Morris Heights is a residential neighborhood located in the

West Bronx The West Bronx is a region in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The region lies west of the Bronx River and roughly corresponds to the western half of the borough. The West Bronx is more densely populated than the East Bronx, and is clo ...

. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: West Burnside Avenue to the north,

Jerome Avenue Jerome Avenue is one of the longest thoroughfares in the New York City borough of the Bronx, New York, United States. The road is long and stretches from Concourse to Woodlawn. Both of these termini are with the Major Deegan Expressway which r ...

to the east, the

Cross-Bronx Expressway The Cross Bronx Expressway is a major freeway in the New York City borough of the Bronx. It is mainly designated as part of Interstate 95 (I-95), but also includes portions of I-295 and U.S. Route 1 (US 1). The Cross Bronx begins ...

to the south, and the

Harlem River The Harlem River is an tidal strait in New York, United States, flowing between the Hudson River and the East River and separating the island of Manhattan from the Bronx on the New York mainland. The northern stretch, also called the Spuyt ...

to the west. University Avenue is the primary thoroughfare through Morris Heights. The neighborhood is part of

Bronx Community Board 5 Bronx Community Board 5 is a local government unit of the city of New York, encompassing the neighborhoods of Fordham, Morris Heights, Mount Hope, and University Heights. It is delimited by Webster Avenue to the east, Hall of Fame Terrace, W ...

, and its ZIP Codes include 10453 and 10452. The area is patrolled by the

New York City Police Department The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement Law enforcement is the activity of some members of government who act i ...

's 46th Precinct.

New York City Housing Authority The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is a public development corporation which provides public housing in New York City, and is the largest public housing authority in North America. Created in 1934 as the first agency of its kind in the U ...

(NYCHA) property in the area is patrolled by P.S.A. 7 at 737 Melrose Avenue in the

Melrose Melrose may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Melrose, Scottish Borders, a town in the Scottish Borders, Scotland ** Melrose Abbey, ruined monastery ** Melrose RFC, rugby club Australia * Melrose, Queensland, a locality in the South Burnett R ...

section of the

Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

History

Morris Heights was formerly the home of Gas Engine & Power Company & Charles L. Seabury Company, a shipbuilding firm located on Mathewson Road near what is today the location of Roberto Clemente State Park. Founded in 1896 by the merger of the formerly separate Gas Engine & Power Company & Charles L. Seabury Company, the firm operated along Morris Heights' waterfront until it moved to City Island following

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. After a wave of arson ravaged the low-income communities of New York City throughout the 1970s, many if not most residential structures in Morris Heights were left seriously damaged or destroyed. The city began to rehabilitate many formerly abandoned tenement-style apartment buildings and designate them low-income housing beginning in the late 1970s. Also, many subsidized attached multi-unit townhouses and newly constructed apartment buildings have been or are being built on vacant lots across the neighborhood. 1520 Sedwick Ave

Morris Heights is believed to be the site where Hip Hop culture originated in the 1970s. However, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, several disc jockeys protected by the Black Spades (a violent but organized gang that promoted their own form of justice; originally from Bronxdale Housing Projects and later recruited several members from Bronx River Housing Projects), and other gangs took their DJ-led block parties in the South Bronx, the East Side of the Bronx, and the West Side.

Demographics

Morris Heights has a population of around 36,779. Almost half the population lives below the poverty line and receives public assistance (TANF, Home Relief, Supplemental Security Income, and Medicaid). The vast majority of residents in the area are of

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

descent. The majority of households are renter occupied. Based on data from the 2010 U.S. census, the population of University Heights and Morris Heights was 54,188, a change of -147 (-0.3%) from the 54,335 counted in

2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...

. Covering an area of , the neighborhood had a population density of .Table PL-P5 NTA: Total Population and Persons Per Acre - New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010
Population Division -

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

Department of City Planning, February 2012. Accessed June 16, 2016. The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 1.4% (760)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 31.8% (17,219)

, 0.2% (106) Native American, 1.3% (688) Asian, 0% (11)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.3% (158) from other races, and 0.8% (424) from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 64.3% (34,822) of the population.Table PL-P3A NTA: Total Population by Mutually Exclusive Race and Hispanic Origin - New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010
Population Division -

Department of City Planning, March 29, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2016. The entirety of Community District 5, which comprises Morris Heights, University Heights, and Fordham, had 136,151 inhabitants as of NYC Health's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 79.9 years. This is lower than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are youth and middle-aged adults: 28% are between the ages of between 0–17, 29% between 25 and 44, and 23% between 45 and 64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 12% and 8% respectively. As of 2017, the median

household income Household income is a measure of the combined incomes of all people sharing a particular household or place of residence. It includes every form of income, e.g., salaries and wages, retirement income, near cash government transfers like food stamp ...

in Community District 5 was $30,166. In 2018, an estimated 34% of Morris Heights and Fordham residents lived in poverty, compared to 25% in all of the Bronx and 20% in all of New York City. One in eight residents (13%) were unemployed, compared to 13% in the Bronx and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 65% in Morris Heights and Fordham, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 58% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, , Morris Heights and Fordham are considered low-income relative to the rest of the city and not gentrifying.

