1 FORDHAM HILL OVAL

Call it a “professional business with heart.”  Or call it an “Oasis” in the Bronx. In fact, you can call 1 Fordham Hill Oval many things, but most of them would be positive. And much of that is because of the hands-on board led by Desiree Pilgrim-Hunter, 57, the charismatic board president. In the following interview, Pilgrim-Hunter speaks frankly about the frustrations and rewards of board service, and the challenges she faces in supervising 12 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, 1,119 middle-class apartments, and nine high-rises. Those buildings encircle the “Oval,” a verdant meeting space that gives the co-op its nickname: “Oasis in the Bronx.” The gated complex was built 60 years ago, and Pilgrim-Hunter has lived there for half that time.

What motivated you to serve on the board?

I was training to be a community organizer [with the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition] when I started to hear rumblings about the board, that it was engaging in some really bad behavior. Then I started hearing about really rancorous board meetings. We finally had to organize the shareholders to vote out that board. The goal was to remove the four worst board members; we ended up replacing the entire group.