West Farms, Bronx
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West Farms is a low income residential neighborhood geographically located in the west Bronx. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 6. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: Bronx Park to the north, the Bronx River Parkway to the east, the Cross-Bronx Expressway to the south, and the Southern Blvd to the west. East Tremont Avenue is the primary thoroughfare through West Farms. The local subway is the 2 and 5 line at West Farms Square-East Tremont Ave, operating along Boston Road. Zip codes include 10460. The area is patrolled by the 48th Precinct located at 450 Cross Bronx Expressway in East Tremont. NYCHA property in the area is patrolled by P.S.A. 8 at 2794 Randall Avenue in the Throgs Neck section of the Bronx.
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[edit] Demographics
West Farms has a population over 20,000. For decades West Farms has been one of the poorest communities in America. Over half the population lives below the poverty line and receives public assistance (AFDC, Home Relief, Supplemental Security Income, and Medicaid). West Farms has one of the highest concentrations of Puerto Ricans in all of New York City. The vast majority of households are renter occupied.[1]
[edit] Land Use and Terrain
West Farms is dominated by 5 and 6-story tenement buildings, older multi-unit homes, vacant lots, and newly constructed subsidized attached multi-unit townhouses and apartment buildings. Most of the original housing stock was structurally damaged by arson and eventually razed by the city. The total land area is less than one square mile. The terrain is somewhat hilly.
[edit] West Farms Bus Depot
The West Farms Bus Depot is located along East 177th Street next to a terminated Sheridan Expressway. Opened on September 7, 2003 on the site of the former Coliseum Depot .[2]
[edit] Low Income Public Housing Projects
- There is one NYCHA development located in West Farms.[3]
- 1010 East 178th Street; a 21-story building.
[edit] History
This neighborhood was once predominantly Italian until Robert Moses rammed the Cross Bronx Expressway through the area which inevitably lead to White flight.
[edit] Social Problems
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Many social problems associated with poverty from crime to drug addiction have plagued the area for some time. Despite crime declines versus their peaks during the crack and heroin epidemics violent crime continues to be a serious problem in the community. [4] West Farms has significantly higher drop out rates and incidents of violence in its schools.[5] Students must pass through metal detectors and swipe ID cards to enter the buildings. Reminiscent a prison environment which many feel encourages bad behavior. Other problems in local schools include low test scores and high truancy rates. Drug addiction is also a serious problem in the community. Due to the lucrative drug trade in the area many addicted reside in the community. Peer pressure among children who come from broken homes contributes to the high rate of usage. Many households in the area are headed by a single mother which contributes to the high poverty rate.[6] Many of whom had their children at a very young age and unfortunately could not provide for their children. Many of the families living in West Farms have been in poverty for generations. The incarceration rate in the area is also very high.[7] Many if not most males in the community have been arrested at some point in their lives. This has a direct correlation to aggressive policing tactics including "sweeps" due to the area's high crime rate. West Farms is home to a significant number of inmates currently held in New York state prison and jail facilities.
[edit] Urban Renewal
After a wave of arson ravaged the low income communities of New York City throughout the 1970s, most residential structures in West Farms were left seriously damaged or destroyed. The city began to rehabilitate many formally abandoned tenement style apartment buildings and designate them low income housing beginning in the late 1970s. Also many subsidized attached multi-unit townhouses and newly constructed apartment buildings have been or are being built on vacant lots across across the neighborhood.
[edit] Schools
- PS 6: West Farms (East Tremont and Bryant Avs)
- PS 67: Mohegan (East 178th St and Mohegan Av)
- MS 214: Lorraine Hansberry (West Farms Rd and East Tremont Av)
- Wings Academy (East 180th St and Bronx Park Av)
[edit] Transportation
- Bx9: to Riverdale (via Kingsbridge Rd)
- Bx21: to Westchester Square station or 3rd Av-138th St station (via Boston Rd)
- Bx36 to Castle Hill or George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal (via 180th St)
- Bx40/42: to Throgs Neck or Morris Heights (via Tremont-Burnside Avs)
- Q44: to Jamaica (via Main St)
- West Farms Square station (IRT 2/5)
- East 180th St station (IRT 2/5)
[edit] Facts
- This particular neighborhood is known for it's illegal sex trade, primarily street level prostitution.
- West Farms is often considered part of the socioeconomic South Bronx.
[edit] References
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