Winner of Vol. 71, No. 51
What’s inside?
Thursday, January 28, 2021
$1.00
No last-minute reprieve for Buunni Coffee n Owners had hoped for more rent reduction, but landlord said no, thank you By MICHAEL HINMAN mhinman@riverdalepress.com
Feeling safe?
the Pulitzer Prize
Barbara Nahmias was thirsty for a coffee shop her neighborhood could call its own. She would walk by the papered windows of 3702 Riverdale Ave., waiting for some sign of life. The newspaper told her this would soon be the site of a Buunni Coffee
location — and the sign above the large display windows confirmed it. But as the days turned to weeks, the weeks turned to months, Nahmias was afraid it may never happen. “I was waiting, waiting, waiting, until they came to Riverdale, because I SariNa had gotten to them in prabaSi Washington Heights,” Nahmias said. “I think they had just one other location at the time, and I just felt like Riverdale really needed another cof-
Crime is up, but not by as much as many feared. Still, what should you be on the lookout for? Page A3
fee shop with excellent coffee and a place where community could get together.” Finally, in Spring 2018, Elias Gurmu and Sarina Prabasi officially opened the doors to their second Buunni location. Sales were brisk, and the two-story gathering area became a hotspot for kids after school, activist groups trying to make a difference, and even politicians getting to know voters for the first time. Prabasi even opened two more locations — at the George Washington Bridge Terminal and in Inwood. As the calendar flipped to 2020, life couldn’t be better for the growing coffee shop chain. That is, until the coronavirus invaded.
Last Saturday, with every last option exhausted, Prabasi stood in front of their proud Riverdale Avenue coffee shop to share the bad news: The doors were closing for good. “Many of you have asked us, ‘What’s next?’” Prabasi told the small crowd that gathered in front of Buunni on that chilly day. “We don’t know, honestly.” Like many retail outlets, Buunni was hit hard when the state shut down nearly all businesses that rely on people sitting down and socializing indoors. Many customers would come and pick up their favorite coffee — even sample some of the Ethiopian BUUNNI CLOSED, page A4
Just trying to slow it down
Issues resolved New owners of Key Food store make peace with union, city by rehiring old workers and paying back others. Page A6
HiraM aLEJaNDrO DUrÁN
Deb Travis has spent the past several months leading a working group brainstorming ideas that could possibly solve reckless driving along the independence avenue corridor. While only suggestions, some of the ideas — like installing bicycle lanes to narrow the street — proved less than popular at a Community board 8 traffic and transportation committee meeting last week.
Real fiction Marty Kleinman likes to tell a good story, but it doesn’t mean there isn’t some truth left over. Page A10
CB8 still far away from solving Independence Ave n Locals not enthusiastic about street narrowing, or even protected bicycle lanes By ROSE BRENNAN rbrennan@riverdalepress.com
A community board meeting probably isn’t the hottest place to be on a Thursday evening. But when there’s a possibility something might impact parking, it’s an entirely different story. More than 200 people initially attended this month’s Community Board 8 traffic and transportation committee meeting, although that number gradually dwindled
over its four-hour run time. Their input was sought on proposed design changes in and around the intersection of Independence Avenue and West 232nd Street, where there have been complaints aplenty about reckless driving. The proposals were initial brainstorming ideas developed by a working group led by committee vice chair Deb Travis. Among the thoughts offered were parking-protected bicycle lanes to narrow the street, converting West 235th Street into a westbound one-way while adding parking there, improving crosswalks, and installing a traffic signal at West 237th Street. Some of the working group’s ideas were more popular than others. For instance, those who attended the meeting
were largely supportive of improving and installing Americans with Disabilities Actaccessible crosswalks and ramps where needed along the avenue — although Bronx transportation department commissioner Nivardo Lopez said those would be coming no matter what the community board ultimately proposed. Becca Lish, one of the neighbors attending the meeting, believed installing such ramps was an easy layup. For her, that installation should be slated ahead of many of the other concerns raised later in the meeting. “I hope that we will always prioritize accessibility over parking,” Lish said. “It seems to me that making our city and neighborhoods safe for people who are
visually impaired or otherwise in need of mobility assistance or any other accommodation, that we will comply with federal law rather than deferring to the dominance of desire for parking.”
Circles aren’t just for crops anymore
Those attending also were largely supportive of installing leading pedestrian intervals — a signal to cross the street that would occur seven to 10 seconds ahead of a traffic signal turning green. These intervals already exist at the West 235th and West 236th Street intersections, Travis said, and would only need to be implementINDEPENDENCE, page A4
Fare hikes delayed, yet help coming for the MTA n All eyes turn to leaders in Washington to rescue beleaguered state agency By ROSE BRENNAN rbrennan@riverdalepress.com
A quarter can make all the difference for those who rely on public transportation to get around. And that was the price looming over the heads of many of those commuters only this past week. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority was scheduled to vote on hiking subway and bus fares to $3, but instead decided to postpone the vote
until at least the summer. That allowed many across the city to breathe a sigh of relief. The MTA has not been spared throughout the coronavirus pandemic, losing billions of dollars from months of free service, reduced ridership, and stringent cleaning protocols. While fare increases are never popular among those needing the subway or bus to get around town, they were especially less so this time around. Many who ride subways or buses daily are “essential” workers, low-income — or both, said Danny Pearlstein, communications director for the Riders Alliance, an advocacy group that pushes FAIR HIKES, page A4
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HiraM aLEJaNDrO DUrÁN
Fare increases were on the table for the city’s subways and buses last week, but the Metropolitan Transportation authority ultimately postponed the vote until summer. Many city and state lawmakers believe a fare hike would place undue burden on commuters — many of whom are ‘essential’ workers, low-income, or both.
A2 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, January 28, 2021
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By ETHAN STARK-MILLER
HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN
I have a gun — well, not really A thief decided to try his hand at acting and robbery at the same time Jan 14. According to police, the man robbed a gas station at 6500 Broadway while pretending to have a gun. In reality, the man just wrapped his hand in plastic during the early morning heist. The thief must’ve been at least a passable thespian, making off with the gas station’s cash drawer, worth $1,800. The perp ran west on West 260th Street, police said, right in front of some working cameras. Because of that, police have a description of the man: Around 30 years old, 5-foot-11, with a light skin tone.
A clean getaway
One man’s entry into the Riverdale Kosher Market was anything but kosher. Police say he entered the 5683 Riverdale Ave., business through its side door in the early morning hours of Dec. 1. But he didn’t take anything with him. Instead, he moved a single bar of soap to another location within the market. Despite the soap’s relocation, the perp didn’t exactly make the cleanest of getaways, police
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said. He reportedly tripped the alarm during his escapade, allowing the store’s management to see the whole thing on their cell phone, linked to security cameras at the scene. However, the sudsy menace is still on the loose, with the detective squad still investigating. — Rose Brennan
Stealing in a winter wonderland
There hasn’t been much snow this winter, yet one individual thought they should plan ahead and pick up a snowblower to keep their sidewalks clear. The problem was the snowblower they took — an Ariens 26 Hydro EFI — already belonged to someone else. The snowblower was taken sometime around 8 p.m., on Jan. 10, according to police, from an apartment on the 3900 block of Orloff Avenue. The perp found their way inside through a rear door. Police have yet to catch the snowblower thief, but a camera did catch him last seen walking down Van Cortlandt Avenue with it. Police valued the snowblower at $3,500, and the investigation continues.
TO THE
Douglas Elliman Riverdale O ce Efrain Reyes Lic. R. E. Salesperson O 718.884.5815 M 917.455.4041 efrain.reyes@elliman.com
elliman.com © 2021 DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.
575 MADISON AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY 10022. 212.891.7000
corrections and clarifications It is the policy of The Riverdale Press to correct errors of substance and clarify misleading stories promptly. Typically, corrections and clarifications from previous is-
sues can be found on A2. To bring errors to the attention of The Press, contact editor Michael Hinman at mhinman@ riverdalepress.com, or at (718) 543-6065, Ext. 374.
