The Kids Are Her Priority

Posted on September 29, 2010 by joseph.jackson

“I always loved working with children, whether I was teaching them math or showing them how to tie their shoe laces…as long as I could make them smile.” These are the words that are proudly emitted from the lips of teacher and mentor,Bernadette Noel. With one mindset, to leave an impression on the children that will carry with them for years to come, Noel set on a mission to save the Central Bronx children with her teachings and guidance.

Bernadette Noel came to New York from the Caribbean islands almost 30 years ago.  Before beginning her teaching career at Labor Bathgate she began at a private school known as Little Star in 1984. While teaching there,  Ms. Noel found the quality of education and the economic wealth of the environment was unlike anything she could have ever imagined.

“Some of the parents were very well off financially,” she says, “and in terms of the educational standards for the children, they were very high.” Ms. Noel continues, “While most children were just learning how to add and subtract at such young ages, the children at Little Star were learning how to multiply and divide,” which was a very different standard in comparison to children in the educational institution she knows today. “It was a shock to me to see the expectations the school administrators wanted us to set for the kids; it seemed a bit outrageous,” Ms. Noel says in response to the higher level of learning.

After serving about two years at the Little Star, Ms. Noel decided that while she did want to work with children, she felt her mission as a teacher would better suit those in a higher need of attention and mentoring.  “I loved my kids at Little Star, but I felt as if they had enough great teachers there already building strong foundations for the young developing minds.”

In 1986 Bernadette Noel found a teaching position at Labor Bathgate Childcare Center located on 1638 Anthony Avenue in the Bronx, where she would indeed find her challenge and calling. “It was a huge difference in terms of community and the look of the area.”  Everything there seemed depressing. When I arrived for work, and for some time, I even feared getting out of my car to go to work, but I felt had to do it for my children.” “There were empty lots, rundown buildings and former businesses, and Claremont Park right across the street was desolate and unkempt,” Ms. Noel said.

Things changed, however over the years.  “As time passed the building of a McDonald’s opened right next door, where an old rundown gasoline station had been.” She also spoke of how they began redeveloping the park, and cutting the trees and grass to make it more appealing to the public. When speaking of the community, she found that it had gone through a number of changes, but in terms of such demographics as crime, she felt that things didn’t seem to have changed that much in those areas.

Bernadette Noel discussed how it was such a shame that the children she worked with are succumbed to this type of environment every day.  She believed that while the children of Little Star and Labor Bathgate didn’t really change in terms of characteristics; the parents on the other hand did differ heavily. “The parents of the two different communities did change, in the Bronx community there were many more parents with troubled personalities,” she says, “some were uneducated and others just had all sort of economical or personal issues that they brought with them to the center.”

Noel continues to say, “It was a very sad thing, because I wondered how the kids had to live in such places with so much problems, and I would always try to develop personal relationships with parents since I knew the issues they faced.” Seeing the problems unmask themselves in the presence of the children,  Noel attempted to mold a place for children and families to feel at ease to at least communicate and hopefully walk away with advise that will provide some optimism.

The lack of recreational outlets in the neighborhood worried the child care teacher, especially knowing that once the children leave they would be exposed to the crime infested, dilapidated streets of the economically depressed neighborhood. Noel tirelessly attempted to negotiate with her superiors as well as associations and organizations in order to host activities for the children and even welcomed families and neighborhood residents.

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Sports Fever with a Chance of Mellow

Posted on September 29, 2010 by dko

On top of a glass counter,displaying goods from New York sports teams such as the Jets or Mets, rests a sleek black laptop computer.  Behind its glossy exterior is a middle-aged man scrutinizing what he sees on the screen. Despite the pleasant weather typical of  the end of summer outside, the man is too busy to enjoy it. Continue reading →

Posted in Graves End/Coney Island, Neighborhood Faces, Neighborhood Faces Story, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Neighborhood Pride Moves to Northwest Queens

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Aaron Monteabaro

Brooklyn pride shines forth on shirts and in songs, even with catchy phrases from the borough president on the city-limit signs, but no such in-your-face attitude is found in its neighbor to the north. One young entrepreneur, however, seeks to nurture similar feelings among the residents of his northwestern Queens neighborhood.

Julian Lesser, a 28-year-old publishing newcomer, wants to bolster neighborhood pride and independence by creating a magazine about art, culture, and entertainment for Long Island City and Astoria. His magazine, titled “Boro-Magazine”, will feature articles about local merchants, artists and events, as well as offering tips to live a better life and give back to the community.

Lesser, a trained and practicing artist as well, has found the kind of love that gives people wings in this waterfront slice of Queens. But he was not always so outwardly affectionate for it. “One of the purposes of the magazine is to help boost community confidence, spirit and pride,” Lesser said. Continue reading →

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The Good Life or The Green Life?

Posted on September 28, 2010 by laddeo

It’s the Dalton School education for our children, the penthouse that overlooks Central Park, and the $180 caviar at Le Cirque. This is the dream as we drift to sleep at night, the wish on every birthday candle, and the heart of twelve hour work days. Maybe it’s the New Year’s resolution at the end of each year or the prayer we send out at every chance we get. The fantasy of the Upper East Side lifestyle and what it encompasses seems to be eating at our brains. Billy Joel topped the charts singing about it 20 years ago, and now every Monday night Gossip Girl is there to reaffirm the fact that some of us are not Manhattan elites; not even a little bit.

