Jordan Moss, reporting from City Hall, says the City Council's Land Use Committee voted 17-1 to reject the Related Companies' proposal to turn the Kingsbridge Armory into a shopping mall.
The full Council still needs to vote on the project, but it's almost a sure bet that the proposal is going down. If the Council does vote to reject the plan, the mayor can override that vote with a veto, but that seems unlikely given the overwhelming opposition to the plan in the two committees that voted against the project today. The Council can override the mayor's veto with a two-thirds majority.
We'll have more details soon.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Land Use Overwhelming Votes to Reject Armory Plan
5 comments:
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Although the Armory may lay vacant for a longer period of time, this is a good thing for the community. Thanks to Jordan for the great summary of the history of our community organizing around this space and to the Norwood News for their unparalleled coverage of this issue.
ReplyDeleteI feel like we need to prepare as a community for all the negative press this is sure to draw, saying that the Related plan was a missed opportunity for development in the Bronx. This is a game-changing shift in NYC for communities gaining tangible benefits from development. And I am proud that it started in our community driven by thoughtful discussion and assessment of real community needs led by NWBCC and KARA.
this is an easy one to answer... this "opportunity" was allowed to pass because it was a phony opporunity. it provided a sham developoment and there are better and more creative ways to build a community than just a mall. also, this is a major "don't dump on nthe bronx" effort that has the potential to open up eyes around the city that the staus quo of top-down development is not acceptable. it also says that environmental impact statements must be done right... and not be full of lies. a big day for new yorkers in the city council today.
ReplyDeleteThis is a sad day for business in the Bronx. The negative press that will come with this vote is appropriate; this is a major setback for the economic future of the Bronx. KARA and the Bronx City Council delegation have set a precedent that tells investors who want to spend money in the Bronx , "Drop dead! We do not want you to spend investment dollars here."
ReplyDeleteGary, I am not sure how you can label this a
"don't dump on the Bronx" effort. Related was planning on building a mall, not a needle dispensary, or methadone clinic, or a homeless intake shelter, or a house for sex offenders.
I find it hard to celebrate lengthening the vacancy of the Armory. I find it hard to celebrate saying no to 2,200 jobs. I find it hard to see how building nothing is better than putting construction workers, and retail associates to work and funneling sales tax back to NYC and away from Westchester.
So I ask all of the vociferous ideologues, who shout down anyone who wanted something to be built at the Armory, "What now?" What is your ideal(and realistic) goal for the Armory?
because when you have a fraudulent EIS designed for one thing - to gain approval (just as for yankee stadium and the filtration plant) - and the plan has nothing to do with the community's stated agenda, and you fly in people from the outside to profit without sufficiently benefitting the people who live in the community, then you are indeed dumping on the bronx. and finally, the foot has been put down to say, "no more".
ReplyDeleteyou'll see, this is gonna get done and get done in a better more advantageous way then the related proposal. it may take some time (i predict 2 years) but it'll get done.
I hope I am wrong, but I think KARA and the City Council has effectively killed this thing, at leadt while Bloomy is still in office (for the next four years).
ReplyDeleteWill KARA and Ruben Diaz be celebrating when the Armory is still vacant in another 10 years?