CPC APPROVES
SQUARE PROJECT
Okays 228-unit Blondell
Commons; Council next
BY PATRICK ROCCHIO
An affordable housing project
that may spark a host of similar
changes for a tiny street in the
Westchester Square vicinity just received
approval during its Uniform
Land Use Review Procedure.
The City Planning Commission
okayed a zoning change that
will permit a nine-story residential
building known as Blondell Commons
to be constructed on a mostly
industrial street at 1340 Blondell Avenue.
The vote on Wednesday, February
27 was a victory for much of the
Square’s business community that
supports the project in part because
it would increase foot traffi c and
provide a sorely-needed 225-space
parking garage that would be partially
available for community use.
Westchester Square Business
Improvement District chairman,
John Bonizio, strongly urged City
Planning in a letter to support the
rezoning of the parcel of land from
an M1-1 manufacturing zone to an
R7A residential zone.
“We support this change primarily
because this parcel has not been,
Calls for
new Hutch
Metro roads
BY PATRICK ROCCHIO
One of the borough’s economic
engines is lobbying for public
funds to improve access to its campus
like grounds.
The long-promised road that
would provide direct access into
and out of the Hutchinson Metro
Center from the Hutchinson
River Parkway, a proposal that
dates back to 2002, is needed for
the sprawling offi ce complex and
a planned adjoining Metro North
station, according to the development’s
management.
The roadway was discussed
with government offi cials when Simone
Development purchased the
land for the fi rst phase of Hutch
Metro Center, which has since
grown to include a Montefi ore ambulatory
surgery center and a Marriot
hotel, said Joseph Kelleher, Simone
Metro Properties president.
“The reason for building this
road is the Hutchinson Metro
Center only has one way in and
one way out,” said Kelleher. “It
will ease congestion in and out of
the center, and on surrounding
roadways, which are already over
taxed.”
The roadway improvement
would create a new parkway exit
and entrance to the Hutch Metro
Center and an adjoining city 911
Call Center. The site is currently
accessed by Marconi Street.
It was included in a group of
recommendations in a May 2015
NYC Department of City Planning
study of the parkway between the
Bronx-Whitestone Bridge and Coop
City, said Kelleher.
A subsequent $1 million study
completed in 2018 by the NYC Department
of Design and Construction
concluded that the project and
ancillary work would cost over
$127 million.
Given the price tag, the entire
Bronx NYC City Council delega-
Actress sends Mt. St. Ursula
girls on free Super Hero viewing
BY ALEX MITCHELL
Eva Longoria may not have
played Captain Marvel in the motion
picture, but she’s the hero to
the Academy of Mount St. Ursula
of 330 Bedford Park Boulevard.
Just before the release of the
fi lm, the all girls’ high school created
a GoFundMe page to raise
enough money for the entire
school to see Captain Marvel on
the big screen, which Longoria
overwhelmingly contributed to.
In under a month, the campaign
not only hit the $10,000
Continued on Page 4
goal, but even raised an extra
$340 as well.
“Many of our girls come from
underprivileged circumstances,
and more than 70% live below
the poverty line,” the campaign
stated.
Thus, the academy set out to
raise $10,000 dollars, breaking
down the costs as: $13 per child
ticket, an additional $13 for refreshments
and $17 per chaperone
ticket.
“We want to give them the op-
Your Neighborhood — Your News® March 17, 2019
LOCAL
CL ASSIFIEDS
PA GE 18
Fighting For A Living
On Wednesday, March 6, Bronx resident workers rallied at Bronx Borough
Hall with their supporters and authorized a strike if negotiations continue
to falter. Freddie Alvarez rallied with his fellow union members.
Photo by Silvio Pacifi co
Continued on Page 4 Continued on Page 19
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