Stopped by my old hood (the South Bronx) to visit my sister, some pics

[bodyhard]

As most of you know I still have friends from 45 years ago who still live in the South Bronx and I still chill with them from time to time. Its not many who still have close friends they grew up with that are still tight till this day, so for that I am grateful.

My sister invited me over for dinner today and I couldn't believe how horrible my old hood is looking. Don't get me wrong, the South Bronx was always bad, but at one point it was starting to clean up a little, but man its going back downhill and fast. The crime is crazy, they just shot a guy in the head 3 times in broad day light right in between the projects in the park 2 or 3 days ago.

The view from the windows was from my sisters apartment in the Mitchel Projects 135th, the public school you see is where I went to school from 1st to 5th grade. The slumb buildings you see are in Willis Ave across the street from the projects.

Anyway just wanted to show you guys a little of my old hood..

[Bando]

Wow. Are those buildings actually full of busted out windows? I assume they're unoccupied?

[bodyhard]

Wow. Are those buildings actually full of busted out windows? I assume they're unoccupied?

Most are, some of them are run by drug dealers that use it as a "safe" place as to not have anything in their own space, everyone knows which ones and who. Funny thing is, the 40th precinct is across the street, OS and DBX saw the precinct.

[mtpockets]

Makes me appreciate how fortunate I am, happy to be a country boy.

[Bando]

Most are, some of them are run by drug dealers that use it as a "safe" place as to not have anything in their own space, everyone knows which ones and who. Funny thing is, the 40th precinct is across the street

Great work by Deblasio and Cuomo.

When I visited the BX back in the late 80's it was more like where you live, houses close together but people taking pride in their homes. I never saw anything like those projects.

[Bando]

Makes me appreciate how fortunate I am, happy to be a country boy.

Amen.

Well life on the farm is kinda laid back
Ain't much an old country boy like me can't hack
It's early to rise, early in the sack
I thank God I'm a country boy
Well a simple kinda life never did me no harm
A raisin' me a family and workin' on a farm
My days are all filled with an easy country charm
Thank God I'm a country boy
Well I got me a fine wife I got me an ole fiddle
When the sun's comin' up I got cakes on the griddle
Life ain't nothin' but a funny funny riddle
Thank God I'm a country boy
When the work's all done and the sun's settlin' low
I pull out my fiddle and I rosin up the bow
The kids are asleep so I keep it kinda low
I thank God I'm a country boy
I'd play Sally Goodin all day if I could
But the Lord and my wife wouldn't take it very good
So I fiddle when I can, work when I should
Thank God I'm a country boy
Well I got me a fine wife I got me an ole fiddle
When the sun's comin' up I got cakes on the griddle
Life ain't nothin' but a funny funny riddle
Thank God I'm a country boy
Well I wouldn't trade my life for diamonds and jewels
I never was one of them money hungry fools
I'd rather have my fiddle and my farmin' tools
Thank God I'm a country boy
Yeah, city folk drivin' in a black limousine
A lotta sad people thinkin' that's mighty keen
Son, let me tell ya now exactly what I mean
I thank God I'm a country boy
Well I got me a fine wife I got me an ole fiddle
When the sun's comin' up I got cakes on the griddle
Life ain't nothin' but a funny funny riddle
I thank God I'm a country boy, yes Sr.
Well, my fiddle was my daddy's till the day he died
And he took me by the hand and held me close to his side
Said, "live a good life and play the fiddle with pride
And thank God you're a country boy"
Well, my daddy taught me young how to hunt and how to whittle
Taught me how to work and play a tune on the fiddle
Taught me how to love and how to give just a little
And thank God I'm a country boy
Well I got me a fine wife I got me an ole fiddle
When the sun's comin' up I got cakes on the griddle
Life ain't nothin' but a funny funny riddle
Thank God I'm a country boy

[anonymous]

What are the chances of the residents voting out the politicians who made this so bad?

[Corbi]

what are the chances of the residents voting out the politicians who made this so bad?

zero!

[OldFartTom]

Sorry I can't tell anything much from the pics, it just looks fairly normal city living. Buildings where people live, a school, recreation area. Building exteriors look well maintained, recreation area looks well maintained.

