Pelham Bay is a

middle class The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. Com ...

residential neighborhood in the

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle A ...

the Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

, in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

. It is named for

Pelham Bay Park Pelham Bay Park is a municipal park located in the northeast corner of the New York City borough of the Bronx. It is, at , the largest public park in New York City. The park is more than three times the size of Manhattan's Central Park. The pa ...

, New York City's largest park, which lies on the neighborhood's northeastern border; and for Pelham Bay, a body of water in that park. The neighborhood is bounded roughly by

Pelham Parkway The Bronx and Pelham Parkway, also known formally as the Bronx–Pelham Parkway but called Pelham Parkway in everyday use, is a parkway in the borough of the Bronx in New York City. The road begins in Bronx Park at the Bronx River Parkway and ...

on the north, the

New England Thruway Interstate 95 (I-95) is part of the Interstate Highway System and runs from Miami, Florida, to the Canada–United States border near Houlton, Maine. In the U.S. state of New York, I-95 extends from the George Washington Bridge in New Yor ...

(

I-95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the Canadia ...

) on the east, the

Bruckner Expressway The Bruckner Expressway is a freeway in the borough of the Bronx in New York City. It carries Interstate 278 (I-278) and I-95 (and formerly I-878) from the Triborough Bridge to the south end of the New England Thruway at the Pelham Parkw ...

(I-95) on the south, and the

Hutchinson River Parkway The Hutchinson River Parkway (known colloquially as The Hutch) is a north–south parkway in southern New York in the United States. It extends for from the massive Bruckner Interchange in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx to the New York ...

on the west. Pelham Bay is part of Bronx Community District 10, and its ZIP Code is 10461. Pelham Bay is patrolled by the 45th Precinct of the

New York City Police Department The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...

History

Most of the neighborhood is land that was purchased by

Thomas Pell Thomas Pell, 1st Lord of Pelham Manor (1608 – September 21, 1669) was an English-born physician who bought the area known as Pelham, New York, as well as land that now includes the eastern Bronx and southern Westchester County, New York, and foun ...

in 1654, part of an original grant to the Dutch West India Company. Despite the name, the area that is now the Pelham Bay neighborhood was not part of the historical Town of Pelham, which consisted of the modern-day town of Pelham in

Westchester County Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population ...

as well as Pelham Bay Park and City Island in the Bronx. The latter two areas were annexed by the City of New York in 1895.

Land use

Pelham Bay's boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise, are

to the north,

to the east,

to the south, and

to the west. Pelham Bay includes the residential enclave of

Country Club A country club is a privately owned club, often with a membership quota and admittance by invitation or sponsorship, that generally offers both a variety of recreational sports and facilities for dining and entertaining. Typical athletic offe ...

, which occupies the portion of the neighborhood east of Interstate 95 (I-95). The core of Pelham Bay is the portion west of I-95 and north of Middletown Road. Pelham Bay is part of Bronx Community District 10, which also covers Throgs Neck and

Co-op City Co-op City (short for Cooperative City) is a cooperative housing development located in the northeast section of the borough of the Bronx in New York City. It is bounded by Interstate 95 to the southwest, west, and north and the Hutchinson River ...

. The neighborhood is home to a number of active civic and community associations, including the Pelham Bay Little League. A variety of stores and eateries line the streets of this neighborhood, including Westchester Avenue, Buhre Avenue, Middletown Road, and Crosby Avenue (these two cross to form one of the main intersections of the neighborhood). Arnow Place, a small street between Westchester Avenue and the New England Thruway (I-95) in Pelham Bay, was the site of the December 2005 shooting death of off-duty police officer, Daniel Enchautegui. Actor Lillo Brancato and an accomplice were charged with murder in the case. In 2006, the street was renamed Daniel Enchautegui Way. There is a community playground called Westchester Square Playground located adjacent to the Hutchinson River Parkway. It has a baseball field, swing sets and a paddle ball court.

Demographics

The neighborhood is home to longstanding Italian American population with a recent influx of Hispanics changing the neighborhoods demographics considerably. Some homes have both Italian and American flags proudly waving. The neighborhood also has sizeable population of Greeks. While the majority of the population is white, there is a significant Hispanic minority, consisting mostly of Puerto Ricans. As with Riverdale and Country Club, Pelham Bay ranks as one of the safest and most desirable neighborhoods in the Bronx. It was ranked as the best neighborhood for children in the Bronx and top 10 neighborhood in the whole New York City. Based on data from the

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servi ...

, the population of Pelham Bay-Country Club-City Island was 26,583, a decrease of 557 (2.1%) from the 27,140 counted in

2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...

