Death by a thousand cuts for Montefiore’s Riverdale plans?

Correction appended.

A lawyer recently hired by a group of activists opposed to Montefiore Medical Center’s plans for a new facility in Riverdale is not suing anyone yet. 

But earlier this month, Chris Rizzo of Carter, Ledyard & Milburn, LLP sent letters to the state health commissioner and the city’s buildings commissioner demanding action against the health care giant’s proposal to build a six-story, multi-use facility on Riverdale Avenue near the intersection with West 238th Street.

Mr. Rizzo, employed by the informal group of activists known as the Committee to Protect Riverdale (CPR), urged acting State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker to invoke a lengthy review process for Montefiore’s proposal. 

At the end of March, state Sen. Co-majority Leader Jeff Klein and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz created legislation subjecting Bronx ambulatory facilities over three stories tall or greater than 30,000 square feet to SDOH and community board review. Since then, Montefiore has repeatedly claimed the review — which gives the SDOH power to approve, deny or suggest modifications for projects — does not apply to its plans.

In an Oct. 10 letter to Dr. Zucker, Mr. Rizzo asked the commissioner to apply both the new SDOH review process and the longstanding practice of subjecting projects involving state and other bodies to a review that makes sure undertakings comply with the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). 

While the process mandated by the Dinowitz-Klein legislation evaluates the appropriateness of Bronx ambulatory centers’ size, parking accommodations and impact on nearby medical facilities, a multi-step SEQRA review takes many more factors into account, aiming to balance projects’ environmental impact with economic and social considerations.

Plans doubted

Lastly, Mr. Rizzo called on city Buildings Commissioner Rick Chandler in an Oct. 10 letter to deny any forthcoming application from Montefiore. The lawyer argued that there ultimately will be no tenant for the building Montefiore is working on, adding that SDOH will reject the plans, anyway.