Q & A

Diaz optimistic about area’s development

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Investors poured $894,534,593 into the Bronx in 2013, according to the borough president’s office, and it expects to announce even bigger investments for 2014 at this month’s state of the borough address. As Bronx County’s centennial year wound down, Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. applauded every development in the northwest Bronx — or almost every one.

Q: You recently told the New York Housing Conference that every community needs to have a vision. What do you see as the vision for Riverdale?

A: In Riverdale, they will be the ones to decide. As you see more and more development going up and more and more folks looking to do economic and residential and business opportunities throughout the Bronx, including Riverdale, I hope that the leaders over there… come up with an actual plan. I don’t think that there will ever be a shortage of a plan in a place like Riverdale. 

I hope that folks don’t always just come out and say no, no, no, we don’t want this. I think when you look at the Bronx as a whole, it’s always good to say, we may not be able to use that, but I think that we can use this. So all I’m saying is that come up with a plan, so it’s not always just no, but also offering an alternative that’s palatable to the community.

Q: What do you think of Montefiore’s plans to build a facility on Riverdale Avenue?

A: First of all, no one can deny the fact that they’re the number-one employer in the Bronx — always active in community events… They’re a business, but always investing in the community.

To their credit, after having a site where they could have done as-of-right, they came down. Obviously, there are some folks who want nothing on that site built. But I think reducing the size of the structure is commendable on both parts — the community vocalizing and saying that something was way too big, but at the same time, the compromise that comes out of Montefiore, where I think, by and large, they reached a happy medium.

Ruben Diaz Jr., Montefiore Medical Center, Selfhelp, Broadway Plaza, Riverdale Crossing, KNIC, Shant Shahrigian
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