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Update: Fordham Hill Residents Want Improved Street Lighting

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By SÍLE MOLONEY
After installing improved lighting (pictured) at their own cost in the vicinity of Fordham Hill Owners Corporation, along Sedgwick Avenue, between Bailey Avenue and Fordham Avenue, in the University Heights section of The Bronx, residents now want the City to follow suit, and extend the lighting on the public land that stretches from the intersection of Bailey Avenue and Sedgwick Avenue down to Bailey Avenue and Heath Avenue.
Photo courtesy of Blandon Casenave

Car theft in the 52nd precinct rose by 29.3 percent between Jan. 1 and April 25, according to crime statistics recorded by the NYPD, totaling 53 incidents, versus 41 for the same period last year. The precinct covers Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham, Kingsbridge, Bronx Park, and University Heights.

 

Meanwhile, the 47th precinct, which covers Woodlawn, Wakefield, Williamsbridge, Baychester, Edenwald, Olinville, Fishbay, and Woodlawn Cemetary, has experienced a whopping 156.7 percent increase in car theft during the same period. The precinct recorded 154 car thefts as of April 25. Meanwhile, just 60 vehicles were stolen during the same period last year.

 

In the 50th precinct, which covers Riverdale, Fieldston, Kingsbridge, Marble Hill, Spuyten Duyvil, and includes Wave Hill and Van Cortlandt Park, as of April 25, 2021, a drop of 22 percent in Grand Larceny Auto crime has been seen, with only 28 car thefts recorded as of April 25, versus 36 during the same period last year.

After installing improved lighting at their own cost in the vicinity of Fordham Hill Owners Corporation, along Sedgwick Avenue, between Bailey Avenue and Fordham Avenue, in the University Heights section of The Bronx, residents now want the City to follow suit, and extend the lighting on the public land that stretches from the intersection of Bailey Avenue and Sedgwick Avenue down to Bailey Avenue and Heath Avenue. They say the intersection of Sedgwick Avenue and Bailey Avenue is full of squatters.
Photo courtesy of Blandon Casenave

Despite repeated reminders during Bronx Community Board 7 public safety meetings by the 52nd precinct, not to double-park and leave keys temporarily in the ignitions, it seems residents continue to do so. Deputy Inspector Thomas J. Alps said this was the main reason for high car theft rates across the borough.

 

However, University Heights residents at Fordham Hill Owners Corporation, billed the largest, privately financed co-operative apartment complex in the City of New York, believe there is more to it than that.

 

In a letter to residents and shareholders from the Co-op Board of Directors on April 16, the Board thanked their security chief, Clinton Robinson, and his colleagues for enhancing security measures both within and around the Fordham Hill complex.

 

“We trust that all of you are aware of the increased security lighting on the westside of Sedgwick Avenue adjacent to the Oval [park],” the letter read. “This increased lighting has significantly reduced, to almost zero, the amount of vandalism and theft of vehicles parked on Sedgwick Avenue.”

After installing improved lighting at their own cost in the vicinity of Fordham Hill Owners Corporation, along Sedgwick Avenue, between Bailey Avenue and Fordham Avenue, in the University Heights section of The Bronx, residents now want the City to follow suit, and extend the lighting on the public land that stretches from the intersection of Bailey Avenue and Sedgwick Avenue down to Bailey Avenue and Heath Avenue.
Photo courtesy of Blandon Casenave

The board said that the lighting measures taken also ensured greater safety of pedestrians and persons waiting at the bus stop, and that news of an increase in parking garage robberies had been brought to the attention of their security colleague.

 

As reported by Norwood News, on Tuesday, March 9, at around 2.55 a.m., at 2740 Webster Avenue, G & Sons Parking, in Fordham Manor, four people forced their way into the location’s office. One man brandished a handgun, and the group tied up a 57-year-old male employee. They took $180 from the victim, as well as his wallet. In addition, they stole three vehicles, a Honda CRV, a Toyota Camry, and a Porsche Panamera, part of a pattern of auto thefts that have occurred in recent months across the borough.

 

“At this time, he is in the process of receiving bids for additional camera surveillance, signage and lighting, at and near the garage entrance,” the letter continued. “These measures will continue to protect our community. Mr. Robinson will also be looking into the placement of surveillance cameras and lighting on the outside of the Kensington Building.”

 

Since the board believes that increased lighting at the complex has played a role in reducing car theft, they are now calling on local government to increase the level of lighting on public land in the vicinity of Fordham Hill.

 

“The shareholders of Fordham Hill Owners Corporation paid for lighting along Sedgwick Avenue, between Bailey [Avenue] & Fordham Road,” they said in a joint statement. “The increased lighting has improved safety for all who walk and park their vehicles at night. We hope that local government will follow our example, and do more to increase lighting and improve public safety, going north along Bailey Avenue.”

The co-op board said the area is full of squatters, and that the City does little to maintain the area. They added that City officials are quick to issue parking tickets and other traffic violations, yet the revenues collected from such fines are, allegedly, not being channeled back into enhancing safety and security for local residents.

 

Norwood News reached out to the City for comment on the Board’s request regarding more lighting in public spaces in the area. We did not receive an immediate response.

 

 

Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.

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