City Planning to chamber:
Bronx fastest growing borough
BY JASON COHEN
The Bronx has come a long
way since the 70s when it was
the poster child of urban decay.
Today, it is the fastest growing
borough in the ‘big apple’
and if it were a city it would be
in the top 10 of largest cities in
America.
On Tuesday, January 14, the
Bronx Chamber of Commerce,
held its fi rst event of 2020, ‘The
Network for Business Success,’
where City Planning Bronx
Borough director Carol Samol
spoke about the importance
of planning in the Bronx, supporting
local neighborhoods
and capitalizing on transit investments
to improve quality of
life and grow housing and jobs
in the fastest growing county.
Samol told attendees that
the Bronx is back to its all-time
population high of 1,472,000
residents achieved in the early
1970s. Furthermore, with a
projected growth rate of 14 percent,
the Bronx is will outpace
the city’s growth rate of 9.5 percent.
The borough is projected
to house 1,579,000 residents by
2040.
“More people are being
born in the Bronx than are dying,
that’s an important fact,”
Samol said.
The Bronx grew by 86,000
people, which accounts for
nearly 20 percent of New York
City’s growth and 11% of the region’s
growth in 2019.
Diversity is also a key to the
borough’s growth. More than
half of the Bronx is Latino or
Hispanic, 28 percent is black,
and the remainder is white,
Asian and Native American.
In fact, 544,000 current
Bronxites have emigrated from
other countries, accounting
for more than one third of the
Bronx’s population.
Job growth is also on the
rise. The primary drivers of
job growth are health care and
social assistance, retail trade,
accommodation and food services,
and educational services
arts, entertainment and recreation
and professional and
technical services.
Even with increased job security,
many people are still
struggling fi nancially, Samol
said. The Bronx median income
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,26 JANUARY 31-FEBRUARY 6, 2020 BTR
is $37,000, which is between
40 to 50 percent of the
Area Median Income.
“Our median income still
needs to increase, it is still suffering,”
she said.
She also delved into future
projects slated for the borough.
She stressed how excited people
are about the new regional rail
service coming to East Bronx
for fi rst time in over 100 years,
in 2023.
The new MetroNorth rail
line will include new stations
at Co-op City, Morris Park,
Parkchester/Van Nest and
Hunts Point and offer access
to Penn Station, Westchester
County and Connecticut.
This will dramatically improve
commute times and connections
for Bronx residents
and new regional access for
New Yorkers.
Furthermore, it will provide
up to 90 minutes in time
savings and offer access to
more job opportunities.
Samol stressed how this
new line will benefi t people in
City Planning Bronx Borough Director Carol Samol spoke about the importance
of planning in the Bronx, and supporting local neighborhoods
through planning at a planning seminar on Jan. 14.
Schneps Media Jason Cohen
and out of the work place.
Lisa Sorin, president of
the Bronx Chamber of Commerce
called the seminar incredible.
“The attendees were
stunned at the level of success
that the Bronx has achieved today,”
she said.
“They now have a better understanding
of the borough’s
upcoming projects, job growth,
and potential for business opportunities.
Carol did an amazing
job of bringing clarity to
the growth of our borough
and plans that support that
growth,” Sorin concluded.