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City & State New York
September 19, 2016
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EDITOR’S NOTE / Contents
Jon Lentz Senior editor
The Bronx got its name from an early settler named Jonas Bronck. The 1800s brought railroad lines to the area, and by the turn of the 20th century the population was part of a newly consolidated New York City. Over the next few decades subway connections were built, a manufacturing sector thrived (including dozens of piano factories) and immigrants from across Europe flocked there. In 1918, the Bronx even hosted the World’s Fair. That history is largely overshadowed by the perception of the Bronx as a place defined both by unsafe streets and a creative energy bursting through in hiphop music, dance and street art. Although it was decades ago, popular culture remains obsessed with the crime-ridden summer of 1977 – chronicled in the book and documentary “The Bronx is Burning” and, more recently, in the Netflix series “The Get Down.” In this special issue on the Bronx, we ask whether that era is still a legitimate reference point, explore what’s being done to bring the borough back and assess where it is today.
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REBRANDING THE BRONX Why do Bronx officials keep bringing up the bad old days?
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HOLLY FROM THE BLOCK
A Q&A with Bronx Museum of the Arts Executive Director Holly Block
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VISIONS OF THE FUTURE
Elected officials on what they see in the borough’s future
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TAPPING THE BOROUGH’S POTENTIAL Five high-profile economic development projects, and what they mean for the Bronx
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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Bronx nonprofits respond to a new set of challenges
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CityAndStateNY.com
September 19, 2016
The better-than-ever Bronx By RUBEN DIAZ JR.
and activism of the elected officials, community leaders, nonprofits, businesses and everyday Bronxites who refused to take no for an answer. Together, we fought for these new amenities and improvements, and we deserve to take advantage of them. Since I took office in 2009, the Bronx has seen over $9 billion in new investment. In 2015 alone there was over $2.1
billion of development in the borough, and 54 million square feet of new development since 2009. Unemployment has fallen while economic opportunity is on the rise. When I speak to Bronxites, the majority of them are unequivocal in their support of such amenities. They like having new restaurants and farmers markets where they live. They like having vibrant cultural and nightlife opportunities in their communities. Warehouses that were once empty now host breweries and distilleries, and long-vacant storefronts are home to some of the finest eateries our city has to offer. We are putting more money in our parks and have begun the process of redeveloping the long-dormant Orchard Beach Pavilion for public use. A master plan for this historic renovation will revitalize this city landmark for ARMAN DZIDZOVIC
THE CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS the Bronx has made today – on economic development, housing and the overall revitalization of the borough – is no accident. For decades, the Bronx stood out from its neighbors in the region for the notable lack of investment in the borough. Today, that is changing, thanks to the advocacy
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September 19, 2016
year-round use, and I am proud to have contributed $10 million of my own capital funding toward this project. In partnership with Gov. Andrew Cuomo, we have finally gotten the East Bronx Metro North expansion approved. This project was first proposed in 1969, yet for the better part of five decades the project went nowhere. Now, we’re on the fast track toward a much-needed new mass transit hub. We have our own restaurant week, and we will soon have a permanent home for our own children’s museum. The Bronx has new coffeehouses and mom-and-pop eateries, as well as new interest from national and international corporations. Many of my fellow Bronxites used to ask, “Why is everything happening in other boroughs? Why don’t we get any love?” We don’t hear that anymore. Instead, we hear about how people who have lived here for decades are enjoying the positive changes they are seeing in their hometown. They enjoy staying in their neighborhoods and taking advantage of new recreation opportunities that were once unimaginable. There are some who see any progress in our borough as a negative, but the overwhelming majority of Bronxites refuse to embrace that worldview. We have learned from the past, we have studied other boroughs and we are making our decisions in the best interests of the more than 1.4 million people who call the Bronx their home. In the past, we were confined to teaching the next generation to work hard and to get a strong education, only to then watch them achieve and leave. But now many of us anticipate a future with these long-desired amenities that will retain talent and spur continued investment. This includes nurturing affordable spaces for our homegrown professional class of proud Bronxites, so that they can aspire to live, work and perhaps even raise a family in the very same communities where they grew up. The ongoing revitalization of the Bronx is the product of decades of commitment and passion for this borough. Our progress is for us, be it the longtime resident who endured through the borough’s toughest times, or their children and grandchildren who might have chosen to leave but now want to be a part of its future. Our progress works for the Bronx, and it’s what we deserve.
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R u b e n D i a z J r. i s borough president.
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Bronx
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September 19, 2016
BX BEAUTY Despite its urban reputation, the Bronx is home to thousands of acres of parkland. In fact, about a quarter of the borough is green space. Stretching out along the Long Island Sound, Pelham Bay Park alone is three times bigger than Central Park; in fact, it’s the biggest park in the city. On the far side of the borough, you’ll find the manicured grandeur of Wave Hill, an estate once leased by the likes of Teddy Roosevelt and Mark Twain. And then there’s the sprawling New York Botanical Garden, where you can roam among flora and fauna from all over the world. So when we asked the borough’s elected officials where they like to get in touch with their inner Henry David Thoreau, they had plenty of options to pick from ...
I LOVE WAVE HILL, WHERE ONE CAN ENJOY BEAUTIFUL GARDENS AND SCENIC VIEWS OF THE PALISADES AND THE HUDSON RIVER. — City Councilman A N DR EW COHEN
I REMAIN THRILLED WITH THE REVITALIZATION OF THE HIGH BRIDGE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE AND ROBERTO CLEMENTE STATE PARK – AND, OF COURSE, YANKEE STADIUM! — City Councilwoman VA N ESSA GIBSON
“PELHAM BAY AND SPLIT ROCK GOLF COURSES.” – Assemblyman MICHAEL BENEDETTO “THE FARMERS MARKET AT POE PARK, ST. JAMES PARK AND WALKING DOWN THE GRAND CONCOURSE.” – state Sen. GUSTAVO RIVERA “ORCHARD BEACH AND THE BRONX RIVER.” – Rep. JOSÉ E. SERRANO “FRANZ SIGEL PARK IS A PARTICULARLY BEAUTIFUL AND SERENE SPACE IN WHICH MY FAMILY AND I ENJOY SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS.” – state Sen. JOSÉ M. SERRANO
“THE RUNNING TRACK AT RICE STADIUM IN PELHAM BAY PARK.” – City Councilman JIMMY VACCA “MY BACKYARD.” – City Councilman ANDY KING
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I LOVE VAN CORTLANDT PARK, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE BRONX ARTS ENSEMBLE PLAYS ITS ANNUAL CONCERT THERE. — Rep. ELIOT ENGEL
PELHAM BAY PARK, OUR CITY’S LARGEST PUBLIC PARK, IS NOT ONLY BREATHTAKING BUT ALSO FILLED WITH GREAT HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE.
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— Rep. JOE CROW LEY
ENJOYING THE 127 ACRES OF CROTONA PARK, INCLUDING AN AMPHITHEATRE AND POOL, IN OUR DISTRICT. — Assemblyman MICH A EL BL A K E
BARRETTO POINT PARK IN HUNTS POINT. IT HAS BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF THE CITY AND GREAT AMENITIES INCLUDING THE FLOATING LADY POOL. — City Councilman R A FA EL SA L A M A NCA
“WHAT COULD BE MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN SPENDING TIME AT WAVE HILL ALONG THE HUDSON RIVER? ” – Assemblyman JEFF DINOWITZ “THE BOTANICAL GARDEN. IT IS MAGNIFICENT. I WISH I COULD SPEND MORE TIME THERE.” – Bronx County District Attorney DARCEL D. CLARK
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Holly from the Block
September 19, 2016
A Q&A with Holly Block, executive director of the Bronx Museum of the Arts to offer to do a big exhibition, but we’re certainly interested.
THE NEW YANKEE STADIUM may not have the history of the original, but for the team and thousands of fans, it’s still home. Situated a few blocks north of the stadium, The Bronx Museum of the Arts is similar: despite several moves and renovations over its 45 year history, it’s still the premier home of art in the borough. A scholar of Cuban art, executive director Holly Block has led the institution since 2006. She talked to City & State’s Jeff Coltin about board troubles, gentrification and going free. C&S: The Bronx has a great artistic legacy – one example is the new Net-
flix miniseries “The Get Down.” What's the museum’s role in keeping that legacy alive? HB: We’ve had a long history with hip-hop, that whole community, for a long time. We started a program called Bounce, we’ve hosted Afrika Bambaataa and the Zulu Nation for years. Kool Herc, all of them have been affiliated with the museum and different programs … The museum also in the early days, in the ’80s, hosted an exhibition with John Ahearn and Rigoberto Torres by borrowing the casts that they made from local community members who were all done in backyard street parties. They all got to see their own images at The Bronx Museum, so there’s been a long history with the museum. We’ve actually offered many times to host some of this memorabilia collection, but there’s just so many factions and, unfortunately, not a lot of support
C&S: The museum decided to stop charging for tickets and go free in 2012. What was behind that? Did your location in a low-income neighborhood influence that? HB: I grew up in D.C. I went to the Smithsonian Institutes. They were all free. I know what free museums are like. I always felt the suggested donation—even though we were one of the cultural institutions of the city—the suggested donation was a barrier for people in our immediate community and I felt that this would be a fantastic gift for the 40th anniversary to give back to the community. It wasn’t just going free admission, because admission wasn’t a huge amount of money for us. It was really building a marketing campaign about how acceptable the museum is and how important it is for visitorship. Even though their kids come to see the museum, parents can also benefit greatly and we’ve had a lot of wonderful testimony regarding free admission. People who
BRONX MUSEUM OF THE ARTS, PETER SERLING
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City & State New York
September 19, 2016
have to pay admission have to think widely about how many times they can go to a cultural institution. With free admission, they can pop in at any time and look at a work or hang out in the café. They feel much more comfortable with visitorship, and for us, it’s been huge. C&S: A thriving arts community often foretells gentrification, and the arts are only growing in Mott Haven and elsewhere in the Bronx. Is it possible for the museum to support the arts without encouraging luxury development? HB: We’re all supportive of the Bronx economy doing well. That’s really important. What it means for us is trying to think broadly about how we can help artists and other members within the community without displacement. I have been a big proponent of some shared responsibilities and this brings us to think more widely, like what do artists in our community need? Space is a huge issue and we’ve been thinking a lot about that, but we’re not the only ones. All of the museums across the city – I mean if you work with contemporary artists, that is a focus. We have this emerging artists program and we hear from our artists ev-
ery year how hard it is for them to access space. So it is something that we’re thinking about widely and we will have news about that soon. C&S: The Bronx Museum is participating in an exchange with a major arts museum in Havana, but there were reports the Cuban art would never make it here over worries that it would be seized. Do you have any updates on that? HB: We’re still working very closely with the museum and hope that we will be able to do the exhibition. If there’s a problem, we will definitely be showing The Bronx Museum’s Cuban art collection and borrowing work from other spaces. When you’re the first to do things there’s always challenges! C&S: That exchange was one of the factors leading to last month's resignation of four board members, including the chairwoman. Will their positions be filled? Do you fear a hit in fundraising? HB: There were many reasons why they left. It was very clear they didn’t have a majority of the board’s support and they were coming up for re-election. And also, remember, the role of trustees is about policy, not necessar-
ily programs. It’s more about mission and The Bronx Museum last year, we organized a huge exhibition that we worked on for five years about the Young Lords. That was a politically oriented show and no one really wanted to fund it. We often take on projects that are complicated. We have new officers coming in and potential trustees who have been really interested in The Bronx Museum and will continue working. C&S: There's lots of great, public art in the Bronx. What's your favorite piece? HB: Ah! We have a new beautiful mural around the corner by Lady K Fever who works with us and is an educator and did a big mural behind the museum and also on 165th Street on the steps that lead down. Terence Gower did a beautiful temporary pavilion at the Andrew Freedman Home two years ago. We’re actually working closely now with the Parks Department and Joyce Kilmer Park about the idea of doing some temporary projects in the park. We’re already using the park quite a bit – we do our film screenings during the summer, the summer youth program is working in the park – there’s a lot of activity. We often treat the park as our front yard.
