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Parkchester, Bronx

Parkchester is a planned community and neighborhood originally developed by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and located in the central Bronx, New York City. The immediate surrounding area also takes its name from the complex. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise, are East Tremont Avenue to the north, Castle Hill Avenue to the east, Westchester Avenue to the south, East 177th Street/Cross Bronx Expressway to the southwest, and the Bronx River Parkway to the west. Metropolitan Avenue, Unionport Road, and White Plains Road are the primary thoroughfares through Parkchester.

Parkchester
The towers-in-the-park layout of Parkchester
Location in New York City
Coordinates: 40°50′20″N 73°51′36″W / 40.839°N 73.86°W / 40.839; -73.86Coordinates: 40°50′20″N 73°51′36″W / 40.839°N 73.86°W / 40.839; -73.86
Country United States
State New York
City New York City
Borough The Bronx
Community DistrictThe Bronx 9[1]
Area
 • Total0.482 sq mi (1.25 km2)
Population
 • Total33,602
 • Density70,000/sq mi (27,000/km2)
Economics
 • Median income$41,075
Ethnicity
 • Hispanic38.1%
 • Black42.8%
 • White3.7%
 • Asian12.5%
 • Others2.9%
ZIP Codes
10462, 10460, 10461
Area code718, 347, 929, and 917
Websitewww.parkchesternyc.com

The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community District 9 and is mostly located within ZIP Code 10462, with small sections in 10460 and 10461. The 6 and <6>​ trains of the New York City Subway operate along Westchester Avenue. The neighborhood is patrolled by the New York City Police Department's 43rd Precinct.[5] The privately owned housing complex is patrolled by the Parkchester Department of Public Safety.

History

 
An 1897 view of the Roman Catholic Protectory on the future site of Parkchester

The housing development has the same origins as Stuyvesant Town–Peter Cooper Village, and Riverton Houses in Manhattan, which were also originally developed and owned by MetLife. The name was later unofficially applied to the entire neighborhood surrounding the apartment complex. The name "Parkchester" itself was derived from the two neighborhoods on each side of the site of the housing development — Park Versailles[6] and Westchester Heights.[7][8]

MetLife displayed an intricate scale model of the proposed development at the 1939 New York World's Fair. The model showed all of the buildings and facilities, and was accurate down to inclusion of each of the 66,000 windows in the complex. The 51 groups of buildings were planned to house 12,000 families.[9]

The Parkchester residential development was originally designed and operated as a self-contained rental community for middle-class white families new to home ownership. MetLife chairman Frederick H. Ecker said that black renters were excluded because "Negroes and whites don't mix."[10]

It was built from 1939 to 1942 (despite emergency building restrictions during World War II) on the farmland of the New York Catholic Protectory, a home for orphaned and troubled boys conducted by the Brothers of the Christian Schools, which relocated to Lincolndale (and still exists in) Westchester County. Macy's opened their first branch store after their 34th Street flagship store in Parkchester in 1941.[11]

In 1974, approximately one-third of the complex was converted to condominiums, with the remaining portion, now Parkchester South Condominium converted later, in 1986. The complex is best known for its broad, tree-lined walkways between the distinctive red-brown buildings, and for its Works Progress Administration-style terracotta decorations on the buildings, that represent animal and human figures of many types. Many of these are the work of sculptor Joseph Kiselewski.[12]

In 2015 Parkchester celebrated its 75th anniversary with a family event on the Parkchester North Ball Field.[13]

Demographics

Based on data from the 2010 United States Census, the population of Parkchester was 29,821, an increase of 468 (1.6%) from the 29,353 counted in 2000. Covering an area of 210.76 acres (85.29 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 141.5 inhabitants per acre (90,600/sq mi; 35,000/km2).[3]

The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 42.8% (12,765) African American, 12.4% (3,721) Asian, 3.7% (1,105) Non-Hispanic White, 0.2% (73) Native American, 0.0% (11) Pacific Islander, 0.6% (171) from other races, and 2.0% (611) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 38.1% (11,364) of the population.[4]

The Parkchester apartment complex has a total residential population over 25,000 and a population density over 115,000 people per sq mi. It includes a significant South Asian population: Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Indian, including Catholics, Muslims, and Hindus. There are also a number of Italian, Polish, Irish, Eritrean and Albanian residents. Asian residents include Thais, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipinos, Burmese, and Cambodians. Parkchester also is home to a large and longstanding population of Puerto Ricans, like Luis R. Sepulveda who represents the area in the New York State Assembly and has his office on Westchester Avenue. Parkchester has one of the highest concentration of Puerto Ricans in New York City, as is it situated between Soundview and Castle Hill, which are also notable for having a significantly denser Puerto Rican population in comparison to other parts of the Bronx or the city as a whole. While the population is approximately over 40% African American and 38% Latino, the complex once had a whites-only policy. The resident population of the Parkchester apartment complex reflects a broad age distribution and the changing ethnic makeup of the Bronx.[2][14]

The entirety of Community District 9, which comprises Parkchester and Clason Point, had 184,105 inhabitants with an average life expectancy of 79.7 years.[15]: 2, 20  This is about the same as the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods.[16]: 53 (PDF p. 84) [17] Most inhabitants are youth and middle-aged adults: 25% are between the ages of between 0–17, 29% between 25–44, and 24% between 45–64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 10% and 12% respectively.[15]: 2 

As of 2017, the median household income in Community District 9 was $40,005.[18]

In 2018, an estimated 26% of Parkchester and Clason Point residents lived in poverty, compared to 25% in all of the Bronx and 20% in all of New York City. One in eight residents (13%) were unemployed, compared to 13% in the Bronx and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 55% in Parkchester and Clason Point, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 58% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018, Parkchester and Clason Point are considered low-income relative to the rest of the city and not gentrifying.[15]: 7 

Land use

 
Aileen B. Ryan Oval, formerly Metropolitan Oval

The Parkchester complex is composed of 171 four-sided brick buildings, either eight or 13 stories in height and numbered M (for Main) through 7 and M through 12, respectively. The 13 story buildings have dual elevators positioned side-by-side, while they eight-story buildings only have one. Some buildings even have a Terrace level - apartments that are located on the ground floor and noted by the T in front of the apartment letter, i.e., TA, TB, etc. These apartments differ from all others in the community in that they have an additional screened door in the living room section of the apartment that leads out onto a concrete patio where tenants usually put patio/lawn furniture.

