Everywhere you turn on Manida Street, there’s something to look at. It’s framed by a canopy of trees and lined with quaint colorful houses. The block in Hunts Point, was not always this tranquil and picturesque. It was once plagued by drugs and prostitution, until neighbors, like Norberto Sola-Maldonado stepped in.

“I saw it was bad and I decided to stay over here and try to change it. First, there were not too many trees, so we started getting trees,” said Sola-Maldonado, a resident.

That was more than 30 years ago, when the Bronx was burning. Now, the city is recognizing the efforts of this community, by naming Manida Street New York’s 150th historic district. The designation is quite the achievement, especially here in the Bronx. Just 12 other neighborhoods in the borough have the same distinction.

On Tuesday, the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously in favor of the designation, the commissioner vowing to continue to include more diverse communities in the future. Maria Torres helped lead the campaign. She says it started out of worry about overdevelopment in the area because of current zoning laws.

“There was a lot of real estate speculation. People could technically buy the homes and then tear them down or add on to them up to six stories. That would really change the look and feel of this block and the community,” said resident, Maria Torres.

The twentieth century-designed two-story homes are protected now. Many of them are occupied owners who have been in the neighborhood for decade. Torres says the pandemic galvanized the community, neighbors made sure to take care of the seniors here.

“It’s a nice little gift that a lot of people are going to see in their lifetime to know that the homes that they bought with their husbands and raised their children in will be here forever,” said Torres.

Neighbors say as soon as it is safe to do so, they plan on celebrating this special designation with a block party.