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Perspective on a Mass Transit Powered Region B Y M AYO R R I C H A R D T H O M A S
Serving as the transit gateway into New York City from the north, the City of Mount Vernon is one of the most densely populated in the nation, with millions more crossing our border each day as commuters traveling between New England, the Hudson Valley and New York City. Many enter our city twice each day, without even pausing to recognize that fact. We host three MTA Metro North rail stations – two on the Harlem Line into the Hudson Valley and one on the New Haven Line into Connecticut. In addition to six major highways, we are the northern termination point for the New York City subway’s No. 2 and No. 5 trains, which serve the Bronx, Midtown, City Hall, Wall Street, all the way out to Flatbush Ave and also New Lots Ave in Brooklyn.
As the U.N. General Assembly gathers and New York recognizes Climate Week, the imperative for our region to meet the energy needs of tens of millions of people and businesses cleanly and efficiently has never been clearer. Our highly interconnected region and the critical mass transit infrastructure that supports it, cannot run efficiently or effectively without affordable and abundant flows of clean electricity. Electricity is the vital backbone for our transit systems and many of our daily needs - without it, basic needs will simply not get met. People call my office daily and raise concerns about the cost of electricity and the cost of living. As mayor of a largely minority community, one of my main concerns is ensuring we have reliable electricity. It powers our businesses, which create and support our jobs, and contributes tax revenue, as well as, yes, the transit nodes that make Mount Vernon so critical to the communities to our north and south. Economic development and electricity go hand and hand. Affordable electricity
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means you can pay your employees, invest in new resources for your company, and most importantly, it means that you can continue to operate and even grow. If there is ever a spike in electricity costs it will threaten jobs and impact the affordability of using our mass transit systems. The cost impacts are critical because jobs are the #1 factor that produces tax revenue for cities such as mine. In order to meet these needs, while not worsening pollution, we need to make sure that non-carbon emitting electricity continues to flow. As policymakers, one of our most important priorities must be making sure the lights stay on and creating a level playing field – environmentally and economically - for not just our constituents but also our region as a whole. About the Author: Richard Thomas is mayor of Mount Vernon, NY, a city of 80,000 that borders the Northern Bronx. SPECIAL SPONSORED SECTION
WWW . A R E A - A L L I A N C E . O R G
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REBRAND -ING THE
September 19, 2016
BRONX By SARINA TRANGLE
Why do elected officials keep bringing up the borough’s difficult days in the ’70s and ’80s? Is it pride – or an exercise in self-promotion?
City & State New York
DARREN MCGEE/OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
September 19, 2016
GOV. ANDREW CUOMO ANNOUNCES THE OPENING OF SILVERCUP STUDIOS NORTH LAST MONTH IN THE BRONX.
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TANDING BEHIND A podium with a sign proclaiming “The Bronx is Back,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo asked the crowd gathered in a new, 115,000-square-foot film studio last month to reflect decades into the borough’s past. Back in 1977, President Jimmy Carter chose to travel to the Bronx to discuss desolation in urban America, Cuomo said. And now, four decades later and several blocks south of the Charlotte Street site immortalized by the spotlight that came with Carter, Silvercup Studios has opened a third studio in Port Morris. Cuomo, who was joined by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., suggested this debut was part of an arc that was so impressive, it was redefining the Bronx’s identity. “That was a Bronx that no On what happens when someone longer exists,” Cuomo said. says “the Bronx is not burning”: “This is a different place. If I was Ruben, I would think of putting “ANYTIME SOMEONE IS LIKE, a new name on the end of the ‘IT’S NOT THIS THING,’ THAT’S Bronx because it has nothing to do with the old Bronx. The Bronx INTERESTING BECAUSE IT STILL is back.” MAKES PEOPLE THINK IN THAT At ribbon-cuttings and WAY. … NOW WE’RE THINKING initiative unveilings, elected ABOUT THE BRONX BURNING, AND officials have compared the current state of the entire borough WE’RE THINKING ABOUT ‘FORT to 1970s and ’80s-era conditions APACHE.’ IF I WAS ADVISING THESE in the Bronx’s southern POLITICIANS, I WOULD SAY STOP neighborhoods, where swaths of communities were burned, FRAMING IT IN THIS WAY. THINK abandoned and left to struggle ABOUT NEW WAYS OF FRAMING with curtailed government AND DIFFERENT FRAMING THIS services and rising crime. Using this time frame unquestionably INSTEAD OF CONTINUALLY GOING draws favorable comparisons, BACK AND PERPETUATING THESE which have a broad appeal in a borough that prides itself on its STEREOTYPES BY SAYING IT’S NOT THESE STEREOTYPES.” resiliency. Still, some Bronxites see this as emphasizing electeds’ – DON WAISANEN, associate professor of public achievements at the expense of communication at Baruch College a more objective assessment of their work. References to the rougher times have come up at everything from an annual bankers breakfast to an announcement about iHeartMedia showcasing its brands on a billboard overlooking the Triborough Bridge. Those making the comparisons muse about how things that seemed unattainable while growing up in the Bronx have became a reality. Others cite “the Bronx renaissance,” the borough’s “revitalization” or “the new Bronx.” Diaz has been particularly vocal. In a 2014 speech that coincided
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Bringing up the bad old days Officials can't stop referring to the Bronx’s past while discussing current developments:
American Institute of Architects conference, February 2015: “The Bronx is not burning. It is not ‘Fort Apache.’” “While much has been made about Dumbo and Long Island City and some areas of the areas around the Lower East Side, that area (the waterfront along 149th to 138th Streets) will be the next frontier of high-rise development.” “Brooklyn is on fire, but only in three or four neighborhoods. … When we speak of economic development in the Bronx, we’re touching every corner.” – Bronx Borough President RUBEN DIAZ JR. on Bronx housing needs, via City Limits
On the iHeartRadio billboard near the Triboro Bridge, July 2016: “Having Clear Channel Outdoor Americas reinvest in this iconic sign, which serves as a beacon to all Bronx residents and a landmark throughout the region, while also having a leading national media company move into our neighborhood via this historic billboard, is emblematic of the continued revitalization of the Bronx. On behalf of the millions who travel this route every week, and the more than 1.4 million people who live here, I am thrilled to welcome iHeartMedia to our borough's waterfront.” – RUBEN DIAZ JR.
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“I’m old enough to remember, and the borough president and Speaker (Carl) Heastie and all of us are old enough to recall, a community that was, for many … left in shambles. And it was a community that really needed a major amount of help. We see a commitment from this governor that we’ve never seen before. And the changes that we see now really help all of us, or everyone who thought they knew the Bronx, to reimagine what it is today. … There is, I believe, with all due respect to Buffalo, no, better shining example of how those policies have made such a turnaround as here in the Bronx. And I want to just congratulate you and thank you for that. And thank all the pioneers like Carmen Arroyo and Jose Rivera who have been working so hard for decades to see this day.” – state Sen. JOSÉ SERRANO
OFFICE OF THE BOROUGH PRESIDENT; OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
At opening of Silvercup Studios North, August 2016:
Annual bankers breakfast, August 2015: “This is our moment. … This is the time now where we show the world, not only do the negative stereotypes of the past for the Bronx don’t apply any more, but we are progressing, and we’re going to show everyone else how it’s done! … In the past, if we were being shortchanged and we were being overlooked here in the Bronx, it was just because our politics just wasn’t as strong as it should have been.” – RUBEN DIAZ JR., via the Observer
At funding announcement for youth employment program, July 2016: “You can’t deny that we are in the midst of an economic renaissance, from thriving commercial corridors to neighborhoods like the Port Morris section of the Bronx to Mott Haven to Kingsbridge to so many others. We are creating jobs. We are creating economic development right here in the borough. … Since I’ve been elected the last 20 years, whether there’ve been Republicans or Democrats in Albany or in the city of New York, we’ve been shortchanged. And it wasn’t until Gov. Andrew Cuomo came along that the Bronx ... also feels like it’s part of that.” – RUBEN DIAZ JR.
