The Bronx Develops: South Bronx Waterfront Projects Spark Fear of Gentrification
Norwood News
By Andrew Segar
The Norwood News, in partnership with WFUV and BronxNet TV, continues its four-part series on development projects happening across the Bronx and their impact on community residents.
Amid the rise of real estate interest in the South Bronx, new developers along the waterfront say they will deliver more housing, public parks and retail stores to areas like Port Morris and Mott Haven. But, promises of “luxury waterfront living” and “world class dining” have long-time Bronxites asking, “Who exactly is this development for?”
Right now, waste transfer plants, bus depots, industrial buildings and self-storage facilities take up most of the waterfront in Mott Haven and neighboring Port Morris, where median household incomes fall around $26,000. Over 35 percent of people in these South Bronx neighborhoods are among the poorest of the poor, according to U.S. Census figures. Upscale development in a neighborhood, once at the epicenter of blight, has inspired the oft used phrase, “The Bronx is not for sale.” It’s a phrase championed by Mychal Johnson.
