Mount Vernon, New York
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- For other places with the same name, see Mount Vernon (disambiguation).
| Mount Vernon, New York |
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| Motto: The city of homes | ||
| Coordinates: | ||
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| Counties | Westchester County | |
| Mayor | Ernest D. Davis (Dem) | |
| Area | ||
| - City | 4.4 mi² / 11.3 km² | |
| - Land | 4.4 mi² / 11.3 km² | |
| - Water | 1.7 mi² / 4.3 km² | |
| Population | ||
| - City (2000) | 68,321 | |
| - Density | 5,792.7/km² | |
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) | |
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) | |
Mount Vernon is a city in Westchester County, New York, on the northern border of New York City. It is the eighth largest city in New York state. As of the 2000 census the population was at 68,321. The city is on the Bronx River and the Hutchinson River. The city is within a 15-minute drive of Manhattan and a half-hour train ride to Grand Central Terminal.
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[edit] History
In 1850, John Stevens, a merchant tailor from New York City, set out to improve the condition of the working class in New York. Among his goals was to create a property-holding class out of rent payers. To this end he organized the Industrial Home Association No. 1 of New York. Qualifications for membership were moral character, industrious habits and the desire to promote a common purpose.
1,017 due-paying members joined the Association, which purchased the land that then became the Village of Mount Vernon. It consisted of five farms with a combined area of about 370 acres, costing a total of $75,342.88, or roughly $205 per acre. The land extended from what is now Union Avenue on the east to Fifteenth Avenue on the west; and from Valentine Street on the north to Sandford Boulevard and a small portion of Kingsbridge on the south.
Mount Vernon at this time consisted mainly of farm lands crossed by two important railroads, the New York and Harlem (that already had a station there) and the New York and New Haven (that had no station until the Industrial Home Association built one for it).
Central Mount Vernon remained mostly undeveloped until Charles Crary bought land on Chester Hill in 1869. He laid out orderly building lots and placed restrictions on the use of the lots and who could purchase them. Chester Hill became a privileged community.
Mount Vernon was officially incorporated as a city in 1892.
[edit] Law and government
Mount Vernon is governed by a mayor and a city council. The city council consists of four representatives—one from each of the city's four districts and the city council President- Lyndon D. Williams. The current mayor of Mount Vernon is Mayor Ernest D. Davis.
Mount Vernon city's court has three judges and one senior judge which handle many of the city's civic cases.
Possibly owing to the city's African American majority, each mayor elected since the 1980's has been black. The uninterrupted string of black mayors in excess of twenty years is a first for any in the New York metropolitan area and the Northeast.
[edit] Geography
Mount Vernon is located at (40.914060, -73.830507)GR1. It is the third largest city in the county of Westchester.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.3 km² (4.4 mi²). 11.3 km² (4.4 mi²) of it is land and 4.3 km² (1.7 mi²) of it (0.76%) is water.
[edit] Neighborhoods
[edit] Fleetwood
Fleetwood, Mount Vernon is an upscale residential and business neighborhood situated between the commercial and business district of Downtown to the south and the affluent residential and historic village of Bronxville to the north. It is roughly bounded by Rt.22 to the east, Lincoln Avenue to the south and the Bronx River Parkway to the west.
Fleetwood is "The small town inside the city." It is the neighborhood of many homes and residential mid-rises.The neighborhood has three of the nations well known banks which are HSBC,Chase Manhattan Bank,and Bank of New York under Chase Manhattan Banking.This particular area of Mount Vernon has great four star restaurants with a blend of Italian and Spanish dishes served at the top of the menu.
Fleetwood is like the Midtown of Mount Vernon composed of busy thoroughfares, including Mount Vernon's famous Gramatan Avenue, lined by mid-rise condos and local store front businesses alongside one another that are home to the city's best boutiques, candy shops, grocery marts, dining outlets, and busy shopping areas. Gramatan Avenue in this area has become known as Mount Vernon's "Grandeur Main Street", and it is developing into an authentic 8-block urban premiere business corridor that will, according to inside sources, rival White Plains' Main street, Yonkers' Getty Square, and New Rochelle's North Avenue. It is also home to quiet residential areas populated by Victorian, American Four-Square, early-20th-century bungalow-style homes, and educational facilities. Fleetwood's focal point is to attract more development for luxury living as well as a thriving business and nightlife area. The roundabout at Gramatan and Lincoln Avenues is the door to its grand entrance.