“This could be a movie in and of itself. We’re in the Bronx, as you heard in different ways from the borough president and the senator and the assemblyman, the bronx has been struggling for a long, long time. … Queens, like the Bronx, was struggling. The Bronx probably even more so - you have to remember that this is the place that (President) Jimmy Carter came to show the desolation of urban America, right? He came to the Bronx – could have gone anywhere in the United States. That was a Bronx that no longer exists. This is a different place. If I was (Borough President) Ruben (Diaz), I would think of putting a new name on the end of the Bronx because it has nothing to do with the old Bronx. The Bronx is back.” – Gov. ANDREW CUOMO
“The Bronx really is having a renaissance.” – Assembly Speaker CARL HEASTIE
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On whether people should stop mentioning the “Bronx is burning” era: “THAT’S ALMOST AS INSULTING AS TELLING A JEWISH PERSON, LET’S NOT TALK ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST – IT WAS 50, 60, 70 YEARS AGO. NO, IT’S STILL RELEVANT TODAY. YOU DON’T WANT TO FORGET THE PAST. … YOU NEED TO REMEMBER SO THAT YOU CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND DON’T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES.” – former Assemblyman MICHAEL BENJAMIN
HUD SECRETARY PATRICIA HARRIS, JIMMY CARTER AND NEW YORK MAYOR ABRAHAM BEAME TOUR THE SOUTH BRONX IN OCTOBER 1977.
WHITE HOUSE
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with the Bronx's centennial, he touched on efforts to broadcast changes and rebrand his home borough. Later that year, he bluntly said at an architecture conference, “The Bronx is not burning; It is not ‘Fort Apache.’” Diaz told City & State that overcoming negative stereotypes has been one of the greatest challenges since his tenure at Borough Hall began in 2009. He said it was tricky to describe the progress being made and dismantle stereotypes while being careful not to repeat negative notions so much that he risks perpetuating them. Yet Diaz says he has struck the right balance: He has seen the addition of 24,000 homes, 54 million square feet of economic On rebranding regions: development, a 14 percent increase in tourism, a decline in “THERE ARE WORLDWIDE, NATIONunemployment and a growing number of people who are proud BRANDING CONSULTANTS NOW. … of their Bronx roots. “When AND IT’S ALSO HAPPENING NOW AT you say you’re from the Bronx, THE LEVELS OF BOROUGHS, CITIES. … what you’re saying is, ‘I’m tough. I have a strong cultural IT CAN HELP PEOPLE LEARN ABOUT and historical background. I’m OTHER PLACES, LIKE, ‘OH, THAT resilient. I’ve persevered. I have LOOKS INTERESTING’ OR ‘HEY, LET’S a big heart,’” Diaz said. “When folks come here, when they see GO TO THE BRONX – I FORGOT ABOUT the changes, they realize that THE ZOO.’ … ON THE FLIP SIDE, THE there has been a renaissance, COUNTERARGUMENT AGAINST ALL OF and there continues to be one. THIS IS: HOW MUCH DIFFERENCE AND But that still doesn’t compare to the amount of exposure or DIVERSITY DO YOU HAVE TO SQUELCH negative exposure that we have TO BRAND SOMETHING? IT’S ONE had.” THING TO BRAND A PRODUCT, BUT IT’S In a sense, this crush of unfavorable publicity came to ANOTHER THING TO GO OUT AND SORT the Bronx by chance. Carter OF BRAND PLACES, AND SAY, ‘THIS IS could have come to any number ONE THING – HERE, THE BRONX, AT A of communities in America REVITALIZED JUNCTURE.’” or even in New York City, where government policies – DON WAISANEN, associate professor of public and xenophobia prompted communication at Baruch College middle-class white families to leave for the suburbs, with manufacturing firms following suit, according to Angel Hernandez, the Bronx County Historical Society’s director of programs and external relations. Those who remained were disproportionately poor. And when the fiscal crisis hit New York City, the government closed firehouses and slashed services, exacerbating the damage of traditional fires and those started by landlords looking to collect insurance money and opportunists looking to strip and sell brass, iron and valuable materials. Newspapers put Carter’s visit on
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their covers. Soon Charlotte Street became a campaign destination for many candidates. And the borough’s association with urban decay was perpetuated by movies like “Fort Apache, The Bronx,” which centered around a police precinct that was so inundated with crime, it was named after a historical military post. At the time, residents spoke out against the film’s depiction of blacks and Latinos, according to Hernandez. Today, many said these stereotypes persist, clinging to a county made up mostly of people of color, but not to other boroughs, where more whites have moved in. Several longtime residents said historical comparisons come naturally to Bronxites. New York City Councilman Rafael Salamanca said that as new developments rise, he has mused about how the sites used to be eyesores. Former Assemblyman Michael Benjamin said the period produced many aspects of today’s culture – hip-hop, graffiti and fashion – and that it’s proper to pay homage to such a formative era, while ensuring younger generations have the historical knowledge to prevent another incident of mass-neglect. “We need to remember where we came from and how bad it was, so that we don’t repeat the past and keep moving forward,” Benjamin said. But coming from the mouths of electeds, sweeping comparisons to the past can overshadow the details of what’s being announced today, according to Mychal Johnson, a member of the South Bronx Unite coalition. Johnson said it seems like luring large projects to the borough is more about burnishing politicians’ resumes than about what the investments do for local residents. “Saying Silvercup studios and others are in our community – that doesn’t make our lives better,” Johnson said. “They are job creators – but is it living wage jobs? They’re bringing Silvercup and others, but is it going to increase the knowledge and the access of people in the community to studios?” Framing contemporary projects against the backdrop of the 1970s can create a flattering juxtaposition for a number of reasons, according to those who study persuasive language. Derek Mueller, an associate writing professor at Eastern Michigan University and a board member of the Digital Rhetoric Collaborative, said taking the long view tends to reflect well on Bronxites and their current leaders. “It’s not as striking to say, ‘Remember how terrible
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things were yesterday?’” he said. “The who has such a huge bully pulpit has important issue here is time scale. … time and time again been helpful to us, It’s an exercise in contrast, and contrast has time and time again visited us, has underscored with political credit to highlighted our successes,” Diaz said. current leaders and their deeds.” “He was excited. But we are the Bronx, Don Waisanen, an associate professor and always will be just the Bronx. I say of communication at Baruch College, that we’re the new Bronx, but that’s just, said metaphors relying on nature or again, in my excitement, that we’re just natural disasters – fires leveling parts not the Bronx that they’re accustomed to of the Bronx, gentrification burning reading about or seeing in the papers or through boroughs and building frontiers from when they used to live here 20, 30 – suggest that negative or controversial years ago.” experiences were too powerful for people to control, but by comparison Bronx leaders now have a handle on these issues: “Partly what they’re doing is, ‘We’re in control. This was a place that was out of control. … It wasn’t anything we were a part of. It was just happening. It was chaos. And certain people came along. We were a part of this movement. And now we have things in control. So put your trust into us.’” On whether 1970s-era stereotypes may Despite Cuomo’s suggestion, perpetuate them in the minds of younger efforts to rebrand the Bronx people: have evoked distrust. Real estate developers with towers planned along the Mott Haven “THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE, and Port Morris waterfront OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU SOLD A BAD CAR were skewered for fixating on a brief moment in the ONCE UPON A TIME, BUT NOW YOUR CARS area’s manufacturing history ARE MUCH BETTER, YOU NEVER WANT and referring to it as “the TO REMIND PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT TYPE Piano District,” rather than OF CAR IT WAS BACK IN THE DAY. YOU the names long used by the ONLY WANT TO TELL THEM ABOUT HOW community. Tensions rose when some of these executives GREAT NOT EVEN THE CAR, BUT YOUR threw a party in Port Morris MERCHANDISE, IS NOW. BUT AT THE SAME featuring trash-can fires and TIME, YOU DON’T WANT PEOPLE TO FORGET shot-up cars and suggested that attendees add the hashtag EITHER. YOU DON’T WANT PEOPLE TO #bronxisburning to social FORGET THE STRUGGLES. … YOU HAVE TO media posts. Diaz, who STRIKE A BALANCE. YOU WANT PEOPLE attended the party, has said he didn’t like elements of the TO RECOGNIZE THE GAINS, RATHER, AND event, but saw it overall as a YOU DON’T WANT THEM TO FORGET THE celebration of the borough’s STRUGGLES. HOW DO YOU RECOGNIZE THE progress. The borough president GAINS? IT’S ONLY BY REMINDING FOLKS OF himself has taken to using the WHAT IT USED TO BE LIKE.” phrase “the new Bronx.” It – Bronx Borough President RUBEN DIAZ JR. has miffed some, who believe it implicitly puts down “the old Bronx.” Johnson, for example, said the slogan gave him the unflattering impression that, previously, the South Bronx or the Bronx as a whole had nothing but negative connotations. However, the governor’s suggestion that the Bronx update its name fell flat with Diaz. “We appreciate when someone
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September 19, 2016
TAPPING THE
BOROUG
POTEN By FRANK G. RUNYEON
City & State New York
September 19, 2016
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G ED REED/OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
UGH’S
VAST
NTIAL ABOVE: IN APRIL 2013, THEN-MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG ANNOUNCES PLANS TO TURN KINGSBRIDGE ARMORY INTO THE WORLD’S LARGEST INDOOR ICE FACILITY, A PROJECT WHICH HAS SINCE STALLED.
