Armory Still Divides Pols By HEATHER HADDON Bronx politicians continue to disagree over whether there should be another public hearing to discuss the development of the Kingsbridge Armory. Borough President Adolfo Carrion has been emphatic in recent weeks that no further hearings are needed before the city issues a request for proposals to potential developers. "If we have another public meeting, we'll recycle the same arguments we've recycled for a dozen years," Carrion said at a February meeting with Bronx reporters. "Like the old Dunkin' Donuts commercial, 'it's time to make the donuts.' We've got to get this project going." But Council Member Maria Baez, whose district includes the armory, is pressing for a City Council hearing in April, according to Uly Martinez, her chief-of-staff. "It's so the people from the community can testify," he told the Norwood News earlier this month. Martinez said that Baez has been in touch with Council Speaker Gifford Miller about the matter. A City Council spokesperson would not say if Baez had raised the issue with Miller. But a hearing on the armory would need to be in conjunction with proposed legislation, and there has been no bill introduced to date. Council Member Joel Rivera, who represents the district adjacent to Baez' and is the Council's majority leader, also favors a hearing and argued that it wouldn't hinder the RFP's advancement. "You can chew gum and walk forward at the same time," he said last week. "I hope our electeds can do that too." Carrion has been at odds with Baez, Rivera and also Jose Rivera, the Bronx Democratic leader, on the armory since the three lawmakers did not attend a public meeting organized by Carrion last winter. In his State of the Borough address last month, Carrion once again said there was no need for more meetings. "Look, I'm tired of public meetings," he said. "I just want to get this thing done." Carrion said there should be an RFP released in the coming months. But the city's Economic Development Corporation, the agency overseeing the project, appears to be cooling its heels until the borough's political kinks get worked out. Last September the city said the RFP would be issued in the fall, and in December pushed back the timetable to "early in '04."
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