Here is an article from Bob Kappstatter of the Daily News about the fallout from the much anticipated report on the Kingsbridge Armory released by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. last week. After blocking an earlier deal to develop the Armory, Diaz appointed a task force 15 months ago to explore alternative uses for the site. However, to many people, the 267 page report was short on substance and any ideas that have a real chance of happening given the massive public dollars that would be needed. Kappstatter references the Daily News editorial about the report that said, "No money. No business. No renovation. No employment. No prospects for anything,". The report calls for a number of possible uses, including a sports arena, film studio, an indoor bike track and a megachurch. Kappstatter also quotes a developer who said, "Even the best of these proposals would violate his own conditions,"..."None of these proposals have wall-to-wall living wage jobs, and the best proposal he's got is 420 jobs, of which 270 are living wage." In a tongue and cheek reference, Kappstatter joked that one way resolve the controversy and save a whole lotta money would be to remove the lighting rods from the roof of the structure and hope for a storm. UPDATE: Here is a letter by Ruben Diaz in today's Daily News responding to his critics on the Armory. In this article he likens the Armory to the High Line in the City -- you be the judge.
Na na na na....na na na na....hey hey hey goodbye...that's Diaz Jr.'s political career coming to an end...jobs!!! Right now the comment "the notion that any job is better than no job no longer applies.." will haunt him forever....with the Bronx having the highest unemployment of all 62 counties, I am sure the residents of the borough would right now love one of those 2000 jobs lost with the armory defeat...time to increase unemployment line by firing some of the nitwits that advised you BP.....na na na na....na na na na...hey hey hey goodbye....charisma only last so long...at some point you have to be smart to move up in politics...not Diaz, Jr's forte...ha ha ha....
ReplyDeleteIf he had to get a job in the real world, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. is just another useless pol who couldn't sweep floors for a living.
ReplyDeleteRuben "Armory-Killer" Diaz Jr. = Shuck and Jive
ReplyDeleteAs the case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn collapses, maybe someone should examine whether or not Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance is a horse's ass?
ReplyDeleteDSK is the THIRD big prosecution in recent weeks to go bust for the new district attorney.
ReplyDeleteBoro Prez is a position that just doesn't get top quality people. Ferrer, Carrion, Diaz = yuck, yuck, yuck.
ReplyDeletewell you can be sure that if a report/prosposal for the k-bridge armory comes from baby diaz then its going nowhere
ReplyDeleteDistrict Attorney Vance should be going after Strauss-Kahn's accuser. In NY State, testifying falsely in a way that is material to a case being considered is perjury in the 1st degree (a class D felony punishable by up to 7 years in prison).
ReplyDeleteThe five borough presidents are useless parasites. They should be sent packing along with the public advocate.
ReplyDeleteCyrus Vance a déjà perdu.
ReplyDeleteDiaz is a pickled fish who is going nowhere politically. That armory is his downfall ... Very disappointing.
ReplyDeleteThinking about New York County District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. and the botched job his office did on the case of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, I'm wondering why we even have ELECTED district attorneys in the first place?
ReplyDeleteIn addition to first-degree perjury charges, the hotel maid could face deportation if it is shown that she lied on her asylum application. It will be easier for Homeland Security to remove her from the country if she has a work visa rather than US citizenship.
ReplyDeleteThe only connection I see between Ruben Diaz Jr and Cyrus Vance Jr is that both of these lightweights are part of the problem facing our city, not the solution.
ReplyDeleteMr. Diaz is a street kid who fell into a ceremonial job that is actually (and amazingly) too big for him. And Mr. Vance, through his lack of experience or attention, has allowed New York and the the United States to be seriously embarrassed in the eyes of the world.
What a mess!
Seeing Cy Vance in action now, I only wish that more of us had voted for Leslie Crocker Snyder in 2009 (when she ran for Manhattan DA against Vance, who was Robert Morgenthau's hand-picked successor).
ReplyDeleteHere's a GREAT article in the Village Voice.
ReplyDeleteDiaz Family Values makes the Espada's look like cousins...corruption runs in the family!
http://www.villagevoice.com/2011-06-22/news/d-az-family-values/
This guy and his father, with their non-profit schemes, are real con-artists. After reading this article its kind of easy to conclude that Baby Diaz was waiting for a payoff on the Kingsbridge Armory and then, when that didnt pan out, he parlayed into a game of "living wage" win lose or draw. Don't think Bloomberg wasnt wise to their corruption. This is why he cut the Baby Diaz BBP budget. As for Papi Diaz...he called his friend Creflo to put in a bid for a mega church.
This is why the Bronx is a third world country.
Cy Vance. Now that's one guy whose Allen Edmonds loafers I would not want to be in right now. Yikes.
ReplyDeletenow that BP Diaz is such good friends with the Amalgamated Housing Corporation, maybe he can explain why they hired an ex-con to be the new GM?
ReplyDeletehttp://amalgamatedshenanigans.blogspot.com/2011/07/amalgamated-board-of-directors-hires.html
Vance should step aside because of leaks to the press
ReplyDelete