As some of us muddle through the day, without our town car transportation, without our nannies, and without our million dollar penthouses to go home to, there’s something we need to be aware of. A neighborhood like the Upper East Side, where all of the above can be found, is just that: a neighborhood. Like anywhere else, the community has its issues, its problems and most importantly, dedicated individuals hoping to make changes for the better.

The glare of all the glamour seems to block out what really defines a neighborhood, and in the case of the Upper East Side it’s passionate and motivated individuals who truly love their neighborhood. So to all my dreamers out there, pick yourselves up, put on your knockoff Ray Bans and follow me to the other side of the Upper East Side; the green side.

The Upper Green Side is a team of seven individuals who work together to make the Upper East and West Side of Manhattan more sustainable. Their goal is to educate the neighborhoods about environmental issues in the area and advocate the importance of taking action. With the help of neighbors, stakeholders of the community and elected representatives, the Upper Green Side has selected specific initiatives that they hope to achieve in the near future. The team also regularly sets up tables outside of local markets on the weekends to promote and gain support for their cause; no limo service provided.

Michael Auerbach, a resident of the Upper East Side for about twoyears now, is the director of the Upper Green Side. Mr. Auerbach became active with the Upper Green Side because of his interest and passion for the environment. Through regular attendance of the neighborhood board meetings, Community Board 8, he was able to meet with the director at the time and begin his journey with the team. Today, that first step has brought him to a place where he can help make a difference, within a community and within himself.

Two of the major initiatives that Auerbach and the team have been focusing on are transportation and local food access. “Especially on the Upper East Side, there is a lack of green markets,” said Auerbach. The team has already established two new green markets in the neighborhood on East 82nd street and East 93rd street. These green markets are open-air markets that allow food to be brought into the New York Region. The purpose of these markets is to give people more access to local and organic food in the area. In addition to their own markets, the Upper Green Side also provides, on their website, an interactive map of what they call “green restaurants.” These restaurants, found in the neighborhood, either use organic items on their menus or engage in environmentally responsible practices.

Transportation is another important aspect of the neighborhood that the team has been focusing on rigorously.  According to Auerbach, the Upper East Side has found itself in a bit of an ironic situation. “The neighborhood is very crowded with people, yet isolated because there is really only one train line that runs through the area, which is the 4, 5, and 6 Lexington Avenue line.” The Upper Green Side hopes to create more transportation options in the near future to make it easier for residents and visitors to get around the neighborhood. So far, the team has been working on creating bike lanes. Their goal is to have riders be safe. Their hope is that if bike lanes are improved, more people will turn to this option rather than cars. As a result, transportation options will be increased, people will be safer, and the environment can breathe a little easier.

This green movement has become a rising and popular trend on the Upper East Side. The members of the Upper Green Side work every day to transform  their neighborhood, filling it with green markets, green restaurants and bike lanes–improvements that have little or nothing to do with money.

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Visionary of The Delicatessen Circuit

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Simona Taver

Step inside the small bagel shop near the Coney Island subway station in the early morning hours, and you’re likely to see a crowd large enough to rival Coney Island itself.

As early as seven o’clock in the morning, Coney Island Bagels is already packed with customers, as a mix of residents, police officers, ambulance and sanitation workers and teachers from the nearby schools all lined up to order bagels for breakfast. “The morning is the craziest,” assistant manager Bobby Bashirwarv says.

The first hectic wave dies down at around one in the afternoon, and the atmosphere becomes more relaxed. That is, until the next big wave starts up at five o’clock, as residents of Coney Island are coming back from work. Though often right in the center of the madness, Bashirwarv and the rest of the staff behind the counter work to accommodate each and every hurried, hungry customer with friendliness and enthusiasm.

Bashirwarv, 27, is energetic and cheerful, with a ready smile. He treats customers like old friends, jokes with regulars, and spends the days seamlessly multitasking as he zooms from one part of the store to another. “I love my job. Anything I do, I do to the best of my abilities, just to see how hard I can push myself .” In addition to his in-store duties, Bashirwarv is also responsible for marketing the store online and securing catering jobs. “I do everything, man,” he says. Bashirwarv works about 63 hours a week, and the magnitude of the store’s customer base ensures that there is always something to be done.

However, business wasn’t always this plentiful. When Bashirwarv started working at Coney Island Bagels three months ago, the Ridgewood, Queens native observed what he felt was unenthusiastic service and an uninspired outlook. “My philosophy is, the way I’m going to give someone the food is the way I want it.” When he was promoted to assistant manager, Bashirwarv began encouraging the rest of the staff to put more effort into food preparation and counter-side manner: in short, to have “a little pride, a little dedication, just to try a little harder.” It worked.

Since then, Bashirwarv says, Coney Island Bagels has been getting a lot more customers. The store’s combination of gourmet food and a customer-friendly atmosphere, along with its proximity to the subway station and the beach, all seem to be factors of its rising success.

Coney Island Bagels also gets its fair share of tourists, especially in the summertime. Bashirwav recounted a day this past summer when a group of fifty tourists from England visited the shop. With a store capacity of about twenty, the shop was absolutely packed, but Bashirwarv and the rest of the staff managed to make it work.