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September 19, 2016
WITH NEW YORK’S highest unemployment rate, at 8 percent, and the unwelcome distinction as the one of the country’s poorest areas, few places are better candidates for economic development projects than the Bronx. And it’s seen quite a few of them. In the last five years, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has put over $1 billion of state funding into development projects in the borough. Cuomo extolled the results of the state’s investment in the borough at an opening ceremony for Silvercup Studios North this August. “This exciting project is yet one more reason why the Bronx is back,” the governor said. And there is some reason to celebrate, said James Parrott, chief economist at the Fiscal Policy Institute. “There's been relatively strong job and income growth in the Bronx. So that suggests something positive is happening.” But experts surveyed by City & State cast a skeptical glance at many of the area’s development projects, questioning what economic benefits the community will actually receive after taxpayer dollars are spent and wondering who will hold funding recipients accountable for the promises made to Bronx residents. There are key questions that must be asked, said Maria Doulis, vice president of the Citizens Budget Commission. “How are you going to be tracking the results and what are the ways in which you are going to judge whether those results are actually deemed successful?” A 2014 report by the Citizens Budget Commission highlighted core economic development goals, including promoting job growth, improving residents’ access to “quality” jobs that provide adequate wages and benefits, diversifying economic activity and maintaining the city’s position as a regional leader in the global economy. But beyond those goals, a central concern is less about dollars and more about health. “A good economic development project is one that, first and foremost, has a positive impact on the environment,” said Marlene Cintron, president of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation. “We have more asthma here in the Bronx than any other place. So that's a big deal for us.” Bettina Damiani, the former longtime director of Good Jobs New York, said part of getting any desired outcome is involving Bronx residents in the project planning. “The value of the project has a direct correlation to the type of engagement the community had in helping develop that project,” Damiani said. New York, however, has no standardized method to evaluate economic development projects. “There's no cut-and-dried or universal metric that can be used, but by analyzing the situation and by comparing the results to how it was billed initially, you can say something,” Parrott said. “That does argue for a more systematic approach to evaluating economic development.” Because there is no official measure of success for economic development projects, at least for now, City & State asked a group of experts how well the Bronx would be served by these five high-profile efforts.
City & State New York
September 19, 2016
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Freshdirect Description: A bidding war with New Jersey netted the grocery direct-delivery service over $100 million in public subsidies to relocate to the Bronx from Long Island City. FreshDirect successfully navigated protests and lawsuits from neighborhood groups and city politicians who complained about unfair subsidies and concerns over traffic and air pollution. In late 2014, FreshDirect officially broke ground at the Harlem River Yards location in the South Bronx. Status: Under construction. Plans to open in summer 2017. Cost: $128 million in city subsidies. Economic Impact: The site will create 1,000 jobs over 10 years, many of which will be filled by Bronx residents, according to the Bronx borough president’s office. Expert Opinion: “It was not great on a practical level or a wise investment of tax dollars. ... FreshDirect got a gaggle of subsidies. They announced the deal was done before they put out the notice for the public hearing. When it seems like there is all the sudden tons of money and public space on a waterfront, you would think that public officials would want to engage people in what the future should look like and how we should invest our resources. That really didn't happen.” – Bettina Damiani, former director of Good Jobs New York
OFFICE OF THE BOROUGH PRESIDENT
Trump Golf Links Description: It’s been tallied among the most expensive public golf courses to build, costing well over $200 million, and virtually every dollar that went into developing the land and the course came from New York City coffers. Initially proposed as a golf course during the Giuliani administration, the landfill at the base of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge sat undeveloped for decades. Donald Trump put in a bid to complete and operate the luxury-style public course that stands today, agreeing to foot the bill for an as-yet-uncompleted $10 million clubhouse. Last year Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. praised the project, but he’s changed his tune – a statement from Diaz’s office reads: “Given the hateful rhetoric that has spewed from the mouth of the operator of this golf course in his quest for our nation’s highest office, the borough president will not play there.” Status: The course is open. A new clubhouse is still under construction. Cost: $237 million in construction costs, according to the Independent Budget Office Economic Impact: About 50 jobs for Bronx residents – half the golf course’s employees. In 2010, the city parks department set a goal of 100 construction and maintenance jobs. Expert Opinion: “Impact? None at all,” said BOEDC president Marlene Cintron. “It has the ability to be a positive economic impact on the neighborhood, but there has been no effort on the part of the golf course to encourage people to look out. … What Trump and his businesses are into is sucking everything in. Buy your alcohol here, buy your mediocre food here, and then run back to Connecticut or wherever you came from. It's a real lost opportunity.”
CityAndStateNY.com
September 19, 2016
Penn Station Access
MTA
Description: Once this project is completed, Co-op City, Morris Park, Hunts Point and Parkchester will all have brand-new Metro-North stations on a new “Penn Station Access” line connecting commuter cities in Connecticut with the eastern Bronx, sweeping down into Queens and then across the East River to Penn Station. The new stations will add sorely needed transit options to an underserved area. MTA officials say the line will open for service “several months” after the East Side Access project is completed in December of 2022. Status: Planning stage; passenger rail service is scheduled to begin in early 2023 Cost: $695 million in the 2015-19 capital plan, with more spending anticipated through 2023 Economic Impact: Potential for 5,400 new jobs, a $1.15 billion increase in business sales, an increase in residential property values of up to 32 percent and a 150 percent increase in commercial lot values, according to a 2013 report from the Bronx borough president’s office Expert Opinion: Transportation projects like this one, several experts noted, are classic examples of reliable investments when it comes to spurring economic development. “These stations will be serving areas of the Bronx that could use economic development,” said Veronica Vanterpool, executive director of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. “One of the biggest benefits is it's going to reduce travel times. ... Many people might be discouraged from traveling, working or visiting the Bronx because some of these areas – particularly these four areas – could be considered transit deserts. … Co-op City, the case could be made that it’s a transit desert. It has limited transit service. So, it just makes it a more attractive destination.”
Kingsbridge National Ice Center
MTA
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Description: The developer promised to turn this turreted stone armory, once home to National Guard troops and equipment, into “the world’s largest indoor ice facility,” complete with nine hockey rinks. Unlike past proposals for the armory, like the Bloomberg administration’s failed effort to create a retail center there, the ice center has broad community support. Nevertheless, legal wrangling has left the project frozen. The city’s Economic Development Corporation, which controls the land, is facing off with Kingsbridge National Ice Center Partners LLC, which will construct the expansive new sports center, over whether the project has the funding in hand it needs to start construction. A judge proposed a deal earlier this summer, though there’s no sign of a thaw just yet. Status: Stalled in the planning stages, pending litigation Cost: $350 million, mostly in state funding, according to Politico Economic Impact: Potential for 267 permanent jobs and 890 construction jobs Expert Opinion: “The whole thing is a bit perplexing. A lot of people worked really hard to put this deal together. I know the city is trying to do due diligence on this project, but there have been a lot of projects that have been subsidized by the city that haven’t been subjected to this level of scrutiny. I understand that the city wants to be conservative, but I think this could be a real win politically for the de Blasio administration to get this up and running. And unless they really think that there’s no ‘there’ there … I don’t see why the administration isn’t rushing to embrace this. There are politics involved between the mayor and the governor as there is with every issue. That might be part of it.” – Dr. Laura Wolf-Powers, research fellow at the Center for Urban Research, CUNY
September 19, 2016
City & State New York
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OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
DARREN MCGEE/OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Silvercup Studios North Description: Hometown darling Silvercup Studios added its third New York City film production studio this summer in Port Morris. Boasting a track record of hosting successful film and TV productions like “When Harry Met Sally” and HBO’s “Girls,” the studio has been given a warm reception. The hope for the new studio is that bringing Hollywood dollars into the borough can benefit some of the country’s poorest residents. Status: Complete Cost: $1.6 million from New York City Regional Economic Development Council and $35 million in private costs to Silvercup Studios Economic Impact: Potential for 400 new jobs in film production, 100 jobs created constructing the studio, as well as an economic boost from productions buying local materials, goods and services, according to the Bronx borough president’s office. Expert Opinion: “It’s a unionized town and most of the companies there are going to be union, so they've got their established workforces,” said Greg Leroy of Good Jobs First, commenting on the promises of new production jobs. “Is there enough new work that there is room for apprenticeships and training for new people to enter? Or are things slow enough that the existing workforce is sufficient and there aren't any new positions opening up? I don't know the answer to that, but that would matter a lot.”
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CityAndStateNY.com
September 19, 2016
BREAKING
NEW GROUND After decades of work rebuilding the borough, Bronx housing nonprofits are responding to a new set of challenges
GRIMSHAW ARCHITECTS
By DAN ROSENBLUM for NEW YORK NONPROFIT MEDIA
PHIPPS HOUSES' VIA VERDE, COMPLETED IN 2012, HAS SOLAR PANELS, A GREEN ROOF, TOOLS TO HARVEST RAINWATER AND OTHER DESIGN ELEMENTS TO REDUCE ENERGY.
City & State New York
September 19, 2016
WHEN DERRICK LOVETT became head of MBD Community Housing Corporation in 2010, he took stock of the properties maintained by the nonprofit, which formed in 1974 as the Mid-Bronx Desperadoes. The organization, so named for its “desperate” activism in the face of widespread blight in the Bronx of the 1970s, acquired or renovated thousands of units in some of the neighborhoods hardest hit by the arson and disinvestment of that era. Three decades later, much of that portfolio was aging. “They were managing it themselves and they weren’t doing a very good job of it, unfortunately,” Lovett said. With the relative inexperience of some developers and the rush to rebuild depleted neighborhoods, some projects were underwritten with costs greater than the income. Other times, contractors used cheap materials – such as sheetrock in bathrooms that sprouted mold – that cost more money in the long run to replace. “Sometimes the not-for-profit might have gotten a bad name because, look at this product that you own,” he said. “But I think a lot of people at the time were green when this was happening.” Lovett, who had more than two decades of experience at Citibank and other financial institutions underwriting construction loans and bond financing, partnered with a property management firm and reimagined MBD as a development company. It recently completed the first portion of a large redevelopment in the West Farms neighborhood. Today, MBD and other evolving community development corporations – nonprofits which provide services within a neighborhood – are responding not to the state of emergency epitomized by the disinvestment and arson of the 1970s, but to a different set of challenges, such as private-sector competition, rising land prices and a lack of developable space. While the Bronx still has some of the city’s poorest pockets, many of the formerly scarred neighborhoods have been filled in with new or renovated buildings, and nonprofit developers have responded by emphasizing social services, collaborating with other groups and seeking creative sources to acquire land. DECADES AGO, when these groups were getting started, the challenges were much more pressing. With white flight, the fissures left as several highways were built through neighborhoods and a host of other political, social and economic issues, some
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Catholic Charities Serves and Celebrates the Bronx By Monsignor Kevin Sullivan Executive Director, Catholic Charities New York
Catholic Charities celebrates the Bronx, its vibrant mass of cultures, people and opportunities. We are proud of our legacy of service here that has spread, deepened and evolved. But at our core we remain steadfast in our commitment to the Bronx and all who make it their home. With compassion and dignity we serve non-Catholics and Catholics alike, providing help, creating hope and rebuilding lives promptly, locally, day in and day out. Catholic Charities began with individual organizations that responded to the cries of thousands of children. We continued as the Bronx grew into a manufacturing hub and commuting outpost . We stayed during the dark days of the 1960s and 1970s when there were too many fires and families moved out. And we are here today, flexible and responding to our neighbors’ needs as the Bronx rebounds. Now, as we look towards the formal celebration of our centennial of service in 2017, we continue to serve and empower the most vulnerable among us in the Bronx and throughout the Archdiocese of New York. Sadly, too many of our Bronx neighbors suffer from hunger and homelessness. They also face the challenge of adjusting to a new nation, a new home. As we have for nearly a century, Catholic Charities responds. We created a food hub at our South Bronx Community Center that distributes food to smaller food pantries throughout the borough. With capacity to receive, sort and distribute many pounds of food each month, the hub makes deliveries to nearly two dozen partner food pantries and programs. The hub also recruits volunteers while providing social services designed to promote independence. We added and augmented immigration services, so newcomers can receive help promptly and locally. We expanded our day laborers program to protect the safety of workers and their families, prevent their exploitation by employers and empower them as they grow as key contributors in the Bronx neighborhoods where they now live. Because every person is made in the image and likeness of God and deserves a decent place to live, we are developing the former site of St. Augustine Church in the Bronx to help New York City create nearly 100 units of affordable housing. We plan to redevelop additional sites. Since 1917, Catholic Charities has been supporting New Yorkers in need of food, shelter, child care, counseling, immigration assistance, services for the physically and mentally challenged and employment assistance. We remain, we evolve and we empower as together we grow to serve our Bronx neighbors in need.