The real difference is whether the park has families in it, or a gang sitting with a fighting dog, sitting about smoking and watching their area - that's exactly what I can't see in the pics. I take your word on it that the area has problems! But from your photos... it's impossible to see if it's a good area or a bad area.

[Greekformula]

Whenever I see these cities they still look have that gritty feel of a 70s Clint Eastwood movie..

[Redfish225]

It’s weird going back to the hood. What’s even crazier is seeing some cats you grew up with still stuck in that mf doing the same chit still. I’m grateful of the choices I made.

[bodyhard]

Makes me appreciate how fortunate I am, happy to be a country boy.

Perspective..

Great work by Deblasio and Cuomo.

When I visited the BX back in the late 80's it was more like where you live, houses close together but people taking pride in their homes. I never saw anything like those projects.

The 80's? Hell the South Bronx was nuts in the 80's, you had to have visited the North Bronx, two different areas by far.

What are the chances of the residents voting out the politicians who made this so bad?

Mostly in the North Bronx will you find people more concern with their neighborhood as folks own homes and property, hell some of the houses where I live in the North Bronx are million dollar homes, are they worth it? Hell no, but still very costly so the residents are more keen to what is going on in the community.

Sorry I can't tell anything much from the pics, it just looks fairly normal city living. Buildings where people live, a school, recreation area. Building exteriors look well maintained, recreation area looks well maintained.

The real difference is whether the park has families in it, or a gang sitting with a fighting dog, sitting about smoking and watching their area - that's exactly what I can't see in the pics. I take your word on it that the area has problems! But from your photos... it's impossible to see if it's a good area or a bad area.

Not even sure why you would say sorry? Anyway, yeah just take my word for it.

It’s weird going back to the hood. What’s even crazier is seeing some cats you grew up with still stuck in that mf doing the same chit still. I’m grateful of the choices I made.

Exactly! Crazy how most who are still there are doing the same things.

But let me clarify something for the masses, there are a lot of great people living in the hood who work their asses off and try their best to provide for their families. And one thing about the hood, they look out for one another, 100...If you never lived in the Ghetto its probably something you would never understand.

[Jtbny]

Great work by Deblasio and Cuomo.

When I visited the BX back in the late 80's it was more like where you live, houses close together but people taking pride in their homes. I never saw anything like those projects.

Really? You could drive from Buffalo to the city and stop at every city along the way and see projects like this and broken systems long before those two. The state has been a mess for decades. The areas of poverty just shift but the mess is the same.

Hell, in the 90s you'd have been safer in the Bronx than Newburgh, Kingston, and parts of Albany and thats saying something because South Bronx was pretty crazy.

[bodyhard]

Really? You could drive from Buffalo to the city and stop at every city along the way and see projects like this and broken systems long before those two. The state has been a mess for decades. The areas of poverty just shift but the mess is the same.

Hell, in the 90s you'd have been safer in the Bronx than Newburgh, Kingston, and parts of Albany and thats saying something because South Bronx was pretty crazy.

When Giuliani was mayor in the 90s till 2001, the South Bronx was cleaned up significantly and man what a difference. The raids he did (I am not even going to speak on that specifically here) took down a lot of people I knew and honestly for the better. But anyway yeah the South Bronx (NYC in general) was great during his term.

[tripod29]

Exactly what I imagined it would look like. Sad!

[Jtbny]

When Giuliani was mayor in the 90s till 2001, the South Bronx was cleaned up significantly and man what a difference. The raids he did (I am not even going to speak on that specifically here) took down a lot of people I knew and honestly for the better. But anyway yeah the South Bronx (NYC in general) was great during his term.

He cleaned up a lot of the city. The rest of NYS went to shti. Every city I've been to in NY (and it's most) are broken down and have been for decades. Can't really blame this Cuomo on that but his father and others before him set the path that drove many of our manufacturing companies out of NY. All I can compare (because I was younger) is how different Times Square was when I was a kid to when I was an adult. Rudy did a great job cleaning up that part of NY for sure. Major difference.

I can't speak for all of the Bronx but I did work in the Bronx to about Yankee stadium/Yonkers/Westchester/Rockland from 98-04. Didn't look any different than the pics you posted to me.

