NYS agency rescinds reservoir decision
Bedford Park affordable housing plan presented to CB7
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,BTR FEBRUARY 21-27, 2020 3
BY JASON COHEN
The NYS Historic Preservation
Offi ce rescinded its approval
last week for the NYC
Department of Environmental
Protection plan to keep the
North Basin of the Jerome
Park Reservoir empty.
The reversal was based on
the DEP’s use of federal funding
from the Environmental
Protection Agency via the
Drinking Water State Revolving
Fund, triggering a review
process under Section 106 of
the National Historic Preservation
Act. Section 106 requiring
federal agencies to consider
the effects on historic properties
of projects they carry out,
assist, fund, permit, license or
approve.
In January 2018, DEP announced
the start of a $15 million
project to rehabilitate
gatehouses, install new, lower
fencing and upgrade security
infrastructure at the reservoir.
Work on the project began
late in 2018, will continue
through 2021 and will help to
ensure the long-term reliability
of the city’s Croton water
supply system.
On Thursday, February
13, John Bonafi de, the director
technical preservation ser-
New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation revised its initial decision and said
DEP’s proposal to drain Jerome Park Reservoir’s North Basin will have an adverse impact on surrounding community.
Schneps Media Jason Cohen
vices bureau agency historic
preservation offi cer, sent a letter
to Assemblyman Jeffrey
Dinowitz announcing that the
Department of Parks, Recreation
and Historic Preservation
revised its initial decision
and now says DEP’s proposal to
drain Jerome Park Reservoir’s
North Basin will have an adverse
impact on the surrounding
community.
“While the Jerome Park
Reservoir facility has changed
and evolved over the past century
to meet its primary use,
to provide safe and plentiful
drinking water to the city, it
also serves as a focal point for
the neighborhood that has developed
around it,” the letter
states. “The expanses of open
water, open land and fi nely
crafted landscape features and
buildings are integral components
of the setting of the other
historic resources.
“It is our opinion that draining
the North Basin, except for
emergency overfl ow, will have
an adverse effect upon the setting
of the register listed Fort
Independence Historic District
and the register eligible Amalgamated
Housing Complex and
DeWitt Clinton High School.”
Numerous elected offi cials,
organizations and community
members have raised alarms
about the DEP’s proposal since
it was announced in the summer
of 2019, sending letters to
various agencies and circulating
petitions in opposition
to the plan to keep the basin
empty.
Dinowitz also organized a
meeting with SHPO and longtime
environmental advocates
from Bronx Council for Environmental
Quality (represented
by recording secretary
and Water Committee chair
Karen Argenti and president
Robert Fanuzzi) in late January.
Dinowitz, who grew up
across the street from the reservoir,
said this project has
been a personal issue to him
for many years.
“I am very grateful to the
State Historic Preservation Offi
ce for taking a second look at
this misguided proposal to keep
the North Basin of our beloved
reservoir permanently empty,”
Dinowitz said. “This reversal
is a testament to what our community
can accomplish.”
Deb Travis of Jerome Park
Friends and Neighbors commended
the SPHO for its decision.
“Jerome Park Friends &
Neighbors is so pleased by the
very thoughtful and considered
review by The SHPO,”
Travis said.
BY KYLE VUILLE
Four hundred and forty
affordable apartment units,
chockfull of amenities, designated
for fi xed-income senior
citizens and low to moderate
Bronxites are coming to Bedford
Park in two phases over
the next four years.
Representatives from New
York Botanical Garden and
The Douglaston Companies
were present at Community
Board 7’s Housing, Land Use,
and Economical Development
Committee meeting at Scott
Towers on Tuesday, February
11 to introduce the attendees
to the details of the 12-story
buildings set for 2856 Webster
Avenue and Bedford Park
Boulevard.
NYBG had originally purchased
the parcel to build a
hotel. When its plans changed
they teamed up with The
Douglaston Companies.
Phase one of the project
will include 180 units. Eightyone
percent will be studios,
with the balance being onebedrooms
- for seniors only.
Phase two of the project
A rendering of the affordable senior living residence at 2856 Webster
Ave. The senior living apartments will be accompanied by more affordable
low-income housing in phase two of the project. The development
will also feature a healthy fresh food grocery store on the ground fl oor.
Photo courtesy of Douglaston Development
includes 260 units: 90 onebedrooms,
118 two-bedrooms
and 21 three-bedrooms. A
small portion will be set
aside for formerly homeless
families, according to the developer.
NYBG vice president for
communications and government
relations Aaron Bouska
stated, “The need for senior
affordable housing can not be
overstated. ”
According to the Fordham
Bedford Senior Community
Services representatives,
which were brought on board
to help the apartment applicants
navigate the lottery system
income requirements, the
units will cater to seniors with
amenities like roll-in showers,
handrails in hallways and
grab bars.
A portion of the site is currently
occupied by a Cherry
Valley grocery store. When
the fi rst phase is completed
the grocer will move into the
new space and the former
store will be demolished so the
second phase can commence.
According to the City Planning
Commission the developer
will receive a fl oor area
bonus if a grocery store occupies
the ground fl oor.
In this case, the 12,787
square feet of bonus space will
match the square footage the
supermarket will occupy.
The developer, Douglaston,
was appearing before the committee
to obtain a letter of support
for the project from the
board.
The senior portion of the
buildings will be apportioned
by income: 30 percent of the
units will be leased to NYC
Human Resource Association
referrals, 35 percent will be
for “up to 40 percent average
median income” range and 35
percent will be in the “up to
50 percent average median income”
range.
Russell Lang, Douglaston
senior vice president, explained
tenants would be setting
aside 30 percent of their
monthly income for rent and
federal programs will cover
the balance.
CB 7 residents asked if
there were units set aside for
community residents.
Lang said because federal
vouchers are involved, there
would be no special preferences
for those living within CB 7.
According to Lang, each
phase of the project is estimated
to take 24 months.