Van Nest is a working-class neighborhood geographically located in the East Bronx section of the Bronx, New York City. Going clockwise, its boundaries are Bronxdale Avenue to the northeast, the Amtrak tracks to the southeast, and Bronx Park to the west. Van Nest predated Morris Park by 20 years and is considered the older of the two communities. Morris Park Avenue and White Plains Road are the primary commercial thoroughfares through Van Nest.

The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 11, and its ZIP Codes include 10460 and 10462. The area is patrolled by the 49th Precinct of the New York City Police Department.

History

The neighborhood got its name from the former Van Nest station on the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, which was named after the father of Abraham R. Van Nest, a director of the railroad. A short railroad spur was constructed off the main line from the Van Nest station to serve the adjacent Morris Park Racecourse, which was the site of thoroughbred horse racing from 1889 to 1904. Between 1892 and 1896, lots were subdivided from farmland by the Van Nest Land & Improvement Company. Before the city graded the streets in 1895, the flat terrain and accumulation of rainwater in low-lying areas resulted in this area being nicknamed "Mud West". The multi-legged intersection of Van Nest Avenue, Unionport Road, and Victor Street is still known as the "Five Corners" by many old timers and locals.

In August 2024, the New York City Council voted to rezone 46 city blocks in Van Nest, Parkchester, and Morris Park, around the Metro-North Railroad's Parkchester/Van Nest and Morris Park stations, as part of the Penn Station Access project. The city government also promised to spend $500 million on infrastructure upgrades around these stations. The rezoning was intended to encourage development around these stations. As a result, up to 7,000 housing units could be constructed in the three neighborhoods.

Demographics Van Nest has a population under 15,000. The neighborhood has a concentration of Puerto Ricans and also contains a significant African American population. A small longstanding Italian and Albanian population exist east of White Plains Road near Morris Park. The majority of residents rent. Almost 20% of the population lives below the poverty line.

For census purposes, the New York City government classifies Van Nest as part of a larger neighborhood tabulation area called Van Nest/Morris Park/Westchester Square.New York City Neighborhood Tabulation Areas*, 2010, Population Division - New York City Department of City Planning, February 2012. Accessed June 16, 2016. Based on data from the 2010 United States census, the population of Van Nest/Morris Park/Westchester Square was 29,250, a change of 2,115 (7.2%) from the 27,135 counted in 2000. 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 Department of City Planning, February 2012. Accessed June 16, 2016. The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 27.3% (7,987) White, 11.1% (3,245) African American, 0.3% (82) Native American, 10.6% (3,100) Asian, 0.1% (15) Pacific Islander, 1% (292) from other races, and 1.4% (410) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 48.3% (14,119) 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 - New York City Department of City Planning, March 29, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2016.

The entirety of Community District 11, which comprises Van Nest, Morris Park, and Allerton, had 116,180 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: 22% are between the ages of between 0–17, 30% between 25 and 44, and 24% between 45 and 64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 9% and 14% respectively.

As of 2017, the median household income in Community District 11 was $48,018. In 2018, an estimated 21% of Van Nest and Allerton residents lived in poverty, compared to 25% in all of the Bronx and 20% in all of New York City. One in eight residents (12%) 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 55% in Van Nest and Allerton, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 58% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, , Van Nest and Allerton are considered high-income relative to the rest of the city and not gentrifying.

Politics Politically, Van Nest is in New York's 14th congressional district,Congressional District 12, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed May 5, 2017.New York City Congressional Districts, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed May 5, 2017. represented by Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez . It is also part of the 33rd and 34th State Senate districts,Senate District 33, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed May 5, 2017. Senate District 34, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed May 5, 2017.2012 Senate District Maps: New York City, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed November 17, 2018. represented respectively by Democrats Gustavo Rivera and Alessandra Biaggi, and the 80th and 87th State Assembly districts,Assembly District 50, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed May 5, 2017. Assembly District 87, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed May 5, 2017.2012 Assembly District Maps: New York City, New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Accessed November 17, 2018. represented respectively by Democrats Nathalia Fernandez and Karines Reyes. Van Nest is located in New York's 13th and 15th City Council districts,Current City Council Districts for Bronx County, New York City. Accessed May 5, 2017. represented respectively by Democrats Mark Gjonaj and Ritchie Torres.

