers to look for more affordable options nearby. The Bronx was one of the last few places with lower housing costs but recently became a target of the uprising of new, mostly residential, buildings. An example of this is the luxury apartment development Third at Bankside, located in the Mott Haven neighborhood. This was the first piece of infrastructure I've seen in the Bronx that sparked my thinking of the Bronx going through new revitalization. The Third at Bankside project in The Bronx has targeted high-income residents who wouldn't be too far from Manhattan but would pay less in rent. This is one of the many projects that have been placed in the Bronx to push out medium and low-income Bronxites and bring higher income residents in. Recently, there has been an 8% increase in rent prices in The Bronx according to a Bronx Times report, with the average one-bedroom apartment at $2,272, which is striking because the average household salary in The Bronx is merely $46,838.
Another reason why there has been a rise in gentrification in the Bronx is because of government and private investment in urban projects. This initiative aims to redevelop previously neglected areas through rezoning. The effect of this is tax initiatives for developers and attractions of new residents and real estate developers. Bronx residents have mixed reactions about these latest developments. I asked Dennis Pooler, who has been a Bronx resident for 25 years and lives in the South Bronx, about what he thinks about gentrification in the Bronx. He says he's all for it and claims that “the areas which are more dangerous in The Bronx need a little more help in new infrastructure and opportunities.”
Jesse, who is a 25-year resident of the Bronx and also my brother, is a project manager for a construction company that builds larger infrastructure like malls, and schools. He says gentrification in the Bronx isn’t benefiting Bronxites and is actually “pushing them out, as rising rent has pushed people out of their homes into shelters.” He went on: “Gentrification in the Bronx isn't capitalizing on The Bronx's rich culture and diversity but is forcing new culture and a new group of people.” Jesse isn't the only one that feels that Bronxites aren’t benefiting from gentrification in The Bronx. Though there has been new business and housing, this does not alleviate the cost Bronxites have to pay which is the inflation. The Bronx has some of the most impoverished zip codes in the country, and these new developments can’t overshadow the slow progress the Bronx is trying to make in order to bring more opportunities unless Bronxites are being included in these developments, which is hardly seen.
Comp Sci High is also part of the gentrification in The Bronx. Our new 50 million dollar state-of-the-art building has brought a new look to the South Bronx, the neighborhood which has seen the most gentrification in the Bronx. The CSH building does stick out like a sore thumb (even with its neutral gray color) when you walk through the neighborhood, but there is always new construction spread around the community causing the building to blend into its ever-changing landscape. The CSH building challenges the negative idea about gentrification in The Bronx by proving that gentrification can bring quality education, skills and education to young Bronx high schoolers.
While new developments and investments are transforming the landscape of the Bronx, we won't really know if Bronxites are benefiting from this change for awhile. The fear of being displaced and losing the borough's cultural history is real. On the other hand we can view Comp Sci High as an example of an inclusive future that the Bronx can continue to look forward to. Local voices have to be continued to be heard to help make our various communities better.