after a its board voted in
February 2016 to sell the
property to the city even
though developers were offering
more money for the
site, said Casey.
“We had received higher
offers from commercial developers,
but we chose to sell
to the NYPL,” said Casey.
“We felt that we wanted to
be good neighbors and that
it might make sense to have
(another) library as a neighbor
as opposed to a high
rise.”
Plans for the modern
library were presented to
Community Board 10 in
2014, and according to a previous
Bronx Times article,
funding was allocated by
three elected offi cials: $12
million in NYC City Council
funds secured by former
Councilman James Vacca,
$1 million from Borough
President Ruben Diaz Jr.
and $2 million from former
Mayor Bloomberg.
Initial estimates from
2014 projected the cost to
be about $13 million and architectural
fi rm Snøhetta
designed a modern
12,000-square-foot library,
according to that article.
Casey said that HFL
signed a non-legally binding
memorandum of understanding
concerning the
purchase of its former annex
next to their 19th century
building for $930,000.
The plan, which had
been discussed for about a
decade, would have complemented
the existing library.
While the building sat
empty, the HFL continued
to incur costs to maintain
the property.
Now the organization
may need to entertain
other offers for the site, said
Casey.
“Sadly, the Huntington
has expended over $150,000
preparing for the sale, (and
this has) gone on for over
nine years,” stated Casey.
The costs included building
permits, and the cost to
separate the water, electrical
and gas lines the building
at 9 Westchester Square
shared with the proposed
library property.
They are also paying
insurance costs for the
roughly 10,000 square foot
building and the land next
door.
Additionally, the combined
heating plant that
feed 5 and 9 Westchester
Square had to be separated,
said Casey.
They also paid to have
the existing one tax lot split
into two lots.
A NYPL spokeswoman
stated that the organization
is still “anxious to move
(the) project forward.”
“The New York City
Department of Design and
Construction has identifi ed
a substantial shortfall and
we have requested those
funds from the City of New
York before proceeding,”
stated the NYPL spokeswoman.
“We are awaiting a
response.”
A NYPL source said
that the plans hadn’t fallen
through.
As of press time, a DDC
spokesman did not have information
as to how large
the shortfall.
However, as far as the
HFL goes, the organization,
which never got a security
deposit from the city for the
purchase, will pursue remedies
to recover all monies
it has expended (if the deal
doesn’t materialize), Casey
said.
Councilman Mark
Gjonaj said he was told that
the project was fully funded
and he was surprised to
hear otherwise.
“We understand, to our
surprise, that there is a viable
city funding issue,”
said Gjonaj, adding “We
are looking into what is required
for a next step.”
Gjonaj remained optimistic
about bringing the
library project to fruition.
“The project is still at
this point a viable project,”
said Gjonaj. “We just have
to make sure this remains
a priority for this upcoming
city budget and with the
(NYPL), and this project begins.”
The new library was
touted in 2014 and 2015 as a
catalyst for the ongoing revitalization
of the square,
according to previously
published Bronx Times reports.
The Westchester Square
Business Improvement
District’s chairman, John
Bonizio, said that he isn’t
surprised that the city ran
over budget on the project
because based on his observations,
it does so on a lot of
projects.
Bonizio called the lack
of progress “anti-community”.
The physical plant of the
current Westchester Square
branch isn’t in great shape,
said Sandi Lusk, Westchester
Square Zerega Improvement
Organization leader, adding
that a library in the heart of
the square could be a great
thing for the community.
She noted that the original
plans called not just for
another branch to replace
the one on Glebe Avenue,
but a larger ‘library center,’
similar to the main borough
branch, with a larger
amount of programming
and additional research capabilities
than the current
branch.
Mott Haven district turns 50
Mott Haven should not be
overlooked.
“Some of the town
houses or row houses
on Alexander Avenue
date back to 1863,” said
Brooks. “They are some
of the oldest row houses
in the city.”
The oldest Mott Haven
district includes the Mott
Haven Library built in
1905 as the fi rst Carnegie
Library in the Bronx; the
Victorian Gothic St. Jerome’s
Church; and the
1920s era 40th Precinct,
in addition to the rows of
fi ne homes.
Alexander Avenue was
at one point known as
‘doctors row’ for the large
amount of physicians calling
it home, said Brooks,
adding it was also known
as ‘politicians row.’
The massive amount of
large-scale development
in Mott Haven near the
waterfront is something
that Brooks is keenly
aware of as this celebration
takes places, with
some in the community
rightfully concerned
about fast rising rents,
and others welcoming the
new development and the
amenities that should follow,
he said.
The attention by large
real estate interests
helped him promote the
historic district in Mott
Haven without resources
that some other historic
districts can count on, he
said.
He said he formed the
association so that people
could understand the architectural
contribution
the borough has made
since Jonas Bronck fi rst
settled the area in 1639.
“This came from long
term residents who truly
understand the contribution
that the Bronx has
made to the architectural
beauty of the city,” said
Brooks, adding “We have
been singing the beauty
of the Bronx for a couple
of decades”
Trumpeting that
beauty has also become
easier as the Historic
Districts Council, a nonprofi
t advocating for the
city’s historical neighborhoods,
made Mott Haven
one of its ‘Six to Celebrate’
in 2017, he said.
Alexandra Maruri,
owner of Bronx Historical
Tours and a borough
native, has been giving
tours in Mott Haven for
eight years.
She said that tours
with people from around
the world are still breaking
down negative stereotypes.
www.BXTimes.com BRONX WEEKLY March 10, 2019 4
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MEMBER:
from Page 1
from Page 1
A group of row houses on Alexander Avenue near East 139th Street
that are in the historic district turning 50 years old are indicative
of some of the classic town houses in the Mott Haven community.
Photo courtsy of Mott Haven Historic Districts Association
Public library for Huntington
Free Library site in doubt
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