The surrounding area, commonly referred to as "Parkchester," is dominated by multi-unit buildings unrelated to Parkchester complex. 78.4% of housing units are renter occupied. Retail locations are interspersed throughout the neighborhood as well as along Starling Avenue, McGraw Avenue, Metropolitan Avenue, Tremont Avenue, Unionport Road, and White Plains Road; the latter four streets are considered the backbones of the area.

Points of interest include:

  • American Theater, formerly Loews American, established in 1939, operated by Bow Tie Cinemas as a seven-screen multiplex until it closed in 2013. Converted to a Marshall's store.[19]
  • Macy's Department Store, with 175,000 square feet (16,300 m2) of selling space, opened in October 1941 as the company's first branch store.[11][20]
  • Zaro's Bakery, established in 1959, temporarily closed in 2015, reopened in 2017 close to its original location.[21][22][23][24][25][26]

A prominent feature of Parkchester is the Bangla Bazaar located throughout Olmstead Ave., Odell St., Purdy St., and Castle Hill Ave. The long stretch of blocks are occupied by businesses owned by Bangladeshis and is the heart of their community.

There are two subsections of the neighborhood. Parkchester Apartment Complex is a subsection of Parkchester. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise, are East Tremont Avenue to the north, Castle Hill Avenue to the east, McGraw Avenue to the south, and White Plains Road to the west. The apartment complex has recently undergone substantial renovations of many of their apartments.[27] Additionally, Stratton Park is on the west part of Parkchester. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise, are the Amtrak Northeast Corridor to the west and north, White Plains Road to the east, and East 177th Street (the Cross-Bronx Expressway service road) to the south. Its zip code is 10460, and its residents consider themselves as part of Parkchester.

At the heart of Parkchester is the 2 acres (0.81 ha) Aileen B. Ryan Oval, formerly Metropolitan Oval.[28]

Artwork

Parkchester was designed with aesthetics in mind as evidenced by intricate patterns of brickwork[29] and architectural ornaments.[30] The development contains 500 terra cotta statuettes and 600 plaques,[29][30] and depict a wide array of figures, including bullfighters, soldiers, mermaids, and Native American chiefs,[29] and animals, including gazelles, puffins, kangaroos, and bears.[30] Sculptures were largely provided by the Federal Seaboard Terra Cotta Corporation.[31] Among the nine sculptors on the project were Raymond Granville Barger, Joseph Kiselewski, Carl Schmitz and Theodore Barbarossa.[30] Their sculptures adorn the entrances and can also be seen high on the corners of the taller buildings.[12] Some are polychromatic, painted in bright colors, and some figures appear within rondels.[30] In the Aileen B. Ryan Oval, a fountain named Fantasia, created by Barger, was installed in 1941 and is often the backdrop of photographs.[29] The former Loew’s American Theater is ornamented with figures of two harlequins in the front and a matador, hula girl, flamenco dancer, and other figures in the rear.[30]

Approximately 45 of the sculptures were removed from 2018 to 2021; a campaign by history preservationists and architectural historians has launched to preserve the Parkchester sculptures.[30]

Public safety

Police and crime

Parkchester and Clason Point are patrolled by the 43rd Precinct of the NYPD, located at 900 Fteley Avenue.[5] The 43rd Precinct ranked 36th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010.[32] As of 2018, with a non-fatal assault rate of 100 per 100,000 people, Parkchester and Clason Point's rate of violent crimes per capita is more than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 603 per 100,000 people is higher than that of the city as a whole.[15]: 8 

The 43rd Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 76.1% between 1990 and 2020. The precinct reported 9 murders, 36 rapes, 399 robberies, 671 felony assaults, 244 burglaries, 680 grand larcenies, and 233 grand larcenies auto in 2020.[33]

Parkchester Department of Public Safety

The Parkchester Department of Public Safety protects the residents, visitors, and property of the Parkchester Housing condominiums.

Fire safety

Parkchester is served by the New York City Fire Department (FDNY)'s Engine Co. 64/Ladder Co. 47 fire station at 1224 Castle Hill Avenue.[34][35]

Health

As of 2018, preterm births and births to teenage mothers are more common in Parkchester and Clason Point than in other places citywide. In Parkchester and Clason Point, there were 106 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 26.4 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide).[15]: 11  Parkchester and Clason Point has a relatively average population of residents who are uninsured. In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 16%, higher than the citywide rate of 14%.[15]: 14 

The concentration of fine particulate matter, the deadliest type of air pollutant, in Parkchester and Clason Point is 0.0076 milligrams per cubic metre (7.6×10−9 oz/cu ft), more than the city average.[15]: 9  Eighteen percent of Parkchester and Clason Point residents are smokers, which is higher than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers.[15]: 13  In Parkchester and Clason Point, 32% of residents are obese, 16% are diabetic, and 34% have high blood pressure—compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively.[15]: 16  In addition, 25% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%.[15]: 12 

