Bronx News Roundup, Feb. 10

We hope everyone is staying warm in this blizzard! Here are some of today's news stories to read while you're snowed in:

The front page of today's Daily News had more on the biggest Bronx story this week: Council member Larry Seabrook's indictment, that was unsealed Tuesday. The 66-page document lists a number of offenses, according to the article--from funneling large sums through suspect nonprofits to claiming $177 on his expense report for the cost of a bagel. Read more here.

For those of you who were worried about those chickens in Highbridge, fear not: the Daily News followed up yesterday's story, about wild birds who've settled down in a lot on Edward L. Grant Highway, with today's piece on a nearby business manager who vows to find a safe home for the flock.

The boys swim team at Bronx Science made the Public Schools Athletic League semifinals.

The New York Times city room blog ran a story yesterday about two new supermarkets coming to the Bronx--one in Norwood and one near Tremont Avenue--as part of the city's FRESH initiative, a program to encourage new grocery stores in underserved areas.

The Times also ran a review of this Ghanian restaurant on the Grand Concourse in Fordham Heights.

A prisoner escaped police custody yesterday at the Bronx Criminal Courthouse on East 161st Street, after changing clothes to impersonate another man. Police are still looking for 22-year-old Michael Bautista, who was being arraigned at the courthouse for assaulting his girlfriend and a police officer.

Debate on Supermarket

There's a roiling debate under way over at Boogiedowner about a proposed big-box supermarket at the Kingsbridge Armory.

Boogiedowner is in favor of the idea and tangles with a spokesman for Morton Williams (the supermarket across the street from the armory on Kingsbridge Road, which has been a driving fore in opposing a supermarket at the armory) in the comments section of the post.

Norwood News visited Morton Williams and wrote about the supermarket issue in detail in July, but one question that hasn't gotten much ink is, if the developer beats back the opposition to a market, what kind of market would work at the armory? Many members of Community Board 7 support a supermarket at the armory, and have cited a desire to see a specialty foods market like Whole Foods or Fairway. But it's not certain whether either of those businesses considering opening up shop there. What do supermarket supporters want to see there and what do they think would actually be viable?

Much of the debate on the Boogiedowner centers on the living wage issue, which we also wrote about in July. On its editorial page, Norwood News has supported the push for a living wage requirement at the armory.

Diaz Stalls on Amory Project, Waits for Response on Draft Benefits Agreement from Developer

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. has asked for and received an extension on his deadline to submit his recommendation to the city regarding the Kingsbridge Armory mall project, saying he wants to see how the developer responds to a proposed Community Benefits Agreement (CBA).

Diaz is in the process of weighing the pros and cons of the Related Companies’ land use review application, which, if approved, would pave the way for the developer’s plan to turn the 575,000-square-foot Armory into a retail shopping mall. He was supposed to say whether or not he supports the project by early next week, but, with the extension, he now has until Sept. 8.

Earlier this week, Diaz’s office sent Related a draft of an agreement that would bring the community addition benefits from the project aside from new shopping options and low-paying retail jobs. The agreement was a collaborative effort between Diaz’s office, Community Board 7, the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA) and local elected officials.

“We do not want to say yes or no on the ULURP application until we have some idea from the developer regarding their direction on the CBA,” said Diaz spokesperson John DeSio, in a e-mail.

According to Greg Faulkner, the chairman of Community Board 7, which voted yes on the project on the condition, among others, that a substantial and enforceable CBA be signed by Related, the draft CBA included a living wage requirement for tenants at the Amory mall, something KARA has lobbied hard for over the past year.

Related has said it will walk away from the project before including living wage requirements. Related officials could not be reached by the time of this post, but we'll keep trying. The Riverdale Press reported that Related is still reviewing the CBA document.

Also included in the draft CBA are local hiring goals, labor neutrality (to protect unionization efforts) and mechanisms to protect and create affordable housing in the area.

The CBA also included language excluding a big-box supermarket at the Armory. Related had carved out space in the Armory for a 60,000-square-foot supermarket and Board 7 members had voted to support a new supermarket with organic food options. But Morton Williams, a local supermarket chain, had lobbied hard against an Armory supermarket and had the support of the entire Bronx delegation to the City Council.

CBA’s have become common practice for big development projects in California and have gained popularity in other parts of the country, but the few signed in New York City have been criticized for being unsubstantial and lacking true community involvement. The Armory CBA would be the first driven by community voices, including Board 7 and KARA.

Supermarket War at Armory?

According to the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) submitted to the city on May 14, Related Companies is planning to build space in the gigantic Kingsbridge Armory for a 60,000 square foot supermarket.

Morton Williams, which operates two Bronx supermarkets, including one directly across the street from the Armory, said if Related puts in a supermarket in their Shops at the Armory mall, they will be forced to close both Bronx grocery stores, according to Crain's.

Since the beginnign of the redevelopment process, Morton Williams, which is part of the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA), has adamantly opposed the inclusion of a supermarket at the new Amory mall.

Bronx News Links: Arroyo in trouble, Bronx Aerospace under fire, Supermarkets dwindle

Here's a few Bronx stories from last week that we didn't get around to posting until today:

Arroyo Under Investigation
Bronx City Councilwoman Maria del Carmen Arroyo is under criminal investigation for allegedly funneling more than $80,000 to a nonprofit with family connections.

Daily News reports: "City officials confirmed the probe Wednesday, a month after the Daily News disclosed that Arroyo directed $82,500 in 2007 to the South Bronx Community Corp., where her sister was the fiscal officer and her nephew was executive director."

Bronx Aerospace Under Fire
The extremely successful Bronx Aerospace H.S. may be closed by the Air Force at the end of next year unless school administrators can account for $66,000 and address possible rule violations, the Daily News reports.

The Air Force officially placed the school on probation for possibly mishandling ROTC funds, and parents and teachers have complained about certain school rules, including one student promoting his girlfriend.

The principal, Barbara Kirkweg, known around school as Captain Kirk, says the problem surrounds ROTC funds, which are separate from general school funds and she expects situation to be resolved soon.

In 2006, we reported that the aviation-themed Academy graduated more than 93 percent of its class in 2005, making it the most successful small school at the time. Last year's graduation rate was 90 percent, according to InsideSchools.org. Students said they are judged based on their performance and leadership skills rather than students' clothing. The high school also provides a refuge from the streets, as students often stayed late in the night.

Supermarket Scarcity
Soundview residnts held a town hall meeting last night to discuss the possible closure of the area's largest supermarket Key Foods, in the face of rent hikes and dwindling supermarkets.

Daily News reports: "In a borough where few people own cars and public transit coverage is less than ideal, closing a major grocery store could mean a difficult trek to the next-nearest supermarket, or force the least mobile to rely on higher-priced local grocery stores."

-Compiled by Stephen Baron