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THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, January 28, 2021 - A3
City hit with COVID, violent crime — but not 5-0 n It was more the usual suspects locally with burglaries and car thefts
50th Precinct Crime in 2020 (Compared to 2019)
By ETHAN STARK-MILLER estarkmiller@riverdalepress.com
The rise in violent crime across the city last year reminded some of New York’s darker times in the 1970s and ‘80s. Shootings and murders were up across the five boroughs compared to recent years, according to statistics compiled by the New York Police Department, all while the coronavirus ravaged the dense metropolis — infecting thousands of officers, to join the even larger numbers in the communities they were tasked to protect. The year also saw a national reckoning with police violence toward Black and other minority communities, which came to a head in June with the death of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement that led to months of protests calling for, among other things, to defund the NYPD. EMILIO And that’s exactly MELENDEz what the city council did, shifting $1 billion away from the police’s $6 billion operating budget — partially to promote reform, but also because the city coffers already were overtaxed thanks to the pandemic. Shootings nearly doubled in New York City last year to more than four a day, while the 462 reported murders were 44 percent more from 2020. There also was an uptick in non-violent crimes, including rates of one burglary every two hours, and nearly a dozen car thefts every day. Yet, the nearly 6 percent statistical crime surge in the 50th Precinct came more by way of the non-violent variety. Still, there were three murders in the community last year, up from one in 2019. But precinct commander described those murders spread out over 12 months more as isolated incidents, not representing a broader trend. Like a child reportedly dying because their parents neglected to vaccinate them. Or a confrontation in the work place gone wrong. Or simply because of drugs. “Nobody on the street is just getting killed without a reason,” Melendez said. “Thank God for that. “We don’t experience the same violence that our next-door neighbors ex-
1>3
p
200%
15 > 12
q
20%
109 > 88
q
19%
HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN
Violent crime like shootings and murders drastically increased in New York City last year. However, upticks within the boundaries of the 50th Precinct was more along the lines of non-violent crimes like burglaries and car thefts. perience.” That’s reflected in the numbers. Violent crimes dropped nearly 4 percent in the 5-0 — Not a significant fall, Melendez admits, but those numbers already were very low. There also were just 88 robberies last year compared to 109 in 2019, something Melendez proudly declared as the lowest ever in this command. “And I do mean it,” the captain said. “Ever since we’ve been tracking robberies, back 20-plus years ago.” Robberies require a person-toperson interaction, so that could be a little silver lining from the pandemic as fewer people were out and about at different times of the year, Melendez said. On the flip side, non-violent crime followed citywide trends where burglaries were up nearly 45 percent from 2019. Melendez blames burglaries, at least in part, on the state legislature’s move to eliminate cash bail for most non-violent crimes, which took effect a year ago. The idea for the law was so that those who couldn’t afford to bail out weren’t left in jail until trial. But Melendez says that also means returning people already accused of crimes to the streets where they could possibly commit more. “One of the things that we saw in the beginning of the year during the bail reform and criminal reform, was that a lot of crimes that would keep people in jail, (that would) qualify them for the bail — well, it wasn’t there anymore,” Melendez said. “Those crimes mainly
pertain to non-violent crimes, and that’s where we saw the largest increase.” Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, who supported the bail reforms in 2019, isn’t dissuaded by crime statistics today. In fact, as far as he’s concerned, it’s still too early to tell if bail reform and crime upticks are connected. “What’s changed is that poor people, who were the ones that were rotting away in Rikers Island, aren’t necessarily rotting away in Rikers Island anymore,” Dinowitz said. “I think the only reasonable and fair thing to do is to look at some of the changes that have taken place in data, but over a longer term.” Dinowitz isn’t afraid to put some of the blame on the pandemic itself, although initial crime growth occurred before anyone was talking about the coronavirus. Still, the Assemblyman says lawmakers should wait until infection rates are under control before making any judgments. Ed Green, chair of Community Board 8’s public safety committee, agrees that patience is needed. Still, he’s concerned about the rise in burglaries because even though they’re not inherently violent crimes, they have the potential to become violent. “If somebody comes home or a burglar intrudes on somebody who’s home,” Green said, “that person is going to many times look at it like they’re going to be in a fight for their life.” Yet Melendez does point out the majority of the precinct’s burglaries took place in trucks, storage sheds and ga-
rages — not homes. Out on the streets, another area experiencing higher crime rates came in the form of car thefts, Melendez said. While this might be another statistic that’s easy to blame on bail reform, the captain admits many thieves can now hack electronic key fobs, making it easier to break into and steal a vehicle. But like so many others in the city, crime wasn’t the only thing officers were fighting. COVID-19 afflicted thousands of officers across the NYPD, ultimately claiming the lives of several dozen. Some 50 officers under Melendez’s command tested positive over the course of the year. “My manning was depleted because of how many were going out sick,” Melendez said. “Once we figured out social distancing. wearing the mask, and obviously washing your hands, that definitely helped.” One statistic that doesn’t typically show up in crime reports are quality of life issues, Melendez said. Still, the captain plans to continue addressing noise, drag racing, blocked driveways and large gatherings as 2021 lumbers on. Additionally, the 50th Precinct aims to focus on better communications with the community, Melendez said, following a mandate from NYPD patrol chief Juanita Holmes. “We want to know how we can do things better,” Melendez said. “And the only way we’re going to know what that is if we get feedback from the community.”
146 > 158
104 > 150
p
p
89 > 152
44%
q
506 > 461
p
970 > 1,024
8%
9%
71% p
6%
SOURCE: New York Police Department
A4 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, January 28, 2021
Neighbors continue to fight over Independence INDEPENDENCE from page A1 ed at West 239th Street and — if the community supported the idea — at West 237th. But the proposed traffic signal at West 237th was a bit more controversial than the first two suggested changes. The community seemed to agree something needed to be installed at the intersection, but there was some debate over just what it should be. Some supported the original idea of a traffic signal, believing it was the easiest and most effective solution to make the intersection safer. Others, however, felt reckless drivers could easily ignore the lights, and something that changed the actual traffic patterns — like a roundabout— would be a better idea. Jessica Haller, who does not live in the affected area, supported building a roundabout, believing it would be a multifaceted solution to the several problems the avenue faces. “Not only is the roundabout going to help with speeding down Independence Avenue and donuts, it’s also more efficient in terms of emissions (because) cars don’t have to come to a complete stop,” said Haller, who is running to replace Andrew Cohen on the city council. “The roundabout is safer, better for emissions, (and) will stop traffic.” Others felt navigating a roundabout would be confusing, not to mention potentially dangerous for pedestrians. Committee vice chair Ed Green also worried about the logistics, and was more supportive of installing a traffic signal. “The only thing that one person raised that’s a concern for me would be the possibility of it causing some type of backup in traffic coming from another direction,” Green said. “I don’t know the specifics of that, if that’s correct. But that should be explored.” The biggest controversy at the meeting, however, surrounded the suggestion to install bike lanes along the avenue in an attempt to narrow the street and potentially make it less appealing to speeders. After some neighbors like Whitehall Tenants Corp., chair Jeffrey Moerdler spent days
HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN / File
Independence Avenue stands at the middle of a traffic debate in the community. While neighbors want to see less reckless driving along the corridor, some aren’t so enthusiastic about some of the initial ideas offered to solve it — like street narrowing and moving existing parking spots. before the meeting campaigning against bike lanes, community board chair Laura Spalter revealed the board received more than 100 letters opposing bike lanes, with only a handful supporting it. Moerdler believed implementing bike lanes was “well-intentioned, but the wrong solution to the problem,” especially when high-traffic areas like schools and synagogues are located along the avenue. “Bike lanes are a great thing, but Independence Avenue is the wrong place for it, and narrowing Independence Avenue is a horrible idea,” Moerdler said. “Imagine 10 buses parked in front of the junior high school, picking up and dropping off kids. When you now have two narrow lanes, you’re forcing all the traffic into one lane. You’re
going to create a gridlock for five blocks in every direction.”
But what about the parking? Others attending the meeting also were concerned the proposed bike lanes would eliminate parking along the main street, although the working group suggested a way to keep parking would be by moving lost spaces to West 235th. But some even opposed that, citing safety concerns parking on an isolated street. “When I first moved to Riverdale, parking by the Whitehall and (West 235th) was plenty available, and then my car got broken into every single time I parked there,” Joyce Moran said. “And it wasn’t a great car to get broken into.”
While the brainstorming ideas offered by the working group troubled some at the meeting, others were more unsettled by the rhetoric they heard from their own neighbors. Armenoush Aslanian-Persico believed bike lanes would be great to add anywhere in the community, and felt the crowd gathered by Moerdler didn’t accurately represent the sentiments of others who live and work in the area. “I would really encourage everyone here to educate themselves on the facts of how much cars injure and kill people, and how much bikes injure and kill people,” Aslanian-Persico said. “I encourage people to keep in mind who attends these meetings, who has the ability to attend these meetings late into the night, and who doesn’t … who is really represented here, and who is speaking at these meetings.” Streetsblog NYC, an advocacy site for pedestrians and mass transit, reported that 26 cyclists were killed in the city last year — eight of them in the Bronx. Many of those cyclists, they said, were low-wage “essential” workers trying to keep society going in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Ultimately, no decisions were made — nor were any expected, since this was simply discussion of a report from a working group. Any decisions ultimately made by the traffic committee would then have to go through the full community board before any recommendations were made to the city’s transportation department. Even once that’s done, the DOT is not bound by the advisory opinion of the community board in any way. The traffic committee will continue taking a hard look at what can be done to help improve the Independence Avenue area, chair Dan Padernacht said, emphasizing that voices from those who attended last week’s meeting were heard. “The community did come out this evening,” Padernacht said. “We heard a lot of opinions. We heard a lot of different ideas. I’d like to take those into the future as well.”
Pandemic claims another Riverdale Ave business BUUNNI CLOSED from page A1 food Buunni began to offer on select days — but sales were suffering, and paying the rent was just impossible. Luckily, Prabasi and Gurmu struck a deal with Pioneer Management to reduce their rent. They knew it was only temporary. They had just hoped Pioneer would be like Buunni’s other landlords in Manhattan and ensuring they could continue with that rent until society ended up on the right side of the pandemic. After a phone call from a Riverdale Press reporter, it almost seemed like Buunni may get that last-minute reprieve. But it never came, and as of now, 3702 Riverdale Ave., is dark. Pioneer did not return requests to comment. “I think everybody has tried their best, including our customers,” Prabasi said. “It’s just one of those situations where I feel like we tried our best, our customers tried their best, and our staff tried their best. It was just a situation that was completely out of our control.” Prabasi still hopes there could be some way to return to the space in the future, especially after she and Gurmu spent a considerable amount of money renovating the storefront. Even if the Riverdale location ultimately joins the more than 240,000 other businesses that won’t survive the pandemic, Prabasi is not afraid to push legislation that could help business owners like her even the playing field with commercial landlords in the future. One such bill, which she touted in a recent Point of View column in The Press, is S.83, the commercial vacancy tax bill sponsored by state Sen. Brad Hoylman, intended to tax empty streetlevel commercial and retail property. “It will help by creating an incentive for landlords to meet the market and lease to interested prospective tenants instead of holding out for artificially high rents that only a few sectors and
‘I think everybody has tried their best, including our customers. It was just a situation that was completely out of our control.’ — Sarina Prabasi
Co-owner, Buunni Coffee
HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN
The coronavirus pandemic has left what was once crowded tables at Buunni Coffee empty. And now, the Riverdale Avenue storefront is dark after Buunni’s owners couldn’t reach an agreement with a landlord to operate on reduced rent for the next several months. national chains are able to pay,” Prabasi wrote. “The bill proposes a tax on landlords who leave their street-level storefronts vacant for more than six months. It will encourage dynamism in neighborhoods, and a diverse array of services that residents need and want.” Prabasi also is pushing legislation
a lot closer to home, like one being pushed by Brooklyn councilman Brad Lander, who showed up to Saturday’s rally to support Buunni. Lander believes the best approach to convince landlords small businesses are the best tenants is to offer a 10-year property tax credit to any who provide affordable, non-predatory leases to
mom-and-pops. “Even before this (pandemic), our small businesses were facing a crisis of unstable rent and massive rent escalations that make it impossible for them to survive in our neighborhoods,” Lander said. “So, offer a 10-year lease of affordable rent, settle past arrears, and then New York City — through
our property taxes — would give you a property tax credit over the next 10 years, so that the burden is more fairly shared.” The weekend rally was put together by someone who would like to join Lander on the city council, Mino Lora. The nonprofit arts leader is asking voters to move her into the seat formerly held by Andrew Cohen in a March 23 election. But first, she wanted to do anything she could to save her friend’s business. “It’s an emotional moment when a small business that is immigrantowned, that is family-owned, that is owned by a team of a husband and a wife — that hits close to home for me,” Lora said, addressing the weekend crowd in both English and Spanish. “We must take action. And we are taking action, Bronx, because this is our Bronx, and look at us all here right now doing it.” When it’s all said and done, while Buunni is certainly a business, Prabasi looks at the shop as a place that is a neighborhood gathering place. That can make a difference. That plays a major role in making a community special. “In the end, it’s you and us that made this,” Prabasi said. “It’s not about the building. It’s about what we made together. And we will continue to move together as a community.”
