Fordham | |
|---|---|
 Looking south across Fordham Road and along Walton Avenue at Monroe College | |
 Interactive map of Fordham | |
| Coordinates:40°51′32″N73°53′53″W / 40.859°N 73.898°W /40.859; -73.898 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  New York |
| City | New York City |
| Borough | The Bronx |
| Community District | The Bronx 5[1] andThe Bronx 7[2] |
| Area | |
• Total | 0.507 sq mi (1.31 km2) |
| Population (2011)[3] | |
• Total | 43,394 |
| • Density | 85,600/sq mi (33,000/km2) |
| Economics | |
| • Median income | $26,143 |
| ZIP Codes | 10453, 10457, 10458, 10468 |
| Area codes | 718, 347, 929, and917 |
| Website | fordham |
Fordham is a neighborhood located in the westernBronx, New York City. Fordham is roughly bordered by East 196th Street to the north, the Harlem River to the west, Fordham Road to the south, and Southern Boulevard to the east.[4] The neighborhood's primary thoroughfares areFordham Road andGrand Concourse.
Fordham is located withinBronx Community Board 5 andBronx Community Board 7, and itsZIP Codes include 10453, 10457, 10458 and 10468.[1][2] Its mainsubway line is theIND Concourse Line (B and D trains), operating under the Grand Concourse, with theIRT Jerome Avenue Line (4 train) on its western border. The area is patrolled by theNew York City Police Department's 46th Precinct.New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) property in the area is patrolled by P.S.A. 7 at 737 Melrose Avenue in theMelrose section of the Bronx. The neighborhood is home to the original, Rose Hill campus ofFordham University.
Jan Arcer, a Dutch settler (whoanglicized his name to John Archer),[5] established a community at what is now 225th Street near the Harlem River in 1666.[6] Archer owned 3900 acres of land whichFrancis Lovelace, thecolonial governor of New York approved for settlement.[5] The area known as "Fordham Manor" was 6 square miles. This was called a Patent, making Archer "Lord of the Manor". Sixteen families established farms in the area. The Manor lasted from 1671 to 1762.
Archer chose the name Fordham for his community, which may have been a reference to its location near a shallow crossing ("ford") of theBronx River, or may have been a reference toJohn Fordham, a fourteenth-century English priest.[7]
Old Fordham Village is a section of Fordham that dates back to the English colonial era. It is centered on the intersection of theGrand Concourse andFordham Road. Fordham Village extends north to about 196th Street, south to about 187th Street, east toSouthern Boulevard, and west toJerome Avenue.
The section's origins date back to about 1751, when Fordham Manor was built on what was called Rose Hill. Most of the estate is part of the Rose Hill Campus ofFordham University. Besides the main manor house and other side buildings on the campus, other historic buildings and noted homes still exist within Old Fordham Village. For example, American poetEdgar Allan Poe spent his final years with his wifeVirginia ina cottage in Fordham, which is still standing in Poe Park. The nearby Fordham University Church bell is named "old Edgar" and may have been the inspiration for his poemThe Bells.[8]
In the 18th century, the Kings Road went through Old Fordham Village, an area of rural estates and small farms, linkingColonial New York and towns and villages north towardBoston. It was a minor rest stop for travelers and coaches, where many springs fed The Mill Brook that crossed this road. During theAmerican Revolution, it was a critical crossing point for Gen.George Washington'sContinental Army retreating towardWhite Plains to safely escape from New York while being chased by the Colonial British and Hessian Forces. There were many American Patriots that lived in this area. After the revolution, the Kings Road was renamed theBoston Post Road, becoming an important thoroughfare for a growing new nation.
In the 19th century, with the building of the White Plains Line (later theHarlem Line of theNew York Central Railroad) and a small station, Old Fordham Village began to grow. Local farmers and dairymen were able to use the railroad to send their products to a growingNew York City. Part of the Mill Brook was dammed up north of the village, and a large pond and ice house were built for shipping and cold storage. It provided fresh ice for the community and the railroad. In 1838, a wealthy New York City Irish Catholic real estate magnate named Andrew Carrigan (1804-1872) bought the 100-acre Rose Hill estate, located east of the village, for the sole purpose of selling it to his close friendJohn Joseph Hughes (1797-1864), who at the time was coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of New York. Hughes purchased the estate from Carrigan in 1839 for $29,750, and founded St. Joseph's Seminary (1840) and St. Joseph's College (1841) (later Fordham University) on the property. In 1846 Hughes deeded St. Joseph's College over to the Roman Catholic Jesuit Order (Society of Jesus) for $40,000, but retained title to the seminary property (about 9 acres of land). The seminary was closed in 1859. Today, a small south-west portion of the former Rose Hill estate is known as Rose Hill Park.[9] West of the village, on the other side of Fordham Hill, the Bathgate Estate was built; it was later acquired by wealthy stock speculatorLeonard Jerome. He built theJerome Park Racetrack, where the firstBelmont Stakes was held, on his estate. West of the station in the village area, the Fordham Hotel and Taverine would provide basic needs for visitors to the college and the racetrack.[10][11]
For the most part, Old Fordham Village remained rural until about 1900, when New York City began to expand. Early mass transit to the suburbs changed the area of what is Fordham today. Old Fordham Village and the surrounding area would become part of the borough ofthe Bronx within New York City. Many remaining farms and estates were sold to developers who built houses and sizable apartment buildings. The formerly quiet little village became a major business and transportation hub. In this area of Fordham,Boston Post Road was renamedFordham Road and became part ofU.S. Route 1 in 1926. The rebuilding of the railroad right of way at Fordham, and most of Webster Avenue, eliminated The Mill Brook and water pond, but the side streets of Old Fordham Village remain active.[12]
Fordham was a predominantlymiddle classWhite (ofIrish andJewish origins) neighborhood from the 1920s through the late 1970s, when many families moved to the suburbs or theLos Angeles area, or retired toFlorida.[13][14]Belmont was formerly a portion of Fordham and South Fordham.