83% of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which is less than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 72% of residents described their health as "good," "very good," or "excellent," lower than the city's average of 78%.[15]: 13  For every supermarket in Parkchester and Clason Point, there are 13 bodegas.[15]: 10 

The nearest hospital campuses are Montefiore Medical Center's Westchester Square and West Farms campuses, as well as Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center's Longwood campus. The nearest large hospital is NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi in Morris Park.[36]

Post office and ZIP Codes

Parkchester is located within multiple ZIP Codes. The housing development proper is part of 10462, but the areas to the immediate west are located in 10460, and the immediate east, in 10461.[37] The United States Postal Service's Parkchester Station is located at 1449 West Avenue.[38]

Education

 
PS/MS 194

Parkchester and Clason Point generally have a similar rate of college-educated residents to the rest of the city as of 2018. While 23% of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, 30% have less than a high school education and 47% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 26% of Bronx residents and 43% of city residents have a college education or higher.[15]: 6  The percentage of Parkchester and Clason Point students excelling in math rose from 23% in 2000 to 44% in 2011, and reading achievement increased from 27% to 30% during the same time period.[39]

Parkchester and Clason Point's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is higher than the rest of New York City. In Parkchester and Clason Point, 28% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per school year, more than the citywide average of 20%.[16]: 24 (PDF p. 55) [15]: 6  Additionally, 69% of high school students in Parkchester and Clason Point graduate on time, lower than the citywide average of 75%.[15]: 6 

Schools

  • PS/MS 194, a public elementary and middle school situated on Zerega Avenue and Waterbury Avenue that educates students from kindergarten to 8th grade. It is also near the 6 train subway line and near the Zerega subway station
  • Castle Hill Middle School, a public middle school situated on St Raymond Avenue and Purdy Street, that educates students in grades 6–8. Formerly a troubled school known as JHS 127, it is now split into 7 different learning communities in order for students to get higher grades.[40]
  • St. Raymond Academy for Girls, a private high school situated on Castle Hill Avenue, that educates students in grades 9–12
  • St. Raymond Elementary School, a private elementary school and middle school situated on Purdy Street; it educates students in pre-kindergarten to grade 8
  • PS 106, a public elementary school located at 2120 St. Raymond Avenue for grades 1–5.
  • St. Helena Elementary, a private pre-school, elementary school, and middle school situated on Benedict Avenue that educates students from pre-k to 8th grade.
  • Bronx Charter School for Excellence, a charter school located on Benedict Avenue that educates students from kindergarten to 8th grade.

Library

The New York Public Library (NYPL)'s Parkchester branch is located at 1985 Westchester Avenue. The branch opened in 1942 within the Parkchester development and moved to its current two-story structure in 1985.[41]

Transportation

The following MTA Regional Bus Operations bus routes serve Parkchester:[42]

The following New York City Subway station serves Parkchester:[43]

In popular culture

  • Parkchester was the filming location for part of the Sporty Thievz 1999 video "No Pigeons." Extras were featured circling a red car parked in front of the Loews American (later known as just the American) theater on East Avenue.
  • Parkchester was featured in the film Doubt (2008), during the scene when Sr. Aloysius is walking with Mrs. Miller behind the building located at 2051 St. Raymond Avenue.[44]