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PROVIDING
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CityAndStateNY.com
landlords were more willing to let their properties burn and collect the insurance money than repair buildings that were losing their value. The resulting cycle of disinvestment decimated neighborhoods, which groups like Nos Quedamos and Banana Kelly later tried to reclaim, “building by building.” “We are desperate, so let’s call ourselves the desperadoes,” suggested a housing manager at the newly created Mid Bronx Desperadoes, according to “House by House, Block by Block,” by Alexander von Hoffman. Much of the rehabilitation of the borough began in the 1980s under Mayor Ed Koch, whose administration pumped billions of state and city dollars into the South Bronx and other devastated neighborhoods. “The deal was, ‘We’ll give you these buildings for a dollar, we’ll give you the money for the rehab or the new construction, as the case may be, and in return, you’ve gotta own these buildings and keep them affordable in perpetuity,’” said Nancy Biberman, the founder and president of WHEDco, a Bronx-based nonprofit that has developed housing as well as commercial and education programs. After rehabilitating 23 abandoned buildings in High Bridge for Catholic Charities in the 1980s, Biberman observed there was a vacuum of civil, retail and recreational destinations amid the torched buildings. “Housing alone, not only isn’t enough, it’s worse,” she said. “You’re giving people shelter, but what to do? The streets aren’t safe, there’s no place to shop, no place for their kids to play. To me, at least, it was a frightening realization.” At its inception, WHEDco emphasized services desired by its community. Since it launched in 1992, it has polled residents about their needs and embraced environmental sustainability and nonresidential services like medical services, education and produce carts. When it converted the abandoned Morrisania Hospital to the rechristened Urban Horizons in 1997, it combined 132 units with a child-care center, a 4,000 square-foot commercial kitchen and a health care center. Its newest project, Bronx Commons in Melrose, is scheduled for a December groundbreaking and – taking a cue from the area’s music history – will have theater space, a music heritage center and units for senior artists. The Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation, which is involved with 110 buildings and 3,500 apartments, was born from a community meeting of Northwest
September 19, 2016
Bronx residents in 1978. Executive Director John Reilly said it was maintaining its portfolio, but slowly expanding when some opportunities presented themselves. It recently bought land from the Ursuline Sisters and is building 195 units of senior housing called Serviam Heights, adjacent to developments it completed in 2009 and 2010. He said it was a “win-win” as the sisters no longer occupied the convents, but were pleased to offer the site for affordable senior housing. “We all have to look for those kind of opportunities where institutions can work together to prepare for the future and meet new needs,” he said. STEPHANIE SOSA, a senior associate for housing development policy at the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, said that nonprofit builders have increased their sophistication when navigating the financing tools offered by the city, state and, in some cases, the federal government. “I think that CDCs have been doing a really good job in maturing and developing teams that are able to work with the market now and be creative and use whatever resources that are available to them,” she said. Adam Weinstein, president and CEO of the nonprofit Phipps Houses, said new construction picked up after the mid2000s, when the supply of vacant cityowned buildings that could be renovated and lots ready for development began to
run out, leaving nonprofits to find other solutions. “They were victims of their own success in some regards,” he said. Across the board, much of nonprofits’ activity changed from rehabilitation to new construction using tax-exempt bonds, which favor builders with more assets to buy land or assure lenders. That followed a trend of private backers taking a larger role in neighborhood development projects. In the late 1980s, all of the costs for Phipps’s rehabilitation were borne by the city’s capital budget, a figure reduced to two-thirds in 2001. Now, as little as 25 percent of construction costs come from the city, he said. Phipps, an older organization, moved to the Bronx by developing settlement programs in the 1970s and larger rehabilitation projects over the following decade. To attract and keep tenants, he said that the group has provided amenities like concierges, community space and ground-floor retail at almost all of its buildings. Sosa agreed that community development corporations can be seen as less competitive than private builders, regardless of their track records of renovations and construction. “It’s just very difficult for CDCs when they just don’t have the same financing structure and equity as private developers, so they have to get more creative,” she said, adding that the city should give them more credit for the work they’ve done.
THE BROOK, WHICH BREAKING GROUND OPENED IN 2010, HAS 190 UNITS THAT SERVE LOW-INCOME AND FORMERLY HOMELESS ADULTS. ALEXANDER GORLIN ARCHITECTS
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City & State New York
September 19, 2016
One common advantage they might seek may be the sustainable energy elements that have been adopted across the board. MBD recently won a bid with Trinity Financial to build a fully affordable building at the side of the former P.S. 31 that is planned to be the largest passivehousing project in North America, featuring a school and other facilities. Phipps’s Via Verde, completed in 2012, has solar panels, a green roof, tools to harvest rainwater and other design elements to reduce energy consumption. “That’s a question that a lot of us have asked: Can green technology get us RFPs?” Sosa said. “I don’t know, I think it definitely puts CDCs ahead of one that’s not passive house or one that’s not LEED certified.” Breaking Ground, a homeless outreach and housing provider which builds and operates 19 affordable supportive housing properties, has focused on environmentally sustainable and architecturally significant buildings that offer sleek counterpoints to sometimes oppressive social housing that she compared to a “box” or “prison.” (All of Breaking Ground’s developments since 2005 have been LEED-certified or
embraced elements of environmentally friendly design elements.) One of its recent projects is The Brook, recognizable for its corner element that resembles a recessed red and silver Rubik’s cube, which has 190 units that serve lowincome and formerly homeless adults as well as community space and support services provided by BronxWorks. Brenda Rosen, Breaking Ground’s president and CEO, said that even though the Bronx is cheaper than other boroughs, the nonprofit, which opened the building in 2010, wouldn’t be able to acquire the land today because of rising land prices. “We’re still able to develop, but acquiring sites is not nearly as easy,” Rosen said. “Acquiring sites that are close to public transportation are getting more and more difficult. When developers like Extell and others start buying up property in the South Bronx, you know that something’s really changing.” Rosen said that while some nonprofits may be “competing for land,” they were also looking at each other to understand the needs of the population and what kinds of design elements would help improve residents’ health. That means it has
collaborated more with private developers as they did when developing La Central, a multi-building development located near the South Bronx retail center known as The Hub. There are other opportunities. As part of NYCHA’s NextGeneration program, the authority is making some underused plots open for developers. The West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing has been tapped to build on one of its first sites in Mott Haven and NYCHA is pre-qualifying nonprofits to streamline the bidding process for nonprofit and MWBE developers. The heads of several nonprofits, such as Breaking Ground, Fordham Bedford and Phipps, said they would pursue opportunities to build on NYCHA land. Weinstein said the most successful Bronx nonprofits have to balance social enterprise with business principles. “We are here to ensure that the public sector, the government’s policies, are carried out with care and devotion, but we’re also an enterprise,” he said. “And you’ve gotta think like a business. You’ve got to think about issues of risk and scale and balance sheets and customer service.”
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Bronx
More families entered homeless shelters than from any other borough
Resources on Family Homelessness ICPH provides easy-to-read and simple-to-use resources describing what’s going on in your community. ICPH’s free publications provide the information you need to make informed decisions, advocate, raise awareness, or help make a difference.
On the Map: Atlas of Student Homelessness in New York City 2016
On the Map: Community Snapshots, Family Homelessness in Your Community
A comprehensive set of maps and stats that shed light on the challenges facing homeless public school students, featuring the six school districts in the Bronx
A one-page resources on each of the 12 community districts in the Bronx, looking at key factors from shelter entry to affordability of rental units and unemployment
On the Map: Dynamics of Family Homelessness in New York City
Housing Affordability in Concourse/Highbridge: The Promise of Affordable Housing May Bring False Hope
An easy-to-follow series of maps, charts, and tables that describe what is happening with family homelessness as well as economic and housing stability in each community and city council district in both the Bronx and citywide
A community profile of the Concourse/Highbridge neighborhood of the Bronx and the impact that new affordable housing units may have on family homelessness in the area
Learn more at www.ICPHusa.org View publications online or contact us at info@ICPHusa.org for a free print copy.
