What is the Justice Sonia Sotomayor Houses and Community Center?
The Justice Sonia Sotomayor Houses and Community Center is a public housing project in Soundview, the Bronx, New York City, formerly known as the Bronxdale Houses.
Questions about Sotomayor Houses
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did the Sotomayor Houses open?
The complex opened in January 1955, when it was still called the Bronxdale Houses.
Why was the Sotomayor Houses renamed after Sonia Sotomayor?
The complex was renamed in June 2010 to honor Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who spent part of her childhood there.
Who designed the Sotomayor Houses and how big is it?
Architects Leon and Lionel Levy designed the complex. It spans 30.77 acres and includes 28 buildings with close to 1,500 apartments housing about 3,500 residents.
How is the Sotomayor Houses connected to hip-hop history?
The complex, then known as the Bronxdale Houses, played a vital part in the origins of early hip-hop culture and music. Resident Disco King Mario and the Black Spades were central to that history.
Who are some notable residents of the Sotomayor Houses?
Notable residents include Andre Harrell (1960-2020), rapper and music executive; Sonia Sotomayor, born in 1954; Disco King Mario (1956-1994), DJ and hip-hop pioneer; Bruse Wane, rapper and music executive; Mitch "Blood" Green, heavyweight boxer born in 1957; and Drag-On, born in 1980, rapper and member of Ruff Ryders.