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Early plans show few onsite
parking spots will be included
in the project.
Jason Labate, St. Peter’s
attorney, told the Bronx
Times that the church is
about to sign a 99-year lease
that will raise the needed
funds to complete deferred
repairs on its historic church
site and develop programing
that meets the needs of
parishioners and the larger
community.
“Really, the expectation
is (for the church) to support
itself and its role in the community
in the long term,”
said Labate.
Labate said it was critical
to the diocese that the
church maintain ownership
of the property and that it be
a ground lease.
He cited the church’s presence
in the community dating
back to the 1600s as a reason,
adding that the most-current
church was built in the 19th
century when the Episcopal
congregation was more affl uent
and larger.
Aside from the scale of
the ‘as of right’ project in
an R-6 zone at the corner
of Westchester Avenue and
Herschell Street, CB 10 is
still working with the Landmarks
Preservation Commission
to determine whether
the site, located next to the
historic church and churchyard,
is landmarked like the
rest of the property at 2500
Westchester Avenue, said
Matt Cruz, CB 10 district
manager.
“Many believe that the
(entire) property is landmarked,”
said Cruz, adding
that the board was concerned
about the building size,
which would be taller than
any nearby structure.
The plans as presented at
a Monday, January 7 CB 10
Housing and Zoning committee
were preliminary, said
Cruz.
The board asked the
church to come back when
plans are more settled and
unconditional, he said.
Cruz said that the laws regarding
landmarked properties
would make it diffi cult to
develop the land if it is landmarked.
The development is committed
to a portion of the
church property known as
‘Building Lot 6’.
“Only a portion of lot 6 is
part of the designated landmark
site of St. Peter’s Church,
Chapel and Cemetery,” stated
an LPC spokeswoman. “If the
proposed development is on
the designated landmark site,
the Landmarks Preservation
Commission will need to review
it.”
Members of the East
Bronx History Forum believe
the building site is part of a
centuries-old Quaker burial
ground, said Tom Casey, a forum
member.
Casey said that as far as is
known, about 75 bodies were
buried in a Quaker burial
ground in that general location,
dating back to 1672.
Quaker cemeteries in
many cases don’t have headstones,
he said.
Labate said that the church
extensively researched and
studied the proposed location,
and determined that
there aren’t any graves present
at the proposed site.
He stressed St. Peter’s
takes these matters seriously
since it maintains its own
historic churchyard.
Some CB 10 board members,
like Bob Bieder, were
supportive of the church’s
plans, saying that the church
does good work and needs
funds to maintain its mission.
Others, like Andrew Chirico
said that the scale of the
project, parking concerns
and the need to outreach to
neighbors were all weighing
on his mind.
Calls to the Bluestone
Organization were not returned.
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Community members and small business owners testifi ed at a City Planning Commission hearing
about Blondell Commons on Wednesday, January 30. The Westchester Square BID strongly supports
the proposed development. Photo courtesy of Westchester Square BID
Blondell Commons backed by
Westchester Sq. BID at ULURP
CLASSIFIED
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Times Reporter, 3604 B E. Tremont Avenue, Bronx, NY 10465
MEMBER:
Planned 11-story complex may
trample St. Peter’s Cemetery land
A rendering of the project with a view of the ground level, as presented to Community Board 10 on
Monday, January 7. Schneps Media / Patrick Rocchio
for the Westchester Square
Business Improvement District
is increasing foot traffi
c, and this will defi nitely
increase it,” he said, adding
that it may open the door
to more zoning changes for
other Blondell Avenue sites
that are closer to the Metropolitan
Transportation
Authority train storage facility.
The street straddles the
border between Community
Board 10 and Community
Board 11.
The CB 10 side of the
street, a block away from
East Tremont Avenue, is
already zoned to accommodate
apartment buildings,
he said.
The BID feels that the
Blondell Avenue corridor
could eventually be opened
to redevelopment.
This particular lot requires
environmental remediation,
said Bonizio.
Another individual
who testifi ed at CPC in favor
of the project, Blondell
Avenue resident and past
Westchester Square merchant
Alex Garoni, said he
thought having a gleaming
new apartment building
with security might
discourage illicit activities
like illegal dumping in that
area.
“If they are going to
rebuild other areas of the
Bronx, why not Westchester
Square?” he asked, noting
it is easily accessible to
mass transit via the IRT #6
train and buses.
Garoni collected petition
signatures from scores
of local businesses and community
members in support
of the project and presented
them to CPC, he said.
Garoni said that when
he owned a fl oral store on
the Square, he saw how a
lack of foot traffi c harms
business, and believes the
area needs more residents.
“The site today is an
abandoned auto salvage
yard and the Blondell Commons
development will
bring much needed affordable
housing, new retail
space, street activity and
vitality to what is now an
unattractive street that is
dark and empty at night,”
said Garoni.
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