On a sweltering afternoon, dozens of people waiting for the Bx41 bus leaned against metal barricades, wiping sweat from their foreheads as they stood feet away from the shaded benches now closed off to the public.
Roberto Clemente Plaza — a busy public square at the heart of The Bronx’s busiest commercial district — usually sees over 75,000 people pass through daily. But last Friday, the NYPD set up barricades along the 17,750 square foot plaza, closing the space down to the commuters and shoppers who rely on it.
The plaza sits in the center of The Hub — the intersection of 149th Street, Willis Ave, Third Avenue and Melrose Avenue — a dense commercial strip lined with small businesses and street vendors. In recent years, The Hub has become the most visible site of The Bronx’s opioid epidemic, with people often using or seeking drugs while receiving treatment or services nearby…