Croton Facility Monitoring Committee Meeting

                       

Agenda

Croton Facility Monitoring Committee Meeting

Thursday, April 19, 2012 – 7:00 PM

DEP Office – 3660 Jerome Avenue, Bronx NY 10467 - (718) 231-8470

I  Welcome                         Paul Foster, Chair


II Consider and Adopt The Meeting Agenda        CFMC Representatives


III Consider, Adopt 3/15/12 Meeting Minutes    CFMC Representatives

IV Update on JPR Jogging Path PDC Status    Hector Aponte, DPR 

                                                                    Steve Des Noyer, DPR

V Croton Construction Update,                   Bernard Daly, P.E., DEP
     Schedule and Costs
                           

VI Croton Jobs and Bronx Purchases             Mark Lanaghan, DEP

VII CFMC Discussion, Set Next Meeting        CFMC Representatives


VIII   Adjourn

 

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April Volunteer Projects with New York Cares

 

NEW YORK CARES COMMUNITY CALENDAR

APRIL, 2012 – THE BRONX

Do your part for The Bronx – Volunteer!

New York Cares, the city’s leading volunteer organization, offers great ways for Bronx residents to get involved in their community through rewarding, conveniently scheduled projects.

April Volunteer Project Highlights – The Bronx

Becoming a New York Cares volunteer is easy. Simply attend a one-time orientation at the Mott Haven Library on the evening of Tuesday, April 17^th or any other Bronx location. You can then choose from approximately 1,200 projects citywide each month.  To register for an orientation in your area, please visit www.newyorkcares.org or call 212-228-5000.

Upcoming Bronx project highlights:

·         New York Cares Day Spring — Ensure your local parks, community gardens, and public spaces remain safe and fun places to relax and enjoy nature by joining more than 5,000 volunteers from across New York City in this April 21^st day of service. Visit one of our twelve sites in the Bronx or any of our dozens of other locations. No orientation is required to participate. Visit www.newyorkcaresday.org for more information.

·         Bedtime Stories at Theresa’s Haven — Foster a love of books and art in children, ages 4-12, by reading and crafts projects with the children of Theresa’s Haven in Mount Hope on Thursday evenings.

·         Pre-GED Prep at GED Plus Davidson — Ensure students realize their full potential and take a step towards achieving their goals by preparing them in reading, writing, and math for the GED in Mt. Eden on Tuesday afternoons.

·         Music and Movement at BronxWorks' Nelson Avenue Family Residence — Enjoy hands-on music games with children as they learn about different musical instruments, play rhythm games, and have fun expressing themselves through music on Saturday afternoons in University Heights.

About New York Cares:

New York Cares is New York City’s largest volunteer organization.  Founded in 1987, New York Cares runs volunteer programs for 1,200 nonprofits, public schools, and city agencies citywide.  New York Cares volunteers help children learn to read, prepare meals for homeless and housebound people, help low income students get into college, revitalize public parks and schools, and much more.  Last year, New York Cares volunteers helped 400,000 New Yorkers in need.  For more information about New York Cares, the public should visit newyorkcares.org or call 212-228-5000.

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Ex Espada Press Aide: Govt. Has A Double Standard

This came to us from Mr. Frank LaBoy, who was an ex-Press Aide to former Senator Pedro Espada Jr.

 

   A former press aide to ex New York state senator Pedro Espada, Jr asserts the government is using a double standard against the indicted former senator, and his son.

   Frank LaBoy, a former press secretary who broke ties with Espada in October, 2010 believes the government is relying too much on faulty bookkeeping, and press leaks in the news media tinged with racism, to bury the Espadas in their federal trial.

   The erstwhile press aide who became a political foe of Espada's says: " I dislike sushi (raw fish) big time, and I drive a simple car that's not a Mercedes, but frankly, if someone likes sushi, enjoys driving a premium auto mobile, talks stridently, that does not make them a criminal. Mr. Espada, and his son have done nothing wrong except exercise their freedom of choice rights as free American men in a capitalist society. Why is it okay for a major presidential candidate to have personal funds in offshore accounts which are legally questionable for someone running for president of the United States- but it is somehow wrong to celebrate your grandson's birthday especially if you're savvy, capitalist, and happen to be Hispanic? Hispanics have no right to be successful like Mitt Romney without fear of being criminalized? You have to be kidding!"

