Bragging Rights?

An interesting post over on "We live in the Bronx, but" suggests that the Bronx deserves some positive self-promotion, ala Brooklyn's "Brooklyn: Believe the Hype" marketing signage. The anon blogger has even gone so far as to write a letter with marketing recommendations to Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.'s office. Click here to check it out. So far, "We live in the Bronx, but" has not gotten even a form response from the Beep's office.

Maybe if the letter recommended signage that said, "The notion that any job is better than no job no longer applies," the blogger would have had better luck getting a response from Diaz's office. Hey Ruben, how's that Kingsbridge Armory task force coming along? Any luck moving that unicorn factory along?

How in the world did I manage to link a post about marketing the Bronx to the epic failure of the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory? What's wrong with me - why can't I just let go of the Shops at the Kingsbridge Armory idea? Maybe it's because of this story I recently read in the New York Post (I know, usually we don't really take anything from the Post seriously, but this well-informed piece was written by Candice Giove, who produces great Bronx work for the Village Voice and Riverdale Review):

Bronx cheerless: 320 applicants for 35 jobs in NYC's borough of 13% unemployment

I wonder if the 320 job applicants (many of whom are facing the prospect of soon-to-be-terminated unemployment benefits) who waited over two hours to be interviewed for 35 $8/hour,no benefit jobs at the Gateway Center's new Sketchers store would agree with Beep Ruben Diaz Jr. that "the notion that any job is better than no job no longer applies?"

Diaz's office should be better at responding to the needs of Bronx residents...whether it be by working to repair the badly damaged image of the borough (or at least responding to a letter with marketing suggestions), or finding ways to create JOBS for the huge number of Bronxites that are struggling to find work.

~ErLu

Photo of the Day

Pastries and Pols

On Sunday, September 12, United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. stopped by Egidio’s Pastry Shoppe in the Belmont section of the Bronx, where bakery owner Carmela Lucciola (left) taught the pair how to fill cannoli. Senator Gillibrand and Borough President Diaz would later visit with constituents at Arthur Avenue’s annual “Ferragosto” celebration.

Photo courtesy of Office of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.

Diaz to Espada: Step Down

Pablo Guzman from CBS-2 News has this little chestnut in a recent report:

Ruben Diaz Jr. is the Bronx borough president. He's Democrat, like Espada. Except now he thinks the time has come for Espada to get off the stage.

"I think that when you have such a cloud over your head, I think that he should seriously think, and consider taking care of these problems right now, and maybe stepping aside," he told CBS 2.

We're sure Rubencito's suggestion that Espada step down has nothing to with the latter's suggesting that the former's job should be eliminated to help close the state's massive budget hole. Here's an idea for closing the budget: don't steal $14,000,0000.

~ErLu

Grand Concourse Historic Preservation Meeting Tomorrow Evening

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. will be hosting a community meeting regarding the proposed historic preservation of the Grand Concourse tomorrow evening, 4/20, at 7pm at the Bronx Museum of the Arts. Please see the flyer below for additional details.
Grand Concourse Mtg

~ErLu

BP Ruben Diaz Jr. on BronxTalk

Below is Bronx BP Ruben Diaz Jr.'s appearance on Gary Axelbank's BronxTalk Monday night. Gary has an interesting sit-down with Diaz in which they touch on a variety of issues, including the Kingsbridge Armory, development, sheltering the homeless in the Bronx, the Charter Revision Commission, charter schools, mayoral control of schools, and more.

The only real news regarding the Armory is that the newly developed Kingsbridge Armory Task Force will have their first meeting to tour the Armory on April 28th, and Diaz hopes they'll come up with possible development solutions for the Armory within 6 to 12 months.

Perhaps the most interesting part of Ruben Diaz Jr.'s appearance was when he touched on the planned ex pansion of Med Alliance. The owner/developer hopes to expand the healthcare services offered at his site on Fordham Road and Belmont Avenue, while also adding 58 units of residential housing. Click here for coverage of the issue if you're not familiar with it. We've said in the past that this is just a terrible idea overall because the traffic in that area is already horrendous. It is much to my chagrin that Diaz reports the he voted yes on this project "with recommendations." His recommendation was that the owner of the site should provide a drive through parking lot so that there isn't a "traffic nightmare" with vehicles forced to enter/exit through a small one-way street. Has he driven or tried to walk over in that area lately? It is already a traffic nightmare, and no matter what kind of parking system you implement it doesn't change that fact that you'll have a greater number of vehicles clogging the area trying to either access medical services or get home to their apartments. BAD IDEA. Diaz touches on Med Alliance at the 11:20 mark if you're interested...


~ErLu