Transit advocates want state to leave commuters alone FARE HIKES from page A1 for better accessibility to mass transit. To hit those riders with a fare increase — even one of just 25 cents — just wouldn’t be fair, especially with the pandemic still raging outside. “I think the governor heard riders loud and clear that this fare hike would fall overwhelmingly on essential workers and low-income New Yorkers who have no other way to get around,” Pearlstein said. “What we now need to see in the state budget is a sustainable, progressive solution to the MTA’s financial problems so that several months from now, those same ‘essential’ workers and low-income New Yorkers are not (hit) with a fare hike.” Pearlstein believes nothing should be left off the table when it comes to the state budget — except, of course, a fare increase. He’s a proponent of the Invest in Our New York Act, which calls for tax hikes on richer state residents. That way, keeping the MTA’s head above the water doesn’t fall on low-income riders and essential workers. “In the old normal, it was customary to go to riders every two years for a fare hike,” Pearlstein said. “But in the new normal, when we want to honor essential workers and fix historic inequities, the fare hike no longer makes sense.” Also welcoming the decision to
HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN
A Metropolitan Transportation Authority vote on fare increases for subways and buses last week was postponed until summer. But the agency still needs significant assistance to overcome billions of dollars of debt in wake of the coronavirus pandemic. postpone the fare increase vote? Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez. As the chair of the city council’s transportation committee, he felt raising fares would place undue burden on those who rely on public transportation. But Rodriguez — who represents Marble Hill along with other parts of northern Manhattan — doesn’t be-
lieve postponing the vote is enough. If anything, fares should actually decrease. He’s a proponent of the “fair fare,” which allows riders who live in poverty to pay half-price. For those riders, every penny counts. And although a 25-cent fare increase might not seem like a lot of money to some, the councilman says
it could tip the scale negatively for lowincome riders. In fact, Rodriguez is even willing to take that one step further. “We should be able to provide free fare to working class New Yorkers who live on the poverty line, so they can have a venue to go and look for a job (or) to go to a doctor’s appointment,” Rodriguez said. “Our plan is to continue expanding the fair fare that we already have in New York City.” At this point, Rodriguez believes the city and state need to work together to ensure the MTA receives enough federal assistance to overcome its debt. At the state level, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz says he’s never been a fan of fare hikes, believing they aren’t the best way to fund the MTA. He’s even less of a fan this time around, with everything going on in the world. “The last thing we should be doing is imposing additional expenses on people,” Dinowitz said. “Many people are out of work. Many other people have had their hours cut back. And increasing their cost of living is the last thing we should be doing.” Dinowitz is hopeful that help from Washington is on the way. But congress can do more — especially with one-party control in not only both chambers, but also the White House. “With a good president now — a
normal person — and having (Chuck) Schumer being the majority leader in the Senate, hopefully that will mean additional billions of dollars in aid to the MTA,” Dinowitz said. “I think the potential fare hike … would have raised some revenue, but it would’ve been a drop in the bucket compared to what we really need.” While its jurisdiction lies outside of the MTA, Biden himself is a staunch proponent of public transportation. In his days as a U.S. Senator, he commuted to and from Washington on Amtrak. Biden already is making good on that assumption by proposing a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, which includes $20 billion for transit authorities. And that’s certainly a welcome sign for the future of the MTA, proponents say — especially when its outlook was far bleaker only a few months ago. “Even though we still have different challenges such as transportation deserts … upgrading the signal systems (and) running the buses on time and safely, we can all celebrate that our transportation system is the largest one in the whole nation, and one of the most important in the world,” Rodriguez said. “I think that the city — because of all the sectors that interact in the public, private and academic — is in a good position to advocate for the MTA.”
THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, January 28, 2021 - A5
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Eileen O’Shea, who brought touch of Ireland to Riverdale Eileen Ita O’Shea (née Thrapp) of Riverdale, passed away on Jan. 21, 2021. She was born Aug. 29, 1932, in County Longford, Ireland, to Ellen and William Thrapp. She emigrated to the United States in 1950 at 18, settling in Brooklyn. After many years of living independently, she married John O’Shea on April 29, 1988, and moved to Riverdale. Some of her favorite hobbies included shopping, visiting the casinos, and vacationing in Florida with John. She is survived by her sister, Mary Rose King,
of Carmel; and her Irish siblings Bridie Davis, Annie Lynch, and Willie Thrapp (wife Monica), all from Longford. She also is survived by many nieces and nephews who grew up with her charming Irish wit. She will be missed by all. She was preceded in death by her husband, John, and her brothers Joseph, Patrick, James and Peter, whom her family hopes will surround her with love at her final destination. Heartfelt thanks are extended to the RiverSpring home health aides who helped her remain comfortably at home in her last years.
Ruth Bozzone, known for her Bronx wit out west, 97 Ruth Dorothy Bozzone, 97, passed to eternal rest and peace on Jan. 6, 2021. She was born and raised in the Bronx, spending the majority of her life there with her loving husband of 51 years, Louis. She moved out west in 1994, settling
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A6 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, January 28, 2021
Key Food settles union dispute, pays $90,000 n More than a dozen employees are rehired at their original hours, pay
By MICHAEL HINMAN Sisters of Charity pray for peace
By MICHAEL HINMAN mhinman@riverdalepress.com
Key Food likes to bill its grocery stores as “fresh,” and indeed, it’s a fresh new day for the chain’s North Riverdale location after its franchise owner settled a union dispute with the city’s consumer affairs department, restoring the jobs of more than a dozen employees let go last summer. NR Shop, the faceless limited liability corporation that bought the location from the Luna family last year, agreed to pay $90,000 in lost wages to 19 workers it fired last summer, and rehire more than a dozen of them. “We’re glad we could find a resolution that not only put the money back into pockets of essential workers during these difficult times, but also get the jobs back for those who decided to return,” consumer and worker protection department commissioner Lorelei Salas said, in a release. “It was just wrong that the same community heroes who risked their lives to go to work while many of us stayed home were the ones left jobless.” The payout was significantly less than the more than $200,000 the city originally sought from the store, located inside the Skyview Shopping Center just south of West 259th Street. Salas and the city claimed NR Shop violated the law when it fired the employees soon after changing hands, citing laws that protect union workers in such a sale. “This law was created to protect grocery store workers from historically volatile employment, and that is more important than ever during these challenging economic times,” Salas said, when the city first sued last July. “These workers deserve better than abruptly being left unemployed in the middle of the pandemic, and we will fight for their rights.” One of the workers who returned to Key Food was Christopher Casey, who has worked at this particular grocery store location for 35 years. In fact, Chris-
PRESS POINTS
HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN / File photos
Life is back to normal at North Riverdale’s Key Food grocery store after the location’s new owners settled with a retail store union and the city over the dismissal of protected workers. Back in August, union representatives like Luca Negrino handed out flyers in front of the store protesting the firings. topher’s brother — Craig Casey — told The Riverdale Press the store’s management has given him a much more flexible four-day schedule of five hours each. “His managers at Key Food have been very kind and accommodating to him,” Craig Casey said. “As an example, Chris really enjoys going to the movies, so I try and take him once a week. And thanks to his manager giving him a new schedule, that has helped out greatly.” NR Shop did not respond to a request for comment, but last summer told The Press in a statement that “we’ve been attacked by local politicians and the media, trying to destroy a small, family-run business. Our focus is to build a better shopping experience for the Riverdale
Key Food has rehired more than a dozen workers, and is expected to pay out lost wages totaling some $90,000 to 19 in workers in total.
community, but it’s been halted by the assault on our ability to conduct business.” Salas accused NR Shop of violating the Grocery Worker Retention Act, which states a former owner of a grocery store must notify workers about a change in ownership and their employment rights 15 days prior to the sale. After that, the new owner is required to keep all eligible existing employees working at the store for at least 90 days. The dozen or so workers affected by the ownership change were let go almost immediately, according to representatives with Local 338 of the Retail, Wholesale, Department Store Union. John Durso, the union’s local president, called the settlement a testament to the city’s “vigilance” in enforcing the act and keeping “essential” workers employed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. “What happened to the Local 338 members working at Key Food was entirely unacceptable after they spent months putting their lives on the line to ensure that their community had access to food and the critical supplies they needed during the park months of the pandemic,” Durso T:11" said. Under the new agreement, NR Shop
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must keep the 13 employees who agreed to return at least 90 days under their original pay and hours. After that, the franchisee is free to keep the workers, or let them go. Eric Dinowitz, a local educator and candidate for city council, was one of many who stood with the union workers in front of Key Food last summer, telling The Press in a statement he was “thrilled” that a settlement was reached. “Our workers were able to have dignity and financial security because they have a union and a community that has their back, and protections that give workers the legal tools to stand up to selfish employers,” Dinowitz said. “It was inspiring and encouraging to see my brothers and sisters from the picket line back in the store, and great to see such strong support from the neighborhood.” Craig Casey couldn’t be more happy for his brother getting back to a store he’s been a part of through many owners, and even several names like A&P, Food Emporium, and even Daitch Shopwell. “In his own way, he’s a North Riverdale institution,” Casey said. “And our family — 62-year residents at Netherland Gardens — are very proud of him.”
