Conference Sponsored by:

The Hunter College Center

for Occupational and
Environmental Health,

Program in Urban Public Health

Co-Sponsors:

NYC Department of Health
NYC Department of City Planning

NYC Department of
Environmental Protection

Pratt Institute Graduate Center for
Planning and the Environment

Office of The Bronx Borough
President, Fernando Ferrer

AKRF, Inc. Environmental
Consultants

The Institute for Civil Infrastructure
Systems (ICIS) and the Urban
Planning Program at New York
University

Office of the Manhattan Borough
President, Virginia Fields

Brooklyn Union Gas

Hunter College Department of
Urban Affairs and Planning

Hunter College Program in
Environmental and Occupational
Health Sciences

ATC Associates Inc.

Supporters:

Public Health Association of New
York City

New York City Environmental
Justice Alliance

West Harlem Environmental Action

North River Environmental
Benefits Advisory Committee

Community Alliance for the
Environment (CAFE)

Community District 2, Bronx,
Environmental Subcommittee

South Bronx Clean Air Coalition
We Stay / Nos Quedamos

Hunter College COEH
425 East 25th Street
New York City, NY 10010

212.481.8790
212.481.8795 (fax)

Meeting the Urban Health Challenge:
Southern Bronx Community Tour
Briefing Booklet

Prepared by
The Center for Occupational & Environmental Health,
Hunter College Program in Urban Public Health

with the guidance and assistance of:

The Bronx Community Board 1 Committee for Improved
Environmental Quality in Hunts Point

Office of the Bronx Borough President
Community District 2 Environmental Subcommittee
South Bronx Clean Air Coalition

We Stay / Nos Quedamos
The Point



Acknowledgments

This packet was researched and written by staff and interns of the Hunter College Center for
Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH), including Mike Congo, Ted Outwater and Daniel
Kass. They wish to acknowledge the support and guidance of the following individuals for their
assistance and selection of tour sites: »

Bernd Zimmermann,
Director of Planning and Development, Bronx Borough President's Office
851 Grand Concourse
Bronx, NY 10451
718.590.8087

Carlos Padilla, Marian Feinberg
South Bronx Clean Air Coalition
2417 Third Avenue
Bronx, NY 10451
718.884.2462

Yolanda Garcia, Executive Director
We Stay / Nos Quedamos
811 Courtlandt Avenue
PO Box 524369
Bronx, NY 10452
718.585.2323

Paul Lipson, Associate Director
The Point CDC
940 Garrison Avenue
Bronx, NY 10474
718.542.4139

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed in these booklets reflect a synthesis of many conversations and experiences '
with residents, organizations and agencies involved in public health and planning efforts in the
Southern Bronx. They are the sole responsibility of Hunter College Center for Occupational and
Environmental Health and do not necessarily express the beliefs or opinions of co-sponsoring
organizations or community tour participants.



Meeting the Urban Health Challenge
Southern Bronx Community Tour

Introduction
This tour guide provides an overview of two community districts in the Bronx to elucidate the
. overlapping themes of public health, the physical and built environment, and urban planning. As the
tour proceeds, we encourage you to take note of some of the following concerns, issues and strengths
that participating organizations draw attention to: existing and proposed solid waste management
facilities, the Bronx Empowerment Zone, areas of high environmental burden, and efforts in the

areas of Port Morris, Hunts Point, and the Hub/Mott Haven/Melrose to develop and renovate
housing, create parks and greenways.

Contents
A Brief History of the Bronx
Part I: People and Health

Part II: The Physical Environment

Part III: Maps


A Brief History of the Bronx

The Bronx is the only one of New York City’s five boroughs that is part of the mainland; the others
are islands. A mixture of hills, plains and marshes, the Bronx is a geographically large and diverse
borough. Jonas Bronck, a farmer, was the first settler in this area. Until the Civil War, the area was
a collection of farms and small country villages. At that time, Port Morris was developed as a
deepwater port, the village of Mott Haven was established, and Mott Iron Works was founded. The
U.S. Capitol Dome was cast at one of many local foundries. There were numerous piano factories
and many other industrial and commercial uses.

