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Volume XXI • Number 7 • February 13-19, 2014 •
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Montefiore scuttled plan to save $$$ on replacement By ANDREW WOLF Montefiore Hospital’s plan to build a medical facility on a narrow lot between Riverdale and Oxford Avenues appears to be in a holding pattern. And the Riverdale Review has learned that the hospital, and the developer, rather than reneging on their word to withdraw their plans, may have contrived to have the original plans rejected by the New York City Department of Buildings. The result would have the same effect, but will save Montefiore and the developer it is working with, the Simone Health Care Development Group tens of thousands in costs, and enable them to more quickly win final approval for a building that they have a right to build under the current zoning law, passed not all that long ago. A person with deep knowledge of the project also rejected the idea of the Community Board can kill the unpopular project by attempting to downzone the
property. “That’s not how zoning works.” But Senator Jeff Klein, who has taken a leadership role in resolving the problem warned, «The ball is now in Montefiore›s court to draft a proposal that can earn the community›s support.» Charles Moerdler, the Land Use Chair of Community Board 8 agreed. “Montefiore is playing this too close to the vest. It is time for them to talk with the community and its officials, instead of totally ignoring them. There are serious problems here which they must address, particularly in the realm of traffic and parking.” Promises that the project would be revised may have been driven more by problems in the original plans that may have been rejected by the city’s Buildings Department than by an honest desire to reassess, as the hospital had promised Riverdale’s elected officials. “It is very disappointing that Montefiore and Simone did not withdraw their plans as promised. This
certainly does not improve the level of trust from those of us who reside in the community. The plan they had submitted was unacceptable and was rightfully rejected. I strongly urge that they come back to the community with a drastically revised plan that is acceptable or better yet, scrap the plan totally and find a sensible location for this project instead of the ill-advised Riverdale Avenue location,” Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz said. But Senator Klein noted that whether the plans were redrawn or rejected, the result is all the same. Meanwhile, former Councilman G. Oliver Koppell, who is thought to be weighing challenging Klein for his Senate seat, demanded either the resignation or removal of the hospital’s president, Dr. Steven Safyer, as he looks hungrily from the sidelines, hoping to once again matter. Ironically, it is the downzoning plan passed under Koppell’s watch, that has permitted Montefiore to get this far in first place.
Complaints grow over local postal meltdown, say Dinowitz and Engel In a letter to United States Postal Service District Manager William Schnaars, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (D-Bronx) has called for an investigation by the United States Postal Service into the many problems plaguing the Kingsbridge Post Office. The letter was written in response to the dramatic rise in constituent complaints received by the Assemblyman’s office in the past couple of weeks. He was joined in these efforts by by Congressman Eliot Engel. “I am writing to express my deep concern and displeasure with the current service at the Kingsbridge Post Office,” located at 5517 Broadway, Bronx, NY 10463. The problems at this branch have been chronic for some time but have reached a tipping point in the last few weeks that require immediate attention and swift action. In fact, the branch seems to be in a state of meltdown. When it comes to the Kingsbridge Post Office, the famously attributed creed to the United States Postal Service, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds” isn’t just false, it’s downright laughable. “My office has received an unbelievable amount of complaints from constituents living in the 10463 zip code serviced by the Kingsbridge branch, all regarding their lack of timely mail delivery. Many buildings serviced by the Kingsbridge Post Office do not
receive mail when it snows and have also missed deliveries on days when it does not snow. I recall the post office’s proposal to reduce delivery to 5 days a week was rejected, but it seems that the 10463 has unilaterally implanted 5 day delivery, if that. One constituent hadn’t received regular mail delivery service for 7 straight days, forcing her to walk to the post office to pick her mail up directly. When the constituent inquired as to why her mail was not being delivered, she was informed by an employee at the branch that they simply did not have anyone to deliver it. Needless to say an excuse like that from a branch of the United States Postal Service is completely unacceptable. “Then there‘s the matter of the mailer my office sent out from Albany on January 21st that was received by everyone in the district a mere 3 days later, except, mysteriously, residents living in the 10463 area. After more than a week of nondelivery, I tried calling the post office to speak with someone about the issue and no one picked up the phone. This went on for over an hour. Since calling proved futile, I personally went to the Kingsbridge Post Office, accompanied by my Chief-ofStaff, to try to sort the issue out and I can honestly say I was shocked by what I found. “Yes, the long lines, obvious lack of organization and seemingly endless array of unsatisfied customers were and always are a given there, but what really stood out to me
upon my visit was that when I asked to speak with the manager regarding our missing mailer, he refused to come out and talk to me. What kind of a manager, in any field of business, refuses to deal with customers who are being failed by their operation? Moreover, what kind of business entity allows a manager to act that way? I understand „the customer is always right“ is not part of that post office creed, but surely you must know that
satisfying customer demand by fixing the egregious errors that continually plague your business are of paramount importance to your success. Or judging by your inability to do just that, perhaps it is not so clear to the United States Postal Service. “After being rejected by the manager we left the post office and called the Bronx Postmaster, who got back to us letting us know that the mailer had been sitting idly in a bin somewhere
in the back of the post office and that it would be delivered immediately. I am of the belief that had I not made that phone call, that mailer would have never been delivered. “I am not sure what the Postal Service is thinking or how a branch of the post office can be so poorly run. I have heard rumors that the management of that branch seems to value their partnership with Amazon. Continued on Page 3
State Senator Jeff Klein secured a $300,000 grant to fund an anti-firearm initiative in his Bronx district, the only such grant awarded in the City of New York. See story on Page 2