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@ICPH_homeless www.facebook.com/InstituteforChildrenandPoverty ICPHusa
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CityAndStateNY.com
September 19, 2016
City & State New York
September 19, 2016
VISIONS of the FUTURE
EDDTORO
To some outsiders, the Bronx is a place plagued by a history of poverty and crime. To others, it is remembered as the birthplace of hip-hop or a bastion of minorities and immigrants. To many, it has remained a foreign land, apart from occasional excursions to Yankee Stadium or perhaps a trip to the Bronx Zoo. But for about one and a half million people, it simply is home. And for many of them, it is a borough on the rebound, with new investment, more jobs and safer streets. In this section, we asked each of the Bronx’s elected officials – its congressional representatives, state lawmakers, City Council members and district attorney – to share what they see in the borough’s future. Read on to find out what they envision.
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September 19, 2016
MICHAEL BLAKE ASSEMBLYMAN Democrat - District 79
Our vision is to transform the socio-economics of the South Bronx to make it the urban metropolis of the world. Through our "3, 2, 1" vision, we have strengthened our minority and women-owned business enterprises, promoted a career oriented education system and provided increased housing opportunities and Criminal Justice reform. From MWBEs getting paid in 15 days instead of 30 to $20 million for a My Brother's Keeper pilot program, from the donation of 10,000 books thanks to Tata Consulting Services and a $500,000 commitment to entrepreneurs from the Libra Group, we are seeing progress through legislation, funding and advocacy. To achieve an even brighter future, we will have to protect and maintain our affordable housing so people are not priced out of their homes. We must pursue serious, comprehensive criminal justice reform. This approach needs to look at before, during and after an incident, working to break down institutional inequalities in the justice system while also providing economic opportunity for individuals before and after incarceration. Yes, these are lofty goals, but I believe that we need to dream bigger than we’ve ever dreamt before if we want to see real change in our community. There is still much work to be done, but I am filled with hope that we can continue #BuildingABetterBronx.
GUSTAVO RIVERA STATE SENATOR Democrat - District 33
While the Bronx has faced significant challenges, now we are going through a period of transformation. From the Kingsbridge Armory to an aggressive campaign to improve our health, we have more economic development projects and resources coming to the Bronx. My vision for the Bronx’s future focuses on ensuring the Bronx continues to be affordable while we work to improve our quality of life. As the city addresses our affordable housing crisis, my office is dedicated to strengthening our rent laws, holding landlords accountable and providing on-theground resources to help tenants avoid unwarranted evictions. These steps are essential to securing, improving and expanding our affordable housing, which will help Bronx families benefit from the economic development coming into our neighborhoods. In the same way we hold landlords accountable, developers that are coming into our neighborhoods also need to be held to a high standard. For example, the devel-
oper for the Kingsbridge Armory signed an unprecedented Community Benefits Agreement that sought to address multiple concerns with the project, while providing direct benefits to the community. We have to ensure new developers are not only committed to their bottom line, but to the communities that are already here. Another overarching issue is our ranking as the unhealthiest county in the state. Overhauling our borough’s health indicators is critical as healthy communities lead the way to thriving communities. As the Ranking Member of the Senate’s Health Committee, I have worked tirelessly to improve the health of our borough both through legislation and local solutions. Today, we see progress with the launch of a borough-wide initiative to improve the state of our health. Without a doubt, our borough has made tangible advancements, however we need to continue working together to ensure the resources coming in are helping build a better Bronx.
City & State New York
September 19, 2016
DARCEL D. CLARK MICHAEL BENEDETTO ASSEMBLYMAN Democrat - District 82
In light of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s recent announcement of an infusion of $150 million to renovate neglected city parks, I believe he has missed an opportunity by not including the Bronx’s Ferry Point Park. The Bronx, long the forgotten and much maligned borough, would have gained an economic windfall by developing this waterfront gem in the rough. The future of the Bronx might have gained a needed boost by investing in Ferry Point improvements. With its ample acreage hosting numerous baseball, soccer and cricket fields and with awesome waterfront views, Ferry Point is ideal for development. Ferry Point’s east side has been developed with the world-class Trump Links golf course. This course is nationally recognized as one of the finest golf courses in the country. It attracts players from around the world to the Bronx. Wouldn’t it be great if these same folks, and of course the entire Bronx community, could have an equally enjoyable experience on the west side of the park, replete with waterside pathways for walkers and cyclists, restaurants and cafés and well-groomed athletic fields?
BRONX COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY Democrat
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My vision for the future of the Bronx where I have lived all my life - is a future in which Bronx residents have total confidence in the criminal justice system. I hope they will believe that it is their system, and they truly own it. I hope it will be a system that works efficiently and fairly for everyone who has to go through it, whether as a victim, defendant, witness or juror. I envision a better working relationship between law enforcement and the community. Public Safety will be assured if we have the trust and faith of those whom we protect.
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September 19, 2016
JOSÉ E. SERRANO CONGRESSMAN Democrat - District 15
My vision for the future of the Bronx is primarily a borough and a community that continues to welcome diversity and provide immigrant families with the opportunities they need to get their start, to thrive in our city and in our country and to achieve the American dream. I hope it remains a place where our historic culture and identity is so embedded in the fiber of our community that you cannot forget that this was the birthplace of hip-hop and salsa, and a place where access to green space is recognized as a fundamental right – despite being in the middle of one of the world’s largest cities. I also hope and will continue working toward a Bronx where residents have access to the same resources, health care services, training opportunities and good jobs as other areas without sacrificing affordability and sense of community. Lastly, the Bronx must remain a place within reach to all those who built and fought for this community through hard times, and who are continuing to invest their time and energy into helping the borough move forward.
RAFAEL SALAMANCA CITY COUNCILMAN Democrat - District 17
No disrespect to my colleagues, but the Bronx is and always has been the best borough. We have the best food, the best music, the best shopping as well as the best parks and waterfront. What’s exciting is people are finally starting to take notice. My community in the South Bronx is changing rapidly, and in many ways that is a very great thing, but it’s important to me that as we move forward we keep the needs of our existing residents in mind. We’re facing levels of new development we haven’t seen in years, and we need to fight to ensure that our new housing stock is for mixed incomes, especially working- and middle-class families who are worried about being priced out of their community. I’m confident this can
be done, and am excited about a number of new projects on the horizon. I also envision that the waterfront in the South Bronx will soon no longer be one of the best-kept secrets in New York City. We’re working hard to continue to increase access and the amount of greenspace on the waterfront, and just recently Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and I worked to allocate $2 million for Pier 132 in Port Morris. But if one thing is certain about the future of the Bronx, it is that it’s going to be bright. The Bronx is back. We’re no longer seen as the poster child for urban decay, but as the vibrant and dynamic borough that we are, which is why you need to get up to the boogie-down Bronx!
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City & State New York
September 19, 2016
JAMES VACCA
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JOSÉ M. SERRANO STATE SENATOR Democrat - District 29
CITY COUNCILMAN Democrat - District 13
I see the future of the Bronx as a bastion for working men and women in a city that is becoming increasingly unaffordable for the average person. The Bronx is in the midst of a great revival; improving the quality of life for its residents and making it an attractive place to live. The streets are safer than they’ve been in decades, we’re seeing record investment in our communities, and our future looks bright. Improving our transportation infrastructure is a major factor in continuing the improvements the Bronx has seen. The new Metro North stations will be a boon for the Bronx, greatly increasing access to job opportunities – not only in Manhattan, but in places like White Plains and Stamford as well. We must continue to focus on a progressive transportation policy, which includes expanded ferry service, more Select Bus Service, express busses that are actually express, and the implementation of the Move NY congestion plan.
The Bronx has also become a prime location for the film industry with permit applications skyrocketing. As chairman of the New York City Council Committee of Technology, I look forward to a continued expansion of filming. Additionally, I‘m excited about the implementation of LinkNYC in the Bronx, which will bring free Wi-Fi to our commercial corridors. In my district, I’m thrilled about the continuing revitalization of Westchester Square. With the Owen Dolen Park renovation, a thriving Business Improvement District, a state-of-the-art public library development and a soon-toopen new home for the Bronx Council of the Arts, “the Square” is slated to become the cultural epicenter of the East Bronx. I see a continuing expansion of the medical infrastructure around Waters Place, which brings good jobs to the neighborhood. The Bronx is looking up and I will continue to do my best to ensure a bright future for the Borough.
The future of the Bronx is bright! People are discovering what we Bronxites knew all along – that the Bronx is a truly special place to work and live. Home to a vast array of diverse communities, the Bronx offers many cultural and historical tourist destinations for all to discover. My vision for the future of the Bronx is very much in line with the concerns that all New Yorkers face. We want and need great schools, affordable housing and safe streets. We want better employment opportunities and viable green spaces for all to enjoy. We want a health care system that addresses the known health disparities that many of our neighborhoods face. And nowhere have we seen such rapid improvement in all these areas than right here in the Bronx. We must continue to build on all these successes and push for even more. Those who thought they knew the Bronx from decades ago should take a moment to reimagine the borough, and come see for themselves all the amazing cultural and historical attractions we have to offer, and how the future for the Bronx is brighter than it's ever been!
