Editorial
Armory Stumbling Block

It appears that there is one final hitch in getting things going on the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory. For the project to include schools, the National Guard units that occupy the buildings on the northern perimeter of the facility need to find another home. 

If this is the stumbling block to issuing the long-delayed request for proposals (RFP) for potential developers, then everyone involved needs to start looking for a suitable space somewhere in the Bronx. Councilman Joel Rivera suggested the former military site across from Bronx Community College, but as we report in this issue, BCC already has plans for that site as the home for the Center for Sustainable Energy. 

Elected officials, community organizations and potential developers serious about this project should start canvassing the borough for a suitable property. 

Borough President Adolfo Carrión would be the logical official to lead the charge on this effort. His office could do a survey and report on the available space.

It's been a decade since the Guard ceded the armory to the city. And it's been almost a year since the city's Economic Development Corporation promised to issue an RFP. It would be silly if we allowed this minor stumbling block to delay the rehabilitation of the armory any longer. 

DEP Stonewalls
Two months ago, the Norwood News sent a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request to the city's Department of Environmental Protection. We simply asked for the feasibility study for the Kensico City Tunnel, a massive and important project that could have a significant impact on the cost of building the water filtration plant at Eastview in Westchester. 

On June 21, we got a letter back saying the agency would make a decision on our request within two weeks. After a month passed with still no word, we called the agency. When someone finally got back to us, she said that she was still trying to track it down among the various departments in the agency. 

So, more than two months after we asked for a study of a project that will cost $2.5 billion, the agency says it can't find the darn thing!

And these are the people we should trust to build an industrial facility in our neighborhood? 

Bloomberg and Car Alarms
The City Council overwhelmingly approved a watered-down version of legislation to ban the sale of certain egregious car alarms. Advocates wanted a strict ban on all car alarms, but the mayor promised to veto even this weakened version.

We don't get it. The mayor has waged war on those loud and incessant Mr. Softee jingles  -  a worthy cause  -  but car alarms are worse! They serve no useful purpose whatsoever and frequently pierce the calm night air to disturb sleep and the little bit of peace-and-quiet we have in city neighborhoods. 

The mayor should reconsider this one.

Back to Opinion Index Page

News | Opinion | Schools | Features | Continuing Stories | Home
About Us | Past Issues