Many voices were sounded over the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, and now one additional group is ready to be heard: the Sisters of Charity of New York. The Roman Catholic nuns aren’t looking to take one political side or another, however. Instead, they just want the violence to end. We “are called to be women of healing, sensitive to the wounds of persons and the social evils of our times,” the sisters said, in a statement. “We strive to use every means in our power to reconcile and bring into unity persons and groups who are alienated and divided. We share with others in a ministry of liberation from multiple forms of oppression and injustice.” The sisters, who are based at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in the most northern reaches of Riverdale — and New York City — joined with more than 1,300 other Catholic sister leaders calling on the world to pray for peace. “We are deeply concerned about the state of our country and the future of our democracy,” the sisters said. “Our hearts ached as we watched these despicable actions that threaten not only to destroy the seat of our government, but to rend the bonds that unite us.” And unity is something the nuns hope Americans can muster as the country transitions into new national leadership. “In our increasingly divided nation, we renew our commitment to the common good, and pledge to take up the challenge to use our energy to repair our democracy and contribute to the work of building a more perfect union,” the sisters said. “We invite all people of good will to join us, and we call on our elected leaders to point the way.” Joe Biden was inaugurated as the nation’s 46th president last week, becoming only the second Roman Catholic president to lead from the White House after John F. Kennedy.
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THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, January 28, 2021 - A7
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THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, January 28, 2021 - A9
Review Place building infested with rats, mice: tenants n Residents say landlord refused to address issue for years, until recently
‘You literally hear them outside of your window all the time. You just hear the squeaks. Like you go to the bathroom to handle your business, and you literally think they’re inside your apartment.’
By ETHAN STARK-MILLER & HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN of The Riverdale Press
For years, Kenya Fernandez found living among mice in her 3801 Review Place apartment was something she just had to live with, despite pleas to her landlord to do something about it. But when a rat joined in on the visits a few weeks ago, Fernandez had enough. “The night before yesterday, there was another rat, and it jumped at me in my kitchen, and I went berserk,” Fernandez told The Riverdale Press soon after her encounter. “I haven’t slept since. I’m going crazy.” Fernandez says she reached out to the landlord many times, but all she’s heard in return is silence. She eventually closed the hole in her wall the rat used after begging for help from the building’s superintendent. Fernandez has lived in the building for more than a decade, and from the very first day, rats were an issue — especially around the building’s garbage storage area and basement. When that area flooded late last year, Fernandez believes the water may have helped rodents find their way into the upper floors of her building. The water has since been drained, which Fernandez hopes means an end to her rat encounters. “I live on a ground-floor apartment, so you literally hear them outside of your window all the time,” Fernandez said. “You just hear the squeaks. Like you go to the bathroom to handle your business, and you literally think they’re inside your apartment.” Seth Miller bought the century-old, 26-unit building through a limited liability corporation, but runs it through his Midtown-based Aegis Realty Management Corp., in 2014 for $4.4 million. Miller is no stranger to housing advocates, who have come after him about poor living conditions at 919 Prospect Ave., in Morrisania. State Attorney General Letitia James named Miller the Bronx’s worst landlord in 2016 back when she was still the city’s public advocate. Tenants at 919 Prospect sued Miller for neglecting issues like rats and lead paint, according to reports. They claimed Miller didn’t want to fix anything, because that way he could push rent-stabilized tenants out. Miller ultimately filed for bankruptcy protection, and the court removed him from management, allowing needed repairs through a trustee. But Miller’s exile ended last year,
— Kenya Fernandez
said. “And that was always my issue to the landlord.” One of Fernandez’s first floor neighbors, Regina Hall, said she’s also experienced a mouse infestation — a problem that has only gotten worse since Miller bought the building. Mice find their way in through Hall’s sink and from behind the stove. Her floor is covered with glue traps, but it doesn’t seem to be enough. Hall, who’s lived in the building for 50 years, said the previous landlord used to at least bring in an exterminator to take care of the mice. “I can’t sleep. I’ve been having nightmares,” Hall said. “Because I have a hole in my bedroom wall and I’m afraid something’s going to come out of there.” The rats in the basement, Hall said, create a foul smell that wafts up through the floor of her apartment. “I kept on buying stuff to take the smell away, but it smells so bad,” Hall said. “It’s from the rats that’s in the basement because they don’t take care of the garbage, and they have unruly tenants that don’t care.” Someone living on the building’s top floor, who asked not to be named out of fear the landlord would retaliate, said he’s had a mouse infestation in the apartment he shares with his mother for the past few years, as well. They have holes throughout the apartment the landlord has yet to fix. Putting out glue traps only worked the first couple of times. The tenant believes Miller is looking for reasons to kick out long-term tenants so he can replace them with people he could charge higher rents to. Not making repairs encourages long-term tenants like him paying lower stabilized rents to move out. Still, any step is better than no step for Fernandez — even if there’s still a long road ahead to make 3801 Review Place livable again. “There are improvements that are happening,” Fernandez said. “It’s unfortunate that it’s a little late. But better late than never.”
HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN / Photos
Regina Hall has lived at 3801 Review Place for 50 years, but says over the last few years, unwelcome guests from the rodent family have joined her. Even when a new landlord took over, Hall says the mouse infestation only got worse. The superintendent plugged holes where rats crept into Kenya Fernandez’s apartment, below, but mice continue to be an issue.
and 919 Prospect tenants claim he immediately reverted to his old ways of harassing them, filing a second suit shortly after. When The Press called a listed phone number associated with Aegis
Realty for comment, the person answering denied the number was still used by the company. Yet, a subsequent call connected a reporter to an answering service which identified itself as Aegis.
Back at 3801 Review Place, rats aren’t the only problem, Fernandez said. There are also mice, the rodents’ distant cousins. “I’ve had mice in my apartment many, many, many times,” Fernandez
POLITICAL ARENA Sixth candidate enters election When Abigail Martin and Marcos Sierra decided to wait until the June primary, the March 23 special election race to replace Andrew Cohen on the city council quickly shrunk to just five candidates. But now it’s moving back up again as a new name has been dropped into the hat. Kevin Pazmino, a freelance videographer who calls Riverdale home, actually announced his intention to seek the seat
BY MichaeL hinMan more of a conservative political stance — something Pazmino told The Riverdale Press last weekend he’s not hesitant to share in what is traditionally a more liberal-leaning council district. Pazmino told his Twitter followers that he would take his “logistical and leadership skills that I have developed over the years as a freelance filmmaker and (put) them to use for the people of the Bronx.” The winner of the March 23 special election will have to run again in the June primary.
in a New Year’s Eve Twitter post where he declared that “enough is enough, folks.” Pazmino filed paperwork to enter the special election last week, joining a race that already includes retired cop Carlton Berkley, schoolteacher and politician’s son Eric Dinowitz, environmentalist Jessica Haller, nonprofit organizer Mino Lora, and real estate attorney Dan Padernacht. Pazmino hasn’t been too publicly active in local politics, and posts he’s shared or authored on his Twitter take
Endorsement season has arrived It seems like everyone who is anyone is picking sides for the upcoming March 23 special election as the candidates line up high-profile supporters hoping it will lead voters to support them on the ballot. Jessica Haller kicked things off with a nod from the man who once held the city council seat — former state attorney general Oliver Koppell. “She’s a grassroots community activist, and a welcome
change from the boss-controlled local Democratic political leadership,” Koppell said, in a release. Eric Dinowitz, son of Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, got his own vote of support from newly installed U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres. “Eric Dinowitz is a progressive who can get things done, and that’s exactly what the northwest Bronx needs,” the congressman and former city councilman said, in a release. Mino Lora earned a nod from Councilman and Queens
borough president candidate Jimmy Van Bremer. “The status quo isn’t going to cut it,” Van Bremer said, in a release. “It’s time for a progressive leap forward, and Mino is the next generation of leadership.” Finally, Dan Padernacht found the backing of former Assemblyman and current Democratic National Committee vice chair Michael Blake. “As a lawyer and community expert, he alone will be ready to work with city agencies from Day One,” Blake said, in a release.
