Here are some Bronx-related stories which we've rounded up for you, our lovely readers, while trolling the interweb with our horse and lasso this fine morning:Ruben Diaz Jr. has announced the members of the newly created Kingsbridge Armory Task Force [BxNN]
BD NOTE: While we think it's a positive movement that this task force is being established, there are a few things that we'd like to be addressed. In the press release, Diaz seems to indicate that retail is not the right type of development. When the debate was roiling at a fever pitch in December, the species of development wasn't officially under the microscope, but rather the living wage piece of the retail development. Also, will these meetings be open to the public? If not, doesn't such an opaque process fly in the face of KARA's contention that the local community was shut out of the planning for the Related plan? The list of members of the task force is impressive, but I wonder why no heavy hitters from the local universities and colleges were invited (Fordham, Lehman, Monroe)? It's hard to imagine a private entity willing to invest $300M, or that the City would come up with much money to fund a project that proved to be Bloomie's biggest development embarrassment. And what's to say that whatever this task force dreams up will become reality? They can decree that a unicorn farm that produces thousands of $50K/year jobs be put there, but reality seldom meets pipe dream delirium. Any real world development needs a big money investor and City backing, neither of which the new plan will most likely have. By the way, here's a link to the bios of each of the task force members in case you're interested...The Silver Fox dishes all this week's juicy Bronx gossip [Daily News]
19 people viewed Pedro Espada Jr.'s virtual town hall meeting streaming online this past Sunday night [BxNN]
~ErLu
1 comment:
You know I had to comment on this one. My thoughts:
1-This is certainly not a reflection on Bloomberg, or an embarassment in any way. It is a HUGE embarassment for Ruben Diaz and will kill any aspiration he may have had for higher office. Yay!
2-This Task Force is a total joke and complete and utter waste of time. Why? WE HAD A TASK FORCE FOR THE PAST 15+ YEARS...THE COMMUNITY!!!! And they worked tirelessly with the Community Board and the city for years to bring a significant development, the one Ruben Diaz just crushed, to the table.
And now after all of his claims during the negotiations of "I have a better idea for the Armory" and "we are bringing better green jobs and green that"..what does he come up with? A F***ING TASK FORCE! THAT IS QUITE A F***ING INGENIOUS "PLAN"! Translation: HE HAD NO PLAN B, NEVER DID AND STILL DOESN'T!
Ruben Diaz and his loudmouth minions cared not for the Armory, and cared not for the community. They played the usual Bronx games of "gimme" and, as usual, the community loses. Then facing huge embrassment as the community is left with.....NOTHING...he turns around and tries to sell the idea that "The Bronx would rather have no jobs, and no redeveloped Armory."
Well Ruben, you, Morton Williams, and all the other usual Bronx "gimme" groups have your wish...except it is the community that loses...again. I can only imagine the nonsense that this Task Force produces considering it has parameters that will make every use unrealistic in the real world.
An abandoned Armory for another 10+ years, no jobs for another 10+ years, no community space for another 10+ years..but hey we do have another Task Force! Thanks Rubencito!
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