   LaBoy suspects the Espada's are victims of a protracted government witch hunt that resembles the persectution inflicted on the late Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. in eh latter part of the 1950s and 1960s, and the horrific prosecution and jailing of an innocent French general, Alfred Dreyfus during the late 19th Century.

   " In the prosecution of these two historic figures (Powell and Dreyfus), wanton, flagrant bigotry played a huge role in their persecution by the government.
   This is no different from the prosecution of the Espada's in this day and age, where they are held to up to constant ridicule, scorn, and disparaging dismissive condescension that masks what is really racism by the news media who appear obsessed with destroying people of color by criminalizing their behavior even when they practice the same standards of fiscal chicanery-capitalism that the media hides behind, but they peddle the drivel, and nonsense of celluloid "hollywood (with small letters) personalities" who contribute nothing to the American landscape except self destructive behavior that is really worrisome to the fabric of society in general."
  Pedro Espada is undergoing criminal prosecution for being no-nonsense, for daring to be successful, for doing what the white boys' club has always done here in America, except that Espada is Latino, and criminalizing him is the cruel way the government feels it can put him, and other successful Latinos like Espada, in their place ...on the plantation of protracted government persecution for promoting capitalism in a Nation that has a very hard time defining right from wrong these days, but is obsessed with constantly criminalizing the community of Americans Males who are people of color, especially if they wear business suits, and are successful capitalists, business people, or deign to be successful, and use the same rules of business enterprise that Anglo- White businesses use every day", said LaBoy.

   "If you are a Man and you happen to be Black, Latino, or from any group of racial minorities, you are likely to be racially-profiled for criminal prosecution, especially if you are a businessman, and enjoy a degree of notoriety. The New York state senate, and the Congress is rife with no-show jobs, and nepotism! Pedro Espada did not invent corruption. Politicians in Albany, and in Washington, D.C. hire relatives all the time, even girlfriends and boy friends, they do this every day, and have done so for over 200 years, and no one criminalizes them !
   LaBoy believes the Espada's are being subjected to a double standard of prosecution and hypocrisy. "Do the Espada's have offshore, or Swiss bank accounts? No. But a major presidential candidate does, and that's okay. Nobody is convening a federal Grand Jury to inquire how a successful multi -millionaire with millions of dollars in wealth can run for President of the United States, keep funds in off shore banks, away from the long arm of the federal government, the IRS, and the Law, and not face any kind of scrutiny. That is a glaring double standard of justice if you ask me." concluded LaBoy.

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Baseball in The Bronx UPDATE

  Dr. Cary Goodman (head of the 161st. Street Business Improvement District) and the children from the Highbridge Headstart formally announced "Baseball in the Bronx 2012". The Highbridge Headstart children were with Dr. Goodman last year as the 161st. Street BID launched its "Jeter Meter" that counted up to Derek Jeter's 3,000th hit. The Jeter Meter then later in the season became the "Mariano Meter" that counted up to the record breaking all time save number.

  The Kids sang in the shadows of Yankee Stadium, "Take me out to the Ballgame", and and once again cheered "Derek Jeter". The event took place in front of D&J Variety located at  64 E. 161st. Street, and owner Mike Hong who has been there for 26 years said that the street is changing. Dr. Goodman said that stores leases are doubling and there is talk of redevelopment on the street. Dr. Goodman said that there might be one or two new twenty story buildings going up in the near future as the area has experienced a renaissance since the new Yankee Stadium opened, and also with the talk of a new hotel/convention center near the stadium that Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. has spoken about.

Dr. Cary Goodman is on the left (in the shadow) and teacher Ms. Rita Rodriguez is to the front right of the kids singing "Take me out to the Ballgame".

Here Dr. Goodman has asked a question as the teacher finds out which Yankee player is the favorite of the children.

Dr. Goodman points to one of the many different Yankee hats that are for sale around the stadium, as the children call out the color Dr. Goodman is pointing to.

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BRONX CLERGY TASK FORCE and NYPD Host IMMIGRATION AND HEALTH FAIR

 

BRONX CLERGY TASK FORCE

&

NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT

INVITE YOU TO JOIN US FOR AN

IMMIGRATION AND HEALTH FAIR

DATE:  APRIL 18, 2012

TIME:  6:00 PM TO 8:30PM

Hutchinson Metro Center (near Calvary Hospital)

1200 Waters Place, Bx, NY

Auditorium

The guest speaker is Andrea J. Quarantillo,

District Director for NYC US Citizenship & Immigration Services

US Homeland Security

We will speaking on the Dream Act and offer valuable information on  
Immigration issues that will assist many people.