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A10 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, January 28, 2021
Kleinman turns the real into the fantastical
SCHOOL DESK
n Writer draws inspiration from newspapers, his own life, and the lives of friends
BY ROSE BRENNAN Lehman sees first Schwarzman Scholar
By ETHAN STARK-MILLER estarkmiller@riverdalepress.com
Growing up or living in New York City orients people a different way from those in rural areas. At least that’s how Marty Kleinman feels. “Your mentality,” Kleinman said, “the way you hold yourself, the way you carry yourself, the way you conduct business, interpersonal relationships, it’s all obviously quite different here.” This is the guiding theme of “A Shoebox Full of Money,” Kleinman’s new collection of New York-focused short stories released earlier this month. Inside are 20 stories loosely based on things that happened to Kleinman, his family, his friends’ families, or even things he read about in a newspaper. Kleinman uses the real-life events as a jumping-off point to craft fictional stories that go far beyond what really happened. For instance, “Bess Myerson and Her Fancy-Schmancy Mink Coat” takes a real story relayed to him by one of his North Riverdale neighbors, turning it into his own piece of fiction. The real story Kleinman was told took place in 1945 when Bess Myerson — the first Jewish winner of the Miss America Pageant — returned home from the contest in Atlantic City. Myerson strode across the courtyard of the Shalom Aleichem Houses while people hung out their windows cheering for her. “I heard this story when I moved here and I was like, ‘Well that’s going to be a story,’” Kleinman said. “So, from there I invented this whole world of what happened to her in Atlantic City. How she got screwed out of her winnings. How she was unhappy with her family. And how she basically had a coming-ofage moment and realized that her small corner of the Bronx was just the beginning, and she had to go further afield to realize her true potential.” Nothing in Kleinman’s story besides the fact Myerson won Miss America is based on anything that actually happened, he said. It’s not journalism and it’s not a mockumentary. It’s taking a real event and making it into something fantastical. Kleinman started writing at a young age, growing up in University Heights. The young author would stay up late to watch “The Twilight Zone” and then tell his friends what he called the “Marty version” of the plot the next day at school — embellishing and changing
HIRAM ALEJANDRO DURÁN
New York City is its own character in author Marty Kleinman’s short stories. Kleinman’s new collection of shorts, ‘A Shoebox Full of Money,’ was released earlier this month. many parts of the episode to fit his idea of what it should be. Kleinman continued to develop as a writer at DeWitt Clinton High School, where he had a couple of supportive teachers who pushed him to keep practicing his craft. Staying loyal to local public schools, Kleinman went to college at Lehman. There he came under the tutelage of Professor Jerome Charyn — now an internationally renowned author — who inspired him to try his hand at being a professional writer. Growing up without much money, Kleinman worked various day jobs over the years, mostly working in public relations. He started his own consulting group, Communications Strategies in 1998. But Kleinman kept writing on the side, collecting all of his various stories and notes in stacks of folders that he still has to this day. Still not quite ready to publish, Kleinman traveled around various Brooklyn venues near where he lived at the time in the mid-2000s, reading his stories to small crowds there. His first reading sometime around 2005 earned a positive reception from the crowd — something
the generations,” Kleinman said. “And it’s amazing that it’s like a universal theme.” “Shoebox” is quintessentially about the New York City experience, Kleinman said. The stories all use the city as a character, and that informs the way the human characters behave. The book’s opening story, “The Tape,” chronicles Kleinman’s experience on Sept. 11, 2001, and is one of his favorites. “I mean, everybody’s got their 9/11 story,” Kleinman said. “And that’s mine.” He tells the story of a young couple trying to make their way in New York City, both before and after Sept. 11 — and how the attack fundamentally changed life in the city. It’s not easy to promote a new book during a global pandemic, Kleinman said, but he feels he’s giving people something to distract themselves over — and maybe even bond. “A Shoebox Full of Money” can be purchased from a variety of booksellers, and also at MartyKleinman.com. He’s also planning a virtual reading of stories from his book on Feb. 3 at an event hosted by Riverdale Temple.
that shocked Kleinman. In fact, that reception came in the form of thunderous applause. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, they actually like this?’” He finally published “Home Front,” his first collection of New York-set short stories, in 2013. Capturing family drama is Kleinman’s main writing interest because that’s what informs one’s daily life. “Like, you can have a great job or whatever, but if you have problems at home — or if you have issues with relatives — it’s going to push you to act at work a certain way,” Kleinman said. “It’s going to color how you relate to your children. I mean, the family drama is everything.” The title story of “A Shoebox Full of Money” is entirely about family drama, Kleinman said. It focuses on a bitterly divided family after one side gave money to the other for safe keeping during the 1930s, only to find out decades later the other side spent all of the money. This created a rift that rippled through generations of the family and never healed. “Every family has their take on it, has their own problems that filter through
A graduate fellowship can certainly be a big deal, especially for a first-generation college student — and especially when only four others from the CUNY system have done the same. That’s the case for Lamount Evanson, a Lehman College senior selected as a Schwarzman Scholars fellow. He will enroll at Tsinghua University in Beijing after he graduates from Lehman this spring, becoming part of the program’s Class of 2022. Stephen Schwarzman, who founded the program in 2016, aims to hone the next generation of leaders and deepen their understanding of China’s role as a global power. All fellows in the program will receive a master’s degree in global affairs. But the sky’s the limit for Evanson. He plans to become both a medical doctor and a Ph.D., with the goal of becoming a physician and scientist. Armed with the dual degree, he wants to improve LGBTQ health care and HIV/AIDS prevention in the Caribbean, especially since he once called Antigua and Barbuda home. “I want to know how I can impact policy and change the way health care is provided,” Evanson said, in a release. “I want to change how HIV/AIDS is viewed within the Caribbean region, and institute programs that educate the public about it.”
Local flare on SUNY Oneonta dean’s list SUNY Oneonta might be a few hours drive away, but some of its dean’s list recipients are quite close to home. Nearly 2,000 of the upstate school’s students made the cut — maintaining a 3.5 GPA while managing a 12-hour or larger course load. Of those students, six of them hail locally: Emily Deleon, James Duffy, Brittny Dunn, Cole Kirschbaum, Simely Mata and Danny Polanco.
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THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, January 28, 2021 - A11
WHAT’S IN / WHAT’S ON BronxNet and The Riverdale Press host a televised special election debate among five candidates seeking to replace Andrew Cohen on the city council on Tuesday, Feb. 2. Moderated by Press editor Michael Hinman and BronxNet reporter Sonyi Lopez, the debate features Carlton Berkley, Eric Dinowitz, Jessica Haller, Mino Lora and Dan Padernacht. It also includes a special town hall after the debate with students from Lehman College. The debate premieres at 7 p.m., on Bronxnet Optimum Channel 67, and FiOS Channel 2133. It can also be viewed at BronxNet.tv, and also on social media sites of BronxNet and The Press. The special election itself is slated for March 23. Visit BronxNet.tv.
Become a piano phenom
Learning to the play the piano is one thing. Finding a way to challenge yourself on the ivories is a much different story altogether. Riverdale Neighborhood House and Riverdale Community Center offer a 10-week intermediate piano course beginning Feb. 9 designed for those who have played for at least a year, and who can read music. It’s a chance to learn syncopation, jazzy chords and progressions, as well as scales, wrist motion, staccato and legato touches. Each session is expected to run 90 minutes, and costs $175. For more information, email radelman@riverdaleonline.org.
Learning music with your lunch
The Bronx Arts Ensemble welcomes violinist Thomas Martin to a free livestream Thursday, Jan. 28, as part of the group’s new segment, “Behind the Music.” Beginning at 1 p.m., Thomas will share an inside view of his own compositions for violins and synthesizers, as well as select movements for solo violin by J.S. Bach. It will stream live at Face-
book.com/bronxartsensemble. Although the cost is free, the ensemble also welcomes donations of any amount at tinyurl. com/BAETicket.
NW Bronx Indivisible hosts election forum
Northwest Bronx Indivisible co-hosts a city council candidate forum Sunday, Feb. 7, beginning at 3 p.m. The forum — hosted jointly with the Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture — is expected to feature the candidates seeking to replace Andrew Cohen during a special election March 23. Sue Ellen Dodell will serve as moderator, and will answer questions about ranked-choice voting after the debate. For more information, visit tinyurl.com/CCDebateNWB.
Learning more about Jews in Greece
A lot is shared about the atrocities of the Holocaust, but not much has been said in the past about the history of Jews living in Greece. Lawrence Russo’s new documentary, “Trezoros: The Lost Jews of Kastoria,” explores that place in history — something Russo will share with “Modern Odyssey” host Despina Afentouli for a special BronxNet episode “International Holocaust Remembrance Day: Jews of Greece.” The episode airs Thursday, Jan. 28, at 9:30 p.m., and Friday, Jan. 29 at 11 p.m. It also airs Saturday, Jan. 30 at 3 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. All broadcasts will be on BronxNet Optimum Channel 67 and FiOS Channel 2133, as well as online at BronxNet.tv. Vvisit BronxNet.org.
Botanical garden welcoming visitors
The New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd., continues opening its gates to guests, providing limited indoor access to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. The new, limited timedentry ticketing system allows the botanical garden to stagger visitor arrivals, promote social distancing, and is designed to
mitigate the risk of crowding in high-traffic areas. Advanced purchase of tickets is required, and will be confirmed by email. On top of that, complimentary admission to Bronx health care workers from the borough’s eight public and private hospitals will continue through Feb. 28. Visit NYBG.org.
Artists wanted for new project
Wave Hill and the Lehman College Art Gallery seek artists for its 2021 eco-urgency exhibit, planned to begin in July. Artists have a chance to present existing work, propose a new work, or participate in a public program. Joint curatorial teams will review applications over the winter, with artists notified of any interest by the end of February. To apply, visit tinyurl.com/ WaveHillArt.
Wave Hill offers COVID-safe shopping
Wave Hill, 4900 Independence Ave., has reopened for special restricted hours Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m., to 5:30 p.m. Admission requires advance ticket purchase at WaveHill.org. Also reopened is The Shop at Wave Hill with a reimagined floor plan intended to make safety a priority. It’s open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wave Hill House is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with Glyndor Gallery open from noon to 4:30 p.m. — both featuring exhibitions to limitedsize audiences. The café is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., for limited grab-and-go entrees, snacks and beverages. Although eating indoors is not allowed, seating remains available outside on the Kate French Terrace. Advanced registration is required, and the maximum number of visitors allowed each day is limited. A ticket is required to enter the grounds, and is available for reservation every Monday. Thursday continues to be admission-free normal operating hours resume. Visit WaveHill.org.
Courtesy of BronxNet
Despina Afentouli, host of the BronxNet series ‘Modern Odyssey,’ talks to filmmaker Larry Russo about the experience of Jews in Greece during World War II. The episode airs this week on BronxNet.
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A12 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, January 28, 2021
Opinion
The Riverdale Press maintains an open submission policy. Opinions expressed in this section do not necessarily represent those of this publication. Submissions can be made to letters@riverdalepress.com.