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ^ "NYC Planning | Community Profiles". communityprofiles.planning.nyc.gov. New York City Department of City Planning. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Parkchester neighborhood in New York". Retrieved October 23, 2015.
  3. ^ a b Table PL-P5 NTA: Total Population and Persons Per Acre - New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010, Population Division - New York City Department of City Planning, February 2012. Accessed June 16, 2016.
  4. ^ a b Table PL-P3A NTA: Total Population by Mutually Exclusive Race and Hispanic Origin - New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010, Population Division - New York City Department of City Planning, March 29, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2016.
  5. ^ a b "NYPD – 43rd Precinct". www.nyc.gov. New York City Police Department. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  6. ^ Pollak, Michael. "F.Y.I.: A Key to the Past" (section: "Versailles in the Bronx"), The New York Times, January 30, 2009
  7. ^ Frattini, Dave. The Underground Guide to New York City Subways (Macmillan, 2000); ISBN 0-312-25384-2, ISBN 978-0-312-25384-4, p. 330
  8. ^ The Columbia Gazetteer of North America September 13, 2005, at the Wayback Machine (Columbia University Press, 2000), via Bartleby.com
  9. ^ "MODEL OF HOUSING DISPLAYED AT FAIR; Metropolitan Life's Project in Bronx to Be Known as 'Parkchester' SITE LINKED TO HISTORY Fifty-one Groups of Apartment Buildings Will House 12,000 Families", The New York Times, May 5, 1939. p. 47
  10. ^ Rothstein, Richard (January 20, 2020). "The Neighborhoods We Will Not Share". New York Times. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Weisbrod, Bill. "Macy’s: Parkchester store staying put", Bronx Times, November 16, 2011. Accessed March 9, 2021. "The Parkchester Macy's opened in 1941. It was the department store’s second location, after its original store on 34th street in Midtown. It is about 175,000 square feet and underwent a renovation in the early 2000s."
  12. ^ a b Cheslow, Jerry (May 10, 1992). "If You're Thinking of Living in: Parkchester". The New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
  13. ^ Wirsing, Robert (August 14–20, 2015), "Parkchester celebrates 75th", Bronx Times Reporter, p. 14.
  14. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 23, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Parkchester and Soundview (Including Bronx River, Castle Hill, Clason Point, Parkchester, Soundview, Soundview-Bruckner and Unionport)" (PDF). nyc.gov. NYC Health. 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
  16. ^ a b "2016-2018 Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan: Take Care New York 2020" (PDF). nyc.gov. New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  17. ^ "New Yorkers are living longer, happier and healthier lives". New York Post. June 4, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2019.
  18. ^ "NYC-Bronx Community District 9--Castle Hill, Clason Point & Parkchester PUMA, NY". Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  19. ^ Miller, Stuart (May 26, 2014). "Options Dwindle for Bronx Residents Trying to Escape to the Movies". The New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
  20. ^ "Macy Branch To Open; 5,000 Attend Preview of New Store in Parkchester", The New York Times, October 12, 1941. Accessed March 9, 2021.
  21. ^ "Landmark Bronx Bakery Forced To Close Doors After Lease Issues". Ilana Gold CBS 2 News New York. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  22. ^ "Beloved Bronx Bakery, Zaro's to Close After 55 Years At Same Location". Erin Clarke NY1 News. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  23. ^ "First Zaro's Bakery closed Monday in Parkchester". Amber Diaz New 12 The Bronx. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  24. ^ "Bronx's beloved Zaro's bakery closed its doors after 56 years". Ayana Harry PIX 11 News. December 28, 2015. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  25. ^ Ross, Keith (December 24, 2015). "Zaro's Bakery to shutter Bronx location, a fixture in the community for 56 years". New York Daily News. p. 12. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  26. ^ "Zaro's Bakery returns to the Bronx with grand opening". News 12 the Bronx. November 22, 2017. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
  27. ^ SOR Search Results on 30 May 2008 7:42 am[permanent dead link]
  28. ^ Lent, Elizabeth (July 2006). "A Successful Experiment in Living: The Evolution of Parkchester". The Cooperator. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  29. ^ a b c d Twomey, Bill (March 18–24, 2015). "Sculptors enhanced and beautified Bronx venues". Bronx Times Report.
  30. ^ a b c d e f g John Freeman Gill, Priceless Sculptures Are 'Literally Being Chipped Away', New York Times (May 20, 2022).
  31. ^ "Parkchester' sculptures". Forgotten New York. Greater Astoria Historical Society. September 25, 2008.
  32. ^ . www.dnainfo.com. Archived from the original on April 15, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  33. ^ "43rd Precinct CompStat Report" (PDF). www.nyc.gov. New York City Police Department. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  34. ^ "Engine Company 64/Ladder Company 47". FDNYtrucks.com. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  35. ^ "FDNY Firehouse Listing – Location of Firehouses and companies". NYC Open Data; Socrata. New York City Fire Department. September 10, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  36. ^ "Best 30 Hospitals in Bronx, NY with Reviews". Yellow Pages. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  37. ^ . United States Zip Code Boundary Map (USA). Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  38. ^ "Location Details: Parkchester". USPS.com. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  39. ^ "Parkchester / Soundview – BX 09" (PDF). Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy. 2011. Retrieved October 5, 2016.
  40. ^ "Turning Around A Troubled School", Marvine Howe, New York Times, July 24, 1994
  41. ^ "About the Parkchester Library". The New York Public Library. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  42. ^ "Bronx Bus Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. October 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  43. ^ "Subway Map" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. September 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  44. ^ "Filmed in New York: An Oscar Tour". The New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
  45. ^ "Parkchester street named after woman who didn't give up her bus seat in 1955". News12 The Bronx. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  46. ^ Lungariello, Mark. "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweaks bio after residency questions", The Journal News, July 6, 2018. Accessed October 24, 2020. "Ocasio-Cortez was 2 years old when her father, Sergio Ocasio-Roman, bought a modest home in Yorktown for $150,000. The family lived in the Parkchester section of the Bronx at the time and moved to the house in Yorktown a few years later."
  47. ^ Newman, Andy; Wang, Vivian; and Ferré-Sadurní, Luis. "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Emerges as a Political Star", The New York Times, June 27, 2018. Accessed October 24, 2020. "Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s mother was born in Puerto Rico. Her late father, Sergio Ocasio, an architect, was born in the Bronx. The family lived in Parkchester, a planned community of mid-rise buildings, in the same apartment where Ms. Ocasio-Cortez now lives, until Alexandria was about 5, when they moved an hour north to a modest two-bedroom house on a quiet street in Yorktown Heights, a suburb in Westchester County, in search of better schools."
  48. ^ "Remembering George Romero, A Filmmaker Who Brought The Dead To Life", NPR, July 17, 2017. Accessed October 24, 2020. "I grew up in New York City. And I lived in the Bronx in a place called Parkchester. And I was shooting with my uncle's 8 mm camera, and I was making a movie called The Man From the Meteor. And the man from the meteor was ultimately shot with his own ray gun and fell flaming off the roof where I lived, in Parkchester."

External links

  • Parkchester North and South
  • Parkchester, the Bronx
  • Parkchester South Condominium
  • Parkchester Preservation Management (requires Flash to navigate)
  • Parkchester Apartments

