Activists score victory over billionaire mayor

New York’s billionaire Mayor Mike Bloomberg and his friends at The Related Companies L.P. were upset Dec. 21 by a 49-1 override of Bloomberg’s veto of an earlier vote by the New York City Council, which had rejected Related Companies’ attempt to create a monster-mall out of the 560,000-square-foot Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx, N.Y.

A concerted effort by a coalition of religious, community and labor organizations known as the Kingsbridge Area Redevelopment Alliance influenced Bronx elected officials and the New York City Council to support demands for living-wage jobs and to block $18 million in tax subsidies for a megamarket that would drive out neighborhood supermarkets with union jobs.

The battle has heightened community awareness of the cynical relationships which bind City Hall to Wall Street and vulture capitalists. People remember Bloomberg’s partnership with Brynwood Partners in destroying 135 jobs and a Bronx institution, the Stella D’Oro cookie company.

Ava Farkas of KARA was elated by the victory. She and others are optimistic that KARA will advance the struggle for development beneficial to the Bronx.