The City of New York annexed much of the Bronx in 1874. This was followed by the construction
of bridges to Manhattan, and the extension of the rapid transit system. These infrastructure
improvements facilitated the continued industrial, commercial and residential development of this
community. The Bronx was an exciting place to be and, until World War II, an area where upwardly
mobile working families moved from Manhattan. During this period, for example, the area called
the Hub was an important entertainment and shopping center with movie theaters, burlesque houses
and opera.

After World War II, the economic climate changed in the Southern Bronx. There was a large out-
migration to suburban communities. Arterial highways were constructed over and through the Bronx
for the benefit of these growing suburbs. Local industries closed and moved. Yet, new waves of
immigrants continued to move into an area whose economic base was rapidly disappearing. During
the 1960s through the 1980s, the Southern Bronx experienced abandonment, a dramatic loss in
housing, rampant poverty, economic and social stress, and crime that led to the common view of the
“South Bronx” as a dangerous, ravaged area.

Since then, the area has begun to rebuild. New commercial and industrial development, new housing
construction, and improved services have all contributed to an improvement in physical and social
conditions. Much of this has been accomplished through community-based planning efforts that have
included local citizens and their organizations (local governing boards, non-profit organizations,
churches, and businesses). The designation of the Bronx Empowerment Zone promises greater
economic development. Still, much remains to be done. During this tour we will see successes and
areas where problems still remain. As we look at examples of health and planning here, it is
important to see these districts as communities to learn from, sources of knowledge and laboratories
for redevelopment. ~~

This tour is visiting two community districts in the Bronx. Community District 1 (CD1) is made up
of several neighborhoods with distinct identities: Port Morris, Mott Haven, and Melrose. Community
District 2 (CD2) includes the neighborhoods of Hunts Point, Longwood and Intervale Valley.


Part I: People and Health

Some Facts about the Population:

The population and character of the neighborhoods that comprise CD1 and CD2 are predominantly
Latino and Black. Between 1980 and 1990, the number and percent of Asians has increased, while
the number and percent of Whites has decreased.

1990 Population Black (non-Hisp.) Hispanic White (non-Hisp.) Other

CO1344'77, 244 23,563 (31%) 51,627 (66%) 1,317 (2%) 707(<1%)
CD2: _39,443 7,463 (19%) 31,115 (79%) 552 (1%) 313(<1%)
TOTAL: 116,657 31,026 (28%) 82,742 (71%) 1,869 (2%) 1,020(<1%)

The community is young in comparison to other parts of New York City. The population in these
areas is growing more young and old at the same time. The median age in CD1 is 26.1 years, while
in CD? itis 25.4, significantly younger than the median age for the Bronx (30.9) and New York City
as a whole (33.7). The increase in population occurred principally among children under 9 years and
adults between 25 and 29 years and over 70 years of age.

Households in CD1 and CD2 are more likely to have children living with them than in New York
City as a whole. About 50% of CD1 and 54% of CD2 households have children under 18, compared
to just over 30% in New York City. More than 60% of these households are headed by single
women.

Income:

The economic health of these neighborhoods is troubling. Median household income in CD1 and
CD2, about $9,900 in the two districts, is a stunningly low 33% that of New York City as a whole.
More than 65% of all children in these districts live in poverty. About 61% of all residents received
public assistance in 1995. Though public assistance rates are declining Citywide since welfare
reform, they are declining less among Blacks and Hispanics than among Whites.

Education:

Residents in CD1 and CD2 are among the least likely to have completed high school or equivalency
degrees in New York City, both reflecting and exacerbating employment problems. Nationwide,
about 81% of adults older than 25 have graduated high school. In New York City as a whole, about
68% have graduated. In CD1, only 37.4% and in CD2, only 36.3% have graduated. Only 3.4% of
the population in these areas are college graduates, about one-eighth that of the City and the nation
overall.

