Residents don't see the benefits of construction

Findings from a recent survey show that many Bronx residents are concerned that all the construction projects going on throughout the borough won?t lead to a brighter future for themselves and their children.

News 12 Staff

Jul 15, 2008, 11:13 PM

Updated 5,855 days ago

Share:

Findings from a recent survey show that many Bronx residents are concerned that all the construction projects going on throughout the borough won?t lead to a brighter future for themselves and their children.
Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Jr. says Tuesday?s MLB All-Star game at Yankee Stadium will give the world a chance to take a look at the new Bronx. But some local groups say that many residents feel left out of the borough?s transformation, calling Carrion?s vision a fantasy.
The Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition teamed up with the youth group Sistas and Brothas United to conduct the survey, which they hope will help break the cycle of dead-end and low-wage work. They asked 351 Bronx residents whether things like the revamped Kingsbridge Armory, the new Yankee Stadium, the Gateway Shopping Center and the Croton Water Filtration Plant would lead to better employment opportunities. Carrion believes that the new construction, along with a growing labor force and lower unemployment rates, means the Bronx is booming. The results showed that many of those surveyed did not agree.
?I see a community that wants to work but can?t find a job that gets them out,? Desiree Pilgrim-Hunter says. Hunter says the Bronx she knows has poverty, low-wage jobs and failing schools ? not the bright future Carrion envisions.
Of the people surveyed, most of whom were high school students, 32 percent were unemployed and currently looking for work. A majority of the people did not know about any job centers in the area and believed their communities lacked adequate resources to help them find employment.
The coalition is calling for more local hiring programs and for promoting responsible private and public investment. They say community benefits agreements will help local workers get permanent jobs at fair wages.
The coalition is also recommending an easier path to citizenship for undocumented workers and better preparation in schools for higher education in the workforce. They say the preparation would include helping people build a work history by getting internships and apprentices, because experiences like that would help people develop skills and network for future jobs.
Many of the interviews for the survey were conducted in the northwest Bronx, but the authors of the survey say their findings apply to residents throughout the borough.


More from News 12
1:40
Lithium-ion battery fire blamed for closure of Newburgh tailor shop

Lithium-ion battery fire blamed for closure of Newburgh tailor shop

2:08
Sunny skies and warm temps for Saturday in the Hudson Valley

Sunny skies and warm temps for Saturday in the Hudson Valley

0:38
Multimillion-dollar transformation on the way for sections of Hudson Valley

Multimillion-dollar transformation on the way for sections of Hudson Valley

0:32
Veteran firefighter who suffered stroke receives warm welcome home

Veteran firefighter who suffered stroke receives warm welcome home

0:17
Yorktown police sergeant celebrates final walkout following 2 decades of service

Yorktown police sergeant celebrates final walkout following 2 decades of service

0:52
Slate Hill family of 5 loses home in afternoon blaze

Slate Hill family of 5 loses home in afternoon blaze

0:37
2 people charged in Middletown narcotics; firearms bust

2 people charged in Middletown narcotics; firearms bust

1:30
Motorcycle, van crash in Greenburgh causes serious injuries

Motorcycle, van crash in Greenburgh causes serious injuries

0:56
News 12 probes mystery cloud traced to Orange County & seen throughout tri-state area

News 12 probes mystery cloud traced to Orange County & seen throughout tri-state area

1:02
Hillcrest Fire Department receives 2,000 cans of drinking water, courtesy of Anheuser-Busch

Hillcrest Fire Department receives 2,000 cans of drinking water, courtesy of Anheuser-Busch

1:37
Storm Watch Team Meteorologist Skyler Harman strikes down lightning myths

Storm Watch Team Meteorologist Skyler Harman strikes down lightning myths

2:33
Can swimming become dangerous due to extremely high water surface temperatures?

Can swimming become dangerous due to extremely high water surface temperatures?

0:32
NYC officials: Westchester caseworker’s death ruled a homicide

NYC officials: Westchester caseworker’s death ruled a homicide

0:40
State, federal lawmakers introduce legislation to shorten funding gap for World Trade Center Health Program

State, federal lawmakers introduce legislation to shorten funding gap for World Trade Center Health Program

0:34
Ex Frito-Lay employee files defamation lawsuit against PepsiCo claiming he invented ‘Flamin’ Hot Cheetos

Ex Frito-Lay employee files defamation lawsuit against PepsiCo claiming he invented ‘Flamin’ Hot Cheetos

0:40
Executive orders still in place preventing Rockland County and Orange County hotels from converting into migrant shelters

Executive orders still in place preventing Rockland County and Orange County hotels from converting into migrant shelters

0:54
Headlines: Drug ring prison sentence, Newburgh felony charge, uptick in car thefts in Briarcliff Manor

Headlines: Drug ring prison sentence, Newburgh felony charge, uptick in car thefts in Briarcliff Manor

0:20
Man sentence to 10 years in prison for running Orange County drug ring

Man sentence to 10 years in prison for running Orange County drug ring

1:18
Town of Wallkill propose noise ordinances at Orange County fairgrounds

Town of Wallkill propose noise ordinances at Orange County fairgrounds

0:34
Finger in salad lawsuit against Chop’t discontinued

Finger in salad lawsuit against Chop’t discontinued