Latest Edition of Norwood News is Out!

Latest Edition of the Norwood News is Out!

Dear Fellow Readers, The freshest edition of the Norwood News is out with plenty of Bronx community news you can use. In it, you’ll find 16 pages full of good stuff that can make you the smartest person in the room. As usual, we begin with page 1, and a story that while on the surface can be boring, but has major impacts in your quality of life. We’re talking about zoning and the findings of a preliminary study that determines whether it’s doable to have future developers build smaller buildings. The answer, according to the study, is yes. As an

Getting Into Nitty Gritty of Kingsbridge Ice Project Loan

Have you ever had a conversation on what zoning is as it relates to New York City? Unless one is an urban planner, I doubt many can give a comprehensive version of the power behind zoning. In a nutshell, zoning governs how neighborhoods look across the city using a set of regulations or zoning codes that tell developers what’s allowed to be built in a neighborhood. Understanding the nitty gritty aspects of zoning poses major hurdles for anyone looking to gain control of their neighborhood’s fate, and it was pretty evident at a special Community Board 7 Land Use/Zoning and

How Big Do You Want Your Buildings in the Bronx?

By DAVID CRUZ

For residents attending a presentation on the feasibility of downzoning two neighborhoods in the northwest Bronx, tech-heavy jargon such as “Floor Area Ratio,” “compliance,” and “sky exposure plane” admittedly caused confusion for a topic focusing on the size of buildings. “Is this too complicating?” asked Paula Caplan, an independent urban planner hired by Community Board 7 to study the possibility of downzoning the two neighborhoods and present her ideas to the city. Residents answered “no,” with some shrugging their shoulders. A handful responded “yes.” Such is the subject of zoning, a topic that, if presented dryly, can confound and perplex

Oval Park May Get Grant From Walt Disney Co.

Your votes are needed for Williamsbridge Oval Park to secure a $20,000 from the Happiest Place on Earth. The park, at the epicenter of Norwood, is competing with two other parks for the funds as part of the Meet Me at the Park, an initiative between the Walt Disney Company and the National Recreation and Park Association. The funds would go directly to Oval Park’s Summer Sports Experience initiative, where kids learn unique sports skills by trained staffers. “Supporting local parks is essential to the health and vitality of communities everywhere,” said Lori Robertson, NRPA Director of Conservation. “That’s why we are

By DAVID CRUZ

The MTA is rolling out an extra roundtrip bus on the overly congested Bx10 line, following commuter complaints addressed to its local Assemblyman. Its southbound route starts at Riverdale, making 51 stops before reaching Norwood’s 206th Street and Rochambeau Avenue. Commuters were vocal over the line’s constant congestion, which slowed service down. The complaints went to the MTA and to Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, whose district covers Norwood and Riverdale. In a statement, Dinowitz called the bus route a “lifeline for Bronx commuters with limited public transit options.” Bus service stands as the primary public transportation the further north Bronx commuters

Neighborhood Notes: Free Immigration Service

COMMUNITY BOARD 7 will hold its general board meeting on April 18 at North Central Bronx Hospital, 3424 Kossuth Ave., 17th Floor, at 6:30 p.m. CB7 committee meetings will be held on the following dates at the board office, 229A East 204th St., at 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted: Traffic and Transportation Committee on April 13; Veterans Committee on April 13 at 7:30 p.m.; Housing, Land Use and Zoning Committee on April 19; Economic Development Committee on April 25; Community Relations & Long Term Planning Committee on April 25 at 7:30 p.m.; and Website Acknowledgement & Media Committee on April

By DAVID GREENE

This week we asked readers about a proposal to close the Rikers Island jail complex and move the prisoners to smaller jails throughout the five boroughs. Yes, close Rikers Island because it is rampant with corruption. Just as failing schools were closed down, so should this jail. Break it into smaller facilities so there’s no more bureaucracy and chaos and more order. They should also hold those officers accountable for failing in their jobs and taking part in the chaos. Rosanna Delgado Pelham Parkway I guess if they find a good place for them where they’ll be safe and

By ANTHONY ALI

The Norwood News and WFUV complete their five-part series profiling ongoing challenges impacting the Bronx. With the Bronx experiencing the highest rates of poverty and the lowest median income of all the five boroughs, money is tight. Compounding the problem is education on how to use that money wisely. After all, New Yorkers do not have to learn about personal finance in order to graduate high school — something required in only five other states. The end result is that many Bronx residents are on their own when learning how to properly manage their finances. A lack of understanding personal

As has been the case for the last several years, Norwood’s St. Brendan and St. Ann Church and Bedford Park’s St. Philip Neri held their annual Good Friday processions. On the public streets of the two neighborhoods, actors reenacted the Stations of the Cross, which tell the story marking the final moments of Jesus Christ. Check out these photos from experienced photographers David Greene and Miriam Quinones.