Land use and architecture

Van Nest is dominated by single family homes of various types. There are also some tenements scattered across the neighborhood. The total land area is roughly one square mile. Architectural styles are diverse in Van Nest, which was started as a residential community in 1893. Italianate, Queen Anne, Art Deco and contemporary brick and mortar are all found. Con Edison's Van Nest Service Center is located north of the Amtrak Northeast Corridor line between Unionport Road and Bronxdale Avenue, occupying the former maintenance shops of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. The Con Edison Service Center was purchased in September 1959 from the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad for $3 million. The former Van Nest Yards were built in 1907 and the Yards, now Con Edison Service Center consists of .

Park Van Nest Park is bound by White Plains Road to the east, Unionport Road to the west, and Van Nest Avenue to the north. Mead Street bisects Van Nest Park from Van Nest Memorial Square, which houses the war memorial. Van Nest Park was acquired by New York City in August 1913, the present location of Van Nest Memorial Square. In April 1922, the land was placed under Parks' jurisdiction. The monument, which stands at the center of the original park, was erected in April 1926 by the Van Nest Citizens' Patriotic League, who were, at one time, located at 1800 Hunt Avenue. The monument is made of Deere Isle granite and was designed by architect Arthur G. Waldreaon. The park, like the neighborhood, was named after Reynier Van Nest, a saddle maker.

Three of the four granite panels have the names of fallen soldiers from World War I, Korea, and Vietnam. The main facing panel has a tribute to fallen soldiers from World War II. By 1938, the park expanded to include not only a monument but playground equipment. The monument was rededicated by the Italian-American War Veterans' Bronx County Post #39 in October 1973. Memorial and Veterans' Day services have been reinstituted in previous years to pay respect to the deceased, as well as current and former servicemen and women. The monument area is slated to be redesigned and upgraded starting in Spring 2018. Additionally, a flagpole will be added to complete renovation.

In 1997, Mayor Rudy Giuliani funded a $30,000 renovation of the park replacing the old playground equipment. Dialogue concerning the renovation of the park was started in 2010. However, as of May 2011, $950,000 had been allocated for renovations to the playground. Construction of the park was started in March 2014 and lasted for a year. The renovated park's railroad theme is based on the neighborhood's long-standing ties to the Van Nest station along the Northeast Corridor. Additionally, security cameras were installed through a contribution from Cross-County Federal Bank to monitor night time activity in the park. State Senator Jeffrey D. Klein was instrumental in securing the proper permits for the cameras. Van Nest Park, after being completely renovated, was officially opened to the public in May 2015.

Police and crime Van Nest and Allerton are patrolled by the 49th Precinct of the NYPD, located at 2121 Eastchester Road. The 49th Precinct ranked 43rd safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. , with a non-fatal assault rate of 64 per 100,000 people, Van Nest and Allerton's rate of violent crimes per capita is slightly more than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 372 per 100,000 people is lower than that of the city as a whole.

The 49th Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 71.7% between 1990 and 2022. The precinct reported 7 murders, 17 rapes, 273 robberies, 367 felony assaults, 133 burglaries, 611 grand larcenies, and 371 grand larcenies auto in 2022.

Social issues Van Nest contains one of the highest concentrations of poverty in Bronx Community District 11. It is believed many of the newest residents are from higher poverty sections of the Bronx such as neighboring West Farms and Parkchester. With this relocation some of the social problems commonly associated with those communities have come to Van Nest. Drug trafficking, teen pregnancy, domestic violence and violent crimes, including gang activity, are common. Van Nest, being roughly one square mile, is one neighborhood within the larger 49th Precinct.

In January 2010, a community organization known as the Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance (VNNA) was created, which meets monthly. Their agenda is to work jointly with the 49th Precinct to ensure that any reported crimes are handled quickly and follow-up conducted thoroughly. Additionally, aside from merely reporting and following up with crimes, both the 49th Precinct and the VNNA are trying to direct the youth into precinct sponsored programs such as kids and cops basketball and Explorers. The rise in youth-related crimes is a genuine concern for the VNNA and the local 49th police precinct.

Fire safety