Diaz: Zoning change for 500 Baychester is appropriate
Vol. 54 No. 50
Riverbay Election Committee to begin prepping for 2020 election The 2020 Riverbay Board Election Committee will begin meeting next month to start preparing and devising methods to improve shareholder participation and turn out in the annual election of directors scheduled to take place in May of next year. Board Director Francine Reva Jones, a former chair of previous election committees, was appointed by Riverbay Board President Linda Berk earlier this year to chair the 2020 Election Committee. Director Jones will be joined by Director Michelle Marbury as co-chair. At this time, the directors are asking shareholders interested in serving on the committee to contact the Riverbay Board Liaison’s office at (718) 320-3300, ext. 3352, and leave their name and contact phone number. “Voting in the Riverbay Board Elections is one of the most important responsibilities of a Coop City shareholder,” said Director Jones this week. “What’s also important is encouraging other shareholders to vote. Following several years of failing to reach a timely quorum, Election BY ROZAAN BOONE
December Bookkeeping Window Extended Hours
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The Riverbay Finance Department’s Bookkeeping office in the Administrative Building in Bartow Center will remain open until 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 30, 2019, to accept carrying charge payments. —Riverbay Finance Department
Judge dismisses Councilmember King’s lawsuit
Councilman Andy King’s attempt to reverse the city council’s decision to fine, suspend and strip him of much of his autonomy for the remainder of his term came to an end Dec. 9 when a New York Supreme Court judge granted the city’s motion to dismiss his Article 78 lawsuit against the council. According to published reports, Mr. King’s lawyer said the councilman will now concentrate on paying the $15,000 fine levied on him as part of his punishment for what the city council’s ethics committee found were substantiated charges of misuse of council resources, creating a hostile work environment and, most notably, BY JASON CHIREVAS
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Saturday, December 14, 2019
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. has decided a proposed zone change for the property commonly known as 500 Baychester Ave. should be enacted. Under the change — proposed by recently suspended City Councilman Andy King — the zoning for the lots at 500 Baychester, currently home to a 7-11 and a few other businesses, would be changed from the current C7 to C82. The change wouldn’t affect the businesses currently in place, but it would stop developers, current and future, from putting any more 60-foot, three-sided, LED illuminated signs on the property such as the one that’s there now, which has been a consistent irritant for shareholders on the southwest side of Co-op City for some time now. Of course, as of Dec. 12 there’s also what appears to be a wind turbine on the property — see sidebar — but that may prove to be another story for another day. For now, Diaz’s decision to endorse the proposed zoning follows that of Community Board 10, which voted nearly unanimously to move the decision along to the borough president in October. If the zoning for 500 Baychester is changed to C8-2, no further signs like the one currently on the property could be built but the current one would remain because, under the law, zoning cannot be used to make existing things noncompliant. That said, the property’s current developer is in court with the city Department of Buildings, which believes the sign may be non-compliant on the basis of its proximity to Interstate 95. The illuminated sign was permissible in the first place because C7 zoning was designed for amusement park purposes. Zoning in New York City began in 1961. At that time, the land now occupied by Co-op City and its outskirts was home to Freedomland, an amusement park based on the history of the United States. An almost instant failure, Freedomland closed in 1964, paving the way, figuratively, for Co-op City. All the area zoning was changed to accommodate the new residential development. BY JASON CHIREVAS
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Wind turbine under construction at 500 Baychester As the city’s Buildings department and local politicians and Co-op City shareholders continue BY JASON CHIREVAS
This monopole was installed at 500 Baychester Ave. early Thursday morning. It is believed the pole will be a massive wind turbine when completed.
to battle the owner and developer of 500 Baychester Ave. over a 60-foot LED sign that’s been shining into some Co-op City apartments for months (see story at left) a new structure, believed to be a massive (Continued on page 4)
Co-op City concludes 50th Anniversary with grand finale It was an evening of music, dining and dancing in the Bartow Center on Wednesday, Dec. 11, to celebrate the conclusion of Co-op City’s 50th Anniversary. The Roz Brown Band entertained guests with some of Motown’s greatest hits. They played a Supremes medley, including “Where Did Our Love Go?” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” and “Come See About Me.” During the variety, three fearless women got a chance to be a part of the Motown group for the evening, singing, “Stop! In the Name of Love.” Following shortly thereafter, it was the men’s turn to participate during a Temptations medley. One of the songs included Riverbay General Manager Noel Volunteers stepped forward to perform some Motown hits Ellison. The men all took their roles as a Temptation, with The Roz Brown Band Dec. 11 at the last event celeBY TORIEA McCAUSELAND
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brating Co-op City’s 50th year. Photo by Toriea McCauseland