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Pelham Bay (neighborhood), Bronx facts for kids

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Pelham Bay
Neighborhood of the Bronx
Zulette Avenue in Pelham Bay
Zulette Avenue in Pelham Bay
Country  United States
State  New York
City New York City
Borough The Bronx
Community District Bronx 10
Area
 • Total 1.09 km2 (0.421 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total 11,931
 • Density 10,942/km2 (28,340/sq mi)
Economics
 • Median income $53,503
ZIP Codes
10461
Area code 718, 347, 929, and 917

Pelham Bay is a middle class residential neighborhood in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City. It is named for Pelham Bay Park, New York City's largest park, which lies on the neighborhood's northeastern border; and for Pelham Bay, a body of water in that park. The neighborhood is bounded roughly by Pelham Parkway on the north, the New England Thruway (I-95) on the east, the Bruckner Expressway (I-95) on the south, and the Hutchinson River Parkway on the west.

Pelham Bay is part of Bronx Community District 10, and its ZIP Code is 10461. Pelham Bay is patrolled by the 45th Precinct of the New York City Police Department.

History

Most of the neighborhood is land that was purchased by Thomas Pell in 1654, part of an original grant to the Dutch West India Company.

Despite the name, the area that is now the Pelham Bay neighborhood was not part of the historical Town of Pelham, which consisted of the modern-day town of Pelham in Westchester County as well as Pelham Bay Park and City Island in the Bronx. The latter two areas were annexed by the City of New York in 1895.

Geography

Pelham Bay
A civic promotional sign for the neighborhood, located on Westchester Avenue
CountryClubSt
Griswold & Research avenues in the Country Club section
EnchauteguiSt
Daniel Enchautegui Way (formerly Arnow Place) in Pelham Bay, renamed in honor of a fallen police officer

Pelham Bay's boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise, are as follows:

  • Pelham Parkway to the north
  • Bruckner Expressway to the east and south
  • Hutchinson River Parkway to the west

Pelham Bay includes the residential enclave of Country Club, which occupies the portion of the neighborhood east of Interstate 95 (I-95). The core of Pelham Bay is the portion west of I-95 and north of Middletown Road.

Community profile

Pelham Bay is part of Bronx Community Board 10, which also covers Throgs Neck and Co-op City. Pelham Bay is home to a large Italian and Hispanic population. As with Riverdale and Country Club, Pelham Bay ranks as one of the safest and most desirable neighborhoods in the Bronx. It was ranked as the best neighborhood for children in the Bronx and top 10 neighborhood in the whole New York City.

A variety of stores and eateries line the streets of this neighborhood, including Westchester Avenue, Buhre Avenue, Middletown Road, and Crosby Avenue (these two cross to form one of the main intersections of the neighborhood). Pelham Bay Park is the last stop on the IRT Pelham Line (6 <6> trains) of the New York City Subway system. The line has two other stops as well in the neighborhood, the Buhre Avenue and Middletown Road stops on the Pelham Line. The IRT Pelham Line was immortalized in the movie The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, starring Walter Matthau, which involved the hijacking of a subway train leaving Pelham Bay Park Station at the scheduled time of 1:23.

Served by the New York City Department of Education, the neighborhood is home to the elementary schools Public School 71 (named the Rose E. Scala School to honor a former principal) and Public School 14 (named the John D. Calandra School to honor a former State Senator), as well as to Herbert H. Lehman High School (right on the neighborhood's border). Several private and parochial schools also serve the neighborhood, including the Roman Catholic elementary schools associated with the churches of Our Lady of the Assumption and St. Theresa. The neighborhood is home to a number of active civic and community associations, including the Pelham Bay Little League.

Demographics

The neighborhood is home to longstanding Italian American population with a recent influx of Hispanics changing the neighborhoods demographics considerably. Some homes have both Italian and American flags proudly waving. The neighborhood also has sizeable population of Greeks. While the majority of the population is white, there is a significant Hispanic minority, consisting mostly of Puerto Ricans. As with Riverdale and Country Club, Pelham Bay ranks as one of the safest and most desirable neighborhoods in the Bronx. It was ranked as the best neighborhood for children in the Bronx and top 10 neighborhood in the whole New York City.

