Edenwald Houses

Edenwald Houses are a housing project in the Eastchester and Laconia neighborhoods of the Bronx, New York City. Established on October 30, 1953, the project consists of forty buildings, 3 and 14 stories tall with 2,039 apartment units. It covers a 48.88-acre development is bordered by Grenada Place, East 225th Street, Baychester Avenue, Schieffelin Avenue and Laconia Avenues. It is owned and managed by New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and is the largest development in the Bronx.[4]

Edenwald Houses
NYCHA property
Edenwald Houses, 2008
Edenwald Houses, 2008
Location in New York City
Coordinates: 40.886310°N 73.845210°W / 40.886310; -73.845210
Country United States
State New York
City New York City
Borough The Bronx
Community DistrictThe Bronx 11[1]
Area
[2]
 • Total0.076 sq mi (0.20 km2)
Population
 • Total5,032 [3]
ZIP codes
10466
Area code(s)718, 347, 929, and 917
WebsiteNYCHA Portal

Development

The Edenwald Houses were built on the former Hebrew Orphan Asylum and was designed by architects Rodgers & Butler. Paul Tishman Company started building Edenwald Houses in 1951 at a cost of roughly $12 million.[5] At the dedication ceremony in 1952, Bronx Borough President James Lyons, Parks Commissioner Robert Moses, and Deputy Mayor Charles Horowitz all commended NYCHA on the development.[6]

21st-century crime

In the 2000s violence had increased greatly in the development due to two rival gangs. In 2014, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) began monitoring the gangs activities through social media accounts linked to the gangs.[7] In 2016, the NYPD raided Edenwald and nearby Eastchester Gardens, arresting 87 individuals and charging 120, all of whom were members of two rival gangs. Their indictments constituted the largest drug-related arrests in the city's history, with indictments such as racketeering conspiracy, narcotics conspiracy, narcotics distribution, and firearms offenses.[8] Residents of Edenwald Houses objected to how the raid was conducted and how the media represented the area and its population, and disputed individual charges. They cited that crime was down in the NYPD's 47th Precinct with 60 percent fewer shootings.[9] Advocates also argued that broad sweeps were more likely to incarcerate innocent people which can devastate communities of color.[9][10]

After the sweep, violence remained low until 2019 when police officer Brian Mulkeen was shot and killed by friendly fire near Edenwald.[11] After the shooting, mayor Bill de Blasio discussed plans for hiring social workers trained in gang mediation and installing security cameras in the development.[12]

Notable residents

See also

References
  1. "NYC Planning | Community Profiles". communityprofiles.planning.nyc.gov. New York City Department of City Planning. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  2. "Edenwald Houses Area". Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  3. "Edenwald Houses Population".
  4. "MyNYCHA Developments Portal". my.nycha.info. Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  5. "CONTRACT IS LET FOR CITY HOUSING; Work on Edenwald Houses Costing $12,248,000 to Be Done by Paul Tishman Co". The New York Times. 1951-07-24. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-12.
  6. "HOUSING DEDICATED ON 2 BRONX SITES; Throgs Neck and Edenwald to Get Tenants in 2 Months -- Projects Aided by U. S." The New York Times. 1952-09-10. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-11-12.
  7. Weiser, Benjamin (2016-04-27). "Sweep in Bronx Tackles Decade of Gang Chaos". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  8. Bekiempis, Victoria; Tracy, Thomas; McShane, Larry (April 28, 2016). "87 Bronx gang members responsible for nine years of murders and drug-dealing charged in largest takedown in NYC history". nydailynews.com. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  9. "That Big Triumphant Gang Bust? It Looks Different From the Neighborhood". NY City Lens. 2016-05-13. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  10. "Black and Latino Activists Call the NYPD the 'Biggest Gang in New York City'". Observer. 2017-04-28. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  11. Southall, Ashley; Ransom, Jan; Watkins, Ali (2019-09-29). "Police Officer Killed in Bronx Project Scarred by Gangs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  12. Calder, Rich (2019-10-02). "De Blasio to boost security at Bronx complex where hero cop was killed". New York Post. Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  13. May, Hana. "88-Keys", Hearty. Accessed September 8, 2019. "Exactly. I learned that early in life. When I used to live in the Bronx and I lived in East Chester and I was thinking, Man my parents they're not doctors or anything but they're in the medical field so they're doing okay and then I look at all the kids who are living in the projects and in Edemore projects and they have new sneakers like every three weeks."
  14. "Bronx Basketball's Weekend of Giving Back", News 12 Networks 27 August 2018.
  15. 5 Things To Know About Love & Hip Hop Star Dreamdoll from VH1.com 14 November 2017
  16. "Jerry González, Latin Jazz Visionary, Dies After House Fire". NPR.org. Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  17. Byrd, Ayana. "Sharissa: A Woman's Worth", Vibe (magazine), March 2002. Accessed September 8, 2019. "Raised in the Bronx's Edenwald projects, Sharissa began singing in the streets outside her home 11 years ago."
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