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SoBro! (part 3)
by Simone ·
Mott Haven, South Bronx
(From my earlier post at The Boogiedowner): “We all know that Mott Haven in the South Bronx is aggressively nippin’ at the heals of a certain neighborhood in Brooklyn, trying hard to displace that burg’s rep as THE spot if you are looking for future Hipster Heaven. It’s not there yet, but is sure is gaining steam. Back in the nineties, I called Billburg home and when I visit Mott Haven, I feel like I am stepping back in time. EXACTLY the same feeling that I got back then. There is still enough raw urban grit, a rough-around-the-edges vibe and a certain uneasy desolation that will give newbies a feeling of being a hip pioneer ahead of his or her time. Searching for some street cred, Manhattanites? I suggest you put Mott Haven on your short list! (Although to be honest, the real pioneers have been here for a good decade but shhh….we won’t tell!)”
The pictures below are random shots that I took while walking around for a few hours after leaving Alexander’s Cafe, The Bruckner Bar & Grill and Sweetwaters’s (see posts below):
Tags: Mott Haven, SOBRO, South Bronx
September 1st, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Awesome photos! Who knew there was so many different types of buildings and homes over there. I’ll have to go have a look. Did you feel any danger? Did you go by yourself? Thanks.
September 1st, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Hi Courtney. Thanks so much. And no, I didn’t feel that the area is dangerous at all. Definitely a little rough around the edges and some streets were a bit desolate, so it might feel a little intimidating to some, but I felt extremely comfortable. I did get precisely two WTF! stares, but generally people just ignored me - and some even went out of their way to engage me in conversation. One elderly gentleman asked me if I had bought into the new condo complex - and I told him that a 1/2 million dollars was too rich for my blood. That opened up a great discussion about how the area was seeing alot of interest and improvement…Actually, my whole “walkabout” was very enlightening and encouraging.
Thanks again for visiting TheBronxRocks! Please keep checking in. (And feel free to email me if you want additional or more specific info. I’m always glad to share my perceptions and experiences!)