NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION SEEKS DEVELOPER FOR BROADWAY PLAZA SITE IN THE BRONX

 

Request for Proposals Issued for the Approximately 80,000-Square-Foot Site As Part of City Effort To Strengthen Existing Retail Corridor and Catalyze Job Creation and Economic Development in the Bronx

New York City, August 24, 2011 – New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) today announced that it is seeking a developer for the purchase and redevelopment of an approximately 80,000-square-foot site in the Kingsbridge/Riverdale section of the Bronx The City-owned site which is centrally located on 230th Street between Broadway and the Major Deegan Expressway, is one of the last significantly-sized, primarily vacant and developable sites along the Broadway retail corridor, and its development will further the City’s goals of economic investment and job creation in the Bronx and across the City.

“The Broadway Plaza site possesses enormous potential for developers and its redevelopment will provide a major economic boost to an already thriving retail and commercial corridor,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky.  “We are confident that the site will attract significant private sector interest, thereby creating good jobs and strengthening the economic future of the Bronx.”

“This site has great potential, and its development will give a major boost to not only Kingsbridge, but to the neighboring communities of Riverdale and Marble Hill as well as the entire Bronx,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “I thank the New York City Economic Development Corporation for moving so quickly to issue this new RFP, and look forward to the positive redevelopment of this property.”

“I am looking forward to the further revitalization of West 230th Street and the employment opportunities that would benefit the community,” said Councilmember Oliver Koppell.

"For many years I have advocated for commercial development at this site,” said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz. “West 230th Street and Broadway is centrally located in Kingsbridge and will draw shoppers from Marble Hill, Riverdale, Kingsbridge Heights, and beyond. I am confident that development at this location will be a major shot in the arm for the entire community."

“The Broadway Plaza project lies on a vital commercial corridor in Community Board 8 and is a prime spot for new retail development,” said Community board 8 Chair Robert Fanuzzi. “We look forward to working with EDC to bring the very best retailers to our community.”

The Broadway Plaza site is located one block from the 231st Street stop on the 1 train, near numerous bus lines, and immediately off the 231st street exit on the Major Deegan Expressway, making it easily accessible to residents of the Kingsbridge/Riverdale neighborhoods, as well as those in surrounding areas. Broadway, to the north and south of the site, already has a variety of retail uses, including restaurants, major grocery stores and national clothing stores, as well as with a mixture of smaller stores and service providers. A 5 acre parcel on Broadway between 237th and 238th Streets was recently sold, from Brynwood Partners to a venture between Metropolitan Realty Associates and Angelo, Gordon & Co., and plans are currently underway for an approximately 162,000 square foot shopping center that is anticipated to include BJ’s Wholesale Club as the anchor tenant. The area has also attracted new residential developments such as the Sycamore Court Apartments, a 12-story ground-up condo development on Corlear Avenue and 231st Street, three blocks away from the sites.

The Request for Proposals (RFP) is designed to achieve number of goals to advance the City’s economic development strategy for the borough and across the City.  Goals include: generating a development that complements and enhances local neighborhood businesses; creating a financially feasible and economically viable project; generating tax revenue for the City through the sale of the property; and expanding and preserving quality jobs for local residents through participation in HireNYC, a free program that connects the City's workforce development services to economic development projects, and maximizes permanent employment opportunities for the City’s local and disadvantaged residents.

Projects that aim to achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating of at least Silver will also be prioritized. LEED, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), promotes sustainable building and development practices through a rating system that recognizes projects that implement strategies for better environmental and health performance.

To obtain a copy of the complete RFP, visit www.nycedc.com/rfp.  Responses are due by October 24, 2011 at 4 p.m.

About NYCEDC

New York City Economic Development Corporation is the City’s primary vehicle for promoting economic growth in each of the five boroughs. NYCEDC’s mission is to stimulate growth through expansion and redevelopment programs that encourage investment, generate prosperity and strengthen the City’s competitive position. NYCEDC serves as an advocate to the business community by building relationships with companies that allow them to take advantage of New York City’s many opportunities. Find us on Facebook to learn more about NYCEDC projects and initiatives.

800 Non Teaching Positions to be Cut by DOE at School Level

  It is reported that 800 positions such as parent coordinators, school aides, and other non teaching staff positions will be cut from the DOE at the school level. 700 of the 800 positions will come from DC  37 school staff. The other 100 will probably come from the DOE headquarters at the Tweed Courthouse. 

  DC 37 head Lillian Roberts said that she has not received any notice of the cuts, and hopes that not one of her union's school staffers will be let go. It was DC 37 in the last mayors race that endorsed Mayor Bloombergs opponent former Comptroller Bill Thompson.

BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ ANNOUNCES FIRST-EVER ‘QUALITY OF LIFE’ SURVEY FOR BRONX RESIDENTS

 

Today, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz announced that his office will conduct the borough’s first-ever “well-being and quality of life” survey, which will measure the opinions of Bronx residents and those who work in the Bronx on a variety of issues that impact their communities.

