The Related Companies' proposal to turn the Kingsbridge Armory into a massive shopping mall is near the end of the city's land use review process and is now in the hands of the City Council.

Bronx politicians have a choice. They can keep making the same mistake over and over again by letting developers walk all over them (and us).

Or they can send a message that taxpayer subsidies like the tens of millions about to be handed over to the Related Companies to build a mall at the Kingsbridge Armory comes with significant responsibilities.

The New York City Planning Commission approved the Related Companies' proposal to develop the Armory into a giant shopping mall on Monday. But in an 8 to 4 vote, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. secured key support in opposing the project from two other borough presidents and the public advocate. Each borough president has an appointee to the commission.

The City Planning Commission (CPC) will weigh in on the Related Companies' proposal to redevelop the Kingsbridge Armory on Monday, Oct. 19. Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. issued a negative recommendation to the Commission last month because Related has not yet agreed to negotiate a Community Benefits Agreement.

Newly elected AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka, the nation's top labor leader, touched down in the Bronx on Tuesday afternoon to stand with local activists and union members in their ongoing struggle to exact significant concessions from The Related Companies, the developer of the Kingsbridge Armory project.

In a sharp break from his predecessor's lenient approach to development in the borough, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz has applied the brakes to a city-backed proposal to turn the Kingsbridge Armory into a shopping mall.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. has asked for and received an extension on his deadline to submit a recommendation for the Kingsbridge Armory mall project, saying he first wants to see how the project's developer responds to a proposed Community Benefits Agreement (CBA).

In the past few months, Councilwoman Maria Baez has raked in a significant amount of cash from local supermarkets in support of her reelection campaign in the 14th District. According to the Campaign Finance Board, Baez has garnered $3,375 from a variety of local supermarkets in the Bronx, $2,000 of which she received the day before she had a press conference voicing her support of small supermarkets opposing the proposed big-box supermarket at the Kingsbridge Armory.

In the face of loud opposition from community groups, union leaders, business owners and local residents, the members of Community Board 7 voted to conditionally approve a developer's plans to turn the long-vacant Kingsbridge Armory into a giant shopping mall.