Historic preservation meets modern innovations

1999

Y2K

Crime continued to drop in the area, with the year’s first murder within the 50th Precinct’s boundaries not taking place until Dec. 16. The police shooting of Amadou Diallo, an unarmed recent immigrant killed in another part of the Bronx, provoked condemnation from many Riverdalians. Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz was arrested in the protests.

Another local political leader, Oliver Koppell returned to the great game when he was elected to the District 10 school board, leading a slate of candidates and giving Riverdale control over the body. Under his leadership, the expansion of MS 141 into a high school and the creation of MS 368, which would later become IN-Tech Academy, were approved.

At the same time, several bomb threats were called in at the David A. Stein School, MS 141 and at John F. Kennedy High School in the wake of the mass killing of students at Columbine High School in Colorado.

Efforts to have Fieldston declared an historic district also began in 1999, with nearly equal numbers of homeowners supporting and opposing the idea. The pro argument was the preservation of a beautiful, green neighborhood against largescale development. Those against it were concerned that they would no longer get to decide the shape, size and appearance of their own homes.

Riverdale also took steps to prepare for the information age in 1999, with Netherland Gardens becoming the first apartment complex in the area to make six phone lines available to residents, allowing them to have dedicated lines for fax, dialup access to the Internet and multiple numbers for family members. Ten digit dialing also made its appearance in the Riverdale/ Kingsbridge area that year.