Employment Status / Types of Employment:

The people of Community Districts 1 and 2 have long lived near and worked in the manufacturing
industries of the Southern Bronx. But between 1980 and 1990, the percent employed in
manufacturing fell 43%, from 28% in 1980 to just 16% in 1990. Employment shifted during the
same period toward greater employment in health and other services (26% of the workforce), and
retail trade jobs (16%), jobs that typically pay less and provide fewer benefits than skilled work in



manufacturing. Both districts are characterized by high unemployment rates, large numbers of
workers outside the labor force, and a large percentage of working poor.

Major employers in the area include professional and related services, especially the health services,
retail trade, and manufacturing industries. Loss of jobs were most acute in the manufacturing trades.
For example, in CD2, almost 1,200 jobs were lost from a working population of about 18,000
between 1980 to 1990 (US Census). More recently however, this area has experienced a growth in
its business economy and greater diversity in its employers, including special trade contractors,
trucking, warehousing, apparel, food and kindred products purveyors. For example, in the Port
Morris section of CD1 there are 389 industrial establishments that employ 10,319 workers. Major
employers include Lincoln Hospital Center (3200 employees), the local school district (2000
employees), the Bronx Central Post Office, and Hostos Community College. The Bronx Terminal
Produce Market and Food Distribution Center in the Hunts Point area of CD2 employs over 20,000
people. Though there are more jobs today in the area than in 1990, employers do not necessarily hire
the local residents, a source of ongoing tension and consternation.

A Note on Crime:

There has been a significant decrease in crime over the past few years; nonetheless, the Community
Boards of each district continue to place increased law enforcement high on their list of community
needs. Programs suchas A Safe City, Safe Streets, Operation Clean Sweep, SNAG (Street Narcotics
and Guns), and CPOP (Community Policy Program) were applauded for their presumed contribution
to the reduction in crime, but concerns are still expressed over the level of uniformed and
administrative police within the communities. Areas of concern include youth crime, gang violence,
drug related crime, violent crime against women and children, prostitution, and nuisance crimes.
Both districts continue to lobby for increased police personnel as well as additional Housing
Authority police to patrol the 11 housing projects in CD1. Prevention programs in effect such as
Operation Safe Home, Drug Elimination Program, and Safe Corridor are been successful in reducing
crime and drug traffic in housing areas and schools, but continued funding is needed.

Selected Health Facts:

The people of CD1 and CD2 face a variety of health, safety, and environmental problems. Relevant
issues include poor use of prenatal care services and consequent high infant mortality rates, high
rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, high prevalence and exposure risk for HIV
and AIDS, high rates of tuberculosis, asthma, and chronic substance abuse. Additionally, violent
crime, particularly against children and women, remain high despite drops in crimes rates in other
categories such as grand larceny, robbery, and assault.

Pre-Natal and Infant Care:

This area has one of the highest rates of infant mortality in New York City as well as one of the
highest rates of teen pregnancy. Nearly 10% of all infants born in the Hunts Point-Mott Haven
District are to mothers under the age of 18 years, and according to the United Hospital Fund, more
than 25% of all expectant mothers receive no or late prenatal care.

Since the health of newborns is strongly related to the health of mothers, low birth weight health
statistics are among the best indicators of population health. Low birth weight (under 2,500 grams,
or about 5 pounds, 5 ounces) is associated with poor prenatal care, poor nutrition preceding and

3



during pregnancy, complications of pregnancy and compromised health of mothers. These
underweight infants are at greater risk for mortality, developmental disability, respiratory ailments
and prolonged hospitalization. About 9% of babies born in New York City and nearly 12% in CD1
and CD2 were low birth weight. Infant mortality, or the incidence of death before the first birthday,
was 7.2 per 1,000 live births in the U.S. In these areas of the Bronx, infant mortality is 40% higher
than the city as a whole.

