Bronx Council for Environmental Quality

First, in 2004, kick out those working at the Bronx Terminal Market, knock down most of the buildings, build Related’s Gateway Mall on one side, across the street promise a waterfront Park.

Second, in 2005, take over Macombs Dam Park to build a new Yankee stadium, use the adjacent area for parking lots. When looking for land to swap, promise the same waterfront park.  In 2009, the park opened, but the city ran out of money and could not build a park along the whole waterfront. Since then, the remaining unimproved parkland is used as a stormwater wetland park, two circus events per year, and is part of community discussion for a new park.

Third, in 2015, in order to meet the goal of building 4000 affordable housing units for Mott Haven in the “Community Board 1 Lower Concourse Revitalization”area, eyes are turned to, you guessed it, the unimproved waterfront park site!   The park is not in CB 1, Mott Haven, or the new zoning district.

As an aside, please don’t promise the Bronx parks community another fake $200 million to give up parkland. Last time we found out it was the same amount of money we would have gotten over 10 years without giving up our park. Been there done that.    Spend the $200 million on infrastructure in Mott Haven; leveraging revitalization does not mean choosing sites.

Caring about Parks,
Karen Argenti, Bronx Council for Environmental Quality