Fleetwood, Mount Vernon is currently a fast-growing upscale community with appreciating land and property values, as land is a precious commodity in this urban area. As residents and new comers alike begin to return and come to this area of city following decades of suburban retreat from the busy and noisy life of Manhattan, Fleetwood offers an attractive mix of amenities and attractions, as well as proximity to Manhattan offices and destinations though the Metro North railroad. The recent construction and opening of the roundabout over the Downtown Connector has reconnected Fleetwood with the Downtown of the city along Gramatan Avenue. It connects Fleetwood to new and improved downtown setting along Gramatan Avenue.
Fleetwood,Mount Vernon is served by an commuter rapid rail system, Metro North which serves the Fleetwood Station, and the Bee-Line Bus System.
[edit] Chester Heights
Chester Heights, Mount Vernon a lovely upscale residential neighborhood located on the northeastern border of Mount Vernon and south of neighboring towns Bronxville and Eastchester. Chester Heights encompasses sections of Bronxville, Eastchester and Mount Vernon. The community sits on a tree lined hill nestled alongside the Hutchinson River Pkwy.
Chester Heights is unique, because of its close proximity to the affluent and historical village of Bronxville and it's easy access to the Hutchinson River Pkwy and Cross County Pkwy. Like Fleetwood, Chester Heights maintains an upscale image but it is diverse both racially and ethnically.
[edit] Downtown/Southside
Downtown Mount Vernon is one of the largest business districts in the county of Westchester and New York metro area. This area contains among the tallest buildings in Mount Vernon. The tallest building in Mount Vernon the Saratoga, sits at the center of Petrillo Plaza, a major transit and residential area of the downtown which is set for massive redevelopment. The Saratoga is one of the tallest residential buildings in the county, and the one of the tallest residential buildings in a downtown setting in the county.
Downtown Mount Vernon is the heart of the city. This area contains striking architecture dating as far back as the early 1900's. Some of the largest buildings there include:
- The Saratoga
- Westchester Tower
- Levister Towers
- City Hall
- Chase Bank
- Mount Vernon Hospital
- Unity Gardens
The most important business facilities in Mount Vernon are located around this area. Among the parks venues, Hartley Park and Brush Park are located within a mile.The downtown/southside is well served by the Metro North which has two stations in these areas of the city Mount Vernon east and Mount Vernon west stations.
In 2004 the Sanford Boulevard revitalization project went under way.This was a major urban renewal project along this once thriving corridor which over time begin to decay. The project was meant to economically revitalize the South Side and provide jobs to low-income and unemployed residents in the city. Companies that were included in this project were Target, Starbucks, Bed Bath & Beyond, Staples, Best Buy, Famous Footwear, Stop & Shop, T.J. Maxx, Petco, and Restaurant Depot. Future projects to help the city on a citywide scale are residential and mixed-use office and retail projects. Some named projects are under way which all can be viewed on the city's websites.
[edit] Revitalization
The Mount Vernon Downtown Revitalization Plan includes a $210 million investment for a "Sports Arena Project", a 300-room hotel, an office building complex, a convention center, and a retail mall, as well as
an inter-modal transportation system, creating a total of 1,000 new jobs.
Additional projects include:
- Sandford Boulevard Retail Project (still in production), which will invest $50 million and create 324 new jobs and about 2,000 in the near future
- The expansion of Michael Anthony Jewelers manufacturing operation, which plans to invest $10 million, while creating 300 new jobs and retaining 650 jobs
- The expansion of A&P Coat, Apron & Linen Supply dba Unitex, Inc., which plans to invest $13.2 million, while creating 200 new jobs and retaining 132
- The expansion of Secs Inc. and Promptus Electronic Hardware, Inc., which plans to invest $600,000, while creating 16 new jobs and retaining 93.
Besides these projects, city beautification projects are underway such as Hartley Park renovations and a newly-established Petrillo Plaza which will feature a transit inter-modal center, wider sidewalks, extended curves, esplanade flower beds, information kiosks, and lighting. Estimates for the projects total out to be in the one-hundred millions.
[edit] Recreation
Within the city, there is a great number of civic parks on a large and small scale. Numerous events take place periodically during the year, both indoors and outdoors. The Ice Hutch is a domed sports complex where ice hockey is played during the winter, located on the grounds of Hutchinson Field, on the southbound side of the Hutchinson River Parkway. Indoor golf and tennis are also available at the Ice Hutch throughout the year. Outdoors at Hutchinson Field, there are many minor-league fields and a batting cage. Adjacent to Hutchinson Field is the stadium-like Memorial Field, which contains a track for running, a soccer/football field, and a tennis court.