Based on data from the 2010 United States Census, the population of Pelham Bay-Country Club-City Island was 26,583, a decrease of 557 (2.1%) from the 27,140 counted in 2000. Covering an area of 917.45 acres (371.28 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 29.0 inhabitants per acre (18,600/sq mi; 7,200/km2). The racial makeup of the Pelham Bay-Country Club-City Island neighborhood was 62.0% (16,488) White, 2.9% (773) African American, 0.1% (36) Native American, 3.6% (969) Asian, 0.0% (5) Pacific Islander, 0.4% (110) from other races, and 0.9% (252) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 29.9% (7,950) of the population.

The entirety of Community District 10, which comprises City Island, Co-op City, Country Club, Pelham Bay, Schuylerville, Throgs Neck and Westchester Square, had 121,868 inhabitants as of NYC Health's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 81.1 years. This is about the same as the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are youth and middle-aged adults: 20% are between the ages of between 0–17, 26% between 25–44, and 27% between 45–64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 9% and 18% respectively.

As of 2017, the median household income in Community District 10 was $59,522. In 2018, an estimated 14% of Community District 10 residents lived in poverty, compared to 25% in all of the Bronx and 20% in all of New York City. One in eleven residents (9%) were unemployed, compared to 13% in the Bronx and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 45% in Community District 10, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 58% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018, Community District 10 is considered high-income relative to the rest of the city and not gentrifying.

Transportation

Pelham Bay
A civic promotional sign for the neighborhood, located on Westchester Avenue

The following MTA Regional Bus Operations and Bee-Line bus routes serve Pelham Bay:

The following New York City Subway stations serve Williamsbridge:

  • Middletown Road (6 <6> trains)
  • Buhre Avenue (6 <6> trains)
  • Pelham Bay Park (6 <6> trains)

Education

Community District 10 generally has a lower rate of college-educated residents than the rest of the city as of 2018. While 34% of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, 16% have less than a high school education and 50% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 26% of Bronx residents and 43% of city residents have a college education or higher. The percentage of Community District 10 students excelling in math rose from 29% in 2000 to 47% in 2011, and reading achievement increased from 33% to 35% during the same time period.

Community District 10's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is slightly higher than the rest of New York City. In Community District 10, 21% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per school year, a little more than the citywide average of 20%. Additionally, 75% of high school students in Community District 10 graduate on time, the same as the citywide average of 75%.

Schools

Served by the New York City Department of Education, the neighborhood is home to the elementary schools Public School 71 (named the Rose E. Scala School to honor a former principal) and Public School 14 (named the John D. Calandra School to honor a former State Senator), as well as to Herbert H. Lehman High School (right on the neighborhood's border). Several private and parochial schools also serve the neighborhood, including the Roman Catholic elementary schools associated with the churches of Our Lady of the Assumption and St. Theresa, and the Greek American Institute, a Greek Orthodox parochial school.

Library

The New York Public Library (NYPL)'s Pelham Bay branch is located at 3060 Middletown Road. The branch's one-story brick building opened in 1976.

Notable people

  • Paul Attanasio (born 1959), screenwriter and film and television producer, who was an executive producer on the TV series House and received Academy Award nominations for his screenplays for Quiz Show and Donnie Brasco.
  • James Coco (1930–1987), actor known for his roles in Man of La Mancha and Only When I Laugh.
  • John Fox (1952–1990), novelist and short-story writer.
  • John F. Good (1936-2016), FBI agent who created the Abscam sting operation in the late 1970s and early 1980s which led to the arrest and conviction of several elected officials at the local, state and federal level, which was portrayed in the 2013 film American Hustle.
  • James Madio (born 1975), actor known for his roles in USA High, Hook and Band of Brothers.
  • Ronnie Ortiz-Magro (born 1985), actor best known as one of the eight main cast members in the MTV reality series Jersey Shore.
  • Thomas Pell (1612-1669), physician who bought the area known as Pelham, New York.
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