In comparison with the attention and press that its beach and amusement area have gotten over the past century, the residential part of Coney Island is practically neglected. “It’s not a safe neighborhood,” Bashirwarv says. “There’s, for one, too much drug activity…” He discussed the dangers of the neighborhood after six o’clock. “Mermaid Ave. and 16th St. is like a crack spot…”

“There’s no really wholesome bagel stores around here, in the vicinity,” Bashirwarv says. Coney Island Bagels, and fellow local Brooklyn Bagels on Neptune Avenue, are outnumbered by three Dunkin Donuts stores. “You have fried chicken shops, liquor stores, and check cashing spots everywhere. This is what you want to have?” Like his philosophy towards work ethic and food preparation, Bashirwarv believes the residents of Coney Island deserve more effort and variety from their eating establishments. “Every place is all food stamps; it’s all low budget. So why can’t we have a little gourmet in the neighborhood?”

Bashirwarv’s own vision for Coney Island Bagels has the echo of the Coney Island of old. “I wanna make it into a little beach store eatery,” he says, adding, “Like an old-style sandwich shop from the forties.” He feels that the ‘special touch’ from the eateries of past decades is lost in many businesses. “Everything’s turning commercial… there’s nothing homemade anymore, there’s nothing dedicated.”

If the shop’s recent surplus of customers is any indication, the residents of Coney Island want a piece of his dream, too.

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Oral History

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Albert Ghim

Joe Gould’s secret is an amazing novel. Joseph Mitchell does an amazing job at painting a detailed portrait of the intricacies of Joe Gould. The thing about Joe Gould that interested me the most was his book of Oral History. I thought it was really interesting how he carried around that huge book for all those years and had all kinds of nasty stains on them. I also enjoyed the way Mitchell described Gould’s physical appearance as well. Just from reading his description I felt like I knew him.

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Joe Gould as a Man

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Kacey Herlihy

Joe Gould was a very interesting man. He himself was a vagabond, traveling around and getting meals and clothes wherever he could. He wore all second hand clothes, donated to him by friends who had worn them out, leading to a wardrobe that was consistently too big. He ate everything he could, notably eating ketchup because it was “the only grub I know of that’s free of charge.” Joe Gould shows us that materialistic objects don’t make a person who they are, it is the way you live your life that defines you as a person.

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Joe Gould- A Hobo too True to Be Fiction

Posted on September 28, 2010 by dko

Joe Gould’s Secret is easily nothing short of an amazing read. Split in two parts, one a portrait of a verbose vagrant visionary, and the other part is about a man’s journey to understand a man that does not deserve mention in the lives of the average person. In 186 pages,

“Professor Sea Gull” is a typical New Yorker portrait that tries to make a denizen of this city interesting, fascinating, and exotic, and in this case, spellbindingly repugnant. The opening line itself is worthy of remembering by heart, as Mitchell uses precise and sharp words to tell us what kind of a man Joe Gould really is. Granted, we are given a picture of the eccentricities of what Hodgman-detailed hobo, prone to fantasies and claims of an expertise to a wildly obscure subject. What lies underneath this ball of contradictions and lies, is a sliver of truth. It is through this profile that Mitchell manages to make an untouchable fairly reachable in our grasps, and reminds the reader what he really is, one of many in the cosmos that is New York.

The second part of the book, his Secret, breaks down what Mitchell wrote 22 years before. In the writer’s journey to find the real Joe Gould, that somewhat mythic quality of that vagabond has not only been tarnished, but ripped apart. As Mitchell continues to rediscover Joe Gould, all of the idealized accounts, his dreams, his task of creating an Oral History of Our Time, turn out to be lies. It is because of this that Mitchell struggles to continue the lie or to reveal the secret that threaten what Joe Gould meant to all of his supporters. It is from this struggle and the subsequent decision that Mitchell reveals what he as a person truly is.

Despite the many references to a bygone era, in the vein of Here Is New York by White, Mitchell’s book remains emblematic of the type of world we New Yorkers live in, and what type of people we were and will be.

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Mitchell and Gould

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Aaron Monteabaro

Both of these men appear to be characters in their own right, but together they form an unusual and fascinating combination.

Even though the first piece, “Professor Sea Gull”, is in long form and written more like a magazine article or even an essay, it contains the essential elements of the project we are working on in our class. It is essentially a profile piece of this New York bohemian master.

There are many interesting things that Mitchell included that help to bring Gould to life in these pages, something I’m sure Gould would have loved – being immortalized in print as the master non-conformist. He does indeed do “more living in one year…than ordinary humans do in ten” and thanks to the masterful writing and reporting of Mitchell we can see that clearly. Every last detail is important in creating Gould’s identity for those of us who never knew him. Of course, that seems to be in a way what Gould wanted: “…I’m puzzled about myself, and have been since childhood.”

The second piece, taken in direct relation to the first, offers a noteworthy contrast to what could be boiled down as the same story. They both have a similar feel and similar content, however they are still vastly different. The second piece offers a much more varied and in-depth account of him and people who knew him – but it could still be considered a profile type piece.

Indeed there is much possible to write about Gould, and Mitchell has handled it well on two separate occasions. It’s useful to look at each story in terms of the similar content and pick out how Mitchell has written it with two different tones and two different voices.

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Joe Gould’s Secret

Posted on September 28, 2010 by juella.gumbs

Joe Gould’s Secret was quite an interesting read. In the introduction, William Maxwell spills the beans about the two views the book is written in. Nonetheless, his foreword does not provide any justice to the excellence in which Joe Gould was presented: first as “an odd and penniless and unemployable little man” and second as a misunderstood soul on a mission.

