Kelleher of Simone hosts The Bronx Now series

Bronx, NY The Bronx Now, a new cable series produced by BronxNet, dedicated to the people, places and businesses that are shaping the New Bronx, debuted on Monday, April 3 at 8 p.m. on Optimum Channel 67 and Fios Channel 33.

Hosted by Joseph Kelleher, a prominent Bronx businessman and president of Simone Metro Properties, one of the borough’s most active owners and developers of commercial properties. Kelleher is also chairman of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce and president of the area chapter of the Boy Scouts of America.

The Bronx Now will provide valuable information on doing business in the borough. Viewers will pick up important business pointers as the program showcases business owners large and small. The Bronx Now explores the ever growing and developing borough with its rich culture, innovative technology and all the unique qualities that make the Bronx a great place to do business.

“We are extremely happy to present this program highlighting the people, places and businesses that make the Bronx such a special place,” said Kelleher. “We are grateful for the opportunity to work with the professionals, students and staff at BronxNet, an organization that is one of the borough’s underappreciated gems, in producing this program. Hopefully this new series will help shine a spotlight on the New Bronx, shed light on the borough’s great institutions, businesses and people, and help promote the Bronx as a wonderful place to live, work and visit.”

The first episode focused on Westchester Sq., home of the historic Huntington Free Library and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and former seat of the town of Westchester. Today one of the borough’s largest transit hubs and retail destinations, Westchester Sq. has a rich history and played a key role in the early days of the Revolutionary War

The half-hour monthly program, produced from the BronxNet East studio at Mercy College at the Hutchinson Metro Center in the Pelham Bay section and from locations all over the borough, also features neighborhood profiles, discussions on health facilities and health care access, features on educational and cultural institutions and much more. The Bronx Now will be broadcast on Mondays at 8 p.m., with repeats Mondays at 6:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., Tuesdays at 8 p.m., Wednesdays at 6:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., Saturdays at 9 a.m., 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. and Sundays at 11:30 a.m. The show can also be streamed on demand at http://www.bronxnet.org/livestream-67-33

“The Bronx Now reflects BronxNet’s commitment to creating and broadcasting informative programs that inspire Bronx residents to access the borough’s many resources and play a vital role in building up our communities,” said BronxNet Executive Director Michael Max Knobbe. “We are pleased to work with innovative business leader Joe Kelleher and our underwriting partners to bring such useful programming to Bronxites over our channels, and to show the world our borough’s great resources via broadcast on our website: www.bronxnet.org.

BronxNet is the independent not-for-profit organization serving the people of the Bronx through the provision of media production training, access to technology, and cable television channels. BronxNet programs six channels - 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38 on the Verizon FiOS system and six channels - 67, 68, 69, 70, 951 and 952 - on the Optimum system in the Bronx.

Simone Development Companies is a full-service real estate investment company specializing in the acquisition and development of office, medical, retail, industrial and residential properties in the New York tri-state area.  Headquartered in the Bronx, the privately held company owns and manages more than 5 million square feet of property in the Bronx, Westchester County, Queens, Long Island and Connecticut.  The company’s portfolio includes more than 100 properties and ranges from multi-building office parks to retail and industrial space.