By DAVID CRUZ

With 80 blocks of Webster Avenue rezoned to usher an influx of affordable housing with a mandated retail component, a new wave of property managers is mulling a move to the relatively barren corridor.

First came the Stagg Group, at the tail end of building new housing on Webster Avenue and East 204th Street. Now Andrew Maniglia, a property owner, is eyeing several properties along the avenue. Little is known about Maniglia, though he’s been making the rounds along Webster Avenue.

But unlike Stagg, Maniglia intends to hear from the community instead of oppose it, according to Barbara Stronczer, president of the Bedford-Mosholu Community Association. At the latest gathering on May 13, Stronczer debriefed the audience of her meeting with Maniglia.

Eyeing Webster Avenue
For now, Maniglia has his sights set on acquiring several properties along Webster Avenue, mainly between Bedford Park Boulevard and East 201stStreet. Some of the properties, mainly 2959 and 2263 Webster Ave., now belong to Maniglia. At the moment, Maniglia has expressed interest in purchasing 2991 Webster Ave., and another piece of property just north of the block.

The Botanical Garden Post Office at 2963 Webster Ave. has long been considered a critical amenity for locals there. Maniglia recently purchased the property and continued to lease the one-story building to the post office, whose lease expires June 2016. Maniglia has the option of renewing the contract or leasing the building to someone else.

More Property Acquisitions
But 2961 Webster Ave., to the right of the post office, is a tossup when it comes to the type of housing that would come. The one-story building is currently occupied by Union and Soda Fountain Co., though not for long. The company is expected to vacate by the end of the month, according to Stronczer. Maniglia has been unclear over what his intentions are for the building, said Stronczer, though she’s emphasized to him that supportive housing should not be on the table.

The community has long resisted more supportive housing in the area. With a steady and gradual interest on Webster Avenue, Stronczer has clarified that she and the community would want more commercial property. “We would like some type of retail establishment,” said Stronczer. “We talked to him about the need for better stores along Webster.”

Casting a Wide Net
Maniglia has approached the owners of the Jolly Tinker bar at 2875 Webster Ave., hoping they would bite at an offer. So far, they haven’t budged. “At this point, Mr. Maniglia has been going up and down Webster Avenue,” said Stronczer. “He says he would like to see if he can buy more property south of Mosholu Parkway.”

Though takers have been few and far between, owners for Nunez Auto General Mechanic at 2991 Webster Ave. have now sold their property to Maniglia. The property is valued at $531,000, which could increase over the years depending on other new amenities that arrive to the corridor.

The current plan is to keep the shop as a garage, though Stronczer maintains Maniglia’s “long range plans are to build.” The one-story garage lies in the middle of the development project by the Stagg Group.

Room has now been set aside for commercial space on the first floor after developers overlooked zoning mandates set by the city. Maniglia’s hesitant to build right away since he’s awaiting the type of tenants who will move into the Stagg buildings, according to Stronczer.

But at Vanity Fair at 2971, for instance, property owner John P. Boyle has not moved on any deals. He did offer Maniglia a “right of refusal” option, offering Maniglia the chance to buy that property should Boyle sell, according to Stronczer.

“We spoke with Vanity Fair, who has been good to this organization and he tells me he’s not ready to sell,” said Stronczer. “His father built the business, he built that building, and his children are young. He has to put them through college.

Keeping Its Foot Down
New zoning rules adopted in 2011 mandate new developers set aside first floor space for commercial properties in exchange for new buildings that can go as high as 10 stories. Where Maniglia wants to build, the city approved future developers to build as high as 10 stories while allowing for larger commercial and office development.

The rezoning plan aligns with the Vision Plan for Webster Avenue, an effort to envision a strip akin to a ‘Main Street,’ with banks, supermarkets and other attractions for the area.

Development is intended to complement the Four Bronx Institution Alliance—Montefiore Medical Center, Fordham University, the New York Botanical Garden and The Bronx Zoo.

As of press time, Maniglia was unavailable for an interview.

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article erroneously stated the development project by the Stagg Group will be supportive housing. It still remains unclear what will become of the development. 

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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.