Please bring members of your congregation and community that will benefit from this information.  

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BASEBALL IN THE BRONX:
NINE INNINGS OF BRONX BASEBALL 

Exhibition and Public Programs at the Bronx Museum of the Arts open April 13, 2012

   Celebrate nine innings of baseball in the Bronx with the 161 Street Business Improvement District at The Bronx Museum of the Arts (1040 Grand Concourse, at 165th Street) on Yankees’ Opening Day, April 13, 2012. Baseball in the Bronx will feature photographs, ephemera, and artifacts from across the borough and the decades. A series of talks and book signings with prominent sportswriters and historians, and a screening of the film Sugar (2008), will take place from April 15 – 30. During opening week, a free trolley will run between Yankee Stadium and the Bronx Museum. The first thousand visitors to the exhibition will get free Topps baseball cards. This one-month-only exhibition ends May 13, 2012.

“There’s never been anything like this,” said Dr. Cary Goodman, Executive Director of the 161st Street Business Improvement District, which organized the exhibition. “Visitors will be able to view Joe DiMaggio’s bat, Elston Howard’s Golden Glove, and see photographs of the Negro League World Series at Yankee Stadium. They can meet a movie star, talk to an ESPN broadcaster and learn about the history of Bronx baseball.”

Baseball has played a central role in the lives of Bronx residents for generations. People of all ages and backgrounds call the Bronx home and embrace the game. The sport and the borough grew simultaneously and both continue to evolve in the twenty-first century. Each of nine “innings” that make up the Baseball in the Bronx exhibition portrays a different aspect of the game. It begins with the Unions, who played in Morrisania in the 19th Century, and with Esteban Bellan, the first professional Latin American baseball player who was a student at Fordham University in 1863. The exhibit also includes material about:

• The history of Latino Baseball in El Bronx thru Club Cubano Interamericano of Melrose
• Bronx Little League teams from Hunts Point, Crotona, Riverdale and Van Nest
• College baseball at Fordham and NYU
• Baseball alumni from the Bronx
• The ninth and final inning of the exhibit features family photographs from the 1950s to the present day, submitted by the public through an open call.

Brian Richards, Museum Curator for the New York Yankees, is the show’s curator. Private collections from Fordham University, The Bronx County Historical Society, New York University, The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College, and artifacts provided by Mrs. Elston (Arlene) Howard and Mr. Ricky Martinez will be on display.

PUBLIC PROGRAMS
Stop by the Bronx Museum of the Arts a few hours before the game to check out these authors, actors, and historical figures in a series of talks and book signings – and a film screening.

	Starting April 13, a TROLLEY will run from the businesses along River Avenue and across 161 St to the Bronx Museum, and back to Yankee Stadium - courtesy of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation and SBS’ Avenue NYC program. Sunday, April 15, 3 PM Talk and book signing with Arlene Howard and Ralph Wimbish, coauthors of the memoir Elston and Me: The Story of the First Black Yankee, University of Missouri, 2001. New York City Councilwoman Helen Foster will be on hand to open the event. Monday, April 16, 3 PM Talk and book signing with Kostya Kennedy, sportswriter and author of the book 56: Joe DiMaggio and the Last Magic Number in Sports, Sports Illustrated, 2011. New York City Councilman James Vacca will open the event. Tuesday, April 17, 3 PM Talk and book signing with New York Times sports columnist George Vecsey, author of Stan Musial: An American Life, ESPN, 2011. Wednesday, April 18, 5 PM Talk and book signing with ESPN senior writer Howard Bryant, The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron, Pantheon, 2010. Howie Evans, Sports Editor at the NY Amsterdam News, will participate in the event. Thursday, April 19, 5 PM Historian Dr. George Kirsch of Manhattan College and Bronx Borough Historian Lloyd Ultan will speak about the history of Bronx baseball. Saturday, April 21, 11 AM Locked Out of the Locker Room, a talk by Melissa Ludtke, formerly of Sports Illustrated. NY State Assemblywoman Vanessa Gibson will be on hand to open the event. Friday, April 27, 3 PM Actor Angelis Perez Soto will introduce the film Sugar, Sony Pictures Classics, 2008. NY State Senator Adriano Espaillat will open the event. Monday, April 30, 3 PM Talk and book signing with New York Times sports journalist Bob Lipsyte, An Accidental Sportswriter: A Memoir, Ecco, 2011.

