The long and lumbering review process for a mall directly across a mega-mall in the Bronx is underway. And while review processes involve the approval of the sitting Councilman, the real decider could be the Bronx political machine’s attorney doubling as the developer’s lobbyist.

Stanley Schlein, the attorney representing the Bronx Democratic County Committee and key advisor to its chair, Marcos Crespo, is registered to speak on behalf of Grid Properties, the developer behind the proposed Baychester Square Mall. Developers are eyeing the 400,000-square-foot lot of land directly opposite the Bay Plaza Shopping Center, owned by real estate magnate Sam Shalem of Prestige Properties. The two lots are divided by the I-95 highway.

Schlein has long been considered the man behind the Bronx political curtain, using his deep knowledge of Bronx politics to shift the fortunes of rising political stars. He’s also advised big name companies such as Exxon Mobil and Silverstein Properties as recently as 2013.

In normal circumstances, a lobbyist’s influence has limits. But with Schlein deemed a major party insider, it could put pressure on Councilman Andy King, a legislator whose 12th Council District overlaps with the proposed mall, to come through on behalf of Schlein. But King told the Norwood News he’s against the project for now.

“[W]e just opened one of the greatest malls in the city of New York more than 300 yards away, so why do I need all outlets across the street? I know outlets hurt malls. So I’m not trying to kill one project just to establish another so I want to make sure it is a complement to us being built, not something that leads to the extinction of another mall,” King said.

He compared Schlein’s involvement to apples and oranges. Hank Sheinkopf, the lobbyist hired by Prestige Properties, said the spotlight should focus on the impact a new mall can have on the borough’s economy.

“The issue is not Stanley Schlein,” Sheinkopf said. “The issue is: can you put a property that has created 5,000 jobs, paid tens of millions of dollars in taxes, provided stability and economic development in a place that didn’t exist before.”

Council member’s voices matter greatly in land review processes, formally dubbed the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). Their vote for or against a project is usually honored by members of the Council once it comes before an official vote.

King is not alone in his opposition to the project. Community Board 12, the board representing the area of the mall, received a petition signed by 64,000 people opposing the proposed mall, arguing it would increase traffic, further congesting the neighborhood. The group, Speak Up for a Better Bronx, instead demanded more affordable housing be built in the swath of city-owned land that’s occupied by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The group has been championed by Prestige Properties.

In a statement, a representative for Speak Up for a better Bronx said “local residents do not want additional traffic in the area, which will only negatively impact air quality, safety and quality of life.”

A spokesperson for the New York City Economic Development Corporation, which handles real estate transactions, reportedly told the Bronx Times Reporter that monies from the sale of that land to Bay Plaza Square developers will go to the MTA should the deal go through.

For now, the ULURP process will get underway in March, with Community Board 12 putting the development proposal to a vote.

Schlein did not return a request for comment.

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.