Editorial
Making a difference? Or just making a mess?
M
any of New York City’s community boards describe themselves not only as bodies tasked with advising elected officials and government agencies on matters affecting the social welfare, but also of providing the public a non-partisan interface to those same electeds and agencies. There are 59 community boards in the city, each able to operate with up to 50 unpaid members. That means, at full strength, each community board member represents fewer than 3,000 people in their community. It’s the most hyperlocal representation any of us can expect. By comparison, a single city council member represents 165,000 people — and likely would not have the time to hear you actively brainstorm ideas about how to improve your neighborhood. Yet, that’s exactly what the community boards are for. It’s a place where politics are checked at the door, and we join our neighbors in ensuring none of our voices are lost among the 8.4 million others in the city. Community boards are so hyperlocalized, so focused on considering any idea (no matter how off-the-wall), that their role is purely advisory. None of their decisions are binding. Even when they make a recommendation to a city agency, that same agency has the option to follow that recommendation, revise that recommendation, or just toss it in the trash can. Simple as that. That’s why what happened at last week’s traffic and transportation committee meeting at Community Board 8 was so disturbing. Looking to take a deeper dive into traffic issues surrounding the oddly constructed intersection of Independence Avenue and West 232nd Street, Deb Travis and her working group were simply tasked to brainstorm some ideas that might make that important traffic artery safer and more neighborhood friendly. That’s exactly what they did. No idea was a bad idea. Put this disparate list together, and then let the traffic committee consider each one. If there were aspects they liked, they could vote on them, and recommend it as part of an overall package to the main 50-member board. If that board liked it, they could send it off to the city’s transportation department, who would either accept it, modify it, or trash it.
S
eems simple, right? Not to some makeshift community group calling itself the “Coalition of Concerned Citizens Working to Keep Independence Avenue Wide Open.” This group, led by Jeff Moerdler and his Whitehall Tenants Corp., circulated a flyer warning that the traffic committee was “planning to propose” to the DOT changes that would turn the Independence Avenue corridor into a “nightmare of traffic gridlock, commercial traffic chaos, and dangerously unsafe conditions for school children.” The group cited ideas of creating a two-way bicycle lane on Independence, while moving diagonal parking to a different part of the street, and narrowing other parts. Those ideas weren’t made up — they indeed were concepts from this initial brainstorming. Except the community board was nowhere near developing any such recommendation to DOT. Neither was the traffic committee, which heard these general ideas for the very first time a month before. The purpose
of the January meeting was to collect thoughts and ideas from the community, to see what neighbors liked — and didn’t like — about what the working group had openly pondered. Thanks to Moerdler’s efforts, more than 200 people showed up to the virtual meeting — and many were ready for war. As far as they were concerned, DOT already had its bulldozers and street crews all queued up on Independence just waiting for CB8 to give a green light and let them tear up the neighborhood. That wasn’t the case. Moerdler later called the flyer’s verbiage as nothing more than an innocent mistake. But was it?
M
oerdler has done (and continues to do) great things for this community, especially with Riverdale Hatzalah. He comes from a family who is very much active in this part of the Bronx — including his father, Charles Moerdler, who chairs CB8’s most powerful committee, and has done so for decades. The younger Moerdler also spent many years leading the Whitehall Tennants Corp., which likely is a full-time, thankless job in itself. With all that involvement and experience, could confusing brainstorming with “planning to propose” to the DOT be a simple mistake? Maybe — if we ignored the other “coincidences” that seem to be involved with this. Like the coincidence that the traffic committee chair leading the meeting that night was none other than Dan Padernacht, a candidate for city council. Like the coincidence that Moerdler and his entire family combined to donate more than $4,000 to the campaign of a Padernacht rival, Eric Dinowitz. Like the coincidence that Eric Dinowitz could spend four hours at Padernacht’s meeting, but didn’t have time to chair his own aging committee meeting just hours before. Like the coincidence that Eric Dinowitz’s father, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, seemed to lead the charge — even challenging Padernacht on his approach of trying to allow everyone a chance to speak on each specific idea. An approach, by the way, that likely saved the meeting from crumbling into chaos. Maybe Moerdler did indeed make a mistake believing this was a final recommendation rather than just brainstorming from a committee’s working group. But what a coincidence Eric Dinowitz made the same mistake. And his very experienced father, Jeff Dinowitz. The traffic committee has a job to explore road and pedestrian issues in the community, and to hear the voices of those willing to speak up. In a way, that happened Jan. 21 — except many of the people behind those voices were misled about what was happening, to the point where they felt they had no choice but to show up with pitchforks and torches. That’s not what community boards are about. This isn’t a place to go after political rivals, or stir up chaos for the sake of making someone look bad. People living in and around Independence Avenue are passionate about their community, and they look for the community board as an avenue to express that passion when necessary. Refocusing others’ passions to target a political opponent corrupts that process, and is unfair to everyone involved. But maybe it’s all just coincidence.
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Letters to the editor
Let’s make up budget deficits To the editor: New York state currently faces a budget deficit of approximately $15 billion. Gov. Cuomo’s default response has always been an austerity budget which has benefited the top 5 percent of earners, heavily taxing working families, and leaving the poor with little or no safety net. This is especially true for many Bronx residents. Gov. Cuomo seems to be relying upon a federal COVID-19 relief package, and a purely cosmetic adjustment to the tax rate for the wealthy, which does not raise nearly sufficient income to offset New York’s shortfall. The extent of any federal bailout or grants of any kind is unpredictable. Indeed, the 2009 federal bailout offset the deficit by 28 percent. New York has resources. We ought to employ them. The Riverdale and Long Island chapters of Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, in alliance with Invest in Our New York — formerly Budget Justice — are supporting a series of bills which could be incorporated into the state budget. These proposals align with what we see as the Jewish obligation to pursue social justice. Society has a responsibility to its citizens to help them attain their basic needs — affordable housing, food security, basic health care, education, and basic social services. The wealthy should pay their fair share after decades of reaping unfathomable wealth. Those whose income is more than sufficient have an added responsibility to contribute more. Invest in Our New York is working for a series
of tax bills that, if taken as a package, would raise approximately $50 billion. These include, but are not limited to: • An inheritance tax that would affect inheritances more than $250,000 • A progressive income tax that differs from the present rate only for those above the $400,000 bracket • A bill that would progressive tax investments much the same way wages are currently taxed • A small tax on financial transactions We encourage readers to have a fresh look at the details of these proposals at Invest in Our New York’s user-friendly and informative site at InvestInOurNY.com. It is only fair for those who have flourished in these terrible times to make a relatively greater contribution to provide a decent standard of living to those who have suffered the most from current circumstances. We need to not only balance our current budget, but also redress years of budgeting that have failed to provide equitable services to less fortunate New Yorkers. Hillel famously said, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I care only for myself, what am I?” The second question is to our point. Anyone interested in working with the Riverdale chapter of Bend the Arc can email bendthearc.riverdaletaskforce@gmail.com. BarT SChiavo DeBorah SChiavo The authors represent the Riverdale chapter of Bend the Arc: Jewish Action.
Let us be Americans
which is attacking the entire world. Let us be Americans. norman WeChSler
To the editor: People don’t die from COVID-19 as Democrats or Republicans. People aren’t unemployed as Democrats or Republicans. People aren’t evicted as Democrats or Republicans. People aren’t on food lines as Democrats or Republicans. Suffering, dying, agonizing isn’t a political thing. It’s a human thing. We’re all in this together. At a time of legitimate national crisis, we must rise above partisanship and band together to get us the hell out of this God-awful mess we’re in. Let’s lay aside blame for a moment and experience the joy of working together to save lives, help suffering families and children, just as we did during World War II, to defeat this damned COVID,
Poupko is afraid of AOC To the editor:
(re: “AOC and how she works with Jews: It’s personal,” Nov. 19)
The McCarthyite smearing of U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez by Elchanin Poupko reveals more than anything else that the forces of Palestinian repression and Zionist monomania are afraid of her (justifiably so, I’m happy to say). They are afraid of her increasingly effective calls for democracy, both in the United States and Israel. They are afraid of her clear stands opposing anti-Semitism, racism and Islamophobia. They fear her brilliant leadership in bringing a long-dormant progressive vitality to Congress
and the national discourse. Rabbi Poupko should be ashamed of himself for his vile and dishonest comparing of AOC to white supremacists and the repulsive Steve King. He does the cause of fighting anti-Semitism no favors with such garbage. STeve SiegelBaum
Some great memories To the editor: Thanks so much for the Dec. 17 issue of The Riverdale Press! I moved here 65 years ago and remember those old issues of The Press with pleasure. Thank you for the remembrance of things past, and for making the current Riverdale Press a most worthy successor. rhoDa alBen-aronSon
Thank you, President Trump To the editor: I want to take a minute to thank you, President Trump. Thank you for not plunging the United States into yet another war. Thank you for walking through hell and back for the American people. Thank you for doing it free. Thank you for working through the night while my family was tucked safely in bed. Thank you for standing strong and staring adversity in the face. Thank you for keeping God in the country I love. Thank you for not backing down when the weight of the world was against you. Thank you for putting your family in the line of fire when you didn’t have to. Thank you for standing up for women. Thank you for not being a politician. Thank you for standing up for the unborn. Thank you for making our economy go up and unemployment go down. Thank you for fighting when facing opposition, starting before you even took office. Thank
About letters
you for working harder than any president in my lifetime ever has. Thank you for your service to our country. Thank you for a huge tax break benefitting 85 percent of taxpayers and creating millions of jobs. Thank you for cleaning out the Veterans Administration, ensuring those who have served our country would not be subject to second- or third-class medical care. Thank you for overseeing Operation Warp Speed, which brought three effective vaccines for the COVID-19 virus in less than a year — something experts predicted would take three to five years. Thank you for bringing peace to the Middle East. Thank you for cutting illegal immigration from our southern border. Thank you for your “America first” spirit that prizes individual liberty and limited government. Thank you for standing up for America when so many other politicians are apologizing for our history. John Canny
The Riverdale Press welcomes letters to the editor. Send them via e-mail to letters@riverdalepress.com.
