Bronx News Roundup, Oct. 27

The Bronx's first restaurant week, officially known as Savor the Bronx (we mentioned it in yesterday's roundup) is getting a shoutout from ZagatBuzz. "The borough is giving everyone an excuse to get their butts way uptown," the site says.

The Irish Echo reports that the Transportation Committee of Community Board 8 has given its OK to the naming of a street near Gaelic Park in Kingsbridge for the late human rights activist and lawyer Frank Durkan.

The Bronx Museum of Arts will screen the documentary "Garifuna Nation"on Friday at 7 p.m. (Video)

Kappstatter gives us the rundown on what the political machinations may be behind Bronx Democratic boss Carl Heastie not nominating a new executive director of the city Board of Elections for more than a year now. Also in the column, is news of the first meeting of the Bronx Young Democrats Club tomorrow night.

The New York Times Arts section reports some hard news about the new Poe Park visitors' center being shuttered and vandalized for lack of funding to staff the raven-shaped building.

City Comptroller John Liu discussed the economy with Bronx Community College students last week and made other stops in the borough. (Video)

$1 Million Restoration Brings Poe Cottage Into the Future

Angel Hernandez of the Bronx Historical Society looks out from the porch of Poe Cottage, which is undergoing a million dollar facelift. (Photo by Rochana Rapkins)

Editor's note: This story first appeared in the latest edition of the Norwood News. 

By ROCHANA RAPKINS

When British journalist Mary Grove visited Edgar Allen Poe’s cottage outside the village of Fordham, she described it as cozy and neat, with “floors as white as wheat.” The cottage was situated on a hill, and surrounded by creeks, rivers and farmland.

Today the 198-year-old cottage still stands -- although it’s now a few hundred yards away from its original location -- at the intersection of Kingsbridge Road and the Grand Concourse. What was once Millbrook Creek is now Webster Avenue. A stone’s throw away, children play on playground equipment and residents sit on benches in what is now Poe Park.

Ironically, when the Bronx County Historical Society kicked off a million-dollar restoration of the 198-year-old building this year, some local kids literally threw rocks to see if they could shatter the windows.

“You can still see some of the rocks up on the roof,” said Eric Stalzer, vice president of Apple Restoration, the company hired to do the job. “It was a shame.”

(Photo by Rochana Rapkins)

When it is completed in six to eight months, the garden will showcase plants and flowers mentioned in Poe’s works. All of the period furniture -- much of it currently on exhibit at the Museum of Bronx History -- will be returned. Angel Hernandez, and educator with the Historical Society, envisions holding poetry slams and readings of Poe’s work in the evening.

Bronx News Roundup, Nov. 3

On the morning after, it appears Democrats will retain control of the state senate. (This is not a done deal, we'll keep you updated.) But with another razor thin majority, will they be able to do anything with it? [Update: it now seems as if Democrats will be fortunate to come away with a dead-locked state senate, as GOPers appear to be making gains in the NYC suburbs.)

Eric Schneiderman, a state senator from the Upper West Side who represents a small fraction of the Bronx (and used to represent more of the borough until redistricting eight years ago), will be the state's next Attorney General.

The Bronx Historical Society is looking to raise $2 million to create and endowment for Poe Cottage, which costs about $300,000 a year to run and is currently undergoing renovations.

The city's overall school report cards came out today. The Bronx managed to have the school with the best grade (Theater Arts Production Company School) and the worst (New Day Academy).

Four members of a Mott Haven family were killed in a Maryland car accident. They were on their way back to the Bronx from Virginia Beach.

Bronx native Prince Royce, the new bachata singing sensation, is exploding onto the Latin pop scene. He'll headline his first US concert at Lehman Center on Nov. 12 and 13.

State Senator Jeff Klein pulled out a win over pesky GOP challenger Frank Vernuccio.

After eating at the fast-food slider shop every Friday for four straight years, 27-year-old Bronxite Victor Gradowski will be inducted into the White Castle Cravers Hall of Fame. A White Castle official compared Gradowski's burger run to Joe DiMaggio's untouchable 56-game hitting streak. It remains unclear if he is friends with Harold or Kumar.

Bronx's Poe Cottage Restoration Happening on Facebook

Poe Cottage is closed for restoration. You can track the progress on Facebook.

The social network has now engulfed Edgar Allen Poe's last home. It's unclear if the literary giant would have approved. 

Poe Cottage, located in Poe Park on Kingsbridge Road and the Grand Concourse, is currently closed due to restoration work being done, but The Bronx County Historical Society and Historic House Trust of New York have made it easy for the community to observe progress by posting photos on Facebook.

The Bronx County Historical Society has administered Poe Cottage since 1975 and with help from the Historic House Trust are working on renovating the cottage and restoring it to its original appearance. This will be the second major restoration of Poe's old house since 1913.

"Major changes will not be happening," said Angel Hernandez of the Bronx Historical Society. "We are trying to use materials that resemble the ones used 190 years ago as a way of maintaining the original character."

The Historical House Trust's Facebook album, titled "Poe Cottage Restoration," offers detailed photos of the progress made over the past three months. 

"What better way to keep people on point with the progress than with images." said Hernandez

Photos include detailed blueprints of the restoration plan which will be completed in two phases. Phase one will focus on the exterior of the house, including the installation of an accessibility ramp. Phase two will focus on improving the landscaping surrounding the house and include the replacement of shingles and front steps.

