Pelham Gardens, Bronx
Encyclopedia
Pelham Gardens is a working class neighborhood geographically located in the Northeast section of Bronx
, a borough of New York City
in the United States
. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 11
. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: East Gun Hill Road to the north and east, Pelham Parkway to the south, and Laconia Avenue to the west. Eastchester Road is the primary thoroughfare through Pelham Gardens. The local subway is the 5 line; operating alongside Esplanade. Zip codes include 10469. The area is patrolled by the 49th Precinct located at 2121 Eastchester Road in Morris Park
.
, a Native American tribe affiliated with the Algonquian peoples
. The name Pelham Gardens derives from Thomas Pell, who purchased the land from the Siwanoy on June 27, 1654 at Treaty Oak, located next to Shore road in what is now Pelham Bay Park
. The town of Westchester was established at this time at what is now Westchester Square; the entire area was part of Westchester County, New York
until the city of New York, NY purchased the land at the turn of the 20th century. The oldest house in the area is what was once a farmhouse, located at the corner of Westervelt Ave. and Fielding Street.
James Vacca
- City Council
Naomi Rivera
- 80th Assembly District
Michael Benedetto
- 82nd Assembly District
Jeffrey David Klein - 34th Senate District
Joe Crowley - 7th District, US Congress
Kristin Gillibrand - US Senate
Charles Schumer
- US Senate
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, a borough of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 11
Bronx Community Board 11
Bronx Community Board 11 is a local government unit of the City of New York , which encompasses the neighborhoods of Allerton, Bronx Park East, Indian Village, Morris Park, Olinville, Pelham Gardens, Pelham Parkway, Van Nest and Westchester Heights in the borough of the Bronx...
. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: East Gun Hill Road to the north and east, Pelham Parkway to the south, and Laconia Avenue to the west. Eastchester Road is the primary thoroughfare through Pelham Gardens. The local subway is the 5 line; operating alongside Esplanade. Zip codes include 10469. The area is patrolled by the 49th Precinct located at 2121 Eastchester Road in Morris Park
Morris Park, Bronx
Morris Park is a neighborhood in the Bronx borough of New York City . The neighborhood is part of Community Board 11 in the East Bronx. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: Pelham Parkway to the north, the Amtrak Northeast Corridor tracks to the east and south, and...
.
History
The area was originally home to the SiwanoySiwanoy
The Native American Siwanoy or Sinanoy were a band of Algonquian-speaking people, the Wappinger, in what is now the New York City area. By the mid-17th century, when their territory became hotly contested between Dutch and English colonial interests, the Siwanoy were settled along the East River...
, a Native American tribe affiliated with the Algonquian peoples
Algonquian peoples
The Algonquian are one of the most populous and widespread North American native language groups, with tribes originally numbering in the hundreds. Today hundreds of thousands of individuals identify with various Algonquian peoples...
. The name Pelham Gardens derives from Thomas Pell, who purchased the land from the Siwanoy on June 27, 1654 at Treaty Oak, located next to Shore road in what is now Pelham Bay Park
Pelham Bay Park
Pelham Bay Park, located in the northeast corner of the New York City borough of The Bronx and extending partially into Westchester County, is at the largest public park in New York City. The section of the park within New York City's borders is more than three times the size of Manhattan's...
. The town of Westchester was established at this time at what is now Westchester Square; the entire area was part of Westchester County, New York
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
until the city of New York, NY purchased the land at the turn of the 20th century. The oldest house in the area is what was once a farmhouse, located at the corner of Westervelt Ave. and Fielding Street.
Land use and terrain
Pelham Gardens is dominated by 1 family homes with some small apartment buildings and 2-3 family homes. Many private homes have basement studio apartments but are classified as 1 family. The total land area is roughly two square miles. The area its largely flat but contains a significant valley between Eastchester Road and Laconia Avenue, with the most significant low point on Seymour Avenue. This dip was likely caused thousands of years ago by a glacier.Demographics
Pelham Gardens has a population under 10,000. Demographically, the neighborhood has historically been home to a large Italian-American population as well as a sizable Jewish population, which has dramatically decreased since the 1970s. Smaller numbers of Irish-Americans and German-Americans have also made this largely Catholic community home since significant development began in the 1920s, with a construction boom in the 1950s. Large numbers of Puerto Rican families have moved into the area since the 1980s, with smaller but significant numbers of Filipino-Americans, Dominican-Americans, Albanian-Americans, Korean Americans, and Vietnamese Americans. The area is socioeconomically diverse, with a considerable working class population as well as many upper middle class professionals, particularly in the eastern area of the community. The proximity to 3 major hospitals and a high concentration of private medical facilities has drawn many health care professionals into the areas, as well as police officers, lawyers, and small business owners, particularly in the fields of construction and food services.Transportation
- Bx12 Local and Select Bus ServiceSelect Bus ServiceSelect Bus Service , marked on the buses as +selectbusservice, is a brand used by MTA Regional Bus Operations for bus rapid transit service.-History:...