The shift from impersonal to personal in both parts of the book serves as a major mechanism in transforming Gould’s character. In “Professor Sea Gull”, I imagined him to be the neighborhood’s grouch who got fired up if you got too close to his lawn- minus the land and house of course. The latter portion of the book you see Joseph Mitchell take on a more in-depth analysis of Gould, going into greater detail about what made the man tick. Suddenly Gould no longer seems like a misfortunate, weird soul; he’s simply a man who chose his own path dictated by the events of his life. Mitchell humanizes Gould by providing descriptions of everything that had to do with him from his background to his habits and even the clothes he wore. At one point when it was mentioned he was wearing a dirty seersucker suit, I got a perfect visual and cringed at the image; I’ve owned a pair of seersucker pants before and visioning the beautiful summer fabric anything less than spotless is heartbreaking.

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Joe^2

Posted on September 28, 2010 by jcunneen

The relationship between Mitchell and Gould is interesting, to say the least. In Mitchell’s first piece, Professor Sea Gull, he is clearly positioned as the comprehensive journalist. He gives a basic, while very in-depth, profile of Mr. Joe Gould. Mitchell portrays Gould as quite the character, which is probably close to how Mitchell saw him, as a character. Gould was just an interesting man living the bohemian life in the Village. Gould was fun to read about but no real connection was made. If someone told me that he was fictional I wouldn’t have any reason to doubt it.

His second piece, Joe Gould’s Secret, is an entirely different read when compared to his first feature. The premise of this story is a revealing of sorts of Joe Gould’s best-kept secret. Written after his death, Mitchell takes on a eulogizing tone. It is in this lengthier narrative that Mitchell fastens a real attachment to Gould. He humanizes Gould in his description of their relationship. Where wonder once existed, Mitchell replaces it with empathy, pity, loneliness and stubborn determination. There is real sympathy from Mitchell. Where the first piece was written by an acquaintance, a friend wrote the second piece.

Mitchell’s visual style of writing creates clear images without being overly descriptive. He’s able to select a few features that standout and sharpen his overall descriptions. He uses lists extremely well. His lists aren’t too long and add some nice pacing to his writing. They also never get repetitive.

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Joe Gould’s Secret

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Christine Liu

Joseph Mitchell describes Joe Gould as a lost soul, who travels from one location to the next in search of a warm bed, and a meal.  At first Mitchell’s descriptions of Gould as being a carefree but gaunt little man make him seem apprehensive towards Gould.  Gould refuses to put his name to any property because he refuses to be tied down.  Gould states that even if the Chrysler building were to be presented to him he’d run in the opposite direction because he wouldn’t own it, it own him.  He seems to be a wanderer, like the wind he never roots himself in any specific location for fear of being tied down.  Gould has a hard time fitting into any labels, because in his home of Massachusetts he’s called a Yankee, but in New York City he’s labeled as a Bohemian.  Perhaps, this is where Mitchell saw similarities between himself and Gould, because Mitchell had to flee his hometown since he couldn’t fit in with his family members, just like Gould left his family of affluence in Massachusetts because he couldn’t be what they wanted him to be.

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Joe Gould

Posted on September 28, 2010 by dhe

When Joseph Mitchell first met Joe Gould, he had no idea how involved the “lost soul” bohemian would become in his own life. To Mitchell, Gould at first is a curiosity, a well-known fixture on the streets of the city that would make a good piece to write on. Mitchell is dedicated to his work, and at this point his work is Gould. He eagerly and patiently listens to all of Gould’s long-winded monologues, puts up with his eccentricities, and even consistently donates for the “Joe Gould Fund”. As Gould becomes more and more present in his life, Mitchell begins to tire of Gould and tries to extricate himself from their relationship.

Mitchell never minced words about Gould or his feelings towards Gould. He held many conflicted feelings towards the bohemian. Since Gould talked to him incessantly, Mitchell knew him extremely well, allowing him to see all of Gould’s positives and negatives. Ultimately, Mitchell cared for Gould and was able to sympathize with him. When he discovered the “secret” of the Oral History he was able to forgive Gould and even relate to him.

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Joe Gould

Posted on September 27, 2010 by laddeo

In the beginning, Joseph Mitchell is very interested in Joe Gould and sees him as an “ancient, enigmatic and spectral figure.” Joe Gould is a very mysterious character and can disappear or show up at any time, anywhere. He is a very complex and complicated character that needs to be figured out. He is his own person in many ways. He does what he wants, goes where he wants and doesn’t let other people influence him. Joe Gould seems to be a very confused character as well. As a child he was expected to grow up and be what everyone wanted him to be, but went against that. He even says to Joseph Mitchell, “I’m puzzled about myself, and have been since childhood.” Joe Gould seems to  portray a lost soul that got caught up in the city life and life in general. As Joseph Mitchell meets with him more and more, he starts to see that Joe Gould is just looking to be heard behind all the craziness. Mitchell begins to see the more human and sensitive side to him and realizes the depth behind this man.

