Montefiore, malls and more caused battles

Last year was an epic period for local developments — and their detractors. From a family’s controversial new plans to build houses near Indian Pond to Montefiore Medical Center’s demolition work for a new facility on Riverdale Avenue and the construction of two new malls on Broadway, most corners of the neighborhood seemed to teem with developments. Here are the most noteworthy ones of 2014.

Monte moves ahead

Ongoing community opposition to Montefiore and the Simone Development Companies’ plans to build a large new center at Riverdale Avenue and West 238th Street — first announced in fall 2013 — prompted Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz and state Sen. Jeff Klein to take an unprecedented step. They shoehorned language into the spring’s state budget that would require projects like Montefiore’s to go through a lengthy review process by the state’s Department of Health.

The process would enable the state to approve, deny or request modifications for ambulatory centers over three stories tall or greater than 30,000 square feet. Following passage of the law, which only applies in the Bronx, Montefiore unveiled scaled-back plans. It claimed the law does not apply to its six-story proposal since three stories would be for parking and one would be dedicated to the entrance.

The contention outraged community members already indignant over Montefiore’s approach to the neighborhood. The health care giant was yet to file new plans with the city’s Department of Buildings. But it appeared as intent as ever to set up shop in Riverdale as 2014 ended.

Malls fill Broadway

Broadway from West 225th to 237th streets became a malling Mecca of sorts in 2014. Just down Broadway from River Plaza, which houses a Target and other stores near the intersection with West 225th Street, a new mall featuring a Party City and other big box shops opened in the fall.