The survey, which will be conducted online, asks respondents to rate their communities in a number of areas, from crime and education to fresh food availability and civic activity. The survey will remain open until October 31, 2011. Following the completion of the survey, one individual will be chosen at random to have brunch with Borough President Diaz.

“It is important that Bronxites participate in this survey and let my office hear from them on the specific issues that face our neighborhoods. We are ‘One Bronx,’ and this survey will help us discover what problems are shared by different neighborhoods, so that we may develop common solutions to them. The goal of this survey is to build upon newly-released Census data to perform a comprehensive, inclusive, and thorough assessment of where we are as a borough and where we want to go. I hope that as many Bronxites as possible will take a few minutes to fill out this survey and join us in that effort,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

The results of this survey will be compiled by the borough president’s office, and a report based on its outcome will be issued by the office at a later date.

The survey is available at the following link:

http://bronxboropres.nyc.gov/press/releases/2011-08-24.html

5.9 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks East Coast

   An earthquake centered in Virginia was felt all along the east coast from Rhode Island to Atlanta Georgia. The quake measured 5.9 on the Richter Scale was the largest one to hit the east coast (which is not know for its earthquakes) in almost one hundred years. There was slight damage as you got further away from the epicenter, with buildings being evacuated here in New York City. Most damage was done to single family homes in Virginia, and there was minor damage to buildings in Washington D.C. 

   After schocks are expected, and there was no warnings of any possible tsunami. This all comes before this weekends category 3 "Hurricane Irene" expected to make landfall somewhere on the east coast.

Letter to Chancellor Walcott From BP Diaz Re: P.S. 51 Contamination

Dennis Walcott

Chancellor

Department of Education

Tweed Courthouse
52 Chambers Street
New York, NY 10007

RE: P.S. 51 TCE Contaminations and Relocation

Dear Chancellor Walcott:

Thank you for sending representatives from the School Construction Authority, Department of Health, and Department of Education to meet with my staff on August 14, 2011, and discuss the Bronx New School – P.S. 51 TCE findings. We appreciate their efforts to make the best of what has been a difficult situation for all involved.  To that end, we are less than three weeks from the start of the new school year and the Department of Education has yet to publish the TCE test reports, sign the lease on the alternate facility, disseminate the new school location to all parents or announce new bus routes and pick-up schedules. In addition, the DOE has not set a date for the school open house, which my office requested at the August 14, 2011, and was publicly promised at the parents meeting on August 18, 2011, nor has the DOE provided a streamlined process for parents who wish to transfer to their zoned school. 

I applaud your leadership in enhancing the protocols for environmental review of city leased properties which identified the TCE.  However, we still have significant work ahead, the source of the TCE contamination at 3200 Jerome Avenue has yet to be identified. Consequently, we have no way of knowing when the contamination started, nor whether there were conditions that may have caused fluctuations in the level of TCE exposure.  Without that information, we cannot properly assess the health risks to students, teachers, administrators and other staff over the last 20 years in which the building had been in operation as a public school facility. 

Moreover, while the DOE has communicated its willingness and desire to help the parents through this transition, it has not articulated any deadlines or dates as to when these deliverables will be received.  I respectfully request the DOE execute on the following promises no later than August 26, 2011:

• Publish on your website the list and schedule of bus routes that have been drawn.

·         Release copies of all environmental testing, reports and data from both P.S. 51 and the new facility at St. Martin of Tours, located at 695 East182nd St, Bronx, NY 10457.

·         Release an inventory of the light fixtures at both the new and old facility verifying they have been tested and are free of PCBs.

·         Schedule a date for the open house at the new school facility.

• Schedule dates for separate meetings with Department of Health and State Department of Health to discuss the health concerns of both parents and staff members.
• Announce a plan for how parents will be notified of the open house and bus routes.  Mailing a letter by itself will not be sufficient, parents should receive follow up communications via email and phone to confirm they received the information and answer any questions.

• Schedule direct enrollment sessions for parent seeking information on transfer opportunities and other logistical and operational questions in regards to the start of the school year.

Lastly, our office is actively working to disseminate information on this issue to parents and impacted residents as it is released. We are fully prepared to assist in helping families through this transition and I ask that you keep my staff fully informed of developments in a timely fashion. Should you have questions or issues of concern, please feel free to contact Ray Sanchez, Director of Policy for my office, at 718-590-2645 or rsanchez@bronxbp.nyc.gov. 

Sincerely,

Ruben Diaz Jr.

Bronx Borough President

STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ RE: The Murder of Yaritza Pacheco

 

“It saddens me that, once again, an act of random violence has struck down one of our own. Yaritza Pacheco was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, and for that she has needlessly lost her life and a child has lost a mother. Ms. Pacheco’s senseless death illustrates why we cannot and will not tolerate illegal guns on our streets. The thoughts and prayers of the entire Bronx go out to her family in their time of mourning,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

You can read The Daily News Story here.