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September 19, 2016
Lehman and the Bronx: A Common Purpose
By José Luis Cruz
Today the Bronx’s economy is booming with new jobs in the tech, film and TV industries; neighborhoods are bustling with renovation projects; parks are being beautified; cultural institutions are serving diverse communities; and unemployment rates have dropped to historic lows. The Bronx renaissance is on. Lehman College celebrates the efforts of all who contribute to the forces that keep the Bronx moving forward and trending upward: political leaders, business owners, charitable groups, and social advocates. And the College is proud of the role it has played in the last half-century to help chart the path and lead the way to where we are today. First, with more than 65,000 alumni, Lehman College has cemented itself as an engine of opportunity, vehicle of upward mobility, and driver of transformative change for generations of Bronxites. Whether they are the first in their families to start a business, become a nurse at Montefiore, teach in a South Bronx public school, go on to Harvard Medical, or become the Bronx Borough President—Lehman alumni achieve great things for themselves, and for those they serve. Second, Lehman’s presence in our K-12 schools has helped shape the aspirations—and strengthen the academic preparation—of thousands of students. The innovative Bronx Institute, the nationally recognized High School of American Studies at Lehman College, and the Lehman Center for School College Collaborative and College Now are prime examples of this legacy. Third, the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, the Lehman Art Gallery, BronxNet and The Bronx Small Business Development Center (SBDC) have contributed to the overall cultural, intellectual, and economic landscape of our home borough. Afforded more space, I could elaborate on other examples such as our flagship initiatives in teacher education, new media, structural and molecular biosciences; our nationally recognized research programs; and our myriad workforce development initiatives in areas such as Augmented Virtual Reality. But this density of activity and accomplishments does not lead Lehman College to complacency. We recognize that there is still much to be done before we meet our full potential as agents of change and stewards of place. And we will not rest until we help our partners in the public and private sector eradicate the health, educational, and economic inequalities that—as is the case for so many urban communities across our nation—persist to this day. The past, present, and future of Lehman College—and the borough it calls home—are inextricably intertwined. For me, this represents a cause for optimism and a source of confidence; and a call for thoughtful, intentional action. I look forward to working with you to build a stronger Bronx for all. José Luis Cruz is the President of Lehman College
VANESSA GIBSON CITY COUNCILWOMAN Democrat - District 16
I love the Bronx and continue to be so thankful to have the opportunity to live here, work here and represent the people of the 16th City Council District. Over the past year our borough has received unprecedented attention, and I am determined to ensure any investments made benefit the people who have always lived and worked here. City-led improvements to our borough must yield meaningful improvements to our schools, bring increased opportunities for our young people and create jobs that present pathways to lifelong careers. Simultaneously, we must create and preserve affordable housing for working people at all income levels. Progress must not come at the price of affordability, and I pledge to do everything in my power to ensure the Bronx remains affordable for all. Finally, I envision safer streets and neighborhoods for our borough. I want to see communities where everyone feels safe and where no family ever experiences the horror of losing a loved one to gun violence. We need to see an increase in anti-gun violence programs and a decrease in the number of illegal guns on our streets. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Council, in the Bronx, and at the local, state, and federal levels to bring an end to the gun violence epidemic. The future of the Bronx is as bright as ever and I look forward to seeing our borough thrive.
City & State New York
September 19, 2016
JOE CROWLEY CONGRESSMAN
The future looks brighter than ever for the Bronx, and as the representative of the 14th Congressional District I am privileged and proud to serve some of its most diverse and vibrant communities. In recent years, I’ve witnessed the borough continue its resurgence as a premier destination for tourism, business and living. The Bronx is filled with rich historical significance and is home to several world-renowned institutions. But it’s the borough’s entrepreneurial spirit that has led this revival, making it a hotbed for innovation and economic development. While we have made incredible strides, we need to make the most of this momentum to continue to create good-paying jobs, reinvest in our infrastructure, help our youth become tomorrow’s top leaders and improve the quality of life for every resident. That’s why I have long championed the plan to bring Metro-North service to the East Bronx, advocated for a new training vessel at SUNY Maritime College and introduced the On-the-Job Training Act, legislation designed to ensure workers can gain new skills to compete and succeed in the ever-changing job market. The people of the Bronx are resilient and I look forward to continuing to work on their behalf to enact policies in Congress that will make the Bronx an even better place to live, work and visit.
Democrat - District 14
Committed to New York City children and families for more than 160 years.
Children’s Aid programs meet the complex needs of each child and include: Education Programs • early childhood education • after school and summer camp • adolescent pregnancy prevention Health Services • comprehensive medical services • dental • mental health • family planning Family and Home Supports • parent engagement programs • foster care and adoption • job training and employment services
At Children’s Aid, we are on a mission to connect children with what they need to learn, grow, and lead. We are with them every step of the way with the tools they need to realize their limitless potential.
www.childrensaidsociety.org
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September 19, 2016
ANDREW COHEN
ANDY KING
CITY COUNCILMAN
CITY COUNCILMAN
Democrat - District 11
The Bronx is burgeoning in job growth and business development. Our borough has been on a track toward economic development for the past few years, and we must continue to birth new business in the Bronx while ensuring the longevity of local stakeholders that have survived and contributed to the Bronx through harder times. Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. has done a lot for the Bronx in recent years to attract major corporations to set up sites in the borough that provide jobs to Bronxites. It will be our job over the next few years to ensure these jobs remain local and that the jobs are ones that pay well and provide good benefits, with opportunities for career advancement. At the same time we are seeing this boom in the Bronx, we cannot let new development put old strongholds out of business, and it cannot come at the expense of the color and culture that makes our borough famous. A personal plan I want to see come into existence for the Bronx, and the area I represent in particular, is ferry service traveling up the West Side of Manhattan into the Bronx. This proposal would bring about another mode of transportation than the heavily trafficked subways, railways and buses, as well as unburden the roads of at least a few cars.
Democrat - District 12
ELIOT ENGEL CONGRESSMAN Democrat - District 16
My vision for the Bronx is already coming to fruition in a big way. In the last several years we have seen some amazing changes in our borough, including phenomenal economic growth, a cleaner environment and greater opportunities for all New Yorkers. New business developments like the Mall at Bay Plaza in Co-op City are sprouting up all the time, providing goodpaying jobs and wonderful retail options for those in and outside the city. We are also blessed to have the most natural beauty in all of New York City, whether it is the scenic views of the Hudson, or the beautiful greenery in Seton Falls Park. Every day more and more people are discovering what the Bronx has to offer, and every day that offering increases exponentially. I envision this positive trend continuing well into the future, where people will talk about our borough as the new hotspot in New York City.
My vision for the Bronx is to see elected officials working together. My vision for the Bronx is watching city, state and federal agencies respond to the neighborhoods that they service. My vision for the Bronx is watching people in neighborhoods learn and understand their diversity and respect their diversity. My vision for the Bronx is for us to all accept that we are the Bronx, and since we are the Bronx we should hold ourselves to standards that teach our children how to become quality adults. My vision for the Bronx is that we all take a united front in seeking a spiritual and higher power. My vision for the Bronx is that we do all we can as Bronxites to make sure we keep the Bronx a safe, growing, family-oriented place, a loving community, standing up for each other as a united front. My vision for the Bronx is that we grow together as Bronxites. My vision for the Bronx is that we never again let a flag or a language or dialect to cause us to discriminate against ourselves, because we are the Bronx. My vision for the Bronx for all of us who have taken a vow to serve, commit to our neighbors and constituents … we must live up to that vow, that oath under God that we’ve taken to serve. That’s my vision of the Bronx. What’s yours?
City & State New York
September 19, 2016
JEFFREY DINOWITZ ASSEMBLYMAN
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The Bronx is on the ascendancy. I have lived in this borough all of my life, including during the tough times in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. Like so many others, I stayed, and boy was that the right decision. Jobs are up, crime is down, and the Bronx is back. Just look at the multitude of economic development, including two new shopping malls in the Kingsbridge section of my district. Look at all of the new housing. And if the amazing Kingsbridge National Ice Center becomes a reality, it will be the catalyst for a renaissance not just in the Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood where I grew up, but the whole Northwest Bronx. I see a future Bronx where new parks are created, including along all of our waterfronts and around the Jerome Park Reservoir; a Bronx where schools, housing and other facilities are built on platforms over some of our rail yards; a Bronx where all kinds of people of all economic levels from outside the Bronx are clamoring to move to; a Bronx where every Bronxite can afford to go to a Yankee game. We know the importance of economic development and housing affordability, but if we want to attract young families then it is crucial that we fix our education system so that we have schools in every neighborhood that parents want to run toward, not away from.
Democrat - District 81
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LETTER to the
EDITOR
Dear Editor,
PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES
If puns are the lowest form of humor, then using a completely inaccurate one solely to juice up the cover to a magazine is the lowest form of journalism (City & State Magazine, September 5, 2016: “Rotten to the Core: Can New York Salvage Its Education Standards”). As the actual reporting in the magazine shows, there is widespread agreement that the Common Core standards were the right way forward. Former Chancellor Tisch and Commissioner King and many others worked day and night to see that New York state’s students would benefit from having them in place. Teachers across the state have testified that the standards have challenged them to rethink what they were doing and, in many instances, to improve their practice, which is why they will be changed only at the margins. Having high standards for all students is not a joking matter, and City & State shouldn’t make it one. Sincerely, JAMES D. MERRIMAN Chief Executive Officer, New York City Charter School Center
City & State Senior Editor Jon Lentz responds: To thousands of New Yorkers, the Common Core is truly rotten. As the story noted, roughly 1 in 5 students across the state opted out of tests tied to the academic standards, with far higher opt-out rates in dozens of school districts. State education officials did champion and later defend the Common Core, but they have also responded to the opt-out movement by launching a thorough review of the standards. Betty Rosa, an outspoken critic of the Common Core, was elected chancellor of the state Board of Regents this year. Education officials now argue that the standards should not only change, but be renamed. Whether or not they do – or should – actually change, this much is clear: The Common Core had become so controversial that politicians felt that they had to do something.
SEPTEMBER 19, 2016
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Notice of formation of Drake Communications, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 3/2/2016. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to 7014 13th Ave, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Principal business address: 113 Nassau St, New York, NY 10038. Purpose: any lawful act.
Notice of formation of Grafted Hospitality Group LLC, Articles of organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 06/02/16. Office location: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: c/o Marzec Law Firm, 225 Broadway Suite 3000, New York, NY 10007. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of Honeymix LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on May 25, 2016. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served against LLC to: 225 W 112th St NY NY 10026. Purpose: any lawful act.
Notice of formation of 57Crickets60Elm, LLC, Arts of Org filed with Sec of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/01/16. Office location:NY County. SSNY designated agency upon whom process may be served against LLC. Principal business address is 3 Wash Square Village, 2-O, NY NY 10012.
Notice of Formation of Marisa Terol llc. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/12/2016. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy to principal business address: 189 west 89 Street 18L NY, NY 10024. Purpose any lawful act.
Notice of formation of David R Head Jr LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy. of State NY (SSNY) on 6/9/2016. Office location NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served against LLC to: 7014 13th Ave Set 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Principal business address: & E 14th St. #1219, NY, NY 10003.
