Concourse, Bronx

Concourse is a neighborhood in the southwestern part of the Bronx, one of the five boroughs of New York City. It is close to important places such as the Bronx County Courthouse, the Bronx Museum of the Arts, and Yankee Stadium, where many people come to watch baseball games.

The area is bordered by East 169th Street to the north, Webster Avenue to the east, East 149th Street to the south, and Jerome Avenue and the Harlem River to the west. It has three smaller parts called West Concourse, East Concourse, and Concourse Village. The main street running through it is the Grand Concourse.

Concourse is part of Bronx Community Board 4 and uses ZIP Codes 10451 and 10452. People can ride the subway there on the IND Concourse Line (B and D trains) along the Grand Concourse, and the IRT Jerome Avenue Line along River Avenue. The neighborhood is kept safe by the NYPD's 44th Precinct.

Location

The Concourse neighborhood is located in the South Bronx, in the southwestern part of the Bronx. It is centered around the intersection of the Grand Concourse and 161st Street. The area is bordered to the west by Highbridge and the Harlem River, to the north by Mount Eden, to the east by Claremont Village, Melrose, and Morrisania, and to the south by Mott Haven.

The streets in this neighborhood follow a grid pattern, with avenues running east to west. Shops and stores are found along the streets, while most of the avenues are home to houses and buildings above 153rd Street. Near the river, the area has more industrial uses, but there are also parks and the Bronx Terminal Market. There are also shopping areas on 161st Street and nearby blocks, called Concourse Plaza, as well as smaller shopping spots on 165th and 167th Streets. The land changes in height from sea level at the Harlem River to its highest point of 110 feet (34 m) in Franz Sigel Park. During the American Revolutionary War, George Washington and his soldiers used some of these higher areas to watch over the Harlem River. The height can change a lot, with the Grand Concourse sometimes 20 feet higher than the nearby streets.

History

Early history

The Concourse area was originally wooded land and rocky formations that belonged to the Morris family, who farmed in what is now the southwestern part of the Bronx. Until 1845, it was part of Westchester County. In 1845, it became part of the Town of West Farms, and later part of the Town of Morrisania in 1855.

20th century

The opening of subways in the early 1900s helped the Concourse grow quickly. The Grand Concourse boulevard was built, inspired by the famous Champs-Élysées in Paris. Yankee Stadium was built there in 1923, and the Yankees have played there for most of the last century.

Many people moved to the Concourse in the 1920s, and new buildings were constructed in various styles. The area was once called “the Park Avenue for the Middle Class.” However, starting in the 1960s, the neighborhood began to decline due to people moving to the suburbs and other factors. The population decreased until the 1990s when it started to grow again.

21st century

Recent changes in the Concourse include new construction and improvements. A new Yankee Stadium opened in 2009, replacing the old one, with a public park built in its place. The Bronx Museum of the Arts has expanded, and new buildings like the Bronx Hall of Justice and Bronx Terminal Market have been added. The Grand Concourse has undergone improvements, and in 2011, part of the neighborhood was named a historic district. Plans for new affordable housing and a Universal Hip Hop Museum are also in progress.

Demographics

Concourse is made up of two smaller areas, East Concourse/Concourse Village and West Concourse. In 2010, the neighborhood had a population of 101,566 people, spread out over an area of 855.37 acres. The neighborhood has many different groups of people. Most of the people identify as Hispanic or Latino, making up over half of the population. There are also many African American residents, and smaller numbers of White, Asian, and other groups.

In recent years, Concourse has seen changes, with more middle-class families moving in. The area is part of Community District 4, which includes Concourse and Highbridge. In 2018, the community had about 155,835 people. Most of the residents are young or middle-aged adults, with fewer college students and older adults. The neighborhood faces economic challenges, with many people living in poverty or struggling to pay rent.

Police and crime

Concourse and Highbridge are watched over by the 44th Precinct of the NYPD, based at 2 East 169th Street. In 2010, this area was ranked 39th safest out of 69 areas in the city for crime per person. By 2018, the number of serious crimes in Concourse and Highbridge was higher than in the city overall.