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THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, January 28, 2021 - A13
Op-Ed Point of view
Myths and realities: Jews and the left
976426
P
eriodically, The Riverdale Press has had op-eds and letters (including one of my own) that intertwine issues of anti-Semitism, the BDS (boycott-divestmentsanctions) movement directed at Israel, the Black Lives Matter movement, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and antifa. The first two are understandable, given Riverdale’s large Jewish population. But how do BLM, AOC and antifa get pulled into this web? There are many strands to Judaism, but two core perspectives are reflected in how the expression “never again” is experienced. For some it means that, following the horror of the Holocaust, never again will Jews tolerate anything that could lead to their slaughter, other kinds of harm. To others (including myself), it is a more basic humanistic injunction to fight against the tribal dehumanization, exploitation or marginalization of our fellow humans — including Palestinians. In the United States, Jews are not in any meaningful danger, other than from those identifying as neo-Nazis and white supremacists. (Meanwhile, in Europe, a recent New York Times headline reads: “Neo-Nazis burrow into ranks of German police departments.”) What little animosity remains is more likely envy and resentment of the success of Jewish people in so many fields. Nearly all hatred (not to mention murder) comes from right-wing sources, such as “Jews will not replace us,” or the murders at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. As reported last May in the Jewish journal Forward, “The ADL’s data proves it: The right owns anti-Semitism in America.” The Anti-Defamation League report found that “out of 42 extremist-related murders in the United States last year, 38 were committed by individuals subscribing to various far-right ideologies, including white supremacy.” As reported in the British magazine The Guardian last July, “Anti-fascists linked to zero murders in the United States in 25 years,” while reporting that right-wing violence led to 329 murders in that same time frame. (Since then, there was one person killed by someone linked to antifa, in the middle of a protest/counter-protest scuffle.) Yes, property was damaged due to rage over the murder of George Floyd and others, but that is peanuts compared to right-wing murder. So why this upset with the BLM movement, AOC, and the left in general? First, trauma — whether to an individual or a group — often does not disappear once the source of it is gone. The horror of the Holocaust lives on in people’s psyche, like the trauma of child abuse, rape, etc. A trauma, by definition, is an experience that one is unable to process emotionally. It stays frozen, and is usually handled by either denial or by perpetual hyper-vigilance toward anything that might link to those memories — individual or collective. Anxiety is often focused on unreal dangers. Time may change the external realities,
but not the internal thoughts and feelings, When making your estate plans, don’t forget cemetery arrangements. Taking care which still rest in the time of horror. of this important issue avoids leaving the burden on loved ones, locks in current One letter to this paper, by a rabbi, stated he “thought” AOC would not show up for a prices, and safeguards your savings. Join the many families protecting loved ones demonstration against anti-Semitism, though by including cemetery arrangements in your estate planning. Call today or go to she actually did. Somehow this thought was more powerful to him than the reality. ferncliffcemetery.com and click on the Advance Planning link. Second, Israel has defined itself as the Jewish state — not merely a homeland for Jewish people, but an ethnic state. 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Letters to the editor
Be more clear about council races To the editor:
(re: “Petitioning during COVID forces two out of race,” Jan. 7)
On Jan. 4, The Riverdale Press reported that Mayor de Blasio had called a special election to determine who will fill our vacant city council seat for the 10 months between March and December. One day later, on Jan. 5, Riverdale resident Abigail Martin issued a statement, letting supporters and community members know she would not be running in that election. She affirmed, however, she was still a candidate for the upcoming Democratic Party primary in June. That election will determine which Democrat will run to represent our district for a full term on the city council next year, when the city’s new mayor enters office, and when most city council
seats will have new members. In total, our community will hold three separate city council elections in the next 11 months. It’s important for voters to understand what each of these elections is for, and that the list of candidates for each of these elections will be different. Saying that a candidate “dropped out” of one of these three elections might make for an exciting headline, but it seems difficult to “drop out” of an election that was just called a day earlier, and when the candidate is still very much in the race in another. I encourage The Riverdale Press to continue to engage its readers, and to clarify the various elections ahead of us — especially when there is so much at stake for the future of our community and city. STephen Friedmann
Finally ready for something better To the editor: Did I write this close enough to 2021 to wish the world a happier new year? To wish it for my community of friends and more? What a year — and what’s to come — will still be hard. “It ain’t over till the fat lady sings …” and there hopefully will be lots of those voices. My 77-year-old arm is ready. I hope yours is, too. I have had enough. But I have met the best people — folks I never thought to know — on Zoom. All ages, colors, shapes, pasts and futures. Some sitting. Some standing. Radicals and non, rich and poor. Republicans and Democrats, and those in between. I have seen the masked and the unmasked. I have shared art and writing and books and ideas. I have tuned into foreign nations with friends, and listened long and hard to their needs and wants. I am so grateful for this. One of many surpris-
es from this awful time. I have longed for my parents and my long history. I write about it. I read about it. I miss my children — now men — and my grandkids “growing up before my very eyes” (on FaceTime). Since March. But I have a new community, and new and different goals and wishes to add to my life. I need to sort it all out. I still have time. I rang in this new year. When I was little, we were awakened at midnight and we hung out of our windows, pajamas covered with winter coats, and we banged pots and pans. Really banged them. And we shouted “happy new year! Happy new year!” I’m not sure I even knew what that meant. I was already happy. But I know now. I banged my pots and yelled out my window, and was glad that I can. JudiTh Veder
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A14 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, January 28, 2021
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THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, January 28, 2021 - A15
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elliman.com 575 MADISON AVENUE, NY, NY 10022. 212.891.7000 © 2021 DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE. ALL MATERIAL PRESENTED HEREIN IS INTENDED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. WHILE, THIS INFORMATION IS BELIEVED TO BE CORRECT, IT IS REPRESENTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGES OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE. ALL PROPERTY INFORMATION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO SQUARE FOOTAGE, ROOM COUNT, NUMBER OF BEDROOMS AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PROPERTY LISTINGS SHOULD BE VERIFIED BY YOUR OWN ATTORNEY, ARCHITECT OR ZONING EXPERT. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.
A16 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, January 28, 2021
Home of the Week Pamela Trebach of Trebach Realty
Bright, renovated, and a very nice view
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our new home is calling from the picturesque Highpoint-on-the-Hudson at 2727 Palisade Ave. Make sure you’re ready to answer it. This two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment is part of a post-war luxury co-op with a 24-hour doorman in Spuyten Duyvil. And no matter which room you’re in, the view is the northern part of the Hudson River — you just can’t beat it. Features include an entry foyer, living room with a wall of windows, remodeled kitchen with polished marble counter tops
and stainless steel appliances, as well as a dining area. Then there’s a master bedroom suite that includes a master bathroom with a walk-in shower. There is a renovated hall bathroom, and plenty of great closets — four of them walk-ins. Indoor parking is available for $175 a month, when available, as well as outdoor swimming. Monthly maintenance fees are a little more than $1,400. The cost to wake up — and go to sleep — with this view every night? Just $579,000.
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THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, January 28, 2021 - A17
See Riverdale's Best Properties
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5 1. Newly Renovated with Gorgeous Sunsets Riverdale. 2BR. 1.5 Bath. $319K. Web# 20595446. Fitim Kelmendi 718-878-1702 2. Classic, Redefined, and Ready North Riverdale. 1BR. 1 Bath. $270K. Web# 20615677. Maria-Stella Fountoulakis 718-878-1725
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3. Sunlight and Great Views North Riverdale. 1BR. 1 Bath. $215K. Web# 20253950. Nanette Gran 718-878-1703 Julia Gran 718-878-1716 4. Private Retreat with Mesmerizing Views Spuyten Duyvil. 3BR. 2.5 Bath. $1.195M. Web# 20508457. Vince Mauro 212-317-7721 5. Bask in Sunlight with Hudson Views Spuyten Duyvil. 2BR. 2 Bath. $795K. Web# 20242627. Sandhya “Sanjya” Tidke 212-381-2485 Scott Kriger 718-878-1715 6. Rare 2 BR with a Double Terrace Riverdale. 2BR. 2 Bath. $639K. Web# 20020206. Robin Tragni 718-878-1708 7. Renovated, Sun-Drenched, and Quiet Riverdale. 3BR. 2 Bath. $469K. Web# 20499204. Sandhya “Sanjya” Tidke 212-381-2485 Scott Kriger 718-878-1715
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8. Craftsman Gem Riverdale. 3BR. 2.5 Bath. $1.275M. Web# 20404720. Sandhya “Sanjya” Tidke 212-381-2485 Adinah Kranzler 718-878-1714 9. Move-In Ready in Central Riverdale Riverdale. 2BR. 2 Bath. $415K. Web# 20402643. Vicki Green 718-878-1919
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10. Spectacular and Recently Renovated with Private Terrace Riverdale. 2BR. 1 Bath. $369,900. Web# 20583432. Brian Beaudry 718-878-1712 Sandhya “Sanjya” Tidke 212-381-2485
All information is from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, prior sale or withdrawal without notice. All rights to content, photographs and graphics reserved to Broker. Equal Housing Opportunity Broker.
