NEW YORK — When the D train pulls into the 205th Street Station in Norwood, it has completed about a 90-minute journey from Coney Island through Brooklyn and Manhattan to the Northwest Bronx.
If you walk out the entrance onto Perry Avenue and 205th, it's a residential block with a mix of apartment buildings and houses. The Mosholu branch of the New York Public Library is there, plus the Whalen Playground. A few blocks away is a bigger park, the Williamsbridge Oval, which at one time was a reservoir.
Personal Trainer Douglas Knox calls the oval a village square in the diverse neighborhood.
"It's such a great community, people come here to inspire one another,” Knox said.
Resident Indhira Coradin agreed. "People are friendly here, and, yeah, it's a good neighborhood, it's always busy,” Coradin said.
What You Need To Know
- The D Train finishes a 90-minute journey from Coney Island in the Bronx Neighborhood of Norwood, at 205th Street
- Norwood features the Williamsbridge Oval, a popular park that was once a reservoir
- The Valentine-Varian House, a farmhouse built in 1758, is in the park on Bainbridge Avenue and is home to the Museum of Bronx History
- Norwood is also home to Montefiore Medical Center
Located in the park is more Bronx history. The Valentine-Varian House is a farmhouse built in 1758, the second oldest house in the Bronx, now home to the Museum of Bronx History.
"The house is named for the two farmers that worked the land here, and in the 18th Century this was all farmland,” said Roger McCormack, education coordinator for the Bronx Historical Society.”
Neighbor Tom Rodriguez says it’s a great asset to the neighborhood.
“To have a museum right across the street from your house that holds this kind of history, it's a wonderful thing,” Rodriguez said.
Just a few blocks to the north is Montefiore Medical Center, to the south is the Bainbridge Avenue Business District and there's a subway entrance on 206th Street. On the bustling strip, you can find a little bit of everything, including Crazy Fruits Smoothies and Juice Bar. Kevin Cortez's family has owned it for three years, and he loves the mix of people who live in the neighborhood.
"You get a cool blend of a lot of different cultures, which is why I love the Bronx so much because I don't think anywhere you'll find that specific blend,” Cortez said.
Jason Holloman, who was grabbing a couple of juices for himself, agreed with Cortez. He's lived in the area for 20 years.
"If you are looking for food, Spanish food, Indian food, if you are looking for types of culture, get off the D train and come to Norwood,” Holloman said.
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