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Chelsea Backgrounder

Posted on September 23, 2010 by kirandeep.wadhwa

The unique neighborhood of Chelsea is a neighborhood located on the West Side of Manhattan starting at 34th Street up until West 14th Street. Chelsea is part of Manhattan Community Board 4 and 5 and listed as PUMA 5 for the American Community Survey. Chelsea got its name from the home of a retired British Major Thomas Clarke. The neighborhood went through several stages in its development. In the early 1900’s, it was taken over by the Hudson River Railroad and longshoreman who unloaded freighters into the warehouses. In the late 19th century, Theatre became a popular phenomenon in Chelsea, with significant Opera houses.  More recently, fashion has become an important interest to Chelsea and its residents. More generally the arts community has moved from Soho and the food lovers can be found in the historic Chelsea Market.

There are four general public schools in Chelsea including P.S. 11, P.S. 33, Intermediate School 70, and the Liberty High School for Newcomers. The Fashion Institute of Technology, The School of Visual Arts, High School of Fashion Industries, and Touro College are also located in Chelsea, explaining a lot of the statistics of the neighborhood’s residency.

Demographics:

Race

Total Population: 137, 155

White: 103, 352

Black or African American: 11,113

American Indian and Alaska Native: 1,522

Other: 7,498

Ancestry:  (highest ranked): 137,155

Irish: 15,744

German: 13,966

Italian: 13,083

English: 9,474

Russian: 8,359

World Region of Birth Foreign Born: 32,222

Europe: 9,069

Asia: 11,677

Africa: 530

Oceania: 1,274

Latin America: 8,534

Northern America: 1,138

Housing

Median Value: $724,400

Total Households: 77,186

Family Households: 19,013

With own children under 18 years: 5,982

Married couple family: 14, 432

With own children under 18 years: 4,194

Nonfamily households: 58,173

Householder living alone: 48,180

65 years and over: 8,642

School Enrollment

Nursery school, preschool: 1,157

Kindergarten: 323

Elementary School: 4,018

High School: 2,029

College or graduate school: 12,242

Income

Median household Income: 79,138

Mean household Income: 128,438

With major landmarks like Chelsea Piers, and Chelsea Market, Chelsea is home to the tourist industry as well. It would be interesting to see how this has an impact on local businesses and what kind of businesses thrive most from this type of traffic in the neighborhood. As I have observed from the demographics as well, most of the population is people from the ages of 25-44, single and attained a bachelor’s degree. I believe this has a lot to do with the many college campuses in the area and most of the residents living near by. This “college scene” can also have a tremendous impact on a neighborhood. Chelsea is a safe neighborhood with only 1 crime in all of 2009.

Chelsea is also notorious for its “gay scene” and is commonly known as the favorite “vice district” home to a very diverse nightlife. Food lovers, artists, “fashionistas,” and drama lovers are all welcome in this quirky little neighborhood. Families living in the area, however also have several parks including the Chelsea Waterside Park, as well as the Chelsea Recreation Center for children to enjoy, and for families to enjoy a quaint lifestyle, away from the nightlife scene.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelsea,_Manhattan

http://nymag.com/realestate/articles/neighborhoods/chelsea.htm

http://www.inetours.com/New_York/Pages/Chelsea.html

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-qr_name=ACS_2008_3YR_G00_DP3YR3&-geo_id=79500US3603807&-context=adp&-ds_name=&-tree_id=3308&-_lang=en&-redoLog=false&-format=

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Jackson Heights Backgrounder

Posted on September 23, 2010 by pooti.pradubsri

Jackson Heights

Jackson Heights seems to pulsate with energy even on the slowest summer days. Life never seems to slow down in a community so self sufficient and diverse. Such is life in a neighborhood that has everything it needs in order to operate, grow and thrive. A modest population of about 70,000 residents from various ethnic backgrounds co-exists peacefully enough. (http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=Search&_name=jackson+heights&_state=&_county=jackson+heights&_cityTown=jackson+heights&_zip=&_sse=on&_lang=en&pctxt=fph)

There are many public schools, but three relatively large schools. One is an elementary school and the other two are junior high schools. A catholic high school is tucked away into a peaceful northwestern corner of the neighborhood and a k-12 private school resides above the neighborhood library on 81st. There are many independently owned daycare centers sprinkled throughout the neighborhood. Learning facilities are abundant but still overcrowded as they struggle to accommodate the rapidly growing population of the neighborhood. Just fewer than 70% of Jackson Height’s residents are high school graduates and 23% hold a bachelors degree. (http://www.localschooldirectory.com/city-schools/Jackson-Heights/NY)

Private businesses in the neighborhood have been holding their own for years, determined to hold off chain super stores from moving in. (http://jackson_heights-ny.yellowusa.com/Pharmacies.html) Duane Reade and Key Food have both tried to start up and gradually failed in this town. Ethnic supermarkets like the Indian Bazaar on 74th street provide items that the huge populations of Indian, Bengali and many south Asians are accustomed too. Many small markets provide groceries and products at such a low and competitive price that even chain supermarkets cannot compete. The Chinese Pacific supermarket which is located conveniently above the Roosevelt avenue subway station has seen it’s influx of customers become gradually more varied and diverse. The supermarket provides Asian groceries, and also doubles as the neighborhood fish market. Small pharmacies in the area have been struggling in recent years but have maintained enough of their clientele in order to survive.

