tumultuous history of development has characterized Hunts Point Peninsula over the past century. Located along the southeastern edge of the Bronx and bounded by New York City’s East River, Bronx River and the Bruckner Expressway, the largely industrial neighbourhood was once a retreat for Manhattan’s elite — the likes of which included members of the Tiffany & Co. family — lined with sprawling estates and waterfront mansions. After the First World War, its ample space and strategic rail access to the tri-state area spurred a flurry of commercial and industrial activity, paving the way for its transformation into a thriving economic zone. Developers capitalized on this opportunity, building out apartment blocks to house the growing workforce. The introduction of the produce market (1967) and meat market (1974) led to the area’s designation as an “industrial park”; by then, it boasted a robust ecosystem of over 800 businesses.
