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Pols Differ on Armory Hearing

By JORDAN MOSS

Bronx Democrats can't agree on whether to hold another hearing on the Kingsbridge Armory before the city issues a request for proposals (RFP) to potential developers. 

Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, who hosted a hearing in November that the city's Economic Development Corporation decided not to attend at the last minute because few other politicians were coming, said there was no need for additional hearings.

"If we have another public meeting, we'll recycle the same arguments we've recycled for a dozen years," said Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion at a breakfast with Bronx reporters last week. "Like the old Dunkin' Donuts commercial, 'it's time to make the donuts.' We've got to get this project going."

He added that "there's no disagreement" between himself and other elected officials in the borough over how to proceed. 

But in an interview the next day, Council Member Maria Baez, who represents the district the armory is in, told the Norwood News that she was moving ahead with planning a hearing on the armory in April.

"I'm bringing a hearing to the community," Baez said. "I want them to have an input on what's going to happen there."

In the last issue of the Norwood News, the city's Economic Development Corporation said it was "reaching out to the borough president and elected officials about how to proceed," before putting a timetable on the RFP. 

Despite the procedural differences, a broad consensus emerged last fall at a meeting of Bronx politicians and city officials that a redeveloped armory should include schools in addition to community space, sports facilities, and retail stores.

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