The city hosts many annual events that are well-known to city residents, such as the Arts on Third Street Festival that is held in either August or September, Parade of Flags in October, the school district parade which is held in June, the Veterans Day parade which is held in November, Ben Gordon Day and the go-cart grand prix which is held in June or July in the downtown. The city is also home to Wilson Woods Park, a 23-acre county-owned park which features swimming, picnicking, hiking, fishing, and biking.
[edit] Economy
Mount Vernon has a large amount of commercial industry which boosts the city's economy, with industries such as manufacturing, electronics, engineering, and high tech mainly located in the Southside section of the city. The city is home to the headquarters of Zelco Industries Inc., Unitex, and Clickable Enterprises Inc., as well as Capri Album Inc. and Spl Integrated Solutions' northeast branch. Mount Vernon is also home to Columbus Construction Co., who helped at Ground Zero during the World Trade Center cleanup in lower Manhattan. Mount Vernon also has an established Empire Zone for commercial and industrial use located in the southern portion of the city which has attracted manufacturing companies and nationally recognized businesses for major retailers and companies such as:
- Tiffany & Company
- Closets By Design
- Bergamo Fabrics
- Beacon Adhesive
- Window Modes
- Esm/Bekins Movers
- HalCraft USA
- Granite Tops USA
- WDF Greene
- OWN Instruments
- Furniture Restoration
- Formasano
- Century 21 Awnings
- Travers & Company
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 68,321 people, 27,048 households, and 18,432 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,792.7/km² (14,290.3/mi²). There were 28,558 housing units at an average density of 3,509.3/km² (7,205.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 28.63% White, 59.58% African American, 0.32% Native American, 2.12% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.85% from other races, and 4.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.48% of the population. A significant portion of the White and/or Latino population (depending on if they classified themselves as Hispanic in the census) are of Brazilian or Portuguese origin. Similarly, a significant part of the Black and/or Latino population is of West Indian origin.
There were 27,048 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples living together, 28.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.2% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.27.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 82.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $47,128, and the median income for a family was $55,573. Males had a median income of $41,493 versus $37,871 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,827. 13.9% of the population and 11.8% of families were below the poverty line. 12.7% of the population is 65 or older.
The city of Mount Vernon's three major employers are the Mount Vernon city school district with 1,021 employees, Michael Anthony Jewelers (712 employees), and Mount Vernon Hospital (700 employees).
[edit] Brazilian community
One in 10 people in Mount Vernon is from Brazil, and according to estimates by the city and the Brazilian Consulate in New York, two-thirds of those Brazilians are from Poços de Caldas, a blue-collar city of 140,000 in the mountains of southeastern Brazil.
The Brazilian community is heavily concentrated in an area along and near West Lincoln Ave., from its beginning at the corner of Mt. Vernon Ave. going about half a mile down to Gramatan Ave., and has begun to spread into East Lincoln Avenue. Brazilian stores line commercial areas in these parts of Mount Vernon (especially within Gramatan Ave. from the railroad tracks to Lincoln Ave. and adjacent blocks), and neighborhood public schools have brought in teachers and counselors who speak Portuguese. The language can be heard on the streets throughout this area.
The Brazilians living in Mount Vernon have also transformed their Brazilian hometown, pumping millions of dollars into its economy and helping to pay for new homes and businesses there. So important are these remittances that Brazilian jouranlist Walther Alvarenga has made Mount Vernon the focus of a series of documentaries for Brazilian public television called New York, O Sonho Brasileiro ("New York, the Brazilian Dream").
In November 2005 Mayor Ernest D. Davis traveled to Poços de Caldas to sign a sister-city agreement to strengthen the bond between the two cities.[1]
[edit] Health and Education
The city has two high schools, Mount Vernon High School and the Nelson Mandela Alternative High School. A third high school, Thornton, will be opening in the fall of 2007. There are three middle schools (Longfellow, A.B. Davis, and Franko) and ten elementary schools (Traphagen, Penington Grimes, Longfellow, Graham, Lincoln, Columbus, Parker, Edward Williams, Hamilton, and Holmes).
The city has the largest public library system in Westchester County and the sixth largest in New York State.
Mount Vernon Hospital has 228-beds. It provides in-patient, critical care, and ambulatory services to residents of Mount Vernon and neighboring communities. The hospital is most known for its premier Chronic Wound Treatment and Hyperbaric Center, which is one of the most advanced in the Northeast. It also offers a variety of services including the Assertive Community Treatment Center (ACT), the Family Health and Wellness Center, the Hopfer School of Nursing, Hyperbaric Medicine, and Intensive Case Management.
Mount Vernon Hospital is one of three hospitals in the county (Sound Shore Medical Center and Westchester Medical Center are the others), which provides programs in medicine, nursing, surgery and podiatry.The hospital has “some of the finest medical doctor educators on staff. There is a 92 percent pass rate on boards for medical residents.”
