tion sent a letter to Governor
Cuomo on Monday, February
25 asking that the state
split the costs of the project.
“While the development
in itself paints a healthy economic
picture for the Bronx,
it’s missing one very important
element: adequate and
swift highway access to and
from the site,” stated the letter,
asking for state help in
fi nancing the new construction.
Hutch Metro is in Councilman
Mark Gjonaj’s district,
and he said that another
road would relieve
congestion on Marconi
Street and Waters Place,
which often becomes
jammed with cars.
The councilman said he
believes that the city and
state would be investing
taxpayer dollars wisely, and
pave the way for an already
planned future expansion of
HMC.
“This is economic development
at its best, creating
infrastructure for future
investment and current
needs,” said Gjonaj. He believes
that it is the responsibility
of the city to build
roads like this to further
economic development.
The next step is to get
the project funded in both
the city and state budgets,
stated Gjonaj, with Kelleher
adding that the street would
traverse the development
from the parkway to Marconi
Street, and potentially
also have the effect of easing
traffi c congestion around
nearby Jacobi Medical Center,
Einstein Hospital and
Calvary Hospital.
Arlene Grauer, Country
Club Civic Association president,
said she visits HMC
frequently and believes
that the access road is badly
needed for safety reasons.
“I think it is paramount
that people have more than
one way in and out of the
Hutchinson Metro Center,”
she said, adding “My concern
is the safety and security
of people using the
medical facilities as well as
its employees. If there is an
emergency…it isn’t going to
pretty.”
The City Planning Commission has unanimously approved Blondell Commons, still a source of controversy
in the community, as part of the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure.
CPC okays Blondell Commons
and should not be, used for
industrial purposes,” stated
Bonizio. “For years, the warehousing
of motor vehicles on
this property has most likely
created environmental issues
that would remain unaddressed
if the current zoning
status is continued.”
The zoning change is one
of the last obstacles the project,
with its 228 apartments,
faces.
Neither Community
Board 10 nor Community
Board 11 supported the project,
although the project had
a good number of supporters
on both boards.
The project is in CB 11
but across the street from
CB 10, which is the community
board the Westchester
Square BID is located.
The approval by CPC was
expected, said Matt Cruz,
CB 10 district manager, because
City Planning is a mayoral
agency and interested
in building more affordable
housing.
“The community board
understands this was expected,”
said Cruz. “Now
this goes before the NYC
City Council where Councilman
Mark Gjonaj will have a
crack at it.”
Al D’Angelo, CB 11 chairman,
said that the board
didn’t support the project because
there was community
opposition to the proposal.
A spokesman for Gjonaj
said that the councilman is
still in the process of making
sure that community concerns
are addressed, such as
the lack of students seats.
The possible addition of
a school somewhere in the
Square’s business district
would help address the fact
that the new building is zoned
for a school that is already at
150 percent capacity, said the
spokesman.
Some have suggested
placing a charter school in
the building’s ground fl oor
space.
A hearing on the ULURP
is scheduled at the NYC
Council on Tuesday, March
19, said Gjonaj’s spokesman,
adding that their offi ce is in
an ongoing conversation with
the developer.
Supporters of the mixeduse
building, which will
have ground fl oor commercial
space and approximately
189,000 square feet of residential
space, hailed the CPC decision.
Alex Garoni, a Blondell
Avenue resident who represented
the merchants and
plan’s supporters at a CPC
public hearing, said that this
will be a positive development.
“It is defi nitely going to
help the community and
those needing affordable
housing,” said Garoni. “It
will defi nitely uplift the economy
on the Square.”
Garoni, a former
Westchester Square merchant,
said the commercial
district is in need of more
foot traffi c and the additional
parking would help bring people
into the shopping area.
A statement from the developer,
Exact Capital, said
that they were delighted to
have the support of CPC.
“With all of the benefi ts
this project presents to the
community we are optimistic
the city council will approve
it,” read the statement.
“Blondell Commons provides
much needed affordable housing
with a special allocation
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MEMBER:
from Page 1
from Page 1
Calls for new Hutch Metro roads
Marconi Street is currently the principal means of getting in and out of the Hutchinson Metro Center.
for veterans.”
The statement also read:
“Signifi cant change in the
form of development is often
met with questions and even
resistance; however the majority
of residents and business
owners are enthusiastic
about this project, which refl
ects the attention we gave to
their views.”
Sandi Lusk, leader of the
Westchester Square Zerega
Improvement Organization,
expressed the opposite view,
and said that to get her organization’s
support the number
of stories in the building
would have to be reduced,
from nine to six, to make it
more contextual with other
Square properties
“I would say build it in
the context of the area,” said
Lusk, adding that she feels
the project size is too extreme
for the community.
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