From April to October for the past seven years, thousands of locals flocked to Fordham Plaza on the last Saturday of each month for the Bronx Night Market.
There, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., visitors consumed live music, artisanal products and a diverse cornucopia of food. From the Mexican-run Perros Locos to the Colombian-owned Barrel House to the Barbadian Sassy’s Fishcakes, the eats were a multi-national tapestry of deliciousness.
But on Saturday, Oct. 28, the Bronx Night Market somberly celebrated the end of an era with its last event. Masco Hospitality Group (MHG), the organizers of the market, cited a multitude of reasons for closing, including the filthy and dilapidated conditions of the plaza.
However, local politicians and community leaders are hopeful of the Bronx Night Market’s return.
“We’re hoping that next year they could come back stronger than ever,” said Council Member Oswald Feliz, who represents Council District 15, including the Fordham Plaza. “No one wants to work in an area with serious quality of life issues, but also in an area where the city and the Department of Transportation is not being responsive to the challenges. We’re hoping that we could resolve that.”
According to a statement released by MHG, the decision to end the beloved monthly event was due to lack of sponsorship, illegal vending, crime and an overall failure of the city Department of Transportation (DOT) to maintain the plaza.
But DOT disagrees.
“We have not abandoned the plaza,” said a spokesperson with DOT. The agency added that it has a dedicated team that maintains it daily, via sweeping, power washing, graffiti removal, rat abatement and bagging of trash.
But the agency’s efforts do not seem to be sufficient.
“You’ll see exposed electric wires in the middle of the place,” said Marco Shalma, founder of MHG, referring to the condition of the plaza. “I personally have to – pick up human waste and clean it up before the vendors come…
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