. Covering an area of , the neighborhood had a population density of .Table PL-P5 NTA: Total Population and Persons Per Acre - New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010
Population Division -

Department of City Planning, February 2012. Accessed June 16, 2016. The racial makeup of the Pelham Bay-Country Club-City Island neighborhood was 62.0% (16,488)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 2.9% (773)

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.1% (36) Native American, 3.6% (969) Asian, 0.0% (5)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.4% (110) from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.9% (252) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

or Latino of any race were 29.9% (7,950) of the population.Table PL-P3A NTA: Total Population by Mutually Exclusive Race and Hispanic Origin - New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010
Population Division -

Department of City Planning, March 29, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2016. The entirety of Community District 10, which comprises City Island, Co-op City, Country Club, Pelham Bay, Schuylerville, Throgs Neck and Westchester Square, had 121,868 inhabitants as of NYC Health's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 81.1 years. This is about the same as the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are youth and middle-aged adults: 20% are between the ages of between 0–17, 26% between 25–44, and 27% between 45–64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 9% and 18% respectively. As of 2017, the median

household income Household income is a measure of the combined incomes of all people sharing a particular household or place of residence. It includes every form of income, e.g., salaries and wages, retirement income, near cash government transfers like food stamp ...

in Community District 10 was $59,522. In 2018, an estimated 14% of Community District 10 residents lived in poverty, compared to 25% in all of the Bronx and 20% in all of New York City. One in eleven residents (9%) 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 45% in Community District 10, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 58% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, , Community District 10 is considered high-income relative to the rest of the city and not

gentrifying Gentrification is the process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses. It is a common and controversial topic in urban politics and planning. Gentrification often increases the ec ...

Police and crime

Community District 10 is patrolled by the 45th Precinct of the

NYPD The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...

, located at 2877 Barkley Avenue in Throggs Neck. The 45th Precinct ranked 28th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. , with a non-fatal assault rate of 53 per 100,000 people, Community District 10's rate of

violent crime A violent crime, violent felony, crime of violence or crime of a violent nature is a crime in which an offender or perpetrator uses or threatens to use harmful force upon a victim. This entails both crimes in which the violent act is the objecti ...

s per capita is less than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 243 per 100,000 people is lower than that of the city as a whole. The 45th Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 77.7% between 1990 and 2020. The precinct reported 2 murders, 16 rapes, 125 robberies, 231 felony assaults, 101 burglaries, 427 grand larcenies, and 150 grand larcenies auto in 2020.

Fire safety

Pelham Bay is served by two fire stations of the

New York City Fire Department The New York City Fire Department, officially the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), is an American department of the government of New York City that provides fire protection services, technical rescue/special operations services, ...

(FDNY). Engine Co. 89/Ladder Co. 50 is located at 2924 Bruckner Boulevard while Squad 61/Battalion 20 is located at 1518 Williamsbridge Road.

Health

preterm birth Preterm birth, also known as premature birth, is the birth of a baby at fewer than 37 weeks gestational age, as opposed to full-term delivery at approximately 40 weeks. Extreme preterm is less than 28 weeks, very early preterm birth is between 2 ...

s are more common in Community District 10 than in other places citywide, though births to teenage mothers are less common. In Community District 10, there were 110 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 10.3 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Community District 10 has a low population of residents who are

uninsured Insurance is a means of protection from financial loss in which, in exchange for a fee, a party agrees to compensate another party in the event of a certain loss, damage, or injury. It is a form of risk management, primarily used to Hedge ( ...

. In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 7%, lower than the citywide rate of 14%, though this was based on a small sample size. The concentration of fine particulate matter, the deadliest type of

air pollutant Air pollution is the contamination of air due to the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the climate or to materials. There are many different type ...

, in Community District 10 is , the same as the city average. Fourteen percent of Community District 10 residents are smokers, which is the same as the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In Community District 10, 24% of residents are

obese Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may negatively affect health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person's we ...

, 13% are

diabetic Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...

, and 37% have high blood pressure—compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively. In addition, 25% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%. Eighty-seven percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which is the same as the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 77% of residents described their health as "good," "very good," or "excellent," about the same as the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in Community District 10, there are 7 bodegas. The nearest large hospitals are Calvary Hospital, Montefiore Medical Center's Jack D. Weiler Hospital, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi in Morris Park. The

Albert Einstein College of Medicine Albert Einstein College of Medicine is a research-intensive medical school located in the Morris Park neighborhood of the Bronx in New York City. Founded in 1953, Einstein operates as an independent degree-granting institution as part of t ...

campus is also located in Morris Park.

Post office and ZIP Code

Pelham Bay is located within ZIP Code 10461. The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...

operates the Pilgrim Station post office at 1545 Crosby Avenue.

Education

Community District 10 generally has a lower rate of college-educated residents than the rest of the city . While 34% of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, 16% have less than a high school education and 50% 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. The percentage of Community District 10 students excelling in math rose from 29% in 2000 to 47% in 2011, and reading achievement increased from 33% to 35% during the same time period. Community District 10's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is slightly higher than the rest of New York City. In Community District 10, 21% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per

school year A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compul ...

, a little more than the citywide average of 20%. Additionally, 75% of high school students in Community District 10 graduate on time, the same as the citywide average of 75%.

Schools

Served by the

New York City Department of Education The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) is the department of the government of New York City that manages the city's public school system. The City School District of the City of New York (or the New York City Public Schools) is t ...

