11 BRONX WEEKLY January 19, 2020 www.BXTimes.com
Bronx resident wins VP position in FDNY’s largest union
BY STEVEN GOODSTEIN
A local fi refi ghter with
nearly 20 years of service was
recently elected as the vice
president for the FDNY’s largest
union.
FDNY fi refi ghter and Bronx
resident Robert ‘Bobby’ Eustace
won his race for vice president
of the FDNY-Uniformed
Firefi ghters Association last
month.
Originally born in Orange
County, NY, Eustace attended
Goshen Central High School
before beginning his FDNY career
as an EMT for two years.
His father attended Cardinal
Hayes High School.
He became a fi refi ghter in
April 2001, fi ve months before
the tragedy of 9/11.
Prior to his appointment as
FDNY-UFA’s vice president,
Eustace worked at FDNY Ladder
Company 27 for 17 years
and has been a Woodlawn resident
for over 20 years.
The fi refi ghter’s roots can
be traced back to his grandmother’s
two brothers, who
were NYC fi refi ghters.
When Eustace’s grandmother
came to Ellis Island
from Ireland in the 1920s, she
had lost her sponsorship. Her
two brothers, who had already
immigrated to the United
States, traveled to Ellis Island
to pick her up.
Eustace, who defeated
FDNY-UFA Staten Island
trustee Eric Bischoff with 3146
votes to Bischoff’s 2146 votes,
will assume the role that was
previously held by former
FDNY-UFA vice president Le-
Roy McGinnis.
The FDNY-UFA is NYC’s
largest fi refi ghter union and
represents 20,000 active duty
and retired fi refi ghters.
“I have worked alongside
Bobby during his tenure as
recording secretary of the
Uniformed Firefi ghters Association
and I know him to be
nothing other than a tireless
advocate for his fellow fi refi ghters,”
said Gerard Fitzgerald,
president of the FDNY-UFA.
“He is a great fi t for this position
and he is poised for success
in this new role, where
his experience, knowledge and
passion will be an asset to advocating
on behalf of our membership,”
Fitzgerald added.
“I am honored to have been
elected by the membership of
the FDNY-UFA to serve as this
organization’s vice president,”
Eustace said. “This union has
been a champion for fi refi ghters
in NYC and I intend to do
my part to further this legacy
by fi ghting for every member
- active duty and retired - and
advocating on their behalf
with the department and government
decision makers who
shape our profession.”
Eustace said that his goals
as FDNY-UFA’s new vice president
include advocating for improving
FDNY benefi ts, health,
pensions and safety as well as
the legislative to protect NYC’s
committed fi refi ghters.
“There will be no greater
champion for NYC fi refi ghters
than I, and I can’t wait to get to
work with President (Gerard)
Fitzgerald and all those who
help make this union one of the
city’s strongest and most infl uential,”
Eustace added. “These
fi refi ghters protect New Yorkers
- and I will protect them.”
Eustace, who worked at Ladder Company 27 for 16 years, was elected as FDNY-UFA’s vice
president last month. Photo courtesy of FDNY
11-story mixed use development set to start in Belmont
BY KYLE VUILLE
A new housing development
is shaping up in Belmont on 668
E. Fordham Road as building
permits were fi led on Tuesday,
December 24.
The development will be located
on the corner of Cambreleng
Avenue.
The 11-story, 160,163 square
foot concrete-based structure
will include 98,701 square foot
designated for residential space
along with 498 square feet set
aside as commercial space.
The retail space will feature a
fresh foods market, according to
newyorkyimby.com.
The building’s location is convenient
to mass transit with the
Fordham Metro North Station
and Fordham Road subway station,
which supports the D line,
nearby.
The possible 115 foot-tall structure
will also feature a cellar and
58 enclosed parking spaces.
J Frankl Associates is the architect
of record for the project
and ownership of the site belongs
to a Shahin Daneshvar under the
Shadi Development LLC, according
to permit applications.
Bronx Times was unable to
reach Daneshvar or Shadi Development
LLC., but a spokesperson
for J Frankl presented a lengthy
statement regarding the development.
Chief operating offi cer at J
Frankl, Ben Grunwald said:
“JFA is proud to be designing
another great project in the
Bronx at 660-668 East Fordham
Road. We have worked on many
projects in Brooklyn, Queens,
and Manhattan over the years
and it’s exciting to see the Bronx,
a place so many track their roots
to, attract such great new development
projects. We have several
others in the pipeline and
look forward to more.
“The Fordham Road project
is unique because the developer
is from within the community,
involved in the Bronx for more
than 30 years. His vision is
based on his experience and an
insider’s view of what the neighborhood
needs.
“Twenty percent of the building
will be set aside for affordable
housing and we’re integrating
a fresh foods market. The
units are larger than your typical
apartment in order to attract
families.
“The recreational spaces,
available to all the units, will
668 E. Fordham Rd. via Google Maps street view. Photo courtesy of Google Maps
benefi t from the best views on
the building’s top two fl oors. In
addition, we’re sprinkling other
recreational spaces throughout
to include lounges, a library and
a dedicated space for children.
“This is truly a special project
and we’ve designed a building
that not only is aesthetically
appealing but also compliments
the neighborhood by offering
amenities that the neighborhood
needs.”
No demolition permits have
been issued and nor an estimated
completion date for the
project, according to the Yimby
report.
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