Real Estate costs in the area have been steadily increasing as a wave of gentrification has swept through the neighborhood. The gentrification movement has given Jackson Heights a greater variety in terms of style and types of residents whom live in the town. As more and more professionals looking to escape the astronomical costs of living in the city move into Jackson Heights, the cost of living and rent has steadily climbed upwards. The lower priced apartments and houses begin near Roosevelt Avenue; the prices begin to rise as you ascend up the avenues north towards LaGuardia airport and the quieter part of the neighborhood. (http://www.trulia.com/NY/Queens,5141,Jackson_Heights/)

Jackson Heights has about a 12% population ratio of elderly people, and a total population of 70,000 residents. Just fewer than 64% are in the labor force and the average income per household is a modest fifty thousand per year. These statistics reflect the characteristics of the neighborhood, which are overcrowded, hardworking, and modest.

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Fisher Avenue

Posted on September 22, 2010 by Kellin Lyons Bliss

Fisher Avenue

For first time visitors, the busiest avenue in Crown Heights is Franklin Avenue. For those who make Franklin Avenue part of their daily routine, it has another name—Fisher Avenue—unofficially of course.

As soon as you step foot off of the 2, 3, 4 or 5 trains on Franklin Avenue, Fishers Supermarket and The Pulp and The Bean—Tony Fishers prized coffee shop, welcome you. Often times, he will be on the sidewalk with a large smile, saying hello to everyone who passes by or comes into one of his stores. The majority of people will pass by and initiate a conversation with him, and Tony will always have kind things to say.

This pleasant and welcoming approach by a local business owner in a small New York City neighborhood is somewhat uncommon. Tony is a different breed of businessman; kind and generous; young and full of new ideas; but at the same time when it comes down to it, he is serious about what he has become so passionate about.

Tony himself is not a resident of Crown Heights, yet he has given so much to the neighborhood. Tony Fisher’s father opened Pioneer supermarket on Franklin Avenue, two blocks away from the current Fishers supermarket in 1971. Two years later in 1973 Tony was born. This might explain Tony’s dedication to the neighborhood; he was born into the business. He spent his entire childhood on Franklin Avenue, much like his children do now.

In 1981, Tony’s father opened what is now Fishers Supermarket. Tony–whose real name is Ahmad Rabah–claims he has been running the show for quite some time. “At ten years old I started working in the store, at 15 I knew how to run the entire store and at twenty, I was the main man.” Tony says that he changed his name to Tony Fisher because customers had difficulty with the name Ahmad Rabah, “It was easier for them to identify with Tony,” states Mr. Fisher.

Tony is an incredibly diverse person. He speaks 5 different languages; English; Spanish; French; Hebrew and Arabic. He has 7 brothers and sisters as well as 5 children. The large family could possibly be a large contribution to his business success. He is a people’s person who can relate to most anybody.

Click on the photo below for more photos

Fishers Supermarket and The Pulp and The Bean Coffee Shop

Continue reading →

Posted in Feature Writing Fall 2010, Neighborhood Faces Story | 1 Comment

Neighborhood Background : Glendale

Posted on September 22, 2010 by steven.ferrezza

When I started my research on the demographics of Glendale I did not expect to find it to be a very diverse area, and I was right. According to the 2000 Census, of the 97,524 residents 63,729 are white. This did not surprise me at all since historically this is a German/Irish neighborhood, and today there is an influx of Polish immigrants. What did surprise me was the lack of education in the area. Of those 25 or older, only 66.9% graduated from high school, well below the 80.4% in the US. Only 14.3% held a bachelor’s degree, also below the 24.4% average. Average income was also below average, but property value was higher. 24.2% of the population does not have citizenship in the US, and 39.9% immigrated here. 47.7% of those who immigrated came from Europe, which is not surprising considering the enhanced Polish flavor to the area. 36.5% from Latin America. 63.7% speak English and another language. According to the data only 5.9% of the population is Polish, but this number has increased since 2000.
There are three public schools in Glendale, PS 91, PS 113, and IS 119, and there are also four private schools, St. John Lutheran, Redeemer Lutheran, St. Pancreas, and Sacred Heart. All four private schools are K-8 schools. The nearest high school is Grover Cleveland in neighboring Ridgewood.
According to the 2000 Census the property value in Glendale was $199,200, but now, according to Zillow.com, the average home value is $406,100, which is up from 2009 but still $50,000 lower than it was 2008. The area is still recovering from the housing bubble, but it is still humming along.
With the increase in Polish residents there has been a boom in Polish delis. If you were to take a walk down Fresh Pond Road you would literally find a Polish deli on every block. Besides the usual pizzerias, Chinese restaurants, and bagel shops, there are a few places that still show the old flavor of the community. One of those places is Zum Stammtisch, an old German restaurant. “Zums”, as the locals call it, has been around since 1972, but looks like it has been there since the 1800’s. It has the old German style look to it, and still serves up authentic German dishes. Other businesses in the area include Arenson Office Furniture’s warehouse and the newly opened Atlas Mall, which includes a Regal Cinemas theatre and many other stores, shops, and restaurants.
There are many parks in the area including Mafera Park, known as “The Oval”, Central Park, not to be confused with the park in the city, and the expansive Forest Park. There aren’t many hot button issues in Glendale, except for one major problem. Behind the Arenson Office Furniture warehouse is a train yard where freight trains containing garbage from all over the area are parked and left there for a few days until they are moved to their final destination. In the summer months the high temperatures make the garbage smell even worse and the entire neighborhood starts to smell like rotting garbage. Not only is this unsafe but it lowers the property value. No one wants to live in a neighborhood that smells like a garbage dump. There have been rallies and petitions started trying to fix the problem, but it all falls on deaf ears. State level politicians say it is a federal issue and federal level politicians say it is a state issue.