On January 9, 2022,a high-rise fire tore through an apartment building in Fordham. At least 19 people were killed, including nine children, and at least 60 other people were injured, including 32 with life-threatening injuries.[15][16][17][18][19] It was the third-deadliest residential fire in the U.S. since 1978.[20]
Fordham has a population of around 43,394 people. Its first growth was in the 1920s, whenmiddle-class andworking-class families from Manhattan flocked into the area, attracted by the then-modern housing and convenientsubway access byConcourse,Jerome Avenue, andThird/Webster Avenues lines to business districts inManhattan where they could work and shop. It is now predominantlyLatino American andAfrican American. There is a significant historicItalian andAlbanian population as well.
Fordham is divided into two sections: Community District 5, south of Fordham Road, comprising Fordham South, and Community District 7, north of Fordham Road, comprising Fordham North. Most inhabitants of Community District 5 are youth and middle-aged adults: 28% are between 0–17, 29% between 25 and 44, and 23% between 45 and 64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 12% and 8% respectively.[21]: 2 Similarly, most inhabitants of Community District 7 are youth and middle-aged adults: 26% are between the ages of between 0–17, 31% between 25 and 44, and 23% between 45 and 64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 11% and 9% respectively.[22]: 2
As of 2017, the medianhousehold income in Community District 5 was $30,166,[23] and the median household income in Community District 7 was $35,355.[24] In 2018, an estimated 34% of Fordham South 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 65% in Fordham South, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 58% and 51% respectively.[21]: 7 In 2018, an estimated 26% of Fordham North residents lived in poverty, compared to 25% in all of the Bronx and 20% in all of New York City. One in seven residents (14%) 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 61% in Fordham North, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 58% and 51% respectively.[22]: 7 Based on this calculation, as of 2018[update], both areas are considered low-income relative to the rest of the city and notgentrifying.[21]: 7 [22]: 7
Fordham is dominated by 5- and 6-story apartment buildings, often set flush to the sidewalk. Many of the apartments on the Grand Concourse are taller.
TheNew York Botanical Garden and theWildlife Conservation Society'sBronx Zoo, both insideBronx Park, collectively occupy dozens of acres of land within the neighborhood.
Fordham University maintains its historic original campus on much of the former Rose Hill Manor in the center of the neighborhood. It is one of the largest "green" campuses in New York City, and its traditional collegiate gothic architecture often serves as a backdrop for television and film productions.
TheFordham RoadBusiness Improvement District operates on the northern border of the neighborhood. This retail district is the longest in the Bronx.[25]Fordham is split into two community districts: Community District 5 south of Fordham Road and Community District 7 north of Fordham Road. Community District 5, which comprises southern Fordham South, had 136,151 inhabitants as ofNYC Health's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 79.9 years.[21]: 2, 20 Community District 7, which comprises Fordham South and Bedford Park, had 148,163 inhabitants as ofNYC Health's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 79.4 years.[22]: 2, 20 Both figures are lower than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods.[26]: 53 (PDF p. 84) [27]
Fordham is patrolled by two precincts of theNYPD.[28] Fordham South is served by the 46th Precinct of theNYPD, located at 2120 Ryer Avenue.[29] Fordham North is patrolled by the 52nd Precinct of theNYPD, located at 3016 Webster Avenue.[30]
The 46th Precinct ranked 27th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010,[31] while the 52nd Precinct ranked 49th safest.[32] As of 2018[update], with a non-fatal assault rate of 126 per 100,000 people in Fordham South and 97 per 100,000 people in Fordham North, Fordham's rate ofviolent crimes per capita is greater than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rates of 1,033 per 100,000 people in Fordham South and 583 per 100,000 people in Fordham Road are both higher than that of the city as a whole.[21]: 8 [22]: 8
The 46th Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 74.6% between 1990 and 2022. The precinct reported 17 murders, 34 rapes, 384 robberies, 729 felony assaults, 218 burglaries, 611 grand larcenies, and 219 grand larcenies auto in 2022.[33] The 52nd Precinct also has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 76.1% between 1990 and 2022. The precinct reported 14 murders, 37 rapes, 410 robberies, 598 felony assaults, 192 burglaries, 666 grand larcenies, and 254 grand larcenies auto in 2022.[34]
Fordham contains twoNew York City Fire Department (FDNY) fire stations.[35] Engine Co. 48/Ladder Co. 56/Division 7 is located at 2417 Webster Avenue,[36] while Engine Co. 75/Ladder Co. 33/Battalion 19 is located at 2175 Walton Avenue.[37]
