Monthly Archives: September 2014
Neighborhood Small Business Story
Here is a link to “Black Women Find a Growing Business Opportunity: Care for Their Hair,” by Vivian Yee in the September 8, 2014 NYT (NY Region Section).
Protected: Neighborhood Pitch
Protected: Neighborhood: LIC
Morris Park in the Bronx
Whenever I get the opportunity to work on pieces that allow me to cover a specific neighborhood of my choice, only one place ever comes to mind. The Bronx has been my home since August of 1992. My family moved to the Co-Op-City section in the Baychester area of the Bronx and it has been my home ever since. I must admit that our relationship has been mostly love/hate throughout the years, often finding myself spending time in neighboring boroughs. It is not any fault of The Bronx. Unfortunately, there is a lack of resources that I have been able to take advantage of elsewhere. However, I am bothered by the negative connotations that are commonly associated with The Bronx. Crime, poverty, gang violence, and under-performing schools, etc.
There is beauty throughout the streets of The Bronx, it’s just a matter of where you decide to look. One of those worth exploring is the Morris Park section of the Bronx. Morris Park bears its name after John Albert Morris, a businessman who built the Morris Park Racecourse. The facility was a site thoroughbred horse racing and operated from 1889 until 1904. Between 1890 and until 1904, the racetrack hosted both the Belmont and Preakness Stakes.
Presently, about 25,000 people reside in Morris Park section of the Bronx. The neighborhood is predominately made up of Italian Americans, but many Albanians, Hispanics, and African Americans have began to mix in the neighborhood. I will focus the majority of my neighborhood features on the people and businesses that makeup the Morris Park section in the Bronx. There are not many large chain stores in the area so the small businesses are the heart and soul of the area. I have an interest in non-profit organizations, so it is my hope to locate one and feature the site’s director or founder. I will also pay close attention to any district meetings that focus on certain conflicts throughout the neighborhood.
A lot of people have I lot to say about the Bronx, but few know how it truly operates. It is my goal to provide an in-depth and positive look into the area of Morris Park section of the Bronx.
Protected: Neighborhood Pitch – Ridgewood/Glendale
NEIGHBORHOOD PITCH: BRIGHTON BEACH
Brighton Beach is home to hundreds of small shops, 50 plus origins, one famous boardwalk, and New York’s best piroski. Located in the southern part of Brooklyn, Brighton Beach has always been known for having one of the highest Russian –Jewish populations within not only Brooklyn but New York State. Commonly referred to as “Little Odessa”or “Little Russia by the Sea” Brighton Beach, as of 2014 has a population of 75,829 citizens, more than half of which are Russian speaking immigrants and descendants from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Uzbekistan etc.
During the 1970’s Brighton Beach was not the lively, culture oriented neighborhood that it is today. Due to the sudden economic crisis it became a hotspot for crime and poverty. Around the same time, there was a sudden burst of immigrants from the Soviet Union, who spent decades transforming Brighton Beach into a safe refuge by providing low cost housing facilities, healthcare, and community and religious programs.
Nowadays, Brighton is still known for providing a comfortable atmosphere for immigrants and residents. But with that said, Brighton is also experiencing some setbacks, specifically increases in rent and overall living cost. The median cost for houses in Brighton has increased by $200,000, or 44.4% when compared with the previous quarter, and 15.1% when compared to the past year. The increase in construction of condominiums has pushed out local businesses, as well as many residents who can no longer afford the rent.
I would like to propose writing a profile on one of Brighton Beach’s long time residents, interviewing a local dry cleaner business, contacting Shorefront, a popular community center, and finally writing a conflict piece relating to one of Brighton Beach’s recent setbacks, as mentioned above.
As a lifelong citizen of Brighton Beach, I have grown up in the midst of all the well known changes and events that my neighborhood has gone through. I have seen Brighton’s best superstores open and close, witnessed many front page news stories, and sat from my third floor building as Sandy ripped through the streets. For the past 2 decades, I have been apart of Brighton and Brighton has been apart of me. Now, I’d like to share the stories of my neighborhood with everyone.