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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Bronx BP Heavily Involved in Hunts Point Negotiations, Spokesman Says

Despite a Crain's article that does not mention his involvement, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. is heavily involved in negotiations to keep the Hunts Point Market in the Bronx, said spokesman John DeSio.

In our news roundup earlier today (now updated), we made note of the conspicuous fact that Diaz was not mentioned in the Crain's article as being part of the city and state's Hunts Point Market negotiating team. It did mention Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy, the Empire State Development Corp., the city's Economic Development Corp. and other Bloomberg officials.

Diaz has said keeping the Hunts Point Market in the Bronx is a top priority of his administration. DeSio says this remains the case and that Diaz and Duffy are in regular contact, as is Marlene Cintron, the head of the Bronx Overall Development Corp., and the city's EDC. He added that Diaz was instrumental in bringing New York's U.S. Senators, Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, into the negotiating fold. 

On Sunday, Crain's reported that the market cooperative is on the verge of signing a short-term lease to stay in the Bronx, at least temporarily, while they continue to negotiate a long-term lease, either in Hunts Point or New Jersey.

6 comments:

  1. When it comes to the Bronx and this borough president, it seems clear that Crain's has an agenda.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Crain's and Crain's readership are loathe to see the gravy train derailed, so their dislike for BP Diaz is understandable. They would prefer to keep taxpayer dollars flowing unaccountably into the pockets of developers and the politically connected.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Is Diaz making an issue of "living wages" at Hunt's Point with all the tax dollars it will take to entice the Market into staying?

    Will he refuse to support the deal unless every worker at the market get the "living wage" sought for other projects?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous MAY 25, 2011 11:21:00 AM EDT,

    Per an August 1, 2010 article in Crain's, the market provides four thousand (4,000) full-time union jobs with benefits. It is likely that the overwhelming majority of these (probably 100%) pay more than $10.00/hr.

    Comparing this situation to the armory's, or to the living wage legislation in general, is comparing apples to oranges.

    ReplyDelete
  5. "overwhelming majority" does not mean ALL.

    "probably" does not mean CERTAINLY

    ReplyDelete
  6. FYI I questioned the borough president directly about the possiblity of the Hunts Point Market leaving the Bronx when he appeared on BronxTalk a few weeks ago. His responses give you insight into where he stands on the issue. I believe it's about 1/4 into the show. Here's the link to it.

    http://bronxnet.org/tv/bronxtalk/viewvideo/659/bronxtalk/bronx-borough-president-ruben-diaz-on-bronxtalk-may-2nd-with-gary-axelbank--may-2-2011

    ReplyDelete

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