Members present:

Francine Acevedo, Jannie Armstrong, Jose Francisco Avila, Virginia Bird, Claudette Coles, Will Crittendon, Annette de Jesus, Diana Diaz (arrived after attendance was taken), Margarita Espinosa, Frank J. Franz, Cheryl Holt-Andrews, Marie Howse, Sara N. Logan, Magdamari Marcano, Michael Menotti, Thomas J. Murray, Floretta A. O’Brien, Wendy Rodriguez, Magdalena Vega and Marie Washington.

Members absent:

Santhamani Choudhary, Kenneth Jackson, Melissa Libran, Lorine Padilla, Rosa Peraza, Marie G. Riolo, Rev. Torrence Robinson, Hector Torres and Perquida Williams

Elected officials’ representatives present:

Mr. Wilhelm Ronda, representing Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr
Mr. Jesus Fernandez, representing City Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera
Mr. Edward Fleming, representing State Senator Jeffrey Klein
Mr. Ismael Malave, Jr., representing City Comptroller John C. Lui
Mr. S. Gonzalez, representing State Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada
Ms. Yahaira Ortiz, representing Assemblyman Michael Benjamin
Ms. Wendoly Marte, representing Assemblyman Jose Rivera
Ms. Ailene McLaren, representing City Council member G. Oliver Koppell

I. CALL TO ORDER

Bronx Community Board #6’s February 3, 2010 public hearing on Uniform Land Use Review Procedure Application # C090143 ZMX was held at the Candy Lounge, which is located at 608 East Fordham Road, Bronx, New York, and was called to order by Board Chairperson Wendy Rodriguez at approximately 6:45 pm.

II. INVOCATION:

The invocation was delivered by Health and Human Services Committee Chairperson Thomas J. Murray and consisted of a prayer for the victims of the earthquake that recently struck the island of Haiti.

III. ROLL CALL ATTENDANCE

A roll call attendance was taken verifying the presence of a quorum of 19 members. Ms. Diana Diaz arrived after the attendance was taken, thereby, raising the quorum to 20.

IV. PUBLIC HEARING

The community board then opened its public hearing on the matter of Uniform Land Use Review Procedure application # C 090143 ZMX for the rezoning of the north side of East Fordham Road between Hughes Avenue and Belmont Avenue from C8-1 and R6 to R6/C2-4 so as to facilitate the development of a 13-story mixed use building containing residential, retail and community facility use at 625 East Fordham Road. The address is the current location of the Med Alliance medical center.

Board Parliamentarian Cheryl Holt-Andrews read the rules of the hearing which included a three minutes limit on the amount of time any speaker may testify. The rules also noted that no vote concerning the application would be taken at the hearing. Instead, the community board’s Housing & Land Use and Economic Developments committees will meet on Monday, February 8, 2010 to formulate a recommendation on the application. The recommendation will then be considered by the full community board at its general meeting of Wednesday, February 10, 2010 which will be held at the Belmont Library, which is located at 610 East 186th Street.

Presentation:

An in depth presentation concerning the application and the residential structure that it will facilitate was made by Mr. Sean Daneshvar, the owner of Med Alliance, and by his legal and technical representatives. They described the history of the application and of the benefits that the proposed residential building will bring to our community in terms of additional jobs, increased housing, more commercial activities, etc.


Speakers:

Those persons who requested to testify as part of the public hearing included:

Ms. Jacqueline Garcia, Med Alliance

Ms. Garcia spoke in favor of the application. She stated that she had been unemployed until God showed her the way to Med Alliance where she found gainful employment. She also spoke favorably about the owner of Med-Alliance, Mr. Sean Daneshvar.

Ms. Theresa Kemp Castro

Ms. Castro spoke in favor of the application. She stated that she has been a patient of Med Alliance for four years. She praised the health care she received at Med Alliance and stated that she would not be alive today if it were not for Med Alliance’s staff. Ms. Castro stated that the Med-Alliance facility is convenient for the community. She asked that we not take it away.