Asthma:

Asthma is a growing problem among urban children globally. New York City has one of the highest
rates in the U.S. Little is known about the prevalence of asthma, as the State only gathers data on
asthma hospitalizations. About 11 of every 1,000 children under 15 were hospitalized in 1996 for
asthma in New York City, more than twice the national average. In the Bronx, the hospitalization
rate is 17.3 per 1,000. CD1 and CD2 have the highest rates in the Bronx, about 22 per 1,000 with
rates slightly higher in Mott Haven than in Hunts Point and Port Morris. Asthma rates rose most
dramatically in these areas in the early 1990s and have since leveled off. Though there is little
agreement on why the rates have risen so markedly, asthma is a product of both housing conditions
and general environmental health and may reflect poor access to preventive and primary health care
services. Hunts Point is one of three communities selected in 1998 by the NYC Council for the
development and demonstration of community-based prevention programs that seek to control
indoor and outdoor triggers of childhood asthma.

Lead Poisoning:

Lead poisoning in New York City is principally a function of housing history and condition.
Residential lead-based paint is more likely to be a source of exposure for children in formerly middle
and upper-middle class housing where premium paints were used, but where conditions have
deteriorated. In these areas of the Bronx, the rate of childhood lead poisoning in 1995 was about 2.5
per 1,000, about average for New York City as a whole.

HIV/AIDS:

AIDS has had a profound impact on this community. In Mott Haven, for example, the death rate
from AIDS is 132 per 100,000, nearly twice the rate of New York City as a whole; in Morrisania,
it is 167, more than two and one-half times the rate in New York City.



Part Il: The Physical Environment
Housing:

In the 1970s and 1980s, a large number of housing units were lost in the Bronx to fire, destruction
and abandonment. Only recently have a number of rehabilitation and new construction projects been
underway in these districts. In CD1, about half the population lives in 11,149 public housing units
in 11 developments. Most are described as severely deteriorated and under policed. CD1 also has
a substantial number of buildings that were abandoned by their owners and taken possession by the
City. Some are occupied, others are vacant or illegally “squatted.” Among the larger new
developments, Melrose Commons and St. Anne will provide 2,000 units of moderate and middle
income housing and are key parts of the Bronx’s revitalization plans.

In CD2, housing is predominantly medium density apartment buildings and row houses. The Hunts
Point peninsula, to the east of the Bruckner Expressway, is a 20 block residential community of
about 9,000 surrounded by manufacturing and other industrial and commercial uses.

Waterfront:

The southern border of CD1 is the Harlem River whose waterfront is the largely abandoned and soon
to be redeveloped Harlem River Railyards. To the east of CD2 lies the East River. The Port Morris
and Hunts Point waterfront areas are considered “working waterfronts” in the City’s comprehensive
waterfront plan and designated as a Significant Maritime Industrial Area (SMIA). This status
protects existing uses, a source of consternation among community residents desperate for waterfront
access and more green space.

Industrial and Commercial Areas:

Nearly 10 percent of the land in CD1 and CD2 is designated industrial and manufacturing as
compared to just 1 percent for New York City as a whole. The old Port Morris area, long in decline,
now is an emerging industrial center; the Hunts Point area is a regional food distribution center; and
the Hub-Mott Haven-Melrose area is the principal retail and commercial center. The industrial tracts
are composed of both small scale uses such as automotive repair shops and large scale uses,
including waste transfer stations..

The Harlem River Rail Yard, now owned by the NY State Department of Transportation, is being
developed to improve freight rail access into and out of New York City.

A Note on Environmental Issues:

The communities of CD1 and CD2 are home to many community-based organizations concerned
with environmental conditions. They have made links between perceived noxious land use and high
rates of disease and discomfort in the communities. Among the complaints and concerns are:

+ the large number of heavy manufacturing industries and commercial traffic in close
proximity to residential areas;

+ the high volume of diesel truck traffic and its concomitant air pollution and safety risks to
pedestrians and residents;



+ the numerous solid and putrescible waste transfer and management facilities and the concern
that the closing at the end of 2001 of the major landfill for New York City (Fresh Kills) will
bring a greater reliance upon the area’s marine access for movement of more garbage;

poor state of street repair; *
vacant lots, abandoned housing and poor pest control; and

new industrial development and a concern that public health impacts are will not be
adequately considered.

There are very few parks within CD1 and CD2 and those that exist are described by the Community
District Boards as suffering from inadequate maintenance, staffing and security. A tree census
completed by We Stay / Nos Quedamos found just two trees per acre in the peninsula of Hunts Point.

