Soundview, Bronx
Soundview is a neighborhood on the Clason Point peninsula, on the southern section of the borough of the Bronx in New York City. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise, are the Cross-Bronx Expressway to the north, White Plains Road to the east, Lacombe Avenue to the south, and the Bronx River to the west. The Bruckner Expressway bisects the neighborhood horizontally along the center and the Bronx River Parkway runs north to south. Soundview Avenue is the primary thoroughfare through Soundview. History. Most development initially concentrated near the IRT Pelham Line on Westchester Avenue  and in close proximity to Soundview Avenue (once served by a streetcar). Prior to the late 20th century, large parcels across the neighborhood remained undeveloped. Some land in the neighborhood was used in 1947 for a temporary New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) housing project made up of 947 apartments in 473 quonset huts. One remaining Quonset Hut is still visible on the south side of Seward Avenue at Croes Avenue. In 1941 Clason Point Gardens was the first development constructed by the NYCHA in the Bronx. It was followed by many other NYCHA developments across the neighborhood from the  1950s until the 1970s, which boosted the population significantly. During the 1950s, two controlled-access highways, the Bronx River Parkway and Bruckner Expressway, were constructed. Later in the 1970s, large high-rise rental and co-op apartment complexes were constructed across the neighborhood following the establishment of the Mitchell Lama program. Like neighboring Hunts Point, Soundview began to fall into rapid decay in the 1970s due to white flight, growing poverty rates, and a citywide fiscal crisis. Abandonment was a problem as the exodus picked up pace but much of the White non-Hispanic population was replaced by poor and  working class Latin Americans and African Americans. As a result, abandonment was much less extensive than in neighborhoods to the west including Morrisania. The neighborhood was gravely affected by the crack epidemic throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, setting yearly murder totals among the highest in the city. During that time, the Weed and Seed program was put into place by the federal government to improve the situation in Soundview, nearby Mott Haven, and East New York, Brooklyn and later Operation Impact. Policing methods include NYPD monitored CCTV along known high drug trafficking areas, increased foot presence, and improved  statistical mapping. In 1999, an unarmed man, Amadou Diallo, was shot and killed by four plainclothes officers near the corner of Wheeler and Westchester Avenues. Starting in the 2000s, a citywide housing crisis spurred construction of modern multi-unit row houses and apartment buildings. Many are multi zoned for retail and have mixed-income qualifications. There are also plans to develop this type of housing on vacant land within the confines of NYCHA property along with significant renovations and improvements to existing grounds and buildings. Soundview Park, built on a former landfill and the largest in the South Bronx, has  undergone a complete transformation including enhanced pedestrian access and completely renovated and redesigned recreational areas. Future plans in accordance with PlaNYC initiatives will create an urban oasis in this dense community; complete with recreation nodes, Greenway connections, bike/hike trails, designated fishing areas, a boat launch, and esplanades with skyline views. The neighborhood has become increasingly more diverse with a rise in varied Latin American and Asian immigration in recent years. Crime has also seen a significant decline as a result of a number of factors including enhanced policing techniques and changing economic demographics. Demographics. Based on data from the  2010 United States Census, the combined population of the Soundview/Clason Point/Castle Hill/Harding Park tabulation area, which includes the southern half of the neighborhood, was 53,686 in 2010, a change of 2,933 (5.5%) from the 88,823 counted in 2000. Covering an area of , these neighborhoods had a population density of . The combined population of the Soundview/Bruckner tabulation area, which includes the northern half of the neighborhood, was 35,634 in 2010, a change of 497 (1.4%) from the 35,137 counted in 2000. Covering an area of , these neighborhoods had a population density of . The racial makeup of these  neighborhoods was 2% (1,067) White, 37% (19,876) African American, 0.3% (161) Native American, 1.3% (709) Asian, 0% (22) Pacific Islander, 0.4% (239) from other races, and 1.1% (586) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 57.8% (31,026) of the population. Soundview's total land area is roughly 1.3 square miles. The neighborhood predominantly consists of Latin Americans (mainly Puerto Ricans) and African Americans. The entirety of Community District 9, which comprises Soundview and Parkchester, had 184,105 inhabitants as of NYC Health's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 79.7 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: 25% are between the ages of between 0–17, 29% between 25–44, and 24% between 45–64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 10% and 12% respectively. As of 2017, the median household income in Community District 9 was $40,005. In 2018, an estimated 26% of Soundview and Parkchester residents lived in poverty, compared to 25% in all of the Bronx and 20% in all of New York City. One in  eight residents (13%) 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 55% in Soundview and Parkchester, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 58% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, , Soundview and Parkchester are considered low-income relative to the rest of the city and not gentrifying. Land use and terrain. The land area contains a mix of uses but is primarily residential. Most of the population resides inside large residential complexes of various types. The neighborhood contains  one of the highest concentrations of NYCHA projects in New York City. There