District 15 City Councilman Oswald Feliz is gearing up for the Nov. 2 general election by reminding his constituents of his accomplishments since he first took office after winning a hotly contested special election in March 2021, as reported, and later going on to retain his seat with 65.2 percent of the vote in the June primary election earlier this year. Bronx Community Board 7 district manager, Ischia Bravo, was runner-up.

 

Feliz wrote on his Facebook page on Monday, Oct. 25, “Proud to bring $3.4 million dollars to transform Poe Park (my childhood park!) in my district!” The park is based in the Fordham Manor section of the Bronx, between the Grand Concourse and E Kingsbridge Road, its southern top bordered by 192nd Street.

 

The Fordham Manor neighborhood has experienced high crime rates, despite efforts to address the situation by various community partners. The councilman said the concrete section of the park would be turned green, and the entire park beautified and converted into a park that local families deserved. It was a promise the councilman had made during his election campaign. “Extremely proud of everything I’ve been able to accomplish in just six months as councilman!” he added.

 

Norwood News recently reported that Poe Park Visitors Center remains closed, despite other City park recreation centers reopening this month.

 

In a press release issued at the end of July 2021, Feliz also described bringing $15 million dollars to District 15 in just three months in office, confirming that projects that would be funded included “schools, parks, NYCHA, and much more.” The councilman said at the time, “When I ran for City Council, I promised that improving education, housing, and public safety would be my top priorities. I also vowed to be a powerful voice for my district: a representative that would quickly deliver and successfully resolve the challenges we face.”

 

Feliz added, “I’m excited and proud to announce that as Councilman I secured nearly $15 million dollars – just three months after taking office – to help resolve challenges in areas of education, housing, and safety. I’m excited about every single project I brought funding for.”

 

He went on to list those projects as follows:

Education

 $600,000 for the Theatre Arts Production Company School (“TAPCo.”), located on Folin Street in Fordham Heights, to finalize the school’s outdoor/rooftop sound stage – the first of its kind in any NYC school.
 Approximately $1 million dollars for M.S. 45, located at 2502 Lorillard Place in Belmont, to redesign and upgrade the auditorium and school playground.
 Approximately $1 million dollars for J.H.S. 118, located on Arthur Avenue in Tremont, to upgrade the school’s technology and playground.

 

Housing and Safety

 $4.5 million dollars for NYCHA (Parkside Houses, located in Allerton, Monterey Houses, located in Tremont, and Murphy Houses, located north of Crotona Park East) for a new lighting system, painting, and security cameras in interior areas.
 $1 million dollars for Dennis Lane Apartments, located on Crotona Avenue in Belmont, for repairs of their roof and plumbing system.

 

Parks

 $4 million dollars for the New York Botanical Garden/ NYC Parks & Recreation Department to construct an ADA-accessible ramp for individuals with mobility complications to access the garden through the back entrance.

 

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We asked the councilman’s office if they could provide further details about the nature of the funding, in terms of which budget it came from e.g. whether it was funding which had been accumulating over time by default and was waiting to be used, given the district had been without a representative for a few months when Feliz took office, following the resignation of the former councilman, now Congressman Ritchie Torres due to his election to Congress.

 

We asked if such funding had been set aside by default for District 15 as part of a general allocation to all City Council districts across the city or if not, how the councilman had secured the funding for the district.

 

We were informed that generally, city council members get $5 million for capital improvements in their districts and $760 thousand for nonprofits. The councilman’s team said council members have to either make do with that amount or else work with the city council speaker or mayor in order to receive additional funding for the district.

 

Feliz said at the time, as councilman he was only getting started. “As a housing lawyer, I fought for, and successfully defended our most vulnerable residents, residents who were at risk of eviction,” he said. “As councilman, I plan on doing the same: fighting for disadvantaged communities and successfully resolving the challenges that they face. It’s what the people of the Bronx need and it’s what they deserve.”

 

He added that in the subsequent months he planned to continue building the better Bronx that he had promised during his election campaign. “I will be working to create a crime intervention and opportunity program in the Bronx, and also am excited to work with local leaders to re-open the Old Fordham Library [located at 2556 Bainbridge Avenue in Fordham Manor] which has been closed to most of the public for nearly 20 years,” Feliz said.

 

Norwood News reported on a public hearing on the old library building which took place on May 18 this year. The building had been selected by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) to house a Community Technical Assistance Center (CTAC), a new computer-based testing and application center, to facilitate more opportunities for a wider number of local candidates to apply for City jobs.

 

Mostly vacant, since it shut down in 2005, DCAS aims to use the second floor to help prepare local candidates for civil service exams. Feliz wants to see the building being used as a community center. Meanwhile, a new public library in Fordham Manor is located at 310 E Kingsbridge Road.

 

Getting ready for our noon press conference. @Arielfor15 @BronxD11 pic.twitter.com/81tDkkgvGR

— Sammy Ravelo (@Ravelo4theBronx) September 18, 2021

 

As reported, Feliz was sworn in and officially assumed office on April 15, 2021. As reported, prior to getting elected, he served as a housing lawyer and college professor in the Bronx. In the Nov. 2 general election, Feliz faces off against Republican Party and Conservative Party candidate, Ariel Rivera-Diaz, previously profiled by Norwood News, ahead of the March special election.

 

Rivera-Diaz recently retweeted a tweet from Bronx borough president general election candidate, Sammy Ravelo, an NYPD and navy veteran, regarding a joint press conference held last month with both Ravelo and freelance filmmaker, Kevin Pazmino. Ravelo lost to District 16 City Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson in the Bronx borough president’s primary race, as reported, while Pazmino ran unsuccessfully in the District 11 March special election earlier this year against now Councilman Eric Dinowitz (C.D. 11).

 

Dinowitz, who had been described by some as the Democratic Party machine candidate due to longstanding links his father, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81), holds within the party which, arguably, helped to elect his son, went on to retain his District 11 seat in the June primary, as reported. Pazmino is running, once again, on the Conservative Party ticket for the District 11 seat in the general election. In recent weeks, Pazmino has verbally tussled with both members of the Dinowitz family over their differing views on the COVID-19 vaccine.

 

Editor’s Note: Early voting takes place from Oct. 23-31, Nov. 1 is the deadline to request an absentee ballot in person, Nov. 2 is the absentee ballot return deadline and Nov. 2 is also Election Day. Click on the following link for a map of early voting sites in the Bronx.