Sources:

Information in this document was primarily obtained from the following sources:
Community Boards 1 and 2, Statements of District Needs, Fiscal Year 1999.
United States Census Data, 1990.

Socioeconomic Profiles, City of New York Department of City Planning, 1990.

Willensky, Elliot, and White, Norval. AIA Guide to New York City. Harcourt Brace &
Company, New York, 3rd Edition, 1988.

Maps, unless otherwise noted, were produced with LandView IIL, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency. The software may be obtained via the internet at: http://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger.



—_

ag We

uw

Part Ill: Maps

Community District Boundaries
Community Districts One and Two, Bronx NY
Percent Living in Poverty, Community Districts One and Two

Existing and Proposed Waste Management Facilities in the
Southern Bronx

Port Morris and Adjacent Areas, Bronx NY

Hunts Point Peninsula and Adjacent Areas, Bronx NY



Community District Boundaries

EAST RIVER

Community District Two



Community Districts One and Two, Bronx NY

Y Loy diay LEELA 17, [TH LET V7 A ZA\ Adu
Uy ee LL PGs of Jacob Hospital KZN a, Vig b sen |
Pan ee rt a Ayer ae
f y; és : x LOTT SUE an He a ake mor ox SteRiane Bs oi
IRL GR ls ae ZN ‘a UPERFUND_NON_NPL Ne at
GF ae A say LN on
Pex CACO 4
Oe, ) un y
VRS Oe y EW YORK ORGANIC FERTILIZER CO @) fo
eS os y= ne


si Re
SS
SS

2
o
i=J
a

y Districts One and Two,

=

Percent Living in Poverty (1990 Census), Communit

Bronx NY


EXISTING AND PROPOSED
WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITIES
IN THE SOUTHERN BRONX

Us,

WS W/E Le SUE Le FAY eastern ee
ard KRUSE PUTTY aire AC
y ii v
ra

1)
al®. Ms
Vite:

LANES:

ZANPIGE TTY Tf | [set Lngasestt'l =e
ve, Sr ig ees
HATH 4, ‘iS IN ;
YOON, =

~Q
r

x
ER
OM A

TiS my

LEGEND
© CARTING
a FIL

@ HARLEMRIVER RAIL YARD

+ MEDICAL |
Y NON-PUTRESCIBLE C&D

@ NON-PUTRESCIBLE RECYCLING |
& PUTRESCIBLE

* WATER TREATMENT/BIOSOLIDS

— TRUCK ROUTES

OFFICE OF THE BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT * BUREAU OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT REV. 3/11/97


jacent Areas, Bronx NY

Port Morris and Adj

GY 3 3
Y icy, of
Pullic Schoal 31
iS @:S&SIND.INC. Nc! 3h
GY : x
F 7
&/

aS 3
oO aus?
= 2 3
= 2 3
s y g ko Ny
a. oa 3. P= vy
2 =
Q D3 +: = sf
= © 2 5 fees
aN 8/2) o/3 F & LES
vi DD ¥ & = G 2 S
> S WA a 5 "ay
Oped & r/2 ofan O é
ate) s: Cara % K,
OR Bal © RY Py 2 3 KE
0 i = 5 ¥
non. 2 = Ns =} ay LX 2
i Rh 2 o.3 ts rage fe
ae a 3 a=
"<> 3 pa 2 &, S
2 E Sef & co PAL
Ss 5) = w ts 4
& 3 Sa = fs = Ril
tp = 8 Texas) a Ay
Ss oe * & 2 4 OF / ba ie
z 5S S$ a 4 a
Ee} ro HL
3 s/s HH
ir Fy = 4
3 =yRe fl
4 =f 2, PY
= Be x? i
DER & Z/
SIS. c fe £7

as


CKO
.

Crake

0.20 030 0.40mi ¥

: ae

0 0.10
ee hee (Bikes LS

a
y Vy 7 *e

2} oo
i .
e
3
e)
HUNT'S POINT Wi

NS