SPONSORSHIP
The exhibit is produced by the 161 Street Business Improvement District and The Bronx Museum of the Arts. Baseball in the Bronx is generously supported by The NYC Department of Small Business Services’ Avenue NYC Program, the New York Yankees Foundation, The Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, and Sparrow Construction.

161 STREET BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
The 161 Street Business Improvement District is committed to improving the community for those who live, work, visit, and shop on 161 Street in the Bronx. The BID’s goal is to keep the streets clean, promote commerce, and enrich the area through special events and cultural projects. Visit www.161bid.org for more information.

THE BRONX MUSEUM OF THE ARTS
Founded in 1971, the Bronx Museum of the Arts is a contemporary art museum that connects diverse audiences to the urban experience through its permanent collection, special exhibitions, and education programs. Reflecting the borough’s dynamic communities, the museum is the crossroad where artists, local residents, and national and international visitors meet. The museum’s home on the Grand Concourse is a distinctive contemporary landmark designed by the internationally-renowned firm Arquitectonica.

To get to the Museum, visitors can take the B or D train to the 167 Street/Grand Concourse Station stop and walk south along the Grand Concourse two blocks. Please note: D trains do not stop during rush hour peak times (from 6:15 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Manhattan-bound trains, and from 4:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. on Bronx-bound trains). Visitors can also reach the Museum via the 4 train to 161 Street/Yankee Stadium. At the exit, walk east three blocks to Grand Concourse and north four blocks along Grand Concourse. For more information please visit www.bronxmuseum.org.

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Israel Independence Day 

    The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale  &   

 Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

     Invite You to Attend 

         The "Israel Independence Festival" 

  "Exploring Israel" 

   Thursday April 26, 2012  ---    4 - 8 PM

   The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale   

3700 Henry Hudson Parkway East & Netherland Avenue 

    For more information call 718-590-6116. 

 

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Broadway Plaza
 
New York City Economic Development Corporation Announces 133,000-Square-Foot Retail Development at Broadway Plaza Site in the Bronx

  New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) today announced the selection of Equity One, Inc. to redevelop an 80,000-square-foot site located along the Broadway retail corridor in the Bronx. Equity One plans to invest approximately $54 million to construct a new 133,000-square-foot, two-story multi-tenant retail development and approximately 130 covered parking spaces on the site, located on 230^th Street between Broadway and the Major Deegan Expressway. The project is expected to create over 250 new full and part-time jobs and approximately 500 construction jobs.

“The redevelopment of this site, which will ultimately provide more than 130,000 square feet of retail, is certain to enhance the already thriving Broadway commercial corridor,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky. “With a private investment of more than $50 million, this development will not only bring new amenities to the area, but most importantly, will create hundreds of new jobs for the Bronx.”

"Equity One is thrilled to be working with the New York City Economic Development Corporation and all of the local officials to bring this project to fruition.  We have a strong track record of successful development and look forward to leveraging our relationships with national tenants to bring an exciting mix of retail to this site," said Jeffrey S. Olson, CEO of Equity One.

Equity One’s development calls for four retail tenants, with the intention of attracting prominent national retailers. The developer will purchase the site from the City for $7.5 million, with construction expected to commence around early 2013 and be completed within two years. Equity One was ultimately selected to redevelop the site based on its response to an RFP issued in August 2011. The development intends to seek at least LEED silver rating. 

 Equity One, Inc. owns 3 shopping centers in New York City and is in the process of developing a 330,000 square foot shopping center in Long Island, New York.

 1175 Third Avenue in Manhattan is one of the three sites owned by Equity One, Inc., and the major  tenant is the super market Food Emporium.

 161 West 16th Street in Lower Manhattan is another site owned by Equity One, Inc., and the major  tenantt is Loehmann's.

 90-30 Metropolitan Avenue in Middle Village Queens is the third site owned by Equity One Inc., and the major tenant is Staples.   

UPDATE
Shoprite Supermarkets have looked at this site and found it to be unsuitable due to the loading area.

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