I strongly disagree with the headline of your April 30 edition, “Living Wage Hopes for Armory Dashed.”  My hopes are not dashed at all. The article states that Jesse Masyr, a lawyer for the Related Companies, “put an end to any hopes of securing living wage jobs, saying that if all they were looking for in a benefits agreement was living wage jobs, he could put an end to the discussion right there. The answer would be no.”  

This answer is no surprise. But why should the community’s hopes be dashed by the statement of a developer? This is a public project heavily subsidized by public funds. Shouldn’t the public have a say in the way it’s developed? 

For the last several months, the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance (KARA), has been pushing the Related Companies to enter into negotiations for a community benefits agreement with all stakeholders. This agreement would outline ways that the new project could benefit both the developer and the residents of the northwest Bronx. So far the developer has refused to enter into these negotiations. 

Now, Mr. Masyr is telling the Norwood News which issues are not acceptable for discussion. The arrogance of such a statement astounds me. But this is not cause to lose hope. It is reason to fight even harder for fairness. If Mayor Bloomberg’s appointed developer is going to take a public armory and public subsidies for his own private gain, then there must also be a community benefits agreement to make sure that the project also benefits the people of the northwest Bronx.   

-Doug Cunningham

The writer is pastor of New Day Church and a member of the Kingsbridge Armory Redevelopment Alliance.