Mount Vernon hospital's emergency room is going to be expanded at a cost of 2.5 million dollars.The 115-year-old hospital is doubling the size of its emergency room from 9,000 square feet to 18,500. The expansion plans include 15 private treatment rooms and upgrades to the waiting area, triage room and other areas in the emergency department.
The hospital treats 25,000 patients a year in the emergency room and is part of the Sound Shore Health System.
The area around the hospital has alot of medical office building and facilities for treatment which provide healthcare to residents living in Mount Vernon,the southeast section of Yonkers, and the north Bronx which is near the city's border.
Westchester Community College also has an extension site education facility located in the downtown.
[edit] Culture and Ancestry
The city has an enormously diverse population for its size. Over 98 different nationalities call the city home. In just four square miles the ethnic background of the people range from German, Portuguese, Arab, and Brazilian to Mexican, Italian, Korean, and Jamaican. The city has a large Brazilian community located in the neighborhoods just north and east of the downtown, and it also has the largest West Indian and West African population in the county, although these groups mainly occupy the southwest corner of the city nearer to New York City, bordering a similar neighborhood in the Bronx. The Korean-American association of Mount Vernon calls the city home. Throughout the year, the city hosts events that honor these groups for their contributions to the city of Mount Vernon and for calling Mount Vernon home.
Major ancestry groups reported by Mount Vernon residents include:
- Black or African American - 60%
- West Indian (excludingHispanic groups) - 17%
- Jamaican - 13%
- Italian - 11%
- Irish - 4%
- Puerto Rican - 3%
- German - 3%
- Portuguese - 2%
- Mexican - 2%
- Other Hispanic or Latino - 2%
- Sub-Saharan African - 2%
- Asian Indian - 2%
- Brazilian - 2%
- Polish - 1%
- West Indian - 1%
- Haitian - 1%
- South American - 1%
- Dominican Republic - 1%
- English - 1%
- African - 1%
- Guyanese - 1%
- Russian - 1%
- Barbadian - 1%
- Central American: - 1%
- British West Indian - 1%
- Greek - 1%
- Colombian - 1%
- French (except Basque) - 1%
[edit] Famous residents
Denzel Washington, Eddie F, Ken Singleton, Miciah Yehudah (radio personality/African historian), Dick Clark, Arthur Murray (dance instructor) and his wife, Katherine(sp) who lived in Mount Vernon, used to baby-sit for Dick Clark Art Carney, Heavy D, Al B. Sure!, Kyle West, Axella Johannesson, SH, Betty Shabazz, Ben Gordon, De'Sean Woods, Gus Williams, Michael Imperioli, Pete Rock and CL Smooth, Lachanze, Roz Kelly, DMX and P. Diddy were born (or grew up) in Mount Vernon.
[edit] Transportation
From its founding, the city has been well served by passenger rail. Metro North has three train stations in Mount Vernon: Mount Vernon West, Mount Vernon East, and Fleetwood. In the 19th century the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad ran on the surface through Mount Vernon, but the tracks are now depressed in rights-of-way dug for improved rail service and elimination of grade crossings. Petrillo Plaza in Mount Vernon has been the site where most of the city's transportation infrastructure has been occupied. In late 2005 the RBA Group conducted a study and found that over 5,000 commuters traverse the area on a daily basis: about 3,600 commuters use the Bee-Line Bus System, and 1,500 use the Metro North railroad.
Both the 2 train and the 5 train of the New York City subway system terminate just before the Bronx border of Mount Vernon.
The city is also serviced by the Bee-Line Bus System routes 7, 40, 41, 42, 52, 53, 54, 55, as well as the 91 which operates during the summer. The city also has several taxi services such as New Line Taxi, Reliable Taxi, Parkway Ride, Sherwood Taxi, Five Star Taxi, and Available Taxi.
Mount Vernon is well served by three of the county's busiest parkways which link to New York City, the Cross County Parkway, the Bronx River Parkway, and the Hutchinson River Parkway.
Mount Vernon is notable for being the third busiest transit hub in Westchester County after White Plains and Yonkers. Several buses serve the neighborhoods of the city; many of these routes continue to the neighboring municipalities of Yonkers, Bronxville, Pelham, New Rochelle, White Plains, and Pelham Manor.
[edit] External links
- Mount Vernon official website
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Mount vernon city newspaper
- Mount Vernon SchoolTalk weblog
- thejournalnews.com community select Mount Vernon
- Mount Vernon chamber of commerce
- Public library of Mount Vernon,Ny
