BRONX W www.BXTimes.com EEKLY December 29, 2019 8
Councilman Ruben Diaz (c) with Sarene and Corey Shanus and other business owners at the Soundview
Plaza name unveiling. Schneps Media / Steven Goodstein
Soundview Plaza
renovations complete,
offi cially re-named
BY STEVEN GOODSTEIN
A shopping center in the Bronx is
greatly improved after undergoing renovations
for the past 18 months.
On Tuesday, December 10, Councilman
Ruben Diaz joined Sarene and Corey
Shanus, along with local business owners
and merchants for an offi cial ‘Grand Reopening
and Name Unveiling Ceremony’
of the renewed Soundview Plaza.
Located between 829-849 Soundview
Avenue, the 63,000 square foot shopping
center received improvements including
parapet replacement and the updating of
tenant signage during the year and a half
renovation period.
The property improvements were made
thanks to property development and management
company Harlorn LLC, which invested
over fi ve million dollars to improve
and beautify the property, refl ecting the
company’s long-standing commitment to
both customers and merchants who call
this shopping center home.
Soundview Plaza houses a wide variety
of food, beverage, retail and service
brands along the Soundview Avenue strip,
within close proximity to Bruckner Boulevard.
“We hope that these renovations reaffi
rm our commitment to the Soundview
neighborhood and its businesses that call
this area home,” said Sarene Shanus. “Our
primary goal was to make an investment
in the community, to serve the needs of its
tenants and provide job opportunities for
the residents of this neighborhood.”
She added that, before the name unveiling,
the strip mall was referred to simply
as ‘the deli shopping center’ and was
excited to give the shopping center an offi
cial name.
“We are only as good as our tenants -
and with these improvements to the shopping
center, we Harlorn LLC are investing
not only in these businesses but also
in the neighborhood as a whole,” said
Sarene’s brother Corey Shanus.
The shopping center has been in the
Shanus family for close to 60 years. Their
father originally owned Soundview Plaza
and was a resident of Tiffany Street.
After moving to Westchester County,
their father operated a business on Barretto
Street for over a decade. Both
Sarene and Corey were born and raised in
Westchester and still live there today.
The ten tenants at Soundview Plaza include
Western Beef Supermarket, Metro
PCS, Cee & Cee Department Store, CFFC
Checking & Cashing, Franchise Cleaner,
Hot Millz Deli, Ms. Caridid Spanish Restaurant,
Jubilant Beauty Salon and Lafayette
Family Pharmacy.
Soundview Plaza is accessible from the
Bx5 and Bx27 buses and also offers approximately
125 parking spots on site for customers
and shoppers.
Soundview Plaza also is located about a
half a mile west of the Bruckner Commons
and within walking distance of the Soundview
Library at 660 Soundview Avenue.
“With this ribbon-cutting ceremony,
we celebrate Harlon LLC’s capital investment
in this community for many years to
come,” said Councilman Diaz, who stood
with the Shanuses and other business
owners as he helped cut the ribbon. I am
proud of their investment and even happier
to see so many small businesses occupy
these spaces. Best of luck to Soundview
Plaza ushering in a new chapter!”
BronxNet celebrates new south
Bronx studio at the HUB
Michael Max Knobbe, executive director of BronxNet with staff and kids at the Holiday Open House on
Dec. 4. Photo Courtesy Michael Palma
BY JASON COHEN
BronxNet opened its third location this
summer and a few weeks ago, held its fi rst
open house event for the community there.
On Wednesday, December 4, Bronx residents,
organization leaders, educators,
elected offi cials and BronxNet producers
and staff gathered to celebrate its newest
studio and media center at the Hub in the
south Bronx.
“People love the space,” said Michael
Max Knobbe, executive director of Bronx-
Net. “We’re just ramping up services.
“We’re connecting with the people and the
community of the south Bronx.”
The new BronxNet at the Hub space on
the second fl oor at 2825 Third Avenue has
a fully equipped studio, equipment that
Bronx residents can borrow to shoot on location
and post-production/editing stations
for producers to fi nalize their productions
for broadcast .
Residents who completed training workshops
at its Lehman College or Mercy College
facilities have full access to the studio
and equipment. Production classes are also
available at the new location, to provide
others with the skills they need to produce
their own content for broadcast on Bronx-
Net channels.
In the summer and fall, it held internships
for students from The Community
Board Athletic Leadership League,
(CBALL), where the kids were taught editing
and production for eight weeks. Next
month, there will be workshops on in studio
and fi eld production.
Knobbe explained the facility was vacant
for a long time and after doing a community
assessment, they signed a two-year
lease for the space.
They have built a pop up studio, which
has been used at Fordham Plaza and at the
Bronx Night Market. The students also
painted a mural on the side of the building,
which says, “We are the south Bronx.”
“It’s really introducing them to many
aspects of media and how to interact as a
team,” he said.
BronxNet will produce some special episodes
of its ‘On Bronx’ signature shows such
as OPEN, Perspectives and Bronx Buzz,
from the new Hub location. Programs will
bring attention to issues around health, education,
and community development and
showcase arts and events happening in the
neighborhood.
According to Knobbe, he and his staff
are looking forward to the development of
a permanent 14,000 square foot studio, La
Central at Westchester and Brook in 2021.
Currently, the south Bronx studio is
only 4,500 square feet, so the new one will
allow them to offer more programming and
training.
“The space is unique,” Knobbe commented.
“This is a vibrant area, the south
Bronx. BronxNet is here to serve and offer
access to the community.”
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