A18 - THE RIVERDALE PRESS - Thursday, January 28, 2021
TrebachRealty.com
718.543.7174
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Family Owned & Operated Since 1972
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West oF parKWay Web #895 Sylish and light filled 4-bdrm, 4.5-bath brick and stone house with impressive grounds & private association pool on leafy cul-de-sac. Marble center hall, elegant living room, formal dining room, large kitchen and stone gas fireplace om family rm. $2,595,000
West oF parKWay Web #893 Prime renovation opportunity: Completely gutted, sprawling 7,000-Sq. Ft. 5-bdrm, 6-bath stucco and stone house with pool, multi-level patios and spacious yard on double lot. Great room w/ 21-ft high ceilings, fireplace and oversized windows. $3,450,000
FieldstoN Web #885 Stately, secluded georgian revival stone 6-bdrm, 6-full, 2-half bath residence situated on nearly three quarters of an acre. Completely renovated with wide front terrace, large living room with WBFP and french doors to four-season sunroom. $4,900,000
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FieldstoN Web #839 Bright 4-bdrm, 3-bath solar modern home with patio & garden. Living rm with WBFP & eat-in kitchen. $1,695,000
West oF parKWay Web #755 3-bdrm, 2.5-bath center hall colonial. WBFP in living rm, open plan kitchen & dining & finished basement. $1,420,000
NeW exclusive
co-exclusive
FieldstoN Web #898 Exceptional, elegant mansion overlooking Idyllic Pond. 8-bdrms, 8-full & 2-half bths, living rm with marble wood burning fireplace, formal dining rm with French doors to a side patio, spacious kitchen, breakfast room & expansive family room. $4,590,000
West oF parKWay Web #891 Lavish newly built 8-bdrm, 7.5-bath on 0.29-acres features 2-story center hall with curved staircase, double height great room with gas fireplace, glass doors to wraparound porch, den with wet bar, formal dining room and center island kitchen. $3,395,000
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exclusive West oF parKWay Web #846 Spacious 3-bdrm, 2.5-bath house features a living room with bay windows and marble WBF, dining room with sliding glass doors to large level backyard, eat-in kitchen, MBR suite & den with a wet bar. 2-car garage plus plenty of off street parking. $1,549,000
NeW exclusive vaN cortlaNdt crest Web #899 Spacious 6-bdrm, 3-full & 2-half baths, WBF in LR, dining rm & mstr bdrm. Eatin kitchen, porches & patio. $1,295,000
ceNtral riverdale Web #896 Brand-new legal 3-family townhouse with stone accents has laundry in each apt and a 2-car driveway. $1,395,000
FieldstoN Web #894 Pristine, modern and light filled 6-bdrm, 5.5-bath stucco house with patios and grassy yard. Huge room with white-oak flooring, 2 waterfall-edged islands in kitchen, living room with windows overlooking the backyard and family room. $2,775,000
NeW exclusive
exclusive
ceNtral riverdale Web #903 Lovely & spacious 2-bdrm, 1.5-bath brck charmer with porch, patio, backyard and WBFP on private Cul-de-Sac. $985,000
south riverdale Web #884 Renov 6-bdrm, 2-full and 2-half bath brick house. Tiled entry foyer, formal dining rm & renov kitchen. $1,395,000
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ceNtral riverdale Web #859 4-bdrm, 3-bath detached brick house with high ceilings, living room with brick WBFP & formal dining room. $890,000
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NeW exclusive West oF parKWay Web #882 Vacant site of approx 0.37 acres is a rare opportunity to build a home with commanding views of river. $1,495,000
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NeW exclusive North riverdale Web #837 Legal 2-family semi-attached townhouse. Spacious side & rear yards. Two 3-bdrms, 2-baths plus 1-bdrm suite. $1,295,000
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NeW exclusive West oF the parKWay Web #897 Renovated 5-bdrm, 5.5-bath Tudor-style house with spacious grounds on cul-desac. Living room with frplc. $2,495,000
exclusive vaN cortlaNdt crest Web #902 4-bdrm, 3-bath stone and brick colonial with lawns and patio. Prestine hardwood flrs & wood burning fireplace $870,000
exclusive
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West oF parKWay Web #880 Grand bucolic beauty and open space classic 6-bdrm, 5.5-bath mansion with wraparound porch on over one acre with grassy lawns. Large center hall, living room with WBF, formal dining room with fireplace and eat-in kitchen. $4,325,000
North riverdale Web #892 Two-family, semi-attached brick house with wide entry terrace & backyard with a deck & patio on Cul-de-Sac. $899,000
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North riverdale Web #889 Renovated 3-bdrm, 2-bath house with side and back yards, patio and garden. Living room with fireplace. $1,095,000
south riverdale Web #871 Spacious 4-bdrm, 2.5-bath with foyer, living rm w/ brick WBFP, formal dining room and lrg eat-in kitchen. $1,595,000
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coNdo exclusive
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3935 blacKstoNe ave Web #cc652 Spacious and Bright 3-bdrm, 2-bath with sunset balcony, majestic river views and 24-hr doorman. $850,000
3935 blacKstoNe ave Web #cc646 Spacious 2-bdrm convertible 3, 2-bath with balcony, updated kitchen and doormen. Parking available. $425,000
2727 palisade ave Web #cc656 Bright 2-bdrm, 2-bath with balcony, 24-hr DM & parking avail. Master BR suite & remodeled kitchen. $579,000
3935 blacKstoNe ave Web #cc648 Spacious, light filled, low floor 3-bdrm w/ balcony & 24-hr D/M. Extra lrg foyer & dining rm with built-ins. $649,000
750 KappocK street Web #cc659 Spacious and bright top-floor 2-bdrm, 2-bath with enclosed sunrise balcony, parking, & 24-hr doormen. $549,000
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balcony, DM and fitness room. Dogs OK.
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house For reNt FieldstoN vic. rr880 Spacious 6-bdrm, 4.5-bth center-hall Colonial w/ patio & yard on cul-de-sac. $7,900
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house For reNt
FieldstoN vic. rr871 Picturesque 1920s 3-bdrm, 2-full & 2-half baths with WBFP & grassy yards. $6,500/mo
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FieldstoN vic. rr642 6-bdrm, 3.5-bath, 7,500 sq. ft. house w/ Expansive wraparound porch & pool. $19,500/mo
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NeW exclusive 4525 hh parKWay cc650 Bright & renov Jr-4 convt to 2 with open sunset views and 24-hr doorman. $329K
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exclusive 3601 JohNsoN ave. cc587 Walk-in level doctor’s office with seperate entrance and reception area. $295K
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exclusive 601 KappocK st cc649 Mint condition, beautifully renovated 2-bdrm with doorman and pool. $284K
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ceNtral riverdale - Contemporary 2-bdrm, 2-bath condo with balcony, laundry in unit and indoor parking. $3,950/mo GreystoNe aveNue - 3-bdrm, 1.5-bath with dining area and yard in multi-family house. $2,800/mo reNted - West oF parKWay - Spacious 2-bdrm, 2-bath, balcony, partial river views, DM & fitness rm. Dogs ok. $2,450/mo West oF parKWay - Rent stabilized 1-bdrm, parquet floors,
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exclusive 3001 hh parKWay cc853 Spacious 3-bdrm, 2-bth, PT DM. Entry foyer, large entral foyer & sunken LR. $625K
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fitness room, tennis couts & pool . 2 months free rent $2,995/mo West oF parKWay - Luxury 2-bdrm, 2-bath, 24-hr doorman, pool & tennis courts. 1 month free rent $2,795/mo West oF parKWay - Large & luxurious Jr4 w/ 2nd bdrm, balcony, D/M, healthclub & pool. 3 months free rent $2,650/mo
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No Fee reNtals West oF parKWay - Large & bright 2-bdrm w/ balcony. D/M,
exclusive 3616 hh parKWay cc642 Spacious and bright 2-bdrm with balcony, and doorman. Indr parking avail. $398.5K
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NeW exclusive
3600 FieldstoN rd cc855 2-bdrm, 2-bath prewar corner unit w/ sunken LR, eat-in kitchen & dining foyer. $399K
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NeW exclusive 3614 JohNsoN ave cc658 Modern 2-bdrm, 2-bath with open plan living, dining area and balcony. $449K
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NeW exclusive 290 W 232Nd st cc657 Updated 2-bdrm post war co-op with balcony. Entry foyer & eat-in kitch. $339K
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$185K
coNdo excl 3800 blacKstoN ave cc630 Contemporary 2-bdrm. 2-bath duplex penthouse w/ private roof terraces. $675K
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hrdwd flrs, seperate kitchen and sleeping area.
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No board approval West oF parKWay - 3-bdrm, 2-bath, w/ balcony, L-shaped LR/DR area, DM, fitness room, private playground and childrens recreation room. Dogs OK. Indoor parking available. $515K West oF parKWay - 2-bdrm, 1.5-bath, w/ balcony, L-shaped LR/DR area, DM, fitness room, private playground and childrens recreation room. Dogs OK. Indoor parking available. $420K sold - North riverdale - Renov Jr-4 with entry foyer living rm, dining rm and windowed eat-in kitchen. $299K sold - ceNtral riverdale - Newly renov studio with
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3800 blacKstoNe ave Web #cc651 Contemporary 2-bdrm, 2-bath condo w/ modern kitchen, balcony, laundry in unit and indoor parking. $678,000
$1,880/mo
proFessioNal & oFFice space
exclusive
5715 mosholu ave cc635 3755 hh pKWay - the imperial - Walk-in level doctor’s Bright L-shaped 2-bdrm office with reception area and 2 exam rooms. $360K postwar co-op. Hrdwd flrs, North riverdale - Office Space Available. $1,500/mo South & West expos. $208K
exclusive
coNdo excl
290 West 232Nd st cc626 2-bdrm with entry foyer, living room, kitchen, dining area and balcony. $305K
3816 Waldo ave cc643 Contemporary Condo with balcony, modern kitch, lndry in unit, DM & prkg. $640K
coNdo exclusive 445 West 240th st cc637 Postwar 2-bdrm condo with large entry foyer, living rm & windowed kitchen. $375K
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3515 hh parKWay cc638 Spacious & bright 3-bdrm, 2-bath corner unit. Entry foyer, living rm & renov kitch. $618K
Trebach Realty, Inc. • 3801 Greystone Avenue, Riverdale Open 7 Days • www.TrebachRealty.com
exclusive
611 West 239th st cc645 Spacious split-design, 2-bdrm, 2-bath co-op w/ indoor parking, balcony and doorman. $425K