Edgewater Park (Bronx)

Edgewater Park is a small 60-acre (24 ha) waterside co-op community of 675 single-family homes in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx, north of the Cross Bronx Expressway (I-95) near the Throgs Neck Bridge. Its beaches overlook Long Island Sound. Its sister communities are Silver Beach, south of the Cross Bronx Expressway, as well as Harding Park.[1]

History

Edgewater Park once housed a mansion built by George T. Adee in 1856. He eventually leased the land to an Irish immigrant who was a member of St. Ann's Episcopal Church in Morrisania and invited church youth to camp on the grounds which became known as Edgewater Camp. Campsites eventually developed into bungalows and by around 1918 a full-fledged bungalow had developed along the coast areas while other sections remained farmland and grazing land. Ruts from early auto traffic became roads. After World War I the community was divided into sections A, B, C, after the names of Army camps; D and E Sections were added later. In 1954, Shaw died. By this time, Edgewater Camp had become a community of full-time residents and became known as "Park of Edgewater" or "Edgewater Park."[2] The community became a co-op in 1988.[1]

Culture

The Edgewater Park Volunteer Fire Department holds an annual Memorial Day Parade.[3] The community celebrates a Ragamuffin parade to kick off the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.[4] Its “Labor Day Olympics” has a 100-year tradition.[5]

Controversies

In 2010 the Edgewater Park Owners Cooperative, Silver Beach, and a local real estate broker were sued by Fair Housing Justice Center for racial discrimination in its buying and selling practices. According to the suit, the policy requiring prospective buyers to gain the endorsement of three existing co-op owners served to block African Americans from access to the communities, a charge community residents denied.[6] In 2013 a settlement was reached that ended discriminatory buying and selling practices at Edgewater Park.[7]

Approximately 40% of Edgewater Park homes are located in the “1% annual chance floodplain” and this is expected to increase to 75% by the 2050s with global warming.[8] Edgewater Park has been designated as one of New York City’s “Resiliency Neighborhoods,” a group of communities that have experienced or are at risk of facing flooding.[9]

References
  1. Toy, Vivian S. (August 2, 2009). "Living In: Edgewater Park and Silver Beach Gardens, the Bronx". The New York Times. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  2. Twomey, Bill (2007). The Bronx, in bits and pieces. Bloomington, IN: Rooftop Publishing. pp. 83–85. ISBN 978-1-60008-062-3.
  3. "Edgewater Park parade marks Memorial Day weekend". May 29, 2016.
  4. Rocchio, Patrick (November 28, 2014). "Edgewater Park holds Ragamuffin Parade to start holiday and Christmas season". Bronx Times Reporter.
  5. Rocchio, Patrick (September 2–8, 2016). "Edgewater Park's Labor Day Olympics Turns 100". Bronx Times Reporter.
  6. Buckley, Cara (February 19, 2010). "No bias here, locals say, just very few black people". New York Times.
  7. Williams, Dathan (May 6, 2013). "Bronx Co-op Community Welcomes All Buyers DISCRIMINATORY REFERENCE RULE ABOLISHED". Opening Acts Newsletter. Fair Housing Justice Center.
  8. http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/planning/download/pdf/plans-studies/resilient-neighborhoods/edgewater-park/summary-report-edgewater-park.pdf?r=1
  9. "Resilient Neighbohoods - Edgewater Park". www1.nyc.gov. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
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