Morris Heights, Bronx
Encyclopedia
Bronx Community Board 5
Bronx Community Board 5 is a local government unit of the city of New York, encompassing the neighborhoods of Fordham, Morris Heights, Mount Hope, and University Heights...
. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: West Burnside Avenue to the north, Jerome Avenue
Jerome Avenue
Jerome Avenue is one of the longest thoroughfares in the New York City borough of the Bronx, New York, United States. The road is 5.6 miles long and stretches from Highbridge general area to Woodlawn. Both of these termini are with the Major Deegan Expressway which runs parallel to the west. Most...
to the east, the Cross-Bronx Expressway
Cross-Bronx Expressway
The Cross Bronx Expressway is a major expressway in the New York City borough of the Bronx, conceived by Robert Moses and built between 1948 and 1972. It carries traffic on Interstate 95 through the city, and serves as a portion of Interstate 295 toward Long Island; a portion is also designated U.S...
to the south, and the Harlem River
Harlem River
The Harlem River is a navigable tidal strait in New York City, USA that flows 8 miles between the Hudson River and the East River, separating the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx...
to the west. University Avenue is the primary thoroughfare through Morris Heights. The local subway is the IRT Jerome Avenue Line
IRT Jerome Avenue Line
The IRT Jerome Avenue Line, also unofficially known as IRT Woodlawn Line, is a New York City Subway Line along Jerome Avenue in the Bronx. It was opened on June 2, 1917 as a shuttle service between Kingsbridge Road and 149th Street. This was in advance of through service to the IRT Lexington Avenue...
, operating along Jerome Avenue. ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
s include 10453 and 10452. The area is patrolled by the 46th Precinct located at 2120 Ryer Avenue in Fordham. New York City Housing Authority
New York City Housing Authority
The New York City Housing Authority provides public housing for low- and moderate-income residents throughout the five boroughs of New York City. NYCHA also administers a citywide Section 8 Leased Housing Program in rental apartments...
(NYCHA) property in the area is patrolled by P.S.A. 7 at 737 Melrose Avenue in the Melrose
Melrose, Bronx
Melrose is primarily a residential neighborhood geographically located in the SouthWestern section of the borough of The Bronx in New York City. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 1. Its boundaries, starting from the North and moving clockwise are: East 161st Street to the North,...
section of the Bronx.
Demographics
Morris Heights has a population over 45,000. For decades Morris Heights 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). The vast majority of residents in the area are of Puerto Rican, Dominican, or African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
descent. The vast majority of households are renter occupied.
Land use and terrain
Morris Heights 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. A significant percentage of the early 20th century housing stock was structurally damaged by arson and eventually razed by the city. The neighborhood contains one of the highest concentrations of NYCHANew York City Housing Authority
The New York City Housing Authority provides public housing for low- and moderate-income residents throughout the five boroughs of New York City. NYCHA also administers a citywide Section 8 Leased Housing Program in rental apartments...
projects in the Bronx. The total land area is less than half one square mile. The terrain is elevated and very hilly. Stair streets connect areas located at different elevations.
Low income public housing projects
Ten NYCHA developments are located in Morris Heights.- Harrison Avenue Rehab (Group A); one, 5-story rehabilited tenement building.
- Harrison Avenue Rehab (Group B); four rehabilitated buildings, 5 and 6-stories tall.
- Macombs Road; two rehabilited buildings, 5 and 6-stories tall.
- Morris Heights Rehab; three rehabilitated tenement buildings, 5 and 6-stories tall
- Sedgewick Houses; seven buildings, 14 and 15-stories tall.
- University Avenue Rehab; four, 6-story rehabilitated tenement buildings.
- West Tremont Avenue-Sedgwick Avenue Area; one, 12-story building.
- West Tremont Rehab (Group 1); two rehabilitated tenement buildings, 5 and 6-stories tall.
- West Tremont Rehab (Group 3); one, 5-story rehabilitated tenement building.
- West Tremont Rehab (Group 2); two, 6-story rehabilitated tenement buildings.