http://www.melissadata.com/lookups/schools.asp?indata=11385&submit1=Submit

http://www.zillow.com/local-info/NY-11385-home-value/r_62093/

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=&geo_id=86000US11385&_geoContext=01000US|86000US11385&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=&_zip=11385&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=860&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null:null&_keyword=&_industry=&show_2003_tab=&redirect=Y

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/QTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=86000US11385&-qr_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U_DP2&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U&-_lang=en&-_sse=on

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Neighborhood Background : Chelsea

Posted on September 21, 2010 by daniel.collins

Daniel Collins

Journalism

Neighborhood Backgrounder

            The neighborhood of Chelsea dates back to 1750 where a retired American soldier by the name of Thomas Clarke decided to spend the last decades of his life. He built his house in this neighborhood because at the time it was over three miles away from the actual development of New York City giving him peace and quiet in the last half of his life. The expression soldiers used in the 1700’s “Dead as Chelsea” was thought to be where Thomas came up with the name of this neighborhood. This phrase seemed to suggest rest and quiet to Thomas so he ultimately came up with the name Chelsea for this district. In 1769 people started to actually settle in Chelsea and the name “Gloucester” which was originally what most people called this area was thrown away and Chelsea became the official name of the area.  Into the 1800’s many writers and artists moved to Chelsea. Clemet C. Moore was said to have been inspired to write “A visit from Saint Nicholas” one Christmas eve while spending it in Chelsea. Fashion also streamed into Chelsea in the early 1860’s where fashion designer Madame Montez wrote her book entitled “Arts and Secrets of Beauty.”  In the 1870’s wealthy people started to move to Chelsea because of the increase number of brownstones and churches being built. Not to mention in 1871 on Ninth Avenue and elevated train was built making travel in the city and around the Chelsea area much easier. Many more artists and writers such as Mark Twain and Andy Warhol stayed at the Hotel Chelsea and are said to have found much inspiration for their work though the walls and halls of the hotel.

            In the early 1900’s, the Chelsea Piers got their names and was know for much of the ships coming in and out of the harbor as well as a place to walk and have recreation time. In 1928 one of the largest apartment complexes called the London Gardens was built up on twenty third Street and stretched through the entire block from ninth avenue to tenth avenue.  The Chelsea Hotel became more and more renowned in the 1960’s and 70’s where art pieces where being hung in the lobby almost as an exhibit. In 1978 in the bathroom of the Chelsea Hotel Sid Vicious, guitarist of the Sex Pistols killed his girlfriend for what people still say is for some unknown reason. Thomas Wolfe spent the last few days of his life in the Chelsea Hotel telling people that “He just couldn’t go home.” He died of old age in one of the rooms there.

            Present day Chelsea has changed much over the years and has kept that same artist feel to it even after over two hundred years of being around. The only addition to the artistic feel is the Gay scene that evokes the streets of Chelsea everyday.  The real estate is higher than ever in Chelsea, and in fact almost every resident in Chelsea pays more rent in one month than Thomas Clarke paid for his entire land in Chelsea back in 1750.  Chelsea is presently located from 14th street up to 33rd street and between the West Side highway (or 12th Avenue) and Broadway/5th Avenue. Most local businesses have gone and major pharmacies such as Duane Reade, super markets like Gristedes, and chain restaurants have sprawled up through Chelsea. Chelsea became the Gay area of New York City because of the many protested that were held back in the 1960’s and 70’s following the Stonewall riots. The Gay population also needed to expand itself and thus needed a neighborhood to thrive and protect each other in. This neighborhood was Chelsea. Looking back at the history behind Chelsea and seeing that it indeed was

straight at one time gives me more information and different angles to my story.  Chelsea never seemed like a crime ridden area even when she was straight. In the past year there was only one murder in Chelsea. This history behind Chelsea is fascinating and unlike what I initially expected with this neighborhood.  There are many senior homes aligned in the middle of Chelsea spreading from 8th to 9th avenue and from 25th street to 28th street. It seems that Chelsea is very aware of the elderly population.

Parks:

Chelsea park: Located on 28th Street between 9th and 10 Avenue

Thomas E. Smith Park: Located on 24th Street and 11th Avenue

Clement Clark Moore Park: Located on 22nd Street and 10th Avenue

Hudson River Park:  Located along the West Street Highway

14th Street Park: Located on 14th Street and 10th Avenue

Landmarks:

Chelsea Pier: Located on Pier 54

Chelsea Historic District: Located on 22nd Street and 21st street between 9th and 10th

Chelsea Art Galleries: Located on 25th Street and 11th Avenue

The Hotel Chelsea: Located on 23rd Street and 7th Avenue

Chelsea Market: Located on 16th Street and 9th Avenue

F.I.T: Located on 27th Street between 7th and 8th Avenue

Toy Center: Located on 23rd Street and 5th Avenue

London Terrace: Located on 23rd Street between 8th and 9th Avenue

B. Altman Dry Goods Store: Located on 19th Street and 6th Avenue

Churches:

