While in the Council, Maria Baez was seen as largely in favor of the plan to turn the Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx into a regional shopping mall, despite widespread opposition from many labor and community leaders. But since she was defeated in the September primary by New Life Ministries pastor Fernando Cabrera, who opposed the redevelopment, the controversial plan has run into even greater resistance.
Cabrera’s supporters say his intense interest in the Kingsbridge Armory deal will likely carry forward to other development issues planned for his Bronx district.
“Cabrera’s winning coalition was unions, community groups and churches,” wrote Neal Kwatra, political director at the Hotel and Motel Trade Council, which supported Cabrera, via e-mail. “As a result, I think he will look to build a community coalition, as he has on [the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance], made up of the aforementioned groups for future key developments and re-zonings in his district.”
In a city with a strong mayor system like New York, Council members have little influence over many of the city’s day-to-day operations. But when it comes to issues concerning land use and zoning, Council members still have a lot of power. And with a host of new members arriving in January, many of whom made responsible development a key component of their campaigns, city residents are wondering how their neighborhoods will be impacted Incoming Council Member Brad Lander recently discovered how sensitive zoning issues can be for his constituents in the Carroll Gardens section of Brooklyn. Residents were in an uproar over a proposed amendment by public advocate-elect and outgoing Council member Bill de Blasio that would allow a private school to build atop of one of the courtyards that give the neighborhood its distinctive character. After widespread resentment about the plan, de Blasio withdrew his amendment, a move that Lander supported.
Before he opted to give up his Council seat and run for mayor instead, Tony Avella was at the forefront of an effort to oppose large-scale development in his Queens district. And while his successor, Dan Halloran, may come from a different political party (Avella is a Democrat, while Halloran is a Republican), the incoming Council member said he will continue
Avella’s fight against irresponsible development.
“In some respects, Tony and I will have agreement on a lot of those issues,” Halloran said.
After taking office, Halloran said he planned on keeping a close eye on commercial developments and rezonings along Station Road in Auburndale to make sure it remains contextual to the neighborhood, as well as a plan to allow for the construction of row houses in his district. Crucial to all these plans, Halloran added, is ensuring that the City Planning Department is aware of the longterm effects of zoning and development in residential districts such as his.
“City Planning has to think about the next 40 years of what the city is going to look like when it’s putting together these plans,” Halloran said. “Everybody’s really not yet on the same page.”
Margaret Chin, who defeated incumbent Alan Gerson in her bid to become the first Asian Council member to represent Chinatown, will also face a host of development and rezoning issues upon joining the Council in January. Michael Levine, director of land use and planning at Community Board 1, said Chin has already been in talks with residents and developers about rezonings planned for northern TriBeCa, as well as a long-term development plan for Chinatown.
“We know that our new Council member is very much plugged into that,” Levine said, “and is very much a part of our team.”
Cabrera, though, appears poised to be dealing with the most land use issues of the freshman class. In addition to the Kingsbridge deal, rezoning applications are being considered for Webster Avenue, Bedford Park and the Bronx waterfront.
Greg Faulkner, the incoming Council member’s chief-of-staff, said that responsible development is foremost in Cabrera’s thinking as he prepares to assume his new post. Faulkner said Cabrera is thinking in particular about rezoning Jerome Avenue to help create uniformity along the six-mile thoroughfare while preserving the neighborhood character.
His approach will veer significantly from that of Maria Baez, who was criticized by Cabrera during the campaign for being largely absent from important issues in the district, Faulkner said.
“He’s been at City Hall for the past couple weeks, sitting in on the [Kingsbridge] negotiations,” said Faulkner, who added that Cabrera has already been mobbed by union members and lobbyists with regards to development issues.
“He hasn’t even put his hand on the Bible yet and said, ‘I swear I’ll do this job!’”
JenniferT