parkchester, bronx, parkchester, planned, community, neighborhood, originally, developed, metropolitan, life, insurance, company, located, central, bronx, york, city, immediate, surrounding, area, also, takes, name, from, complex, boundaries, starting, from, n. Parkchester is a planned community and neighborhood originally developed by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and located in the central Bronx New York City The immediate surrounding area also takes its name from the complex Its boundaries starting from the north and moving clockwise are East Tremont Avenue to the north Castle Hill Avenue to the east Westchester Avenue to the south East 177th Street Cross Bronx Expressway to the southwest and the Bronx River Parkway to the west Metropolitan Avenue Unionport Road and White Plains Road are the primary thoroughfares through Parkchester ParkchesterNeighborhood of the BronxThe towers in the park layout of ParkchesterLocation in New York CityCoordinates 40 50 20 N 73 51 36 W 40 839 N 73 86 W 40 839 73 86 Coordinates 40 50 20 N 73 51 36 W 40 839 N 73 86 W 40 839 73 86Country United StatesState New YorkCityNew York CityBoroughThe BronxCommunity DistrictThe Bronx 9 1 Area 2 Total0 482 sq mi 1 25 km2 Population 2020 3 Total33 602 Density70 000 sq mi 27 000 km2 Economics Median income 41 075Ethnicity 4 Hispanic38 1 Black42 8 White3 7 Asian12 5 Others2 9 ZIP Codes10462 10460 10461Area code718 347 929 and 917Websitewww wbr parkchesternyc wbr comThe neighborhood is part of Bronx Community District 9 and is mostly located within ZIP Code 10462 with small sections in 10460 and 10461 The 6 and lt 6 gt trains of the New York City Subway operate along Westchester Avenue The neighborhood is patrolled by the New York City Police Department s 43rd Precinct 5 The privately owned housing complex is patrolled by the Parkchester Department of Public Safety Contents 1 History 2 Demographics 3 Land use 3 1 Artwork 4 Public safety 4 1 Police and crime 4 2 Parkchester Department of Public Safety 5 Fire safety 6 Health 7 Post office and ZIP Codes 8 Education 8 1 Schools 8 2 Library 9 Transportation 10 In popular culture 11 Notable people 12 See also 13 References 14 External linksHistory Edit An 1897 view of the Roman Catholic Protectory on the future site of Parkchester The housing development has the same origins as Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village and Riverton Houses in Manhattan which were also originally developed and owned by MetLife The name was later unofficially applied to the entire neighborhood surrounding the apartment complex The name Parkchester itself was derived from the two neighborhoods on each side of the site of the housing development Park Versailles 6 and Westchester Heights 7 8 MetLife displayed an intricate scale model of the proposed development at the 1939 New York World s Fair The model showed all of the buildings and facilities and was accurate down to inclusion of each of the 66 000 windows in the complex The 51 groups of buildings were planned to house 12 000 families 9 The Parkchester residential development was originally designed and operated as a self contained rental community for middle class white families new to home ownership MetLife chairman Frederick H Ecker said that black renters were excluded because Negroes and whites don t mix 10 It was built from 1939 to 1942 despite emergency building restrictions during World War II on the farmland of the New York Catholic Protectory a home for orphaned and troubled boys conducted by the Brothers of the Christian Schools which relocated to Lincolndale and still exists in Westchester County Macy s opened their first branch store after their 34th Street flagship store in Parkchester in 1941 11 In 1974 approximately one third of the complex was converted to condominiums with the remaining portion now Parkchester South Condominium converted later in 1986 The complex is best known for its broad tree lined walkways between the distinctive red brown buildings and for its Works Progress Administration style terracotta decorations on the buildings that represent animal and human figures of many types Many of these are the work of sculptor Joseph Kiselewski 12 In 2015 Parkchester celebrated its 75th anniversary with a family event on the Parkchester North Ball Field 13 Demographics EditBased on data from the 2010 United States Census the population of Parkchester was 29 821 an increase of 468 1 6 from the 29 353 counted in 2000 Covering an area of 210 76 acres 85 29 ha the neighborhood had a population density of 141 5 inhabitants per acre 90 600 sq mi 35 000 km2 3 The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 42 8 12 765 African American 12 4 3 721 Asian 3 7 1 105 Non Hispanic White 0 2 73 Native American 0 0 11 Pacific Islander 0 6 171 from other races and 2 0 611 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 38 1 11 364 of the population 4 The Parkchester apartment complex has a total residential population over 25 000 and a population density over 115 000 people per sq mi It includes a significant South Asian population Pakistani Bangladeshi Indian including Catholics Muslims and Hindus There are also a number of Italian Polish Irish Eritrean and Albanian residents Asian residents include Thais Chinese Japanese Vietnamese Filipinos Burmese and Cambodians Parkchester also is home to a large and longstanding population of Puerto Ricans like Luis R Sepulveda who represents the area in the New York State Assembly and has his office on Westchester Avenue Parkchester has one of the highest concentration of Puerto Ricans in New York City as is it situated between Soundview and Castle Hill which are also notable for having a significantly denser Puerto Rican population in comparison to other parts of the Bronx or the city as a whole While the population is approximately over 40 African American and 38 Latino the complex once had a whites only policy The resident population of the Parkchester apartment complex reflects a broad age distribution and the changing ethnic makeup of the Bronx 2 14 The entirety of Community District 9 which comprises Parkchester and Clason Point had 184 105 inhabitants with an average life expectancy of 79 7 years 15 2 20 This is about the same as the median life expectancy of 81 2 for all New York City neighborhoods 16 53 PDF p 84 17 Most inhabitants are youth and middle aged adults 25 are between the ages of between 0 17 29 between 25 44 and 24 between 45 64 The ratio of college aged and elderly residents was lower at 10 and 12 respectively 15 2 As of 2017 the median household income in Community District 