[mtpockets]

But let me clarify something for the masses, there are a lot of great people living in the hood who work their asses off and try their best to provide for their families. And one thing about the hood, they look out for one another, 100...If you never lived in the Ghetto its probably something you would never understand.

I have no doubt that people from your area looked out for one another, I have seen this as well but not from a city perspective. I have lived in smaller areas and have seen people look after each other in the same manner. Some examples, I have seen anonymously placed xmas packages of food and gifts left at peoples doors who we down on their luck , Once someone's roof was in dire need of replacing, bunch of us all threw in a $100 or so a piece and put that roof on within a day, Another fellow's garage burned down, no insurance he was just making ends meet by welding out of that garage, some kind folks rebuilt it for him, this is not to mention the smaller things like odd jobs for seniors, cutting their grass, snow removal that kind of stuff, I could go on for days of all I have seen over the years, but you get the idea. You see this kind of stuff in a lot of areas and it really warms the heart and makes one feel good to help out others. There is good and bad in every person and it's nice to see when it's more good.

I went through the Bronx in 82, actually visited all 5 Boroughs, it was the fist time I ever seen a car on blocks and traffic of that nature. It was crazy glad I got to see it but I couldn't live there.

[bodyhard]

He cleaned up a lot of the city. The rest of NY went to shti. Every city I've been to in NY (and it's most) are broken down and have been for decades. Can't really blame this Cuomo on that but his father and others before him set the path that drove many of our manufacturing companies out of NY. All I can compare (because I was younger) is how different Times Square was when I was a kid to when I was an adult. Rudy did a great job cleaning up that part of NY for sure. Major difference.

I can't speak for all of the Bronx but I did work in the Bronx to about Yankee stadium/Yonkers/Westchester/Rockland from 98-04. Didn't look any different than the pics you posted to me.

Not here to debate with you, lets just say I lived in the Bronx for 56 years, my whole life, don't know any different.

Anyway, just wanted to share some pics with the OV 35, show them my old hood might take some pics today of where I currently live for perspective of the North Bronx VS the South Bronx.

[Jtbny]

Not here to debate with you, lets just say I lived in the Bronx for 56 years, my whole life, don't know any different.

Anyway, just wanted to share some pics with the OV 35, show them my old hood might take some pics today of where I currently live for perspective of the North Bronx VS the South Bronx.

I wasn't arguing? I didn't grow up there. Just remember it kinda always looking like this to Bandos point. You have a Bronx PhD. I would drive in and leave before I got shot What changes do you notice now in those pics to when you lived there? Did it get worse?

And thanks for sharing the pics. I love NYC but couldn't live there but wish I grew up in the city.

[bodyhard]

I have no doubt that people from your area looked out for one another, I have seen this as well but not from a city perspective. I have lived in smaller areas and have seen people look after each other in the same manner. Some examples, I have seen anonymously placed xmas packages of food and gifts left at peoples doors who we down on their luck , Once someone's roof was in dire need of replacing, bunch of us all threw in a $100 or so a piece and put that roof on within a day, Another fellow's garage burned down, no insurance he was just making ends meet by welding out of that garage, some kind folks rebuilt it for him, this is not to mention the smaller things like odd jobs for seniors, cutting their grass, snow removal that kind of stuff, I could go on for days of all I have seen over the years, but you get the idea. You see this kind of stuff in a lot of areas and it really warms the heart and makes one feel good to help out others. There is good and bad in every person and it's nice to see when it's more good.

I went through the Bronx in 82, actually visited all 5 Boroughs, it was the fist time I ever seen a car on blocks and traffic of that nature. It was crazy glad I got to see it but I couldn't live there.

This past Christmas, some big time drug dealers that I know went to the streets and gave out clothes, toys, food and man I'll tell you my heart hurt. I tagged a long with them and I put up some money but nothing even remotely close of what they laid out. They had 8 Vans full of stuff it was fckng awesome and I'll tell you man even the police blocked off some of the areas the vans were parked while delivering the stuff. I wanted to take pics but they were not having that sh!t

[bodyhard]

I wasn't arguing? I didn't grow up there. Just remember it kinda always looking like this to Bandos point. You have a Bronx PhD. I would drive in and leave before I got shot

And thanks for sharing the pics. I love NYC but couldn't live there but wish I grew up in the city.

