Whispers of the past linger here in East Tremont. This residential neighborhood in the West Bronx has a captivating story to tell. East Tremont is bounded by East 180th Street, Southern Boulevard, the Cross Bronx Expressway, and Third Avenue.
Once upon a time, part of East Tremont was known as Bronx Park South. This was especially true for the area southwest of the Bronx Zoo. The Lorillard family, famous for the Lorillard Tobacco Company, once owned this land.
In the mid-19th century, East Tremont became a stepping stone for immigrants. They were seeking a better life than the Lower East Side slums offered. German farmers fleeing the Revolutions of 1848 found refuge here. Then, in the 1870s, the neighborhood welcomed Irish migrants escaping famine. By the late 19th century, Italians and Jews arrived.
East Tremont’s population boomed. By 1950, it reached an estimated 60,000. The neighborhood was relatively integrated. It housed about 44,000 Jews, 5,000 Irish, and 5,000 Germans and Slavs. Around 11,000 nonwhites also called East Tremont home.
Many Jewish residents had moved from the Lower East Side in search of better living conditions. East Tremont offered affordable and safe housing. In 1950, a four-room apartment rented for as little as $62 a month. Comparatively, similar apartments in Jewish neighborhoods like Pelham Parkway cost around $350. East Tremont Avenue was a lively hub with bakeries, kosher butcher shops, and family-owned stores.
Although East Tremont lacked playgrounds, residents enjoyed nearby Crotona Park. The local Young Men’s Hebrew Association was a vital community center. Its membership included over 400 senior citizens and 1,700 families. The schools were old. PS44, a junior high, was built in 1901. Yet, academic standards remained high.
The construction of the Cross-Bronx Expressway dramatically altered East Tremont. Robert Caro described the devastating impact in his book “The Power Broker”. The five-year construction displaced 5,000 residents. Many stores were demolished. The one-mile stretch was completed in 1960.
Life in East Tremont declined rapidly due to noise and pollution. The expressway physically divided the neighborhood. By 1965, buildings near the highway were derelict. Windows were broken and graffiti covered the walls. Vandalism damaged pipes and staircases. Elevators stopped working. Crime and addiction increased. Gangs moved in. An estimated 10,000 residents fled East Tremont.
Today, East Tremont continues to evolve. The population in 2010 was 43,423. It’s a vibrant community with a rich history. East Tremont has one of the highest concentrations of Puerto Ricans in New York City. A growing Dominican population also lives here.
The neighborhood is known for its five and six-story tenement buildings. Vacant lots and new apartment buildings also dot the landscape. Much of the original housing was destroyed by arson. The area is patrolled by the NYPD’s 48th Precinct. Two New York City Fire Department stations serve East Tremont. Engine Co. 46/Ladder Co. 27 and Engine Co. 45/Ladder Co. 58/Battalion 18.
The New York Public Library operates the Tremont branch on Washington Avenue. This Carnegie library, designed in the Italian Renaissance style, opened in 1905. East Tremont is served by several bus routes. The Metro-North Railroad’s Harlem Line stops at the Tremont station. East Tremont carries echoes of its past, still shaping its vibrant present.