, the neighborhood is home to the elementary school
Public School 71
(named the Rose E. Scala School to honor a former principal) an
Public School 14
(named the John D. Calandra School to honor a former State Senator), as well as to Herbert H. Lehman High School (right on the neighborhood's border). Several private and parochial schools also serve the neighborhood, including the Roman Catholic elementary schools associated with the churches of Our Lady of the Assumption and St. Theresa, and the Greek American Institute, a Greek Orthodox parochial school.

Library

The New York Public Library (NYPL)'s Pelham Bay branch is located at 3060 Middletown Road. The branch's one-story brick building opened in 1976.

Transportation

The following

MTA Regional Bus Operations MTA Regional Bus Operations (RBO) is the surface transit division of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). It was created in 2008 to consolidate all bus operations in New York City operated by the MTA. , MTA Regional Bus Operations ru ...

and Bee-Line bus routes serve Pelham Bay: * Bx5: to

Bay Plaza Shopping Center Bay Plaza Shopping Center is a shopping center on the south side of Co-op City, Bronx, New York City. In addition to various department stores and shops, such as Macy's, JCPenney, Staples, and Old Navy, it has a multiplex movie theater, several ...

or Simpson Street station ( trains) (via Crosby Avenue /

Bruckner Boulevard The Bruckner Expressway is a freeway in the borough of the Bronx in New York City. It carries Interstate 278 (I-278) and I-95 (and formerly I-878) from the Triborough Bridge to the south end of the New England Thruway at the Pelham ...

/ Story Avenue) * Bx8: to Williamsbridge or Locust Point (via Westchester Avenue / Williamsbridge Road) * Bx12: to University Heights (via

Fordham Road Fordham Road is a major thoroughfare in the Bronx, New York City, that runs west-east from the Harlem River to Bronx Park. Fordham Road houses the borough's largest and most diverse shopping district. It geographically separates the North Bro ...

–

) * Bx12 SBS: to

or Inwood – 207th Street station ( train) (via

–

) * Bx23: to

* Bx24: to

* Bx29: to City Island (via City Island Avenue) * Q50: to

or Flushing–Main Street station ( trains) (via

Bronx–Whitestone Bridge The Bronx–Whitestone Bridge (colloquially referred to as the Whitestone Bridge or simply the Whitestone) is a suspension bridge in New York City, carrying six lanes of Interstate 678 over the East River. The bridge connects Throggs Neck and ...

) * BxM8: to Midtown Manhattan via Bruckner Blvd and 5th Ave *BL45: to Eastchester in

The following New York City Subway stations serve Williamsbridge: * Middletown Road () * Buhre Avenue () *

()

Notable people

Paul Attanasio Paul Albert Attanasio (born November 14, 1959) is an American screenwriter and film and television producer. He has twice been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, for ''Quiz Show'' (1994) and ''Donnie Brasco'' (1997). ...

(born 1959), screenwriter and film and television producer, who was an executive producer on the TV series '' House'' and received

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nominations for his screenplays for '' Quiz Show'' and '' Donnie Brasco''. *

James Coco James Emil Coco (March 21, 1930 – February 25, 1987) was an American stage and screen actor. He was the recipient of a Primetime Emmy Award, a Drama Desk Award and three Obie Awards, as well as nominations for a Tony Award, an Academy Award a ...

(1930–1987), actor known for his roles in '' Man of La Mancha'' and '' Only When I Laugh''. * John Fox (1952–1990), novelist and short-story writer. * John F. Good (1936-2016),

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, t ...

agent who created the

Abscam Abscam (sometimes written ABSCAM) was an FBI sting operation in the late 1970s and early 1980s that led to the convictions of seven members of the United States Congress, among others, for bribery and corruption. The two-year investigation init ...

sting operation in the late 1970s and early 1980s which led to the arrest and conviction of several elected officials at the local, state and federal level, which was portrayed in the 2013 film '' American Hustle''. * James Madio (born 1975), actor known for his roles in ''

USA High ''USA High'' is an American teen sitcom that ran on USA from August 1997 to June 1999, ending after 95 episodes. The series revolves around six friends enrolled at the American Academy boarding school in Paris, France. Background Information '' ...

'', ''

Hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...

'' and '' Band of Brothers''.Samuels, Tanyanika
"Bronx actor stays true to his roots; set to star in upcoming movie about legendary boxer Willie Pep"
'' New York Daily News'', August 22, 2012. Accessed April 26, 2020. "As for Madio, he grew up in Morris Park and Pelham Bay as one of seven children." *

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro Ronald J. Ortiz-Magro Jr. (born December 4, 1985) is an American television personality, best known as one of the eight main cast members of the MTV reality series '' Jersey Shore''. Early life Ortiz-Magro was born in the Bronx in New York C ...

(born 1985), actor best known as one of the eight main cast members in the MTV reality series '' Jersey Shore''. *

(1612-1669), physician who bought the area known as Pelham, New York.

In popular culture

The movie '' The Taking of Pelham One Two Three'', and its 2009 remake, involved the hijacking of a subway train leaving the Pelham Bay Park station at the scheduled time of 1:23.

References

{{Bronx Neighborhoods in the Bronx Little Italys in the United States Italian-American culture in the Bronx