9 was 40 005 18 In 2018 an estimated 26 of Parkchester and Clason Point residents lived in poverty compared to 25 in all of the Bronx and 20 in all of New York City One in eight residents 13 were unemployed compared to 13 in the Bronx and 9 in New York City Rent burden or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent is 55 in Parkchester and Clason Point compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 58 and 51 respectively Based on this calculation as of 2018 update Parkchester and Clason Point are considered low income relative to the rest of the city and not gentrifying 15 7 Land use EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Parkchester Bronx news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Aileen B Ryan Oval formerly Metropolitan Oval The Parkchester complex is composed of 171 four sided brick buildings either eight or 13 stories in height and numbered M for Main through 7 and M through 12 respectively The 13 story buildings have dual elevators positioned side by side while they eight story buildings only have one Some buildings even have a Terrace level apartments that are located on the ground floor and noted by the T in front of the apartment letter i e TA TB etc These apartments differ from all others in the community in that they have an additional screened door in the living room section of the apartment that leads out onto a concrete patio where tenants usually put patio lawn furniture The surrounding area commonly referred to as Parkchester is dominated by multi unit buildings unrelated to Parkchester complex 78 4 of housing units are renter occupied Retail locations are interspersed throughout the neighborhood as well as along Starling Avenue McGraw Avenue Metropolitan Avenue Tremont Avenue Unionport Road and White Plains Road the latter four streets are considered the backbones of the area Points of interest include American Theater formerly Loews American established in 1939 operated by Bow Tie Cinemas as a seven screen multiplex until it closed in 2013 Converted to a Marshall s store 19 Macy s Department Store with 175 000 square feet 16 300 m2 of selling space opened in October 1941 as the company s first branch store 11 20 Zaro s Bakery established in 1959 temporarily closed in 2015 reopened in 2017 close to its original location 21 22 23 24 25 26 A prominent feature of Parkchester is the Bangla Bazaar located throughout Olmstead Ave Odell St Purdy St and Castle Hill Ave The long stretch of blocks are occupied by businesses owned by Bangladeshis and is the heart of their community There are two subsections of the neighborhood Parkchester Apartment Complex is a subsection of Parkchester Its boundaries starting from the north and moving clockwise are East Tremont Avenue to the north Castle Hill Avenue to the east McGraw Avenue to the south and White Plains Road to the west The apartment complex has recently undergone substantial renovations of many of their apartments 27 Additionally Stratton Park is on the west part of Parkchester Its boundaries starting from the north and moving clockwise are the Amtrak Northeast Corridor to the west and north White Plains Road to the east and East 177th Street the Cross Bronx Expressway service road to the south Its zip code is 10460 and its residents consider themselves as part of Parkchester At the heart of Parkchester is the 2 acres 0 81 ha Aileen B Ryan Oval formerly Metropolitan Oval 28 Artwork Edit Parkchester was designed with aesthetics in mind as evidenced by intricate patterns of brickwork 29 and architectural ornaments 30 The development contains 500 terra cotta statuettes and 600 plaques 29 30 and depict a wide array of figures including bullfighters soldiers mermaids and Native American chiefs 29 and animals including gazelles puffins kangaroos and bears 30 Sculptures were largely provided by the Federal Seaboard Terra Cotta Corporation 31 Among the nine sculptors on the project were Raymond Granville Barger Joseph Kiselewski Carl Schmitz and Theodore Barbarossa 30 Their sculptures adorn the entrances and can also be seen high on the corners of the taller buildings 12 Some are polychromatic painted in bright colors and some figures appear within rondels 30 In the Aileen B Ryan Oval a fountain named Fantasia created by Barger was installed in 1941 and is often the backdrop of photographs 29 The former Loew s American Theater is ornamented with figures of two harlequins in the front and a matador hula girl flamenco dancer and other figures in the rear 30 Approximately 45 of the sculptures were removed from 2018 to 2021 a campaign by history preservationists and architectural historians has launched to preserve the Parkchester sculptures 30 Public safety EditPolice and crime Edit Parkchester and Clason Point are patrolled by the 43rd Precinct of the NYPD located at 900 Fteley Avenue 5 The 43rd Precinct ranked 36th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per capita crime in 2010 32 As of 2018 update with a non fatal assault rate of 100 per 100 000 people Parkchester and Clason Point s rate of violent crimes per capita is more than that of the city as a whole The incarceration rate of 603 per 100 000 people is higher than that of the city as a whole 15 8 The 43rd Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s with crimes across all categories having decreased by 76 1 between 1990 and 2020 The precinct reported 9 murders 36 rapes 399 robberies 671 felony assaults 244 burglaries 680 grand larcenies and 233 grand larcenies auto in 2020 33 Parkchester Department of Public Safety Edit The Parkchester Department of Public Safety protects the residents visitors and property of the Parkchester Housing condominiums Fire safety EditParkchester is served by the New York City Fire Department FDNY s Engine Co 64 Ladder Co 47 fire station at 1224 Castle Hill Avenue 34 35 Health EditAs of 2018 update preterm births and births to teenage mothers are more common in Parkchester and Clason Point than in other places citywide In Parkchester and Clason Point there were 106 preterm births per 1 000 live births compared to 87 per 1 000 citywide and 26 4 births to teenage mothers per 1 000 live births compared to 19 3 per 1 000 citywide 15 11 Parkchester and Clason Point has a relatively average population of residents who are uninsured In 2018 this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 16 higher than the citywide rate of 14 15 14 The concentration of fine particulate matter the deadliest type of air pollutant in Parkchester and Clason Point is 0 0076 milligrams per cubic metre 7 6 10 9 oz cu ft more than the city average 