Editorial
Planning for Development

The bulldozers are at work in Community District 7. A surge of development – mainly of housing units – is apparent throughout the area. This is good news, as it is evidence that our neighborhoods are desirable and convenient places to live.
 
But the clear vote of confidence in Norwood, Bedford Park, North Fordham and University Heights also presents challenges.
 
New housing brings additional stresses on our already overutilized schools. And obviously, new residents mean more cars and an exacerbation of an already impossible parking situation.
 
We urge every local governmental body to discuss and address this situation. Community Board 7, School District 10 and Region 1 should raise these issues and suggest potential mitigation measures. Certainly, the housing boom provides more ammunition for the community’s case for more schools.
 
Elected officials can also get into the act. For example, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz held a recent forum on the problem of parking in Riverdale, where development is also on the rise. We urge Dinowitz to organize a similar forum in the Norwood section of his district.
 
New housing in this area is a good thing. But with it must also come proper planning.

Year of the Armory
Sometimes, it’s what politicians don’t say that is significant.
 
In his spirited State of the Borough address last week, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión conspicuously omitted any mention of the Kingsbridge Armory – conspicuous because he spoke of many current and future Bronx redevelopment projects. And in last year’s speech, Carrión firmly stated that it’s time to stop studying and start acting on the armory. 
 
We can only assume that the borough president was mum on the long-delayed project because he has passed the political baton on this to Assemblyman Jose Rivera, chairman of the Bronx Democratic Party. In a recent issue, we reported that Rivera has been in discussions with a developer who may be able to help remove the final obstacle to the project by building a new facility for the remaining National Guard members who still use the buildings to the rear of the armory for training.
 
Rivera hasn’t had much to say on the matter, perhaps because the deal he’s trying to broker is in a delicate stage.
 
But as long as there’s movement this year on solving this problem and moving ahead with a development plan, we can do without talk.
 
The armory is important for several reasons, not the least of which is the school space the project is likely to provide, which is critical as the Education Department implements its policy of creating smaller high schools. The district is also perennially overcrowded with no new school construction on the horizon.
 
Rivera is at the peak of his power, with two of his children in elective office and virtually every elected official in the borough is in his machine’s fold or at least willing to work with it.
 
It’s been more than a decade since the state ceded control of the landmark facility to the city. Now there is only one more hurdle to clear.
 
Bronxites are counting on Jose Rivera to make 2005 the Year of the Armory.
 

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