The 44th Precinct has seen much less crime than in the 1990s. From 1990 to 2022, crime in all types went down by 77.3%. In 2022 alone, the precinct dealt with many reports of theft, robbery, and other crimes.

Fire safety

Concourse is close to three fire stations run by the New York City Fire Department. These stations help keep the area safe. One is at 720 Melrose Avenue, another at 1259 Morris Avenue, and the third at 1160 Ogden Avenue.

There is also an FDNY EMS station at 1080 Ogden Avenue to help with emergencies.

Health

As of 2018, Concourse and Highbridge see more preterm births and births to teenage mothers compared to the rest of New York City. The area also has a slightly higher percentage of uninsured residents than the city average.

Concourse and Highbridge has more air pollution than the city average, with higher rates of smoking, obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure among its residents. Fewer people in the area eat fruits and vegetables daily, and the percentage of residents who consider their health to be good or excellent is lower than the city average. The nearest hospitals are NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in Melrose and Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center in Claremont.

Post offices and ZIP Codes

Concourse has several ZIP Codes. The part south of 161st Street uses 10451, while the area north of that street uses 10452 on the west side of the Grand Concourse and 10456 on the east side. The United States Postal Service has two post offices nearby: the Stadium Station at 901 Gerard Avenue and the Highbridge Station at 1315 Inwood Avenue.

Parks

Concourse has five parks and a plaza. Joyce Kilmer Park and Lou Gehrig Plaza are located near the center of the neighborhood, close to the Bronx Courthouse. Joyce Kilmer Park has walking paths and a fountain that honors a famous German poet. South of the courthouse is Franz Sigel Park, which has interesting heights and offers views of Manhattan.

Other parks include Mullaly Park, which has a pool and a skate park, and Macombs Dam Park, featuring sports fields and seating. Mill Pond Park, finished in 2009, has tennis courts, walking paths, picnic spots, and beautiful waterfront views. It also has a special area planned for the Bronx Children's Museum.

Education

Concourse and Highbridge have fewer people with college educations compared to the rest of New York City. In 2018, only 36% of people aged 25 or older had finished college, while 43% had not even finished high school. Students in Concourse and Highbridge have been improving in math and reading over the years.

Many elementary school students in this area miss a lot of school days, more than the city average. Also, fewer high school students finish on time here than in the rest of the city.

Schools

Public schools are run by the New York City Department of Education.

Some elementary schools in Concourse include PS/MS 31 The William Lloyd Garrison, PS 35 Franz Siegel, and PS 53 Basheer Quisim, among others. Middle schools include Bronx Writing Academy and JHS 145 Arturo Toscanini. There are also several schools that cover both middle and high school grades, like Bronx Early College Academy For Teaching And Learning.

High schools in the area include Bronx Collegiate Academy, Bronx High School of Business, and Dreamyard Preparatory School.

Libraries

The New York Public Library has three branches in Concourse. The Grand Concourse branch is at 155 East 173rd Street. The High Bridge branch is at 78 West 168th Street. The Melrose branch is at 910 Morris Avenue, a two-story building that opened in 1914.

Transportation

The Harlem River separates the Bronx and Manhattan, and the Macombs Dam Bridge connects them within Concourse. Interstate 87, the Major Deegan Expressway, has exits that lead into the neighborhood. The Grand Concourse ends at roads that go across the Triborough Bridge, linking to Queens and Manhattan.

The New York City Subway has stops in the area. The IRT Jerome Avenue Line ((/wiki/4_(New_York_City_Subway_service)) train) stops at 161st Street and 167th Street. The IND Concourse Line (B and ​D trains) also stops at 161st Street and 167th Street. MTA Regional Bus Operations runs several bus routes there, including trips to different parts of the city. The Metro-North Railroad’s Harlem Line has a train station at Melrose, and the Hudson Line's Yankees–East 153rd Street station is also nearby.

Points of interest

The Concourse neighborhood in the Bronx has many interesting places to visit. Some of these include the Bronx Museum of the Arts, the Bronx Courthouse, and the famous Yankee Stadium. There are also other important spots like the Andrew Freedman Home and BronxWorks, which help the community.