: to Bay Plaza Shopping CenterBay Plaza Shopping CenterBay Plaza Shopping Center is a shopping center adjacent to Co-op City, in the Bronx, New York. In addition to various department stores and shops, such as JCPenney, Staples Inc., Kmart and Old Navy, it has a multiplex movie theater, several restaurants, a fitness club, and some office space...
and Inwood-207th St stationInwood-207th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)Inwood – 207th Street is the northern terminal station of the IND Eighth Avenue Line of the New York City Subway...
(via Fordham RoadFordham RoadFordham Road is a major street in The Bronx borough of New York City. It runs east-west from the Harlem River to Bronx Park.This street runs through the neighborhood of University Heights, divides Fordham from Fordham-Bedford and finally runs along the northern border of Belmont...
-Pelham ParkwayPelham ParkwayThe Bronx and Pelham Parkway is a parkway in the borough of the Bronx in New York City. Despite the parkway moniker, Pelham Parkway is a local street, with two main roadways , and two service roads. Like other parkways in New York City, commercial traffic is disallowed, and is redirected to the...
) - Bx26: to Co-op CityCo-op City, BronxCo-op City , located in the Baychester section of the Borough of the Bronx in northeast New York City, is one of the largest cooperative housing developments in the world. Situated at the intersection of Interstate 95 and the Hutchinson River Parkway, the community is part of Bronx Community Board 10...
and Lehman CollegeLehman CollegeLehman College is one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, USA. Founded in 1931 as the Bronx campus of Hunter College, the school became an independent college within the City University in 1968. The college is named after Herbert Lehman, a former New York governor,...
(via Bedford Park Blvd-Allerton Av) - Bx28/38: to Co-op CityCo-op City, BronxCo-op City , located in the Baychester section of the Borough of the Bronx in northeast New York City, is one of the largest cooperative housing developments in the world. Situated at the intersection of Interstate 95 and the Hutchinson River Parkway, the community is part of Bronx Community Board 10...
and FordhamFordham, BronxFordham is a neighborhood of New York City, United States, located in the West Bronx. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 5. It is bordered by Fordham Road to the north, Webster Avenue to the east, East 183rd Street to the south, and Jerome Avenue to the west...
(via East Gun Hill Road) - Bx31: to WoodlawnWoodlawn, BronxWoodlawn is a neighborhood at the very north end of the borough of the Bronx in New York City. Unlike some neighborhoods in New York City, its boundaries are fairly well-defined, as it is bounded by McLean Avenue to the north, which is approximately the New York City / Westchester County line, the...
and Westchester Square station (via Eastchester Road) - BxM10: to Manhattan, East Side, (formerly part of New York Bus ServiceNew York Bus ServiceNew York Bus Service provided express bus service between Midtown Manhattan and the Bronx from 1970 until MTA Bus Company assumed operations July 1, 2005. The company was founded in the mid-1940s under a different name to provide school bus service...
) - Pelham Parkway stationPelham Parkway (IRT Dyre Avenue Line)Pelham Parkway is a station on the IRT Dyre Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Pelham Parkway and the Esplanade in the Bronx, it is served by the 5 train at all times.This station was originally opened on May 29, 1912, as an express station of the New York,...
- Gun Hill Road stationGun Hill Road (IRT Dyre Avenue Line)Gun Hill Road is a station on the IRT Dyre Avenue Line of the New York City Subway, located at the intersection of Gun Hill Road and Seymour Avenue in the Baychester and Allerton sections of The Bronx...
Politics
The area is represented by:James Vacca
James Vacca
James Vacca is a member of the New York City Council and Chair of the Transportation Committee. He represents the Bronx's 13th Council District, which includes the neighborhoods of Throgs Neck, Pelham Bay, Country Club, City Island, Westchester Square, Zerega, Morris Park, Pelham Parkway, and...
- City Council
Naomi Rivera
Naomi Rivera
Naomi Rivera represents District 80 in the New York State Assembly, which encompasses Morris Park, Van Cortlandt Village, Pelham Parkway, Pelham Gardens, and Norwood, among other communities located in The Bronx....
- 80th Assembly District
Michael Benedetto
Michael Benedetto
Michael Benedetto is a Member of the New York State Assembly representing the 82nd Assembly District, which covers the Co-op City, Throggs Neck, Westchester Square, City Island, Country Club, and Pelham Bay sections of the East Bronx. After a 35-year teaching career at the elementary and secondary...
- 82nd Assembly District
Jeffrey David Klein - 34th Senate District
Joe Crowley - 7th District, US Congress
Kristin Gillibrand - US Senate
Charles Schumer
Charles Schumer
Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a...
- US Senate