15 9 Eighteen percent of Parkchester and Clason Point residents are smokers which is higher than the city average of 14 of residents being smokers 15 13 In Parkchester and Clason Point 32 of residents are obese 16 are diabetic and 34 have high blood pressure compared to the citywide averages of 24 11 and 28 respectively 15 16 In addition 25 of children are obese compared to the citywide average of 20 15 12 83 of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day which is less than the city s average of 87 In 2018 72 of residents described their health as good very good or excellent lower than the city s average of 78 15 13 For every supermarket in Parkchester and Clason Point there are 13 bodegas 15 10 The nearest hospital campuses are Montefiore Medical Center s Westchester Square and West Farms campuses as well as Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center s Longwood campus The nearest large hospital is NYC Health Hospitals Jacobi in Morris Park 36 Post office and ZIP Codes EditParkchester is located within multiple ZIP Codes The housing development proper is part of 10462 but the areas to the immediate west are located in 10460 and the immediate east in 10461 37 The United States Postal Service s Parkchester Station is located at 1449 West Avenue 38 Education Edit PS MS 194 Parkchester and Clason Point generally have a similar rate of college educated residents to the rest of the city as of 2018 update While 23 of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher 30 have less than a high school education and 47 are high school graduates or have some college education By contrast 26 of Bronx residents and 43 of city residents have a college education or higher 15 6 The percentage of Parkchester and Clason Point students excelling in math rose from 23 in 2000 to 44 in 2011 and reading achievement increased from 27 to 30 during the same time period 39 Parkchester and Clason Point s rate of elementary school student absenteeism is higher than the rest of New York City In Parkchester and Clason Point 28 of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per school year more than the citywide average of 20 16 24 PDF p 55 15 6 Additionally 69 of high school students in Parkchester and Clason Point graduate on time lower than the citywide average of 75 15 6 Schools Edit PS MS 194 a public elementary and middle school situated on Zerega Avenue and Waterbury Avenue that educates students from kindergarten to 8th grade It is also near the 6 train subway line and near the Zerega subway station Castle Hill Middle School a public middle school situated on St Raymond Avenue and Purdy Street that educates students in grades 6 8 Formerly a troubled school known as JHS 127 it is now split into 7 different learning communities in order for students to get higher grades 40 St Raymond Academy for Girls a private high school situated on Castle Hill Avenue that educates students in grades 9 12 St Raymond Elementary School a private elementary school and middle school situated on Purdy Street it educates students in pre kindergarten to grade 8 PS 106 a public elementary school located at 2120 St Raymond Avenue for grades 1 5 St Helena Elementary a private pre school elementary school and middle school situated on Benedict Avenue that educates students from pre k to 8th grade Bronx Charter School for Excellence a charter school located on Benedict Avenue that educates students from kindergarten to 8th grade Library Edit The New York Public Library NYPL s Parkchester branch is located at 1985 Westchester Avenue The branch opened in 1942 within the Parkchester development and moved to its current two story structure in 1985 41 Transportation EditThe following MTA Regional Bus Operations bus routes serve Parkchester 42 Bx4 to Westchester Square 6 train or Third Avenue 149th Street 2 and 5 trains via Westchester Avenue Bx4A to Westchester Square 6 train or Simpson Street 2 and 5 trains via Westchester Avenue and Metropolitan Oval Bx11 to George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal via 170th Street Claremont Parkway 174th Street Bx22 to Bedford Park Bronx High School of Science or Castle Hill via Castle Hill Avenue and Unionport Road Bx36 to Castle Hill or George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal via Tremont Avenue and White Plains Road Bx39 to Wakefield 241st Street subway station or Clason s Point via White Plains Road Bx40 to SUNY Maritime College or Morris Heights via 180th Street and Tremont Burnside Avenues Bx42 to Throgs Neck or Morris Heights via 180th Street and Tremont Burnside Avenues Q44 SBS to Jamaica or West Farms via East 177th Street the Cross Bronx Expressway service roads and Main Street BxM6 express to Midtown Manhattan via Metropolitan Avenue The following New York City Subway station serves Parkchester 43 Parkchester 6 and lt 6 gt trains In popular culture EditParkchester was the filming location for part of the Sporty Thievz 1999 video No Pigeons Extras were featured circling a red car parked in front of the Loews American later known as just the American theater on East Avenue Parkchester was featured in the film Doubt 2008 during the scene when Sr Aloysius is walking with Mrs Miller behind the building located at 2051 St Raymond Avenue 44 Notable people EditClaudette Colvin born 1939 civil rights icon 45 Alexandria Ocasio Cortez born 1989 U S Representative 46 47 George A Romero 1940 2017 filmmaker 48 See also EditCooperative Village Towers in the park Co op City LeFrak City Marcus Garvey Village Mitchell Lama Parkfairfax Virginia Parkmerced San Francisco Park La Brea Los Angeles Penn South Riverton Houses Rochdale Village Queens Starrett City Brooklyn Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper VillageReferences Edit NYC Planning Community Profiles communityprofiles planning nyc gov New York City Department of City Planning Retrieved March 4 2018 a b Parkchester neighborhood in New York Retrieved October 23 2015 a b Table PL P5 NTA Total Population and Persons Per Acre New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas 2010 Population Division New York City Department of City Planning February 2012 Accessed June 16 2016 a b Table PL P3A NTA Total Population by Mutually Exclusive Race and Hispanic Origin New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas 2010 Population Division New York City Department of City Planning March 29 2011 Accessed June 14 2016 a b NYPD 43rd Precinct www nyc gov New York City Police Department Retrieved October 3 2016 Pollak Michael F Y I A Key to the Past section Versailles in the Bronx The New York Times January 30 