BY TONY SALIMBENE
Our next Post 253 meeting
will be the third Sunday in
October at American Turners
NY as reported by the
commander. 10:30 a.m. coffee,
11 a.m. meeting, and 12 p.m.
lunch with cash bar.
Look, look again! Pumpkins,
Mums and More – back
at L.H. Hawkins Post 156,
City Island Avenue on Oct.
1-3; Friday and Saturday, 10
a.m. till 6 p.m.; Sunday 10
a.m. till done; rain or shine.
Purchase your fall goodies,
it’s for a worthy cause.
If anyone is thinking
about employment working
with young people with developmental
disabilities, I
have job applications available
at the Community
Board 10 offi ce on East Tremont
Avenue. Three locations
in our neighborhood, part
time or full time with experience
positions are available.
Flag Detail: Ready for
Veterans Day early. Thanks
to Joseph Lucchesi Funeral
Homes, Silvio, Richard and
of course the wife for arranging
it and driving me
around to drop the fl ags off
at our event leaders homes.
*Hand salute* and never forget.
Remember, vets in need
of answers, we have an ongoing
presence at Bronx
VA, as always, at Volunteer
Services, 3rd fl oor, look for
any of our service offi cers.
Wednesdays are for our Legion
representatives but always
call fi rst at 718-584-
9000. Until Next Time: “In
three words I can sum up
what life is about: It goes
on.” – Robert Frost
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, O BTR CT. 1-7, 2021 37
BY JOE MONDELLO
Hello Sam Young 620 members,
sons and Boosters. Hope
this news letter fi nds you well
and safe. Please mark your calendar
for our Post 620 meeting
this Saturday, Oct. 2 at 1 p.m.
Lots to talk about. Following the
meeting on Saturday, we will
perform a remembrance ceremony
in honor of our name sake
Samuel H. Young. Sam was a local
Bronx boy who entered into
the New York Guards 7th Division
in 1917 at the age of 22. Went
to basic training and then was
shipped over to France to fi ght
in the Great War (aka WW1) in
1918. Samuel didn’t spend much
time “Over There” as he was
wounded on Sept. 29, during the
battle of the Hindenburg Line
and later died on Oct. 3, 1918,
from his wounds. A monument
is erected in the front of our Post
building to honor of him. Please
join us in remembering.
Well, we completed our community
project series of “Movies
under the Stars and Stripes.”
Hope everyone enjoyed it.
Stop by on Tuesday to receive
a friendly smile and a cold
brew from our new bartender
Ms. Dianna. Welcome aboard.
Don’t forget on Wednesday, Jeanette
hosts our bar for afternoon
cocktails.
Seems like folks are starting
to come around. Just met
Post member Jimmy Kane. He’s
ready to lend a hand. Do you
know we are always looking
for new members to fi ll up the
place? Could that be you! Party
rooms are available for rent.
We can accommodate groups
as small as 10 people for meetings
or up to 100 for your special
event. Give us a call at 718-822-
8873.
Giving a shout out to SAL
member Joe Firriolo and his
family as they recover from the
virus. Get well soon. We are
planning a Halloween Costume
Party on Saturday, Oct. 30, at 7
p.m. Donation is $5 and includes
some grub. Speak to Jeanette on
the lowdown. SAL Commander
Fran Sampson is looking to get
the dart team back together
for a Wednesday night throwdown.
Stop by and sign-up.
In closing, if you have a
child in high school, they are
eligible to enter the American
Legion Oratorical Contest. It
is a program where the oration
must be on some aspect of the
Constitution, with emphasis
on a citizen’s duties and obligations
to our government. It is a
local Bronx County program
that goes all the way up to national.
For more information go
to www.legion.org/oratorical.
This program provides monetary
scholarships. For God and
Country.
BY GEORGE HAVRANEK
Years ago, Michael De-
Marco, the revered, late councilman
and judge, stressed the
importance of zoning regulations
through a simple message:
Loss of low-density zoning
brings community risk. In the
post-DeMarco era, circa 2004,
preceding his time as councilman,
Community Board 10 District
Manager Jimmy Vacca
fought hard to attain low density
growth management designation
for segments of CB 10.
Today, the slogan: Lose your
zoning, lose your community,
conveys their messages. If approved,
the recent application
to upzone segments of Bruckner
Boulevard will place low
density communities, including
seemingly untouchables like
Spencer Estate and Country
Club areas, on the endangered
species list. Upzoning areas creates
uncontrollable paths for
overdevelopment. Upzonings
are frequently compounded by
additional upzones; add unimpeded
as of right building into
the mixture for a recipe destined
to eradicate low-density
communities.