As of 2018[update],preterm births in Fordham South and births to teenage mothers in both Fordham South and North are more common than in other places citywide, though preterm births in Fordham North are less common. In Fordham South, there were 93 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 35.3 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide).[21]: 11 In Fordham North, there were 85 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 30.3 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide).[22]: 11 Both areas have a relatively high population of residents who areuninsured. In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 14% in Fordham South and 16% in Fordham North, higher than the citywide rate of 12%.[21]: 14 [22]: 14
The concentration offine particulate matter, the deadliest type ofair pollutant, is 0.0083 milligrams per cubic metre (8.3×10−9 oz/ft3) in Fordham South and 0.0078 milligrams per cubic metre (7.8×10−9 oz/ft3) in Fordham North, more than the city average.[21]: 9 [22]: 9 Sixteen percent of Fordham South residents and twelve percent of Fordham North residents aresmokers, which is higher than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers.[21]: 13 [22]: 13 In Fordham South, 34% of residents areobese, 16% arediabetic, and 27% havehigh blood pressure—compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively.[21]: 16 In Fordham North, 33% of residents are obese, 19% are diabetic, and 35% have high blood pressure.[22]: 16 In addition, 24% of children in Fordham South and 25% of children in Fordham North are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%.[21]: 12 [22]: 12
Seventy-eight percent of residents in Fordham South and eighty-four percent in Fordham North eat some fruits and vegetables daily, which is less than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 67% of residents in both Fordham South and North described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", lower than the city's average of 78%.[21]: 13 [22]: 13 For every supermarket, there are 20bodegas in Fordham South and 18 in Fordham North.[21]: 10 [22]: 10
The nearest hospitals areBronx-Lebanon Hospital Center in Claremont,James J. Peters VA Medical Center inKingsbridge Heights, andSt Barnabas Hospital inBelmont.[38]
Fordham is divided into fourZIP Codes by the north-south Grand Concourse and the west-east East 183rd Street. Counterclockwise from southwest, these zip codes are 10453, 10457, 10458 and 10468.[39] TheUnited States Postal Service operates the Jerome Station post office at 2549 Jerome Avenue.[40]
Fordham generally has a lower rate of college-educated residents than the rest of the city as of 2018[update]. In Fordham South, 10% of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, while 34% have less than a high school education and 46% are high school graduates or have some college education. In Fordham North, 23% of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, while 32% have less than a high school education and 45% 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.[21]: 6 [22]: 6 The percentage of Fordham South students excelling in math rose from 19% in 2000 to 43% in 2011, and reading achievement increased from 24% to 28% during the same time period.[41] The percentage of Fordham North students excelling in math also rose from 21% in 2000 to 48% in 2011, and reading achievement increased from 28% to 33% during the same period.[42]
Fordham South and Fordham North's rates of elementary school student absenteeism are higher than the rest of New York City. 30% of elementary school students in Fordham South and 28% in Fordham North missed twenty or more days perschool year, higher than the citywide average of 20%.[26]: 24 (PDF p. 55) [21]: 6 [22]: 6 Additionally, 66% of high school students in Fordham South and 70% of high school students in Fordham North graduate on time, lower than the citywide average of 75%.[21]: 6 [22]: 6
Fordham contains the following public elementary schools:[43]
The Jonas Bronck Academy serves grades 6–8.[50]
The Rose Hill campus ofFordham University, which is the university's oldest campus, is located in Fordham. The campus is home to Fordham College at Rose Hill, theGabelli School of Business, and a division of the School of Professional and Continuing Studies, as well as theGraduate Schools of Arts and Sciences and Religion and Religious Education.[51]
Monroe College, a privatefor-profit college, has been located in Fordham since 1967, and is near the Fordham shopping district.[52]
TheNew York Public Library (NYPL) operates theBronx Library Center at 310 East Kingsbridge Road. The Bronx Library Center opened in 2006 and is the Bronx's largest NYPL branch.[53]
Subway and railroad service is provided by theNew York City Subway andMetro-North Railroad, respectively.[54][55]
The followingMTA Regional Bus Operations bus routes serve Fordham:[55]
Fordham is also served by the followingBee-Line Bus System routes toWestchester County, New York:[55]
| South Bronx |  | |
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| West Bronx | ||
| East Bronx | ||
| Related areas | ||