 

Mayor Bloomberg Wants a Red Light Camera on Every Corner

  "I think we should have them on every corner if we could" of those red light cameras that catch motorist who go through red lights. The mayor believes that lives could be saved and the city should be able to have many more red light cameras.Currently there are 150 red light cameras in New York City and the proposal is to go to 225. The bill has passed in the State Senate, but is in the black hole in the State Assembly. Mayor Bloomberg would also like to publish the names of the offenders, but the ticket for a red light camera goes to the owner of the vehicle not the driver. 

  This brings into the city coffers over 52 million dollars in revenue, and even more when the penalties are added in for those who do not pay on time. 

P.S. 51 Public Hearing on TCE Contamination

Last Thursday night Chancellor Dennis Walcott faced his first major problem, how to handle the Trichoroethylene (TCE) crisis at P.S. 51 better known as the Bronx New School. P.S. 51 opened in 1992 under then School District 10 Superintendent Irma Zardoya. This was a new experimental school of choice open to all children of the district. A lottery was held to make sure that all ethnic groups were represented equally, and the school did very well academically. There were the usual problems of children getting sick, and everyone thought that was normal until last Thursday night. 
 

Chancellor Walcott informed current P.S. 51 parents that their children would not be attending P.S. 51 in September due to tests that were done in January, February, and in March which revealed high levels of TCE in the school building that can not be remedied by the start of the new school year. He said that the DOE has tried to air out the building, but high levels of TCE remain in the building. The level of TCE in the basement ranged from 310 to 607 micrograms per cubic meter to 1,7 to 5.3 on the first floor, and up to 4.4 on the roof of the building. The New York State Department of Health guidelines is under 5 micrograms per cubic meter. There was a fact sheet handed out that claimed 0.5 to 4.2 MG per CM is typical indoor air levels of TCE, and the handout stated “This fact sheet will be updated as new information becomes available”. 
 

TCE is widely used in products such as: metal degreasers, paint strippers, paint, varnish, glue, spot removers, adhesives, auto cleaning products, rug cleaning fluids, and in combination with other chemicals. The building that housed P.S. 51 once was a garage and factory before becoming a school building. The building next to P.S. 51 is a garage and a gas station, across the street was the old DEP chlorine storage building, MTA subway yards, and the #4 subway line runs above Jerome Avenue next to the school building. 
 

Chancellor Walcott apologized to the parents and then introduced the many people from the DOE, Department of Health, and School Construction Authority present saying that any questions that the parents have will be answered tonight. He continued that as the lease of the building has come up for renewal the DOE did some air tests, and then some more when the first and second came back with levels above acceptability. Walcott added that over the summer the DOE tried to remediate the high levels of TCE by airing out the building with high power fans, but the TCE was continuing to come in through the cracks in the building. He said that since the building could not be used for the opening of the new school year that the DOE had found another site only two miles away known as the St. Martin of Tours Catholic school that had been closed by the Archdiocese. Walcott then said that the silver lining is that this site has a gym that P.S. 51 did not have, and that there would be no other school in the building. Later in the meeting did Walcott give the exact location of the school on East 182^nd Street and Crotona Ave. at the edge of District 10. The chancellor said of the 65 leased buildings inspected by the DOE that only P.S. 51 had a problem, which drew little comfort from those present. 
 

Then the questions from the parents started. One parent complained that his child came home with headaches, and yelled at the chancellor “that the DOE didn't care, and that all the children should be checked out to make sure they do not have any illnesses”. Chancellor Walcott passed this over to Dr. Nathan Graber (a pediatrician with the DOH) who said that the city is working with the state to see if there are any long term effects. Dr. Graber advised to check with the child’s health care provider. More parents asked questions as to why the building was not closed after the first test came back high in January, and the chancellor said that it appeared to be a false reading and the DOE wanted to do more tests to be sure. There was then a call for a database of all students and staff that were in the P.S. 51 building, which got an answer from Dr. Graber and silence by the chancellor.

Parents of former P.S. 51 students then came forward to say that many of their children now have unusual health problems with no family history of such problems. One mother said that her child who attended P.S. 51 in 1995 thru 1997 who is now 27 years old has cysts on her ovaries. One person mentioned a nine year old student and her teacher at P.S. 51 who recently died of cancer. Parent after parent of current and former students of P.S. 51 spoke of health concerns their children are now having, and wanted to know why these tests were not done when the building was opened. The chancellor said That these tests are done when leases are renewed, and “we do not know about the past, but we are concerned about the current students of P.S. 51, which angered most of the hundreds in the auditorium. 
 

In the audience were State Senator Gustavo Rivera, representatives of Congressman Eliot Engel, Councilman G. Oliver Koppell, and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.'s office, who all watched in amazement, and could not comment on what they had just witnessed. 
 

Parents came with questions and concerns, but got few answers, even less assurances, and after checking with their child's health care provider may want to seek legal advice.