Diversity is a widely used
term; often contextualized to
fi t a need. Our low-density communities
are organically undergoing
demographic change,
becoming more diverse; however,
the suburban-like landscape
remains. Diversity of
environment is an important
characteristic of New York City.
Low stimulation and absence
of some services are expected
elements of low-density life.
Low-density living is not for everyone.
However, diversity in
choice of living environment
remains a beautiful swatch
of New York City’s fabric. A
swatch that should never fade.
BRUCKNER UPZONE:
TNALLC, a conniving
group, designed to monetize,
monopolize and disenfranchise
our community, should not be
trusted. Among TNALLC members
are local business owners,
a longtime area resident/
developer-contractor, a Queens
community board member and
a notable Queens businessman.
TNALLC hired land use specialists,
the law fi rm Akerman
LLP, and powerful lobbyists
Constantinople and Vallone to
orchestrate the lucrative Bruckner
upzone project.
In September 2020, under
a shroud of secrecy, Akerman
LLP, on behalf of TNALLC,
fi led with city Planning a text
amendment application to
upzone a 3/8-mile stretch of
Bruckner Boulevard. A costly,
detailed 273-page Environmental
Study to support the upzone
was completed in April 2021.
The fi ling includes 34 parcels;
some excluded from the highly
publicized 4-segment project.
The large number of parcels
strongly indicates plans for additional
upzone developments
besides the Foodtown to Gifford
Avenue strip. Bottom line:
The presented, will not be the
received.
TNALLC hired Constantinople
and Vallone, infl uential lobbyists
with strong relationships
with city government. From the
Constantinople and and Vallone
website: “We at C and V believe
that effective government relations
is not just who you know,
it’s knowing who you need to
know.”
The Vallone family is a reputable
well-known Queens political
dynasty. In the pre-term
limit era: Peter Vallone Sr.,
served as Queens councilman
(District 22) for more than 20
years and speaker of the NYC
Council from 1986-2001. His
sons are legacies — Peter Vallone
Jr., once a Manhattan assistant
district attorney, is a
former NYC councilman and
currently a Queens Civil Court
judge. Paul Vallone, also an attorney,
is a sitting NYC councilman
for Queens District 19 and
chair of the council’s Committee
on Economic Development.
C and V are infl uential lobbyists
with strong connections.
TNALLC hired prominent people
with connections and knowhow.
TNALLC has monumental
fi nancial investment in the
Bruckner upzone. Estimates
suggest many millions of dollars
are at stake. The covetous
bunch has invested much time,
thought and money into the
project. It is plausible to believe,
under the guise of anticipated
dormancy, TNALLC will continue
their devious pursuit to
upzone and monetize our community.
TNALLC is unlikely to
walk away from a multi-million
dollar deal.
TNALLC began this upzone
process prior to September
2020; community awareness
occurred on or about July 20,
2021. This 10-month head start
on an unsuspecting community
provided ample time to set
unobstructed plans in motion.
The following part of a recent
TNALLC statement is telling:
“we fi gure out our next steps.”
Sun Tzu, “The Art of War”
— divide your army and engage
on multiple fronts. Is TNALLC
in the war room cleverly preparing
attack? B6 Real Estate
Advisors have listed non-profi t
location 2800 Bruckner Blvd.,
the former site of the epic Miracle
City battle, for $7.95 million.
Could that be another front?
Possibly. However, a clear certainty
stands: Communities
must not be lured into false
senses of security. Because, lose
your zoning, lose your community.
Community Footnotes:
Kudos to NYC Parks Department
and Department of Sanitation
for their yeoman-like
efforts during diffi cult times.
Your efforts are appreciated. If
we want to keep and reap the
blessings of our fi ne quality of
life, we must endure the fatigue
of supporting it. Our community
has traditionally exhibited
a “We are Family attitude.”
Now, is the time to let it shine.
Communicate; make that phone
call, text message or email.
Please check on family, friends
and neighbors especially the elderly
and vulnerable. Our next
meeting is Wednesday, Oct. 20at
7:30 p.m., at the Knights of Columbus
(Ampere and Research
avenues). Any area homeowner
or renter interested in the inclusive
Spencer Estate Civic Association
attend a meeting or
send an email to spencerestatecivic@
gmail.com.
Remember: Community=
Common-Unity and Inclusion
Brings Solutions
CIVIC CENTER
Spencer Estate Civic
Association
Photo Adrian Childress
CIVIC CENTER
Korony Post 253
CIVIC CENTER
Samuel Young
Post 620
link
link
/oratorical
/oratorical
/gmail.com