Man I didn't say arguing, I said debate, as in disagreeing with you

[Jtbny]

Man I didn't say arguing, I said debate, as in disagreeing with you

LOL.

What have you noticed different now in that area from when you were growing up? Has it gotten better/worse/same?

[bodyhard]

LOL.

What have you noticed different now in that area from when you were growing up? Has it gotten better/worse/same?

In the early 80's it was worse, as there were more burned down/abandoned buildings/cars more drugs/gangs, lots of stray dogs. It was also more divided, the Puerto Ricans where in one area and the blacks were in the other. The Ghetto whites, not many, most were in the North Bronx and had money, in fact we use to call the North Bronx the White Rich area, would roll with the Puerto Ricans. We respected each others territory, but of course there was always someone crossing the line and sh!t would pop off. After several years of fighting for boundaries, turf and space the blacks and Puerto Ricans along with the ghetto whites, started slowly getting along and getting together and the fights started amongst the boroughs, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens. Man we had some real fcked up wars within the boroughs and sh!t got ugly, people were getting killed and then the Zulu Nation, Supreme Family, Dirty Dozen united the boroughs for one cause and hell we ruled NYC man..

The 90's were mellow, sh!t slowed down tremendously, we were clubbing/dancing more, gangs turned into crews, drugs slowed down you didn't see as much crackheads and dope fiends in the streets. Hell you could walk the streets at night and not have to be strapped, it really was from night to day man seriously. In 92 (because of Patty and my 5 kids) I moved to the "White Rich" area as an opportunity opened up for me in the computer field, I was working in a factory making violins and running the streets. It was Patty's cousin who offered me a lucrative job, I remember him telling me, Ill get you the job, but you have to cut your hair and he said, You have to give up the streets Crazy because we had to get the apartment under Patty's name because if they found out a Puerto Rican was going to live there we would never have gotten the apartment, they would not rent to minorities. Crazy because after 2 years the landlord loved me and he and Patty could not see eye to eye My boys, ALL of them were happy for me and every time I went back to the hood, they would tell me This aint for you John, get the fck out of here Real street love man.

Now, my old hood just seems lost and forgotten I guess it is hard to explain is not as bad as the 80's but not good like the 90's its just there.

I hope this put a little perspective on the difference. So much to write and I am not a writer lol.

[ChazWood]

Anyway just wanted to show you guys a little of my old hood..

Looks to me like a neighborhood in any big city on an overcast day in January.

At least someone there got a new flat screen TV and appears to have celebrated with a pizza night!

[bodyhard]

Took a walk around my neighborhood here in the North Bronx and took some pics so you guys can have some idea of the difference between the North Bronx and the South Bronx for those who don't know the Bronx.

[bodyhard]

[ezra76]

What's the avg. price per sq.ft. there?

[Corbi]

fights started amongst the boroughs, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens. Man we had some real fcked up wars within the boroughs and sh!t got ugly, people were getting killed and then the Zulu Nation, Supreme Family, Dirty Dozen united the boroughs for one cause and hell we ruled NYC man..

[bodyhard]

What's the avg. price per sq.ft. there?

Houses vary from 1100 sq ft to 3000 sq ft. Houses are roughly over 500K to 600K on the lower side of the sq ft and 800K to like 2M in the higher sq ft. My house is only 1701 sq ft and it is over 600K, however my house is semi-attached if it were fully detached it would be over 700K. I purchased my house in 2001 for 220K.

[bodyhard]

LOL that movie was a joke, the real person who spoke in 49 park the day all the gangs aligned was a guy name Sad Eyes and he wasn't black and the gangs they depict in that movie were a joke, not one real gang name in that movie, not one and there wasn't any white gangs in NYC. The biggest white gang in NYC which was very well respected and no one fcked with were the Hells Angel and they were a motor cycle gang who drove by from time to time. However there was a Chinese Gang called the White Tigers roughly in Queens, but we rarely had any run ins with them