The old paint that had been added to the cottage over time is also being striped and replaced with a fresh coat.

According to Hernandez, the progress is moving swiftly and the cottage should be complete by March, just in time for spring, maybe sooner. Until then, the community can continue to follow the progress via Facebook photos.

Poe in the Bronx, and Other Events This Week

This week, the anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe's death, the Borough President's Office and the Bronx Historical Society will host a screening premiere of Edgar Allan Poe in The Bronx: His Life & Times at Poe Cottage, a documentary look at how the Bronx influenced the renowned writer's life and work.

The video, created by Emmy-award winning Derek Woods of BronxNet Television, will be part of a temporary Poe exhibit at the Bronx County Historical Society’s Valentine-Varian House Museum. Poe spent the end of his life at his cottage in the Bronx, now located at Kingsbridge Road and the Grand Concourse and currently undergoing renovations.

“The Bronx is an important part of the personal history of Edgar Allan Poe, one of America’s greatest literary masters,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., in a press release.

A  reception debuting the video will take place tonight at the Valentine-Varian House, 3266 Bainbridge Avenue at East 208 Street, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This and more Bronx events this week can be found below, or anytime in our What's Going On? section on the right side of this page.

Editor's note: What did we miss? Send details to bronxnewsnetwork[at]gmail.com.

Grand Concourse Honored on 100th Anniversary

In conjunction with Dr. Gary Hermalyn, executive director of the Bronx County Historical Society and Dr. Lloyd Ultan, Bronx Borough Historian, Bronx Congressman Jose Serrano presented a framed copy of the Congressional Resolution celebrating the100th Anniversary of the Grand Concourse to the Bronx County Historical Society. The presentation took place this past Friday at the new Poe Cottage Visitor's Center in Poe Park (Kingsbridge Road and Grand Concourse). 

“The Grand Concourse has been the symbolic heart of the Bronx since it was completed a century ago,” said Serrano. “The millions of people who have passed through the Bronx – arriving from around the world, working, raising families, growing up – they all look on the Grand Concourse as the preeminent connection in their Bronx community. It has seen wealth come and go, it has seen many famous people, it has been the home to triumphs and great creativity. It is hard to put words to the meaning of this great boulevard.

"As its centennial approached, I could think of no better gesture than to have the U.S. House of Representatives vote to recognize it for all that it is. Over the years they have helped me fund millions of dollars in upgrades for the Grand Concourse, but this would be about paying respect to our great thoroughfare. They agreed and we presented the resolution to the Bronx County Historical Society to keep and display for generations to come. As the Grand Concourse lives on and new generations come and go, we must continue to take time to honor this historic street, which is so much more than just a street, but instead is the heart of a borough.”

Serrano presenting the congressional resolution to the Bronx County Historical Society in front of Poe Cottage on the G.C.

Bronx News Roundup, October 28

A wounded Marine from the Bronx will root for the Yankees tonight while sitting next to the First Lady, Michelle Obama, at the World Series opener.

The Daily News suspects foul play in the Bloomberg administration's purchase of 10 acres of land in the East Bronx this past July. The New York City government paid $46 million to buy the land from a realty firm connected with the Mafia and the firm originally paid only $5.5 million for the land in the 1990s. The land will be used to build a backup center for 911 operators.

A Bronx resident was charged with second-degree murder and second-degree arson after allegedly starting a fire in Yonkers. The fire killed one firefighter and injured two others.

Yesterday, street vendors accused the police of harassing them with fines during a protest on the steps of City Hall. In the Bronx, vendors complained that police commonly issue $1,000 fines to vendors who have a vendor license, but do no have a cart permit.

amNewYork compiled a list of Edgar Allen Poe's New York City residences just in time for Halloween. Included in the list is Poe's last residence at the Poe Cottage in the Bronx, which is now open as a museum.

Boogiedowner recently profiled two restaurants in Bedford Park on 204th Street between Grand Concourse and E. Mosholu Parkway.

Bronx News Roundup, May 14

Sorry for the late posting today. But do check out the latest Norwood News, which hits the street today. We’ll start with the heavy news and end on a lighter note.

More information on the death of Nimzay Aponte, a 23-year-old woman who was stabbed to death in a Mott Haven park on Tuesday. The Daily News reports that Aponte met Raymond Dennis, 35, online and they had chatted via instant messenger, though she refused to meet him. He tracked her down and spotted her on Tuesday in St. Mary's Park with a man, someone who was enrolled in a job-hunting seminar with her. The two were taking a break from the seminar when Dennis stabbed both Aponte and then the man. Paramedics raced the victims to Lincoln Hospital, where Aponte later died.

A Bronx man was shot and killed in Buffalo less than one day after graduating from the University of Buffalo. Javon Jackson, 23, graduated on Saturday, May 12, and was shot on Sunday at 3 a.m.

This morning a 9-year-old female yellow lab-chow mix ran onto the Major Deegan Expressway and was hit by a car close to exit 3. Soon after, another dog, apparently her son, ran to her rescue and would not let officers near her. Then, the dog ran off leading cops on a high-speed chase. The owner of the two dogs saw it all on T.V., and she went to animal care and control in East Harlem where the dogs were being held. The female dog is now at a pet hospital with a broken leg, but she’s expected to recover.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke at NYU’s graduation ceremony yesterday at Yankees Stadium.

Newsday features several overlooked, but beautiful, places to visit in New York City and lists Vancortlandt Park and Poe Cottage as two of them.