2009 Frattini Dave The Underground Guide to New York City Subways Macmillan 2000 ISBN 0 312 25384 2 ISBN 978 0 312 25384 4 p 330 The Columbia Gazetteer of North America Archived September 13 2005 at the Wayback Machine Columbia University Press 2000 via Bartleby com MODEL OF HOUSING DISPLAYED AT FAIR Metropolitan Life s Project in Bronx to Be Known as Parkchester SITE LINKED TO HISTORY Fifty one Groups of Apartment Buildings Will House 12 000 Families The New York Times May 5 1939 p 47 Rothstein Richard January 20 2020 The Neighborhoods We Will Not Share New York Times Retrieved July 10 2020 a b Weisbrod Bill Macy s Parkchester store staying put Bronx Times November 16 2011 Accessed March 9 2021 The Parkchester Macy s opened in 1941 It was the department store s second location after its original store on 34th street in Midtown It is about 175 000 square feet and underwent a renovation in the early 2000s a b Cheslow Jerry May 10 1992 If You re Thinking of Living in Parkchester The New York Times Retrieved October 23 2015 Wirsing Robert August 14 20 2015 Parkchester celebrates 75th Bronx Times Reporter p 14 Bronx Community District 9 PDF Archived from the original PDF on November 23 2015 Retrieved October 23 2015 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Parkchester and Soundview Including Bronx River Castle Hill Clason Point Parkchester Soundview Soundview Bruckner and Unionport PDF nyc gov NYC Health 2018 Retrieved March 2 2019 a b 2016 2018 Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan Take Care New York 2020 PDF nyc gov New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene 2016 Retrieved September 8 2017 New Yorkers are living longer happier and healthier lives New York Post June 4 2017 Retrieved March 1 2019 NYC Bronx Community District 9 Castle Hill Clason Point amp Parkchester PUMA NY Retrieved July 17 2018 Miller Stuart May 26 2014 Options Dwindle for Bronx Residents Trying to Escape to the Movies The New York Times Retrieved October 23 2015 Macy Branch To Open 5 000 Attend Preview of New Store in Parkchester The New York Times October 12 1941 Accessed March 9 2021 Landmark Bronx Bakery Forced To Close Doors After Lease Issues Ilana Gold CBS 2 News New York Retrieved December 28 2015 Beloved Bronx Bakery Zaro s to Close After 55 Years At Same Location Erin Clarke NY1 News Retrieved December 28 2015 First Zaro s Bakery closed Monday in Parkchester Amber Diaz New 12 The Bronx Retrieved December 28 2015 Bronx s beloved Zaro s bakery closed its doors after 56 years Ayana Harry PIX 11 News December 28 2015 Retrieved December 28 2015 Ross Keith December 24 2015 Zaro s Bakery to shutter Bronx location a fixture in the community for 56 years New York Daily News p 12 Retrieved December 28 2015 Zaro s Bakery returns to the Bronx with grand opening News 12 the Bronx November 22 2017 Retrieved March 18 2018 SOR Search Results on 30 May 2008 7 42 am permanent dead link Lent Elizabeth July 2006 A Successful Experiment in Living The Evolution of Parkchester The Cooperator Retrieved September 25 2013 a b c d Twomey Bill March 18 24 2015 Sculptors enhanced and beautified Bronx venues Bronx Times Report a b c d e f g John Freeman Gill Priceless Sculptures Are Literally Being Chipped Away New York Times May 20 2022 Parkchester sculptures Forgotten New York Greater Astoria Historical Society September 25 2008 Soundview Parkchester Castle Hill DNAinfo com Crime and Safety Report www dnainfo com Archived from the original on April 15 2017 Retrieved October 6 2016 43rd Precinct CompStat Report PDF www nyc gov New York City Police Department Retrieved July 22 2018 Engine Company 64 Ladder Company 47 FDNYtrucks com Retrieved March 14 2019 FDNY Firehouse Listing Location of Firehouses and companies NYC Open Data Socrata New York City Fire Department September 10 2018 Retrieved March 14 2019 Best 30 Hospitals in Bronx NY with Reviews Yellow Pages Retrieved March 14 2019 Riverdale New York City Bronx New York Zip Code Boundary Map NY United States Zip Code Boundary Map USA Archived from the original on October 20 2018 Retrieved March 16 2019 Location Details Parkchester USPS com Retrieved March 7 2019 Parkchester Soundview BX 09 PDF Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy 2011 Retrieved October 5 2016 Turning Around A Troubled School Marvine Howe New York Times July 24 1994 About the Parkchester Library The New York Public Library Retrieved March 14 2019 Bronx Bus Map PDF Metropolitan Transportation Authority October 2018 Retrieved December 1 2020 Subway Map PDF Metropolitan Transportation Authority September 2021 Retrieved September 17 2021 Filmed in New York An Oscar Tour The New York Times Retrieved October 23 2015 Parkchester street named after woman who didn t give up her bus seat in 1955 News12 The Bronx Retrieved March 16 2020 Lungariello Mark Alexandria Ocasio Cortez tweaks bio after residency questions The Journal News July 6 2018 Accessed October 24 2020 Ocasio Cortez was 2 years old when her father Sergio Ocasio Roman bought a modest home in Yorktown for 150 000 The family lived in the Parkchester section of the Bronx at the time and moved to the house in Yorktown a few years later Newman Andy Wang Vivian and Ferre Sadurni Luis Alexandria Ocasio Cortez Emerges as a Political Star The New York Times June 27 2018 Accessed October 24 2020 Ms Ocasio Cortez s mother was born in Puerto Rico Her late father Sergio Ocasio an architect was born in the Bronx The family lived in Parkchester a planned community of mid rise buildings in the same apartment where Ms Ocasio Cortez now lives until Alexandria was about 5 when they moved an hour north to a modest two bedroom house on a quiet street in Yorktown Heights a suburb in Westchester County in search of better schools Remembering George Romero A Filmmaker Who Brought The Dead To Life NPR July 17 2017 Accessed October 24 2020 I grew up in New York City And I lived in the Bronx in a place called Parkchester And I was shooting with my uncle s 8 mm camera and I was making a movie called The Man From the Meteor And the man from the meteor was ultimately shot with his own ray gun and fell flaming off the roof where I lived in Parkchester External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Parkchester Bronx Parkchester North and South Parkchester the Bronx Parkchester South Condominium Parkchester Preservation Management requires Flash to navigate Parkchester Apartments Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Parkchester Bronx amp oldid 1123113912, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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