St. John the Baptist Church: Located on 30th Street and 7th Avenue

Holy Apostle Church: Located on 9th Avenue and 28th Street

Community Church: Located on 26th Street and 9th Avenue

St. Columbia Church: Located on 26th Street and 9th Avenue

Guardian Angels Roman Catholic Church: Located on 22nd Street and 10th Avenue

General Theological Seminary: Located on 21st Street between 9th and 10th Avenue

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church: Located on 20th Street and 9th Avenue

St. Vincent de Paul Church: Located on 23rd Street and 6th Avenue

St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church: Located on 25th Street and Broadway

St. Francis Xavier Church: Located on 15th Street between 5th and 6th Avenue

Museum:

The Chelsea At Museum: Located on 22nd Street and 12th Avenue

Musical Cinema and Theater:

Hudson Gold Theater: Located on 27th Street and 10th Avenue

Atlantic Theater: Located on 27th Street and 10th Avenue

Joyce Theater: Located on 19th Street and 12th Avenue

Chelsea Cinema: Located on 23rd Street Between 7th and 8th Avenue

Dance Theater Workshop: Located on 20th Street and 7th avenue

MCC (Manhattan Class Company): Located on 28th Street and 6th Avenue

Grade Schools:

Winston Preparatory School: Located on 17th Street between 7th and 8th Avenue

P.S. 11 William T. Harris: Located on 21st Street and 8th Avenue

Chelsea Middle School: Located on 28th Street and 9th Avenue

City and Country School: Located on 14th Street and 6th Avenue

Guardian Angel School: Located on 22nd Street and 10th Avenue

The Lorge School: Located on 9th Avenue and 17th Street

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Demographics:

Total Population of Chelsea/Hell’s Kitchen: 137,155

American 3,263
Arab 1,129
Czech 795
Danish 433
Dutch 1,185
English 9,474
French (except Basque) 4,845
French Canadian 503
German 13,966
Greek 2,329
Hungarian 1,375
Irish 15,744
Italian 13,083
Lithuanian 509
Norwegian 726
Polish 7,542
Portuguese 437
Russian 8,359
Scotch-Irish 1,567
Scottish 2,767
Slovak 273
Subsaharan African 1,432
Swedish 1,318
Swiss 996
Ukrainian 1,139
Welsh 1,031
West Indian (excluding Hispanic origin groups) 1,609

 

Region Of Birth:

Foreign-born population, excluding population born at sea 32,222
Europe 9,069
Asia 11,677
Africa 530
Oceania 1,274
Latin America 8,534
Northern America 1,138

 

Households:

Total households 77,186
Family households (families) 19,013
With own children under 18 years 5,982
Married-couple family 14,432
With own children under 18 years 4,194
Male householder, no wife present, family 1,131
With own children under 18 years 327
Female householder, no husband present, family 3,450
With own children under 18 years 1,461
Nonfamily households 58,173
Householder living alone 48,180
65 years and over 8,642
Households with one or more people under 18 years 6,397
Households with one or more people 65 years and over 12,276
Average household size 1.67
Average family size 2.73

 

Marital Status:

Males 15 years and over 66,859
Never married 42,054
Now married, except separated 16,890
Separated 1,449
Widowed 658
Divorced 5,808
Females 15 years and over 60,872
Never married 33,260
Now married, except separated 15,872
Separated 1,288
Widowed 3,168
Divorced 7,284

 

School Enrollment:

Population 3 years and over enrolled in school 19,769
Nursery school, preschool 1,157
Kindergarten 323
Elementary school (grades 1-8) 4,018
High school (grades 9-12) 2,029
College or graduate school 12,242
Population 25 years and over 114,782
Less than 9th grade 4,200
9th to 12th grade, no diploma 4,356
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 11,096
Some college, no degree 13,670
Associate’s degree 3,839
Bachelor’s degree 43,467
Graduate or professional degree 34,154

 

Some useful websites:

http://newyorkcity2005.web.infoseek.co.jp/information/maps/chelsea-map.html

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-context=adp&-qr_name=ACS_2008_3YR_G00_DP3YR2&-ds_name=ACS_2008_3YR_G00_&-tree_id=3308&-redoLog=true&-_caller=geoselect&-geo_id=79500US3603807&-format=&-_lang=en

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nyc-architecture.com/CHE/inthemaking.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nyc-architecture.com/CHE/CHE023-LondonTerrace.htm&usg=__bcRs-_8d-NkjxAwcxAP6NyvalZo=&h=492&w=386&sz=34&hl=en&start=1&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=yPMsjpv1SNA2WM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=102&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlondon%2Bterrace%2Bchelsea%2Bnew%2Byork%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Den-us%26tbs%3Disch:1

http://nymag.com/realestate/articles/neighborhoods/chelsea.htm

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Neighborhood Backgrounder: Gravesend

Posted on September 21, 2010 by dko
Gravesend is located in South Brooklyn, north of Coney Island, and east of Bensonhurst.  It is often divided up and placed with other neighborhoods, especially the ones I just mentioned, whenever data is collected.  The Department of City Planning places a good part of it in the 11th Community District, which includes Bensonhurst.  The Census splits the area into three parts, grouping it into PUMAs 04016-18, Sheepshead Bay, Bensonhurst, and Coney Island, respectively.  For my beat, I will focus on the zip code of 11223, my home zip code, between Stillwell Avenue and McDonald Avenue. Continue reading →
Posted in Feature Writing Fall 2010, Graves End/Coney Island, Neighborhood Backgrounders | Comments Off on Neighborhood Backgrounder: Gravesend