Urban renewal
After a wave of arson ravaged the low-income communities of New York City throughout the 1970s, many if not most residential structures in Morris Heights were left seriously damaged or destroyed. The city began to rehabilitate many formerly 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 the neighborhood.Schools
- PS 109 (Popham Avenue and West Tremont Avenue)
- PS 204: Morris Heights (West 174th Street and Nelson Avenue)
- PS 230/MS 229: Roland N. Patterson (Harlem River Park Bridge and Sedgwick Avenue)
- PS 306 (West Tremont and Jerome Avenues)
- PS 396/MS 390 (West Burnside and Andrews Avenues)
- IS 303: The Leadership and Community Service Academy (West 176th Street and Macombs Road)
- MS 232: The Academy School (West 176th Street and Macombs Road)
- MS 331: The Bronx School of Science Inquiry and Investigation (West Tremont and Davidson Avenue)
- HS 365: The Academy for Language and Technology High School (West 176th Street and Macombs Road)
Transportation
- Bx3: 238th Street station ( train) to George Washington Bridge Bus TerminalGeorge Washington Bridge Bus TerminalThe George Washington Bridge Bus Station is a commuter bus terminal located at the east end of the George Washington Bridge in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan in New York City, New York....
(via University Avenue) - Bx18: to Concourse–170th Street170th Street (IND Concourse Line)170th Street is a local station on the IND Concourse Line of the New York City Subway, located at the Grand Concourse between East 170th and 171st Streets in the Bronx. It is served by the D train at all times except rush hours in the peak direction and the B train during rush hours.This...
station ( trains) (via Macombs Road) - Bx32: VA Hospital to Third Avenue – 138th Street station ( trains) (via Morris Avenue)
- Bx36: Castle HillCastle Hill, BronxCastle Hill is primarily a residential neighborhood geographically located in the South Central section of the borough of The Bronx in New York City. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 9...
to George Washington Bridge Bus TerminalGeorge Washington Bridge Bus TerminalThe George Washington Bridge Bus Station is a commuter bus terminal located at the east end of the George Washington Bridge in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan in New York City, New York....
(via 180th Street) - Bx40: SUNY Maritime College to River Park Towers (via Tremont-Burnside Avenues)
- Bx42: Throggs Neck to River Park Towers (via Tremont–Burnside Avenues)
The IRT Jerome Avenue Line
IRT Jerome Avenue Line
The IRT Jerome Avenue Line, also unofficially known as IRT Woodlawn Line, is a New York City Subway Line along Jerome Avenue in the Bronx. It was opened on June 2, 1917 as a shuttle service between Kingsbridge Road and 149th Street. This was in advance of through service to the IRT Lexington Avenue...
and the IND Concourse Line
IND Concourse Line
The Concourse Line is an IND subway branch line of the New York City Subway system. It runs from Norwood – 205th Street in Norwood, Bronx to 145th Street in Harlem, Manhattan. It is the only "B" Division and only fully underground line in the Bronx....
are subway lines serve the neighborhood.
- 170th Street170th Street (IRT Jerome Avenue Line)170th Street is a local station on the IRT Jerome Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 170th Street and Jerome Avenue in the Bronx, it is served by the 4 train at all times....
( train) - Mount Eden Avenue ( train)
- 176th Street176th Street (IRT Jerome Avenue Line)176th Street is a local station in on the IRT Jerome Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 176th Street and Jerome Avenue in the Bronx, it is served by the 4 train at all times...
( train) - Burnside AvenueBurnside Avenue (IRT Jerome Avenue Line)Burnside Avenue is an express station on the IRT Jerome Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of Burnside and Jerome Avenues in the Bronx, it is served by the 4 train at all times....
( train)
- 174th–175th Streets ( train)
- Tremont AvenueTremont Avenue (IND Concourse Line)Tremont Avenue is an express station on the IND Concourse Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of East Tremont Avenue and Grand Concourse, it is served by the D train at all times and B train during rush hours only...
( train)
Facts
- Morris Heights is also known as West Tremont.
- Eleanor BumpursEleanor BumpursEleanor Bumpurs was an African-American woman who was shot dead on October 29, 1984, by police officers called to assist her city-ordered eviction from her apartment in the Bronx. The New York City Housing Authority was evicting her because she was four months behind in her rent of $96.85 per month...
was shot dead by police in 1984 after she attempted to attack officers enforcing an eviction. Many feel the shooting was not justified due to the victim's mental complications. - Morris Heights is often considered part of the socioeconomic South BronxSouth BronxThe South Bronx is an area of the New York City borough of The Bronx. The neighborhoods of Tremont, University Heights, Highbridge, Morrisania, Soundview, Hunts Point, and Castle Hill are sometimes considered part of the South Bronx....
.
External links
- Living in Morris Heights - slideshow by The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...