“Make it green. Make it clean.”

Those two requests were repeated many times by residents of Van Cortlandt Village as they met inside Vladeck Hall to discuss how to make best use of the parcel of land known as Hilltop Green. Bounded by Van Cortlandt Park South – East Mosholu Parkway South – Sedgwick Avenue – and Dickinson Avenue, the unused greenspace touching the Van Cortlandt Village.  area is owned by the city Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

The area has been described by the DEP as underutilized and providing “ample potential for green infrastructure.” More than just an effort to beautify the space, one thing the DEP seeks to improve is storm-water runoff–reducing sewer overflow into local waterways when it rains–by introducing water-absorbing plants

Karen Argenti, a board member of the Bronx Council of Environmental Quality (BCEQ), encouraged those in attendance to voice their preferences for the land’s use because DEP has not often sought the public’s feedback in infrastructure projects. “We have an opportunity to make sure they [DEP] hear our voices in implementing green infrastructure on this project,” said Argenti.

The president of BCEQ, Bob Fanuzzi, also pushed for green initiatives on the land because of his belief that “we should give nature a chance. Let’s show DEP what Mother Nature can do,” Fanuzzi said.

In contrast to the idea of keeping the Hilltop Green space green, the city had initially looked at the space as a potential site for a jail following its 2018 announcement to close Rikers Island prison. This revelation by state Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz surprised the audience of about 50. He made clear, however, that a jail at that location never came up for further consideration by the city.

While most of the comments and suggestions revolved around creating a Hilltop Green with more trees, vegetable gardens, nesting spaces for birds, and even a public restroom with green technology, some prefer to keep the space as it is.

Although he did not voice an opinion at the public meeting, Andrew Kimerling, president of the Park Reservoir Housing Corporation, submitted a letter to BCEQ arguing to keep Hilltop Green as is. In the letter—also made available to the Norwood News—Kimerling describes the project as “a financial boondoggle and yet another fiasco.”

According to Kimerling the neighborhood would be better served if the city improved street paving on Dickinson Avenue, which he said could reduce flooding that many have complained about. And “greening” efforts should focus on “more trees along the west side of Goulden Avenue,” writes Kimerling.

BCEQ is expected to share the suggestions to DEP. It’s unclear when they plan to meet.

admin

Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.