More Labor Groups Joining Fight for Benefits Agreement, Living Wage at Armory; Rally Planned for Sunday, Oct. 25

As the Related Companies, one of the city's most powerful developers, moves further through the city's land review process for its planned shopping mall at the Kingsbridge Armory, more labor groups are calling for them to sign a binding community benefits agreement that would include living wage job guarantees and union protections.

Earlier today, the New York City Central Labor Council, which represents 1.3 million workers from more than 400 local unions, approved a resolution urging the City Council to reject Related's Armory mall proposal unless a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) is signed before the Council votes on the project, which will be within the next two months. The benefits agreement, they said, should include living and prevailing wage jobs ($10, plus benefits), unions protections and other community benefits.

Jack Ahern, the president of the labor council, said a strong benefits agreement with living wage jobs included would "allow workers a chance to provide for their families and to build a better life."

The Council joined the Retail, Warehouse and Department Store union (RWDSU) and the Building Construction Trades Council in calling for a strong benefits agreement.

On Monday, the City Planning Commission approved of Related's plan without a benefits agreement in place by a vote of 8-4. The representative of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., as well as representatives of the Manhattan and Brooklyn borough presidents and public advocate Betsey Gottbaum, voted against the project because it lacked a binding benefits agreement that included living wage requirements.

Related has said living wage requirements would make the project unprofitable and wouldn't be fair to tenants moving into the renovated Armory.

The Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance, which has pushed for living wages at the Armory for the last two years, is holding a rally in support of living wages and responsible development at the Armory on Sunday afternoon at St. Nicholas Tolentine Church at 3 p.m. (2345 University Ave., right on the corner of Fordham Road and University) and is inviting everyone in the community to attend.

City Planning Vote Was 8 to 4 in Favor of Armory Plan; Council Has Final Say

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. spoke on the steps of City Hall at a press conference following the City Planning Commission vote. Heidi Hynes of KARA is at left.

Following up on the previous post, the vote at City Planning on the Kingsbridge Armory was 8 to 4. A defeat? Obviously. But hardly a nail in the coffin as many Council members will look to the votes of their borough presidents -- and three BP reps (Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan) voted against it -- as they decide whether to give the plan the final OK, or kill it. There are 40 Council members in the three boroughs where the reps voted no. Some of those may not vote for the project, but opponents only need 26 votes to defeat the plan.

We'll have more reporting to come, but it wouldn't surprise us if what happened at City Planning today gets the Related Companies in a negotiating mood on that elusive Community Benefits Agreement.

Here's what the chair of the City Planning Commission had to say about her vote:

“Related Company's proposal to redevelop the Kingsbridge Armory represents the most significant private investment in the northwest Bronx in generations. The plan provides an important opportunity to reactivate a unique asset that has been vacant for the past 15 years and to bring jobs, needed services and retail to a dense, transit-rich part of the Bronx. The plan was developed closely with the community and elected officials as part of Mayor Bloomberg's Kingsbridge Armory Task Force.

“Throughout the ULURP process, there has been spirited discussion about many issues related to how to ensure this major plan is a good fit within its community. Some of these issues are within the purview of the land use process, and some are not.

“I believe the City Planning Commission should not restrict the disposition of the property and should allow flexibility in the tenanting of the Armory to help ensure the success of the project and best serve the needs of the community over time.

“For this application, as we have consistently held with other applications in the past, the issue of a Community Benefit Agreement including commitment to living wages should not weigh in our consideration of the merits of the land-use application for rezoning, disposition of City-owned property, and changes to the City Map. I vote yes.”

And here's what Bedford Park resident and KARA (Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance) leader Heidi Hynes had to say on the steps of City Hall at a press conferene with the borough president.

"This is a public project and its development must improve the lives of working people in the community. Our City Council representatives now have a golden opportunity to set a precedent that ensures that future development in the City benefit the people of the City, and not just the developers. The City Council must vote 'No' on the development of the Kingsbridge Armory until Related signs a binding Community Benefits Agreement."

Well, This Should Be Interesting ....

The Bronx Chamber of Commerce just sent out a release announcing honorees for their Oct. 1 banquet.

The Related Companies, which wants to redevelop the Kingsbridge Armory, is receiving the "Visionary Award," presumably for their work on the Gateway Mall just south of Yankee Stadium.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz will be a special guest. Diaz recently recommended that the City Planning Commission vote against Related's proposal to the Armory into a shopping mall, primarily because there's no Community Benefits Agreement was in place.

Last night at Fernando Cabrera's "victory" party at Maestro's (there is still some recounting to do as previous reported), Diaz told us he hasn't heard anything from Related and that there's been no dialogue. Well, maybe there will be some dialogue at the banquet.

Should be interesting ...

With No Benefits Agreement, Opposition to Developer's Armory Plan is Mounting

Community groups, a big retail workers union and Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. told the City Planning Commission today not to approve the Related Companies' plan to redevelop the Kingsbridge Armory into a giant shopping mall because the developer has refused to sign on to a Community Benefits Agreement.

In his statement, Diaz said he couldn't recommend approval of the project "based on the lack of a signed Community Benefits Agreement that inlcudes provisions concerning a living wage policy, first source and local hiring, various economic development initiatives, labor peace and the ability of employees at the retail development to unionize, community access to space at the Kingsbridge Armory and the development of a community facility as part of the project, the maintenance of local parks, green initiatives, and are traffic improvements."

Diaz also relayed concerns about the economic impact on businesses on nearby Fordham Road and the River Plaza, traffic concerns and the inclusion of school facilities as part of the project.

Representatives of the The Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA) and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) also said the planning commission shouldn't approve the project for similar reasons, the living wage policy and unionization protections being the biggest ones.

Earlier this summer Community Board 7 voted to approve of the project, but only if Related, a national developer with close ties to the Bloomberg administration, entered into a substantial and binding benefits agreement.

Related has said they would enter into a benefits agreement, but in a statement last week, Related said it had concerns that some of the provisions contained in the borough president's benefits agreement proposal would undermine the financial viability and profitability of the Armory.

Though they declined to specify which provisions they were referring to, Related officials have repeatedly said no to any kind of living wage policy, which would require retailers at the Armory mall to pay their employees $10 an hour, plus benefits.

Because of Diaz's stance, it's clear that negotiations between the borough presidnet (who is also representing KARA and Board 7) and Related hav fizzled.

This morning, KARA held a rally in support of CBA before the planning commission met to hear testimony. Tonight, local religious leaders who are members of KARA are rallying outside of the Armory to "call on God for strength in pursuing the righteous cause of High Road Development at the Kingsbridge Armory."