Land use and terrain

Morris Heights is dominated by five- and six-story tenement buildings, older multi-unit homes, vacant lots, newly constructed subsidized attached multi-unit townhouses, and apartment buildings. A significant percentage of the early 20th-century housing stock was structurally damaged by arson and eventually razed by the city. The total land area is less than half one square mile. The terrain is elevated and consists of many hills. Step streets connect areas located at different elevations.

Low-income public housing projects

Ten NYCHA developments are located in Morris Heights.NYCHA
#Harrison Avenue Rehab (Group A); one five-story rehabilitated tenement building. #Harrison Avenue Rehab (Group B); four rehabilitated buildings, five and six stories tall. #Macombs Road; two rehabilitated buildings, five and six stories tall. #Morris Heights Rehab; three rehabilitated tenement buildings, five and six stories tall #Sedgwick Houses; seven buildings, 14 and 16 stories tall. #University Avenue Rehab; four six-story rehabilitated tenement buildings. #West Tremont Avenue-Sedgwick Avenue Area; one 12-story building. #West Tremont Rehab (Group 1); two rehabilitated tenement buildings, five and six stories tall. #West Tremont Rehab (Group 3); one five-story rehabilitated tenement building. #West Tremont Rehab (Group 2); two six-story rehabilitated tenement buildings.

Police and crime

Morris Heights and Fordham are patrolled by the 46th Precinct of the

NYPD The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...

, located at 2120 Ryer Avenue. The 46th Precinct ranked 27th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. , with a non-fatal assault rate of 126 per 100,000 people, Morris Heights and Fordham's rate of

violent crime A violent crime, violent felony, crime of violence or crime of a violent nature is a crime in which an offender or perpetrator uses or threatens to use harmful force upon a victim. This entails both crimes in which the violent act is the objecti ...

s per capita is greater than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 1,033 per 100,000 people is higher than that of the city as a whole. The 46th Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 76.3% between 1990 and 2020. The precinct reported 7 murders, 23 rapes, 359 robberies, 600 felony assaults, 379 burglaries, 571 grand larcenies, and 126 grand larcenies auto in 2020.

Fire safety

Morris Heights is served by the

New York City Fire Department The New York City Fire Department, officially the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), is an American department of the government of New York City that provides fire protection services, technical rescue/special operations services, ...

(FDNY)'s Engine Co. 43/Ladder Co. 59 fire station, located at 1901 Sedgwick Avenue.

Health

preterm birth Preterm birth, also known as premature birth, is the birth of a baby at fewer than 37 weeks gestational age, as opposed to full-term delivery at approximately 40 weeks. Extreme preterm is less than 28 weeks, very early preterm birth is betwee ...

s and births to teenage mothers are more common in Morris Heights and Fordham than in other places citywide. In Morris Heights and Fordham, there were 93 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 35.3 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Morris Heights and Fordham has a relatively average population of residents who are uninsured. In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 14%, higher than the citywide rate of 12%. The concentration of

fine particulate matter Particulates – also known as atmospheric aerosol particles, atmospheric particulate matter, particulate matter (PM) or suspended particulate matter (SPM) – are microscopic particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air. The ter ...

, the deadliest type of

air pollutant Air pollution is the contamination of air due to the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the climate or to materials. There are many different type ...

, in Morris Heights and Fordham is , more than the city average. Sixteen percent of Morris Heights and Fordham residents are smokers, which is higher than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In Morris Heights and Fordham, 34% of residents are

obese Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may negatively affect health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person's we ...

, 16% are

diabetic Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level (hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...

, and 27% have

high blood pressure Hypertension (HTN or HT), also known as high blood pressure (HBP), is a long-term medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms. Long-term high bl ...

—compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively. In addition, 24% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%. Seventy-eight percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which is less than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 67% of residents described their health as "good," "very good," or "excellent," lower than the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in Morris Heights and Fordham, there are 20 bodegas. The nearest hospitals are Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center in Claremont,

James J. Peters VA Medical Center The James J. Peters VA Medical Center, (also known as the Bronx Veterans Hospital), is a US Department of Veterans Affairs hospital complex located at 130 West Kingsbridge Road in West Fordham, Bronx, New York City. The hospital is the headquar ...

Kingsbridge Heights Kingsbridge Heights is a residential neighborhood geographically located in the northwest Bronx, New York City. Its boundaries are Van Cortlandt Park to the north, Jerome Avenue to the east, Kingsbridge Road to the south, and the Major Deegan Expr ...

, and St Barnabas Hospital in Belmont.

Morris Heights Health Center Morris Heights Health Center (MHHC) is a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides primary care, specialty services, dental and behavioral health services in the Bronx, New York City. MHHC operates across 30 sites including 19 school based s ...

also provides health services in the area.

Post offices and ZIP Codes

Morris Heights is covered by ZIP Codes 10453 and 10452. The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the ...

operates two post offices nearby: the Morris Heights Station at 2024 Jerome Avenue and the University Heights Station at 1541 Shakespeare Avenue.

Education

Morris Heights and Fordham generally have a lower rate of college-educated residents than the rest of the city . While 10% of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, 34% have less than a high school education and 46% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 26% of Bronx residents and 43% of city residents have a college education or higher. The percentage of Morris Heights and Fordham students excelling in math rose from 19% in 2000 to 43% in 2011, and reading achievement increased from 24% to 28% during the same time period. Morris Heights and Fordham's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is more than the rest of New York City. In Morris Heights and Fordham, 30% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per

school year A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compul ...

, higher than the citywide average of 20%. Additionally, 66% of high school students in Morris Heights and Fordham graduate on time, lower than the citywide average of 75%.

Schools

Public schools include: *PS 109 (Popham Avenue and West Tremont Avenue) *PS 204: Morris Heights (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and West Tremont Avenue) *PS 274/MS 229: Roland N. Patterson (Harlem River Park Bridge and Sedgwick Avenue) *PS 306 (West Tremont and Jerome Avenues) *PS 396/MS 390 (West Burnside and Andrews Avenues) *IS 303: The Leadership and Community Service Academy (West 176th Street and Macombs Road) *MS 232: The Academy School (West 176th Street and Macombs Road) *MS 331: The Bronx School of Science Inquiry and Investigation (West Tremont and Davidson Avenue) *HS 365: The Academy for Language and Technology High School (West 176th Street and Macombs Road)

Library

The

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress) ...

(NYPL) operates the Sedgwick branch at 1701 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The branch first opened in the Sedgwick Houses in 1951 before moving to its present two-story building in 1994.

Transportation

The following MTA Regional Bus Operations bus routes serve Morris Heights: *: to 238th Street station () or George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal (via University Avenue) *: to 170th Street station () (loop, via Macombs Road) *: to VA Hospital or Third Avenue–138th Street station (, via Morris Avenue) *: to Castle Hill or George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal (via Tremont Avenue) *: to SUNY Maritime College or River Park Towers (via 180th Street, Tremont and Burnside Avenues) *: to

Throggs Neck Throggs Neck (also known as Throgs Neck) is a neighborhood and peninsula in the south-eastern portion of the borough of the Bronx in New York City. It is bounded by the East River and Long Island Sound to the south and east, Westchester Creek on ...

or River Park Towers (via 180th Street, Tremont and Burnside Avenues) The following

New York City Subway The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, an affiliate agency of the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Opened on October ...

stations serve Morris Heights: * 170th Street () * Mount Eden Avenue () * 176th Street () * Burnside Avenue () * 170th Street () * 174th–175th Streets () *

Tremont Avenue Tremont Avenue is a street in the Bronx, New York City. Its west end is at Sedgwick Avenue in Morris Heights, and its east end is at Schurz Avenue in Throggs Neck, running almost the entire width of the Bronx. Around 2009, part of East Tremon ...

() The

Metro-North Railroad Metro-North Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, is a suburban commuter rail service run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a public authority of the U.S. state of New York and under contract with the Connectic ...

's Hudson Line also serves Morris Heights via the

Morris Heights station Morris Heights station (also known as Morris Heights–West 177th Street station) is a commuter rail stop on the Metro-North Railroad's Hudson Line, serving the Morris Heights neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City. It is from Grand Central ...

References

External links

Living in Morris Heights
- slideshow by ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' {{bronx Neighborhoods in the Bronx