GoldOver$700 METAL FRAME FUTON Walkdownmemoriallane...
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BY TANZINA VEGA DAILY NEWS WRITER THEY ARE THE ghosts of East Harlem: Amid construction of luxury condos and tenement ren- ovations are makeshift memori- als to two homicide victims slain on the same block. Candles and fresh flowers accompany the photos, and messages on paper or on walls bid farewell. Alejandro Almonte, 48, was killed Dec. 1 when a junkie slashed his throat after the hard- working porter refused to give him money. A poem taped to the wall at 428 E. 117th St., where Almonte worked and died, reads, “God felt sorry.” “Drugs,” construction worker Mauricio Espinoza said as he made the sign of the cross in front of the memorial. “What else could it be?” Recalling Almonte as a kind, calm man, Espinoza looked down the block at another me- morial, to another victim — Lesenia (Che Che) Figueroa, a young mother felled by a stray bullet in August. “Now I feel really strange,” he said. Some local residents feel strange — and scared — with vio- lent crime from E. 115th St. to E. 125th St., east of Fifth Ave., ris- ing in 2006, compared to the pre- vious year. Though a far cry from the high crime of the early 1990s, residents, both old and new, are wary. Marian Barnes was on E. 117th St. between First and Pleasant Aves. looking at an apartment when she saw the me- morial for Almonte. “You wouldn’t think that with all the construction this would happen,” said Barnes, attracted to East Harlem’s up-and-coming status and still-affordable rent. Gentrification has put other parts of Harlem financially out of reach for Bronxite Barnes and her 19-year-old son. And Almonte’s memorial is “a little close to home,” she said. Down the block, the make- shift memorial for Figueroa has been moved across the street to make way for scaffolding for yet another building renovation. The Aug. 16 slaying of Figueroa, a 27-year-old mother of a young son, is still unsolved. “It’s still hard to believe,” said her tearful cousin, Amy Pina, 17. A framed photo of the young woman and her 4-year-old son sits proudly atop the entertain- ment center in the family’s small living room on E. 117th St. “She always used to say to live life like it’s the last day,” said Figueroa’s sister, Jazmin Pina, 16. Almonte and Figueroa are among nine people killed in the 25th Precinct in 2006, compared with eight in 2005. There were 24 rapes, up from 17 in 2005, while serious assaults rose about 5%, according to police records. Community Board 11 member Cora Shelton, who has lived in East Harlem for 60 years, said she is “just amazed” at the level of crime in the area. Resident Derrick Taitt, a former cop, said the police are “losing the streets, and we’re go- ing to suffer.” Speaking at an October com- munity meeting, Deputy Inspec- tor Robert Lenahan said police were working hard to reduce crime. Meanwhile, residents and community board members are forming a plan to work with the district attorney’s office to cre- ate a neighborhood task force. Others plan to bring the City Council a petition demanding more police officers in the area. “Representation in numbers is what’s gonna count,” said Alberto Crespo, a community board member. News Bureau (718) 822-1174 — Fax (718) 822-1562 Flowers and candles fill memorial to Lesenia Figueroa (with son in photo l.), who was felled by stray bullet in August. Down the block is shrine (above) to Alejandro Almonte. Shrines to two murder victims in E. Harlem amid crime spike Walk down memorial lane
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BY TANZINA VEGADAILY NEWS WRITER
THEY ARE THE ghosts of EastHarlem: Amid construction ofluxury condos and tenement ren-ovations are makeshift memori-als to two homicide victims slainon the same block. Candles andfresh flowers accompany thephotos, and messages on paperor on walls bid farewell.
Alejandro Almonte, 48, waskilled Dec. 1 when a junkieslashed his throat after the hard-working porter refused to givehim money. A poem taped to thewall at 428 E. 117th St., whereAlmonte worked and died,reads, “God felt sorry.”
“Drugs,” construction workerMauricio Espinoza said as hemade the sign of the cross infront of the memorial. “Whatelse could it be?”
Recalling Almonte as a kind,calm man, Espinoza lookeddown the block at another me-morial, to another victim —Lesenia (Che Che) Figueroa, ayoung mother felled by a straybullet in August.
“Now I feel really strange,” hesaid.
Some local residents feel
strange — and scared — with vio-lent crime from E. 115th St. to E.125th St., east of Fifth Ave., ris-ing in 2006, compared to the pre-vious year.
Though a far cry from thehigh crime of the early 1990s,residents, both old and new, arewary.
Marian Barnes was onE. 117th St. between First andPleasant Aves. looking at anapartment when she saw the me-morial for Almonte.
“You wouldn’t think that withall the construction this wouldhappen,” said Barnes, attractedto East Harlem’s up-and-comingstatus and still-affordable rent.
Gentrification has put otherparts of Harlem financially outof reach for Bronxite Barnes andher 19-year-old son. AndAlmonte’s memorial is “a littleclose to home,” she said.
Down the block, the make-shift memorial for Figueroa hasbeen moved across the street tomake way for scaffolding for yetanother building renovation.
The Aug. 16 slaying ofFigueroa, a 27-year-old motherof a young son, is still unsolved.
“It’s still hard to believe,” saidher tearful cousin, Amy Pina, 17.
A framed photo of the youngwoman and her 4-year-old sonsits proudly atop the entertain-ment center in the family’s smallliving room on E. 117th St.
“She always used to say to livelife like it’s the last day,” saidFigueroa’s sister, Jazmin Pina,16.
Almonte and Figueroa areamong nine people killed in the25th Precinct in 2006, comparedwith eight in 2005. There were24 rapes, up from 17 in 2005,
while serious assaults rose about5%, according to police records.
Community Board 11 memberCora Shelton, who has lived inEast Harlem for 60 years, saidshe is “just amazed” at the levelof crime in the area.
Resident Derrick Taitt, aformer cop, said the police are“losing the streets, and we’re go-ing to suffer.”
Speaking at an October com-munity meeting, Deputy Inspec-tor Robert Lenahan said police
were working hard to reducecrime.
Meanwhile, residents andcommunity board members areforming a plan to work with thedistrict attorney’s office to cre-ate a neighborhood task force.Others plan to bring the CityCouncil a petition demandingmore police officers in the area.
“Representation in numbers iswhat’s gonna count,” saidAlberto Crespo, a communityboard member.
News Bureau (718) 822-1174 — Fax (718) 822-1562
Flowers and candles fill memorial to LeseniaFigueroa (with son in photo l.), who was felledby stray bullet in August. Down the block isshrine (above) to Alejandro Almonte.
Shrines to two murder victimsin E. Harlem amid crime spike
Walk down memorial lane
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