Request to Down Zone Bedford Park Comes Amid Race to Stymie Evictions

By DANIELA BEASLEY

After learning of the recent down zoning of a portion of streets in the neighborhood of Woodlawn, the Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation (FBHC) is now fighting even more for portions of Bedford Park to receive the same outcome. A request was put into the New York City Department of City Planning (NYCDCP) to down zone 202nd and 203rd streets five years back when other areas of Bedford Park underwent rezoning. The request called for R5B or R7B zones to be adopted on these narrow streets, mandating developers to put up structures at the same height as the century-old houses that

Dear Loyal Readers, The latest edition of the Norwood News, covering all things northwest Bronx, is out with plenty of community news you can use. We begin, as always, on page 1 with an in-depth story on the 52nd Precinct’s newest commanding officer, Deputy Inspector Peter Fiorillo, who succeeds Inspector Nilda Hofmann. Read where Inspector Hofmann landed (it’s a very interesting place), and her thoughts on the borough she had once called home. Inside the cover you’ll read results on participatory budgeting, politics in the Bronx, and the latest in the Kingsbridge Armory saga. We’ll also bring you Bronx Youth

Candidates in the race for the 13th Congressional District seat, sprinting to secure votes ahead of the June primary, gathered to address community concerns in a debate framed as a town hall forum. Organized by the Muslim community, the forum featured two hours of outbursts, gang-ups, and comings and goings. The crowded field of candidates, including Mike Gallagher, Clyde Williams, ambassador-at-large Suzan Johnson Cook, state Senator Adriano Espaillat, Sam Sloan, Adam Clayton Powell IV, state Assemblyman Keith Wright, and Yohanny Caceres, converged at the Sanctuary Grand Hall at 2773 Webster Ave. in Norwood to plead their stances at the event

By DAVID CRUZ

A pair of rallies, held on different days, focused on the Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC). But while one called for the city to finally hand over the keys to the ice center developers, another once again urged the public to know the consequences should it be built. People Power Movement, a progressive grassroots group, staged a rally on May 1, a date corresponding with the yearly May Day, also known as International Workers Day. A group of people (picture left) stood in front of the Kingsbridge Armory, the purported site of the impending Kingsbridge National Ice Center, calling on

For anyone who’s lived in the Bronx long enough, they’ll learn it can take an insane amount of time to fix a quality of life problem. So if it’s a busted fire hydrant, perpetually loud neighbors, an overpopulated cat colony, or a lost coin (it’s been known to happen), resolve is almost never instantaneous, a curse that bedevils anyone making a complaint through the city’s 311 hotline. The system, implemented in 2003 during the Bloomberg years, serves as the city’s official customer service line, though that depiction is a stretch, depending on who you talk to. It functions more as

Hello Loyal Readers! The ninth edition of the Norwood News, covering community news you can use, is out, hitting over 300 locations throughout Norwood and its surrounding neighborhoods. Of course, we begin in Norwood, at the enormous Tracey Towers. There, residents are supporting a proposal to review the books of its management company’s $40 million renovation. Read why the tenants association are backing an audit proposal. We then recap a meeting involving Norwood’s community stakeholders and the Bangladeshi community. Aldo Perez organized the meeting. Learn why he believes crimes against Bangladeshis and Muslims are under-reported. There’s also a piece on the story

Greetings Loyal Readers! The Norwood News is out with its latest edition, bringing you plenty of Bronx community news you can use. We begin with what was a late-breaking story into our newsroom: developers of the Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC) taking the city to court over its delay of a lease developers say belongs to them. Read what KNIC is alleging in the 35-page complaint filed in Bronx Supreme Court. The development seriously endangers the project, which could force the community, elected officials and the city to start all over. Next, an editorial that shows our cards and respect

By DAVID CRUZ Developers of the Kingsbridge National Ice Center (KNIC) have filed a lawsuit against the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), the city’s real estate arm that had given developers another month to demonstrate it had enough capital to proceed with the project at the city-owned property, the Norwood News has learned. The development could signal further delay, and perhaps endanger the project altogether. SEE THE SUIT: KNIC V. CITY OF NEW YORK In a 35-page summons and complaint filed in Bronx Supreme Court on April 12, the lawsuit alleges the city had breached a contract and

By David Cruz

Steven Bussell, the 52nd Precinct Community Council’s long-serving vice president, announced he’s no longer seeking election, opting instead for retirement. He’s also resigning from several other posts, including president of the West Bronx Housing. Bussell made the announcement at the latest 52nd Precinct Community Council meeting on March 24, inside the precinct stationhouse on Webster Avenue and East Mosholu Parkway North. The news came shortly after he reminded members of the upcoming elections for the Council’s four-member executive dais. Community councils serve as liaisons between NYPD precincts and community at large. The 52nd Precinct Community Council meets the fourth Thursday of each