Mr. Joseph M. Rose, JR Ventures Corp

Mr. Rose spoke in favor of the application. He stated that he considered it a pleasure to be able to voice his support for Med-Alliance. Mr. Rose also informed us that he has learned that the Department of City Planning’s plan for a contextual rezoning of East Fordham Road has changed from what it originally presented to the community board.

Mr. Joseph Muriana, four Bronx Institutions Alliance

Mr. Muriana spoke in opposition to the application. His comments were made as a representative of the Four Bronx Institutions Alliance, which is comprised of The Wildlife Conservation Society, the Bronx Botanical Garden, Fordham University and Montefiore Hospital. Their mission is to improve the local gateways to the institutions.

Mr. Muriana explained that the Institutions’ opposition to the application is based on the fact that the Department of City Planning has plans to do a contextual rezoning of East Fordham Road. The Institutions feel that the rezoning of East Fordham Road should be consistent and, therefore, not involve the type of spot zoning that the application calls for. Lastly, Mr. Muriana stated that the Institutions are concerned about the increased traffic that would be generated as a result of the application’s approval; particularly at the intersection of Hughes Avenue and East Fordham Road where vehicles exit and enter the under path.

Dr. A. Rabadz, Med-Alliance

Dr. Rabadz spoke in favor of the application. He stated that the project would generate jobs and better health care and would stimulate the community. Dr. Rabadz further stated that the borough of the Bronx needs the jobs that the Med Alliance project would create.

Ms. Solmaria Andrade, Med Alliance

Ms. Andrade spoke in favor of the application. She stated that approving the project would allow Med Alliance to provide better health care, jobs and prosperity for the borough of the Bronx. Ms. Andrade urged the community board to approve the rezoning application.

Ms. Shahriar Daneshvar, Med-Alliance

Ms. Daneshvar introduced herself as an administrator at Med Alliance and spoke in favor of the application. She stated that the majority of Med Alliance’s employees are from the borough of the Bronx. Ms. Daneshvar also stated that the proposed project will bring street level activity to “this dead stretch of Fordham Road.” Lastly, she noted that the project is not requesting any government funding.

Mr. Joseph D’Alonzo, Cow Bay Contracting

Mr. D’Alonzo introduced himself as a graduate of Fordham University and as the construction manager for the Med Alliance project. He spoke in favor of the application. Mr. D’Alonzo described Mr. Sean Daneshvar (the owner of Med Alliance) as a fair and decent individual who wishes the best for his patients, staff and the community. Mr. D’Alonzo also stated that the proposed project is well proportioned and will provide the community with good jobs and housing.

Mr. Eduardo Isaias Juareza, Alexander Construction

Mr. Juarez registered to speak but was not present when his name was called.


Ms. Rosegelia Vargas, Med Alliance

Ms. Vargas introduced herself as a native resident of the borough of the Bronx and spoke in favor of the application. She stated that the proposed project will have a positive impact on the borough. She noted that Med Alliance has numerous medical specialties and that its patients do not have to wait long for an appointment.

Rev. Ismael Feliciano, New York Clergy Hispanic Organization of New York City

Rev. Feliciano spoke in favor of the application. He stated that, as a pastor, he feels that Med Alliance should be given a chance to grow, expand and continue. He urged the community board to believe in prosperity. He stated that people want to see that Med Alliance gets what it deserves.

Ms. Madeline Castro

Ms. Castro spoke in favor of the application. She stated that she was born and raised in the borough of the Bronx and that she has worked at Med Alliance for the past year and a half. Ms. Castro said that the project will provide job opportunities.

Ms. Brenda Gomez, Med-alliance

Ms. Gomez introduced herself as the medical director for Med Alliance and spoke in favor of the application. She praised Med Alliance and noted that it has given her the opportunity to achieve personal growth.

Dr. Daniel Eisenberg

Dr. Eisenberg introduced himself as one of over thirty doctors currently working at Med Alliance and spoke in favor of the application. He stated that the project will bring additional business and customers to our local merchants and businesses. Dr. Eisenberg also stated that parking in the community will not be adversely affected by the project.

Mr. Schomo Bashan, Mira Property Management LLC

Mr. Bashan spoke in favor of the application. He stated that the project is necessary for the community.