Purpose: any lawful act. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Trep Spirit, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 7/26/16. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC to: Trep Spirit, LLC, PO BOX 325, New York, NY 10024. Purpose: For any lawful purpose. Notice of Formation of Batelion, LLC Org filed with the Secy. Of State of NY (SSNY) on August 17th, 2016. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served against LLC to: United States Corporation Agents, Inc., 7014 13th Ave, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Business address: 412 E 116th Str, #2, New York, NY 10029. Purpose: any lawful act. Notice of formation of Sara Byworth LLC. Art. Of Org. filed with SSNY on 31st May 2016. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon
City & State New York
September 19, 2016
whom process may be served against LLC to. 102 Saint Marks Place #2, Brooklyn 11217. Principal address. 102 Saint Marks Place #2, Brooklyn 11217. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of formation of Somerset Regent LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 8/5/2016. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC to c/o Law Office of Z Tan PLLC, 110 E 59th St, Ste 3200, New York, NY 10022. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of formation of Katonah Yoga Bowery LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 5/2/2016. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served against LLC to: 41 Carmine St. NY, NY 10014. Principal business address: 302 Bowery, 2nd Fl, NY NY 10012. Purpose: any lawful act. Notice of Qualification of HAWKING LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/08/16. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 06/10/16. NYS fictitious name: HAWKING DE LLC. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 125 Cambridgepark Dr., Ste. 301, Cambridge, MA 02140. DE addr. of LLC: Incorporating Services, Ltd., 3500 S. Dupont Hwy., Dover, DE 19901. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Qual. of Galeon Navigation Management (USA) LLC, Auth. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 7/29/16. Off. loc: NY Co. LLC org. in DE 6/24/16. SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom proc. against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of proc. to CSC, 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207. DE off. addr.: 2711 Centerville Rd., Ste. 400, Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. on file: SSDE, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purp: any lawful activities. Notice of Formation of BitsyBoho, LLC. Art. of Org. filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on June 6, 2016. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of process to LLC at: 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF ORESTE DRAPACA ARCHITECT, PLLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Sec’y. of State of NY (SSNY) on 27 JUN 2016. Office location: NEW YORK County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served against PLLC to principal business address: 419 PARK AVE SOUTH 7 FLR NEW YORK NY 10016. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. Notice of Formation of Sherwood Clinton LLC, Art. of Org. filed with Sec’y of State (SSNY) on 6/20/16. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to Sherwood Equities, 745 Fifth Ave., NY, NY 10151. Purpose: any lawful activities. Notice of Formation of Soussand Associates, LLC, Art. of Org. filed with Sec’y of State
(SSNY) on 5/17/16. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to Philippe Soussand, 30 E. 85th St., #14B, NY, NY 10028. Purpose: any lawful activities. Notice of Qual. of Silverview CLO LLC, Auth. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 3/1/16. Off. loc: NY Co. LLC org. in DE 2/29/16. SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom proc. against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of proc. to Att: Adam Hagfors, 40 W. 57th St., NY, NY 10019. DE off. addr.: CSC, 2711 Centerville Rd., Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. on file: SSDE, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purp: any lawful activities. Public Notice – Matter Ventures, LLC Notice of qualification of Matter Ventures, LLC. Application of Authority filed with the Secy. Of State of NY (SSNY) on 6/21/2016. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in DE on 12/02.2012. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to principal business address: 421 Bryant Street, San Francisco, CA 94107. DE address of LLC: Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, DE 19901. Certificate of LLC filed with the Secy. of State of DE located at: 401 Federal Street Suite 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: any lawful act. Notice of Formation of IMPRCR 4115 50TH LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 05/20/16. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o RCR Management LLC, 155 Riverside Dr., Ste. 1D, NY, NY 10024.
As amended by Cert. of Amendment filed with SSNY on 06/23/16, name changed to 4115 50TH LLC. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
The principal address to the LLC is: 66 Fort Washington Ave #64 New York, NY 10032. Purpose: any lawful act or activity.
Notice of Formation of IMPRCR 4541 39TH LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 05/20/16. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o RCR Management LLC, 155 Riverside Dr., Ste. 1D, NY, NY 10024. As amended by Cert. of Amendment filed with SSNY on 06/23/16, name changed to 4541 39TH LLC. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of Fair Shake Food LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/12/2016. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served against LLC to: US Corp. Agents, Inc. 7014 13th Ave #202. Brooklyn, NY 11228. Principal business address: 360 E 88th St. #8F, NY, NY 10128. Purpose: any lawful act.
CONTENT LENDING LLC filed Arts. of Org. with the Sect’y of State of NY (SSNY) on 6/21/2016. Office located in NY County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 535 110th St., Apt. 5D, NY NY 10025. Purpose: any lawful act. BESSO LLC filed Arts. of Org. with the Sect’y of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/8/2016. Office located in NY County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 124 W 93rd St., Apt. 7B, NY NY 10025. Purpose: any lawful act. Notice of Formation of Diana La Mere, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State to NY (SSNY) On July 12, 2016. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against may be served. The Post Office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her is: 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202 Brooklyn, NY 11228.
Notice of Formation of 55 HAUS LLC. Art. of Org. filed with the SSNY on July 14, 2016. Office: New York County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be ser ved. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, 220 E. 25th St 4A , NY, NY 10010. Purpose: any lawful act. Notice of Qualification of OBBP PARKING OWNER LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/18/16. Office location: NY County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 08/10/16. Princ. office of LLC: Vanke Holdings USA LLC, Attn: General Counsel, 130 W. 42nd St., 16th Fl., NY, NY 10036. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. DE addr. of LLC: Corporation Service Co., 2711 Centerville Rd., Ste. 400, Wilmington, DE 19808. Cert. of Form. filed with Secy. of State, Corps. Div., John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice of Formation of RPA RIVINGTON,
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LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/03/16. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: To hold real and personal property and any other lawful activity. Notice of Formation of RatetheBiz, LLC. Arts of Organization filed with the SSNY on June 13,2016. Office location: NY County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served against LLC to: 7014 13th Ave Ste. 202 Brooklyn, NY 11228. Principal business address: 121 W 36th St. NY, NY 10018. Purpose: Any lawful act. Notice of Formation of 7A MADISON SQUARE LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on August 08, 2016. Office location: New York County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC, 262 WEST 38TH STREET ROOM 1701, and NEW YORK, NEW YORK, 10018. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
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CITY & STATE NEW YORK MANAGEMENT & PUBLISHING Chairman Steve Farbman, President/CEO Tom Allon tallon@cityandstateny.com, Vice President of Strategy Jasmin Freeman, Comptroller David Pirozzi dpirozzi@cityandstateny.com, Business & Sales Coordinator Patrea Patterson, Junior Sales Associate Cydney McQuillan-Grace cydney@cityandstateny.com
Who was up and who was down last week
JACK MARTINS – With a federal appeals court flipping an earlier decision, “Flip” Pidot lost his chance at a special GOP primary in Long Island’s Third Congressional District. Martins can now fully focus on taking on his general election opponent, Tom Suozzi. That’s gone well, too, as Martins got a Suozzi ad pulled from TV after calling it out for “inventing quotes” and not following federal disclosure rules.
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WINNERS
LOSERS
Hillary Clinton probably wasn’t the only New Yorker who was sick this week after we had our third primary of the year. And a statewide illness would be a convenient excuse for the dismal voter turnout this cycle (again). So hopefully the Empire State’s voters follow Clinton’s lead and take some time to recuperate before yet another election in November. And what better way to spend a day of rest than to vote for this week’s Winners & Losers!
EDITORIAL - editor@cityandstateny.com Editorial Director Michael Johnson mjohnson@ cityandstateny.com, Senior Editor Jon Lentz jlentz@ cityandstateny.com, Albany Reporter Ashley Hupfl ahupfl@ cityandstateny.com, Buffalo Reporter Justin Sondel jsondel@cityandstateny.com, City Hall Reporter Sarina Trangle strangle@cityandstateny.com, Managing Editor Ryan Somers, Associate Copy Editor Sam Edsill, Web/ Engagement Editor Jeremy Unger, Editorial Assistant Jeff Coltin SLANT Slant Editor Nick Powell npowell@cityandstateny.com, Editor-at-Large Gerson Borrero gborrero@cityandstateny. com, Slant Columnists Nicole Gelinas, Bruce Fisher, Richard Brodsky, Karen Hinton CREATIVE - creativedepartment@cityandstateny.com Creative Director Guillaume Federighi, Senior Graphic Designer Alex Law, Marketing Designer Charles Flores, Junior Graphic Designer Kewen Chen DIGITAL - digital@cityandstateny.com Digital Manager Chanelle Grannum, Digital Content Coordinator Michael Filippi MULTIMEDIA Multimedia Director Bryan Terry
BILL BRATTON – The NYPD commissioner retired in a way befitting his tenure: lower crime rates, but a lot of outraged progressives. It turns out officer Daniel Pantaleo, who used a chokehold that contributed to the death of Eric Garner, got a serious bump in pay since being transferred to desk duty. And that’s about all we know, since the department won’t release Pantaleo’s disciplinary record.
THE BEST OF THE REST MARISOL ALCANTARA & YUH-LINE NIOU – win state’s
THE REST OF THE WORST CAMILLE SIANO ENDERS –
biggest primaries
campaigning on state time
JOE ERRIGO – selected to replace
JEN HENSLEY – LinkNYC shuts
the late Nojay
down free internet after misuse
JEFF KLEIN – expands his IDC DORIS LING-COHAN – after
GUILLERMO LINARES & MARGARET MARKEY –
outcry, judge nominated
incumbents knocked out
ADVERTISING Vice President of Advertising Jim Katocin jkatocin@ cityandstateny.com, Account/Business Development Executive Scott Augustine saugustine@cityandstateny.com, Event Sponsorship Strategist Danielle Koza dkoza@ cityandstateny.com EVENTS - events@cityandstateny.com Events Manager Lissa Blake, Senior Events Coordinator Alexis Arsenault, Events and Marketing Coordinator Jenny Wu
Vol. 5 Issue 36 September 19, 2016
judicial candidate fired for
MICHAEL FLAHERTY & KRISTY MAZUREK – Pigeon pals lose primaries
WINNERS & LOSERS is published every Friday morning in City & State’s First Read email. Sign up for the email, cast your vote and see who won at cityandstateny.com.
Illustration Guillaume Federighi
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