A Bronx non-profit organization, the Bronx Land Trust, is soliciting community support to purchase a half-acre waterfront parcel on the East River between the Throggs Neck and Whitestone bridges to add to its portfolio of Bronx community gardens.
The proposed acquisition would encompass two vacant lots located between the Redwood Club at 2680 Schurz Avenue and Bridgewater Estates, a homeowner’s association, at 2650 Schurz Avenue.
The 2-story, two-family brick residence that occupied the site, between Buttrick and Davis avenues, was razed two years ago by the new owner, Schurz Ave BX LLC, who originally pitched a condo project for the property. The most-recent development plan calls for two detached, 2-family homes, according to the artist rendering of the proposed project on the site’s construction fence.
The property was formerly owned by the late Carol Gross, the daughter of Gene Zeumer, the entrepreneur who created a popular beach club/soccer field in the 1930’s that included tennis courts and a restaurant.
The Throggs Neck Stadium, formerly German Stadium, was sold off piece by piece for residential development. This site at 2670 Schurz Avenue was the last remaining parcel held by a Zeumer family member.
According to Terrence Nolan of Open Space Institute, based in NYC, they have reached an agreement with the owner to buy and protect the land as a community garden.
“We intend to transfer the property at closing to the Bronx Land Trust,” Nolan said.
The trust reached out to the Throggs Neck Homeowners Association, the Redwood Club, Bridgeview Estates, Community Board #10 and local elected officials for letters of support to submit to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, which controls the funding mechanism.
“We are entirely dependent upon state funding through the DEC to acquire and permanently protect the property. If successful, this garden will be the ‘crown jewel’ for the neighborhood for generations to come,” Nolan said.
“There is a heavy competition from across the state for DEC’s limited funding.” he said, emphasizing the urgency for submitting the letters of support.
Bridgeview Estates strongly supports the initiative. Jewel Moten, president of the Bridgewater Estates Homeowners Association wrote that the project would transform the vacant lot into a secure, community-driven space.
“As neighbors to the site, we look forward to partnering with the Bronx Land Trust to play an important role in the design and stewardship of the proposed garden.”
After its June membership meeting, Jack McCarrick, president of the Throggs Neck Homeowners Association, declared the group had reviewed the proposal and also supported the Open Space Institute’s bid.
Assemblyman Michael R. Benedetto also threw his support behind the project. “The garden proposal sounds like a great alternative to the construction of more 2- and 3-family houses in this part of Throggs Neck,” he said.
The Bronx Land Trust began in 1999. Today the trust’s 18 gardens are vibrant, thriving gardens and safe havens in their communities. The organization’s mission statement claims its “purpose is to preserve, improve and promote community managed open spaces for the benefit of all.”
All the gardens are west of the Bronx River. If successful, this would be the Trust’s first east Bronx venture. Ramon Andino is president of the BLT board.