Ms. Ivonne Lawreano, Med Alliance

Ms. Lawreano spoke in favor of the application. She stated that it will bring additional jobs to the community. She also spoke very highly of Med Alliance’s owner, Mr. Sean Daneshvar.

Mr. Rich Legnini, Lighting Graphics

Mr. Legnini spoke in opposition to the application. He stated that approval of the application will be strike three against our community and that the project will cause the number of jobs in our community to diminish. He said we have to save the East Fordham Road corridor.

Ms. Vivian Welton, RPAC

Ms. Welton spoke in favor of the application. She stated that she worked at Med-Alliance since April 2009. Ms. Welton praised Mr. Sean Daneshvar, the owner of Med Alliance, as well as the medical center’s work environment and staff. She stated that the design of the proposed residential building should be a model for future construction projects.

Mrs. Diana Daneshvar, Med-Alliance

Mrs. Daneshvar introduced herself as the wife of Med Alliance’s owner, Mr. Sean Daneshvar. She spoke in favor of the application. Mrs. Daneshvar praised her husband’s commitment to the community. She noted that her family’s motto is: “Give back to the community; community first!”

Dr. Cesar A. Vera, MD, Cardio Care Medical

Dr. Vera was noncommittal in his remarks. He stated that he is not against the application, but feels that it should be modified. The community needs the medical and retail businesses that the project will generate.

Mr. Walter E. Vera

Mr. Vera spoke in opposition to the application. He stated that he wishes we had more knowledge about the project and more time to review it. He noted that few residents from the community were present at the hearing and, therefore, we are not hearing the opinions of those people who are in the area on constant basis. Mr. Vera further stated that there is no reason why rules and laws should be bent for one individual; they should be applied in the same manner across the board.

Mr. Vincent Borgese, Belmont Business Improvement District

Mr. Borgese spoke in opposition to the application. Mr. Borgese stated that the Belmont BID is not opposed to Med Alliance, rather, it is against the ten story building that the company proposes to build above its current structure. He feels that the project will create a traffic nightmare in the area; particularly at East Fordham Road where cars exit the under path. Mr. Borgese stated that we need to arrive at a rezoning plan that is good for everyone rather than being good for just one person.

Ms. Maria Gerbasi

Ms. Gerbasi spoke in opposition to the application. She stated that the proposed building will be an eyesore that will block the sunlight. Ms. Gerbasi further stated that the project will bring increased traffic into the area. She said that while no one is against preserving jobs, the project is not right for the community.

Mr. Salvatore Cartagena, the Candy Lounge

Mr. Cartagena spoke in favor of the application. He stated that the size of the proposed building is irrelevant. We will have traffic problems in the area regardless of the building’s size.

Mr. Sean Daneshvar, Med Alliance

Mr. Daneshvar spoke in favor of the application and stressed that people in Yonkers and Mt. Vernon are begging him to develop the project in their counties. If the project does not go through, it will be lost to the Bronx and will instead go to Mt. Vernon or Yonkers.

On another matter, Mr. Daneshvar stated that he wishes to expose the Belmont BID and the people behind it. He alleged that Frank Franz and others began to oppose Med Alliance’s project 2 years ago, in part, because they own property that they wish to rent to students of Fordham University. Mr. Daneshvar also alleged to have learned that the Belmont Bid has a budget of $340,000 of which $104,000 is allegedly the salary of its executive director [Frank Franz].

Mr. Frank Franz

Mr. Franz stated that that the Med Alliance project will not “put one dime” in his pocket regardless of whether or not it is approved. The project will not affect his rental properties or personal income in any way. Mr. Franz clarified that he is a volunteer, not the executive director, at the Belmont BID and that he does not receive a salary from the organization. The BID has hired an executive director who will begin work at the organization in March 2010.

Ms. Perlmutter, Bryan Cave, LLP

Ms. Perlmutter testified that studies have found that most of Med Alliance’s patients arrive at the facility via public transportation.

V. ADJOURNMENT

There being no other persons wishing to testify, the February 3, 2010 public hearing on Uniform Land Use Review Procedure application # C 090143 ZMX was adjourned at approximately 9:00 p.m