is a mixture of pre-war architecture, mid-century, and modern buildings. Row-houses, semi-detached homes, detached homes, and apartment buildings are found throughout; the overwhelming majority containing multiple units. The neighborhood's primary commercial corridors are White Plains Road, Soundview Avenue, and Westchester Avenue. The central western border of the neighborhood, adjacent to the Bronx River, is primarily used for storage, warehousing, and automotive repair and modification. York Studios: Michelangelo Campus is located at 1421 Story Avenue. The studios for News 12 The Bronx are  located at 930 Soundview Avenue. The total land area is roughly 1.8 square miles. The terrain is mostly low laying and flat. The Shops at Bruckner Commons. The Shops at Bruckner Commons, which greatly expanded throughout the 1990s and mostly renovated in 2018, divides Soundview from neighboring Castle Hill and contains some national chains like The Gap and Old Navy. Other primary thoroughfares contain amenities like supermarkets, pharmacies, barbershops, hair salons, fast food, bodegas, and cheap shops. Parks and recreation. Soundview Park occupies in the southwestern section of the neighborhood, with ballfields and playgrounds and a pedestrian/bike greenway along  the left bank of the Bronx River estuary from Lafayette to Leland Avenue. It was built on filled land starting in 1939. The first of the park were acquired by the City of New York in 1937, and more were acquired along the water's edge in December 1939. "Parque de los Ninos", a playground at the corner of Morrison and Watson Avenues, opened in 1956 and was renamed in 1995 to honor six neighborhood children who were killed in the late 1980s. It was granted $1.6 million for renovations in 2016. Low-income public housing complex. There are  nine NYCHA developments located in Soundview. Police and crime. Soundview is one of several neighborhoods in the Southeast Bronx patrolled by the 43rd Precinct of the NYPD, located at 900 Fteley Avenue. The current 43rd Precinct was constructed in Soundview in 1978, and the overall coverage area was reduced significantly with the introduction of the 49th Precinct north of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor right-of-way in the East Bronx. The 43rd Precinct has a lower crime rate than historic highs in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 76.1% between 1990 and 2020. However, the rate  of violent crimes per capita is more than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 603 per 100,000 people is higher than that of the city as a whole.The precinct reported 9 murders, 36 rapes, 399 robberies, 671 felony assaults, 244 burglaries, 680 grand larcenies, and 233 grand larcenies auto in 2020. Fire safety. Soundview contains a New York City Fire Department (FDNY) fire station, Engine Company 96/Ladder Company 54, at 1689 Story Avenue. Health. , preterm births and births to teenage mothers are more common in Soundview and Parkchester than in other places citywide . In Soundview and Parkchester, there were 106 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 26.4 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Soundview and Parkchester has a relatively average population of residents who are uninsured. In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 16%, higher than the citywide rate of 14%. The concentration of fine particulate matter, the deadliest type of air pollutant, in Soundview and Parkchester is , more than the city average. Eighteen percent of Soundview and Parkchester residents are smokers, which is  higher than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In Soundview and Parkchester, 32% of residents are obese, 16% are diabetic, and 34% have high blood pressure—compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively. In addition, 25% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%. Eighty-three percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which is less than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 72% of residents described their health as "good," "very good," or "excellent," lower than the city's average of 78%. For every  supermarket in Soundview and Parkchester, there are 13 bodegas. The nearest hospital campuses are Montefiore Medical Center's Westchester Square and West Farms campuses, as well as Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center's Longwood campus. The nearest large hospital is NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi in Morris Park. Post offices and ZIP Codes. Soundview is located within two ZIP Codes. The area north of Bruckner Expressway/Interstate 278 is in 10472, while the area south of Bruckner Expressway/I-278 is in 10473. The United States Postal Service operates three post offices nearby: Education. Soundview and Parkchester generally have a similar rate  of college-educated residents to the rest of the city . While 23% of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, 30% have less than a high school education and 47% 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 Soundview and Parkchester students excelling in math rose from 23% in 2000 to 44% in 2011, and reading achievement increased from 27% to 30% during the same time period. Soundview and Parkchester's rate of elementary school  student absenteeism is higher than the rest of New York City. In Soundview and Parkchester, 28% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per school year, more than the citywide average of 20%. Additionally, 69% of high school students in Soundview and Parkchester graduate on time, lower than the citywide average of 75%. Schools. The following public schools are located in Soundview: Public: There is also one parochial school: Libraries. The New York Public Library (NYPL) operates three branches near Soundview. Transportation. The IRT Pelham Line, an elevated New York City Subway line serving the , traverses southwest to  northeast through the neighborhood, along Westchester Avenue. The following MTA Regional Bus Operations bus routes serve Soundview: NYC Ferry's Soundview route started serving Soundview on August 15, 2018.