Council Member Eric Dinowitz, New York City Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Dynishal Gross, representatives for Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz and other local leaders listened to the concerns of local business owners about nearby MTA construction during a walkthrough of the 242nd Street corridor on Wednesday, April 9.
Local storefront owners said the longstanding construction barriers installed by the MTA have caused significant disruptions. The barriers were put up as part of the installation of an elevator at the Van Cortlandt Park-242nd Street subway station.
Council Member Dinowitz, Commissioner Gross and the representatives for Assemblymember Dinowitz spoke with numerous business owners in the area, surveyed the conditions along Broadway and voiced their commitment to working with city agencies and the MTA to mitigate the negative impact on these businesses.
“Our community deserves equitable transit access and a strong local economy,” Council Member Dinowitz said. “The installation of this elevator is a long-overdue and necessary project – but it must be completed in a way that doesn’t hurt small businesses, which are the cornerstone of our neighborhoods. I will continue to push for transparency, support and impactful solutions to help our businesses through the remainder of this project.”
Other local leaders who took part in the walkthrough included Bronx Community Board 8 District Manager Farrah Kule Rubin, Kingsbridge Riverdale Van Cortlandt (KRVC) Development Corporation Executive Director Laura Levine-Pinedo and other staff members from the New York City Small Business Services.
“Community Board 8 has long advocated for greater transparency and engagement around this project,” Rubin said. “We appreciate Council Member Dinowitz’s leadership in partnering with Community Board 8 to bring these issues to light and bringing renewed attention to these challenges which local business owners are facing during this difficult period.”
The local leaders, Council Member Dinowitz, Commissioner Gross and Assemblymember Dinowitz’s office each made commitments to continued follow-ups with the MTA and city agencies in order to better ensure communication is improved with the local businesses. They hope to see improved signage, have direct correspondence with the affected businesses and potentially get financial support for the corridor.
“We support the infrastructure upgrades that make our city more accessible – but that support comes with the expectation that business owners aren’t left behind,” Assemblymember Dinowitz said. “The voices of these business owners need to be heard and acted upon as this project moves forward.”
“It was wonderful joining Council Member Dinowitz to speak with merchants along the Broadway commercial corridor in the Bronx,” Gross said. “We heard directly from business owners about challenges they’re facing, and shared how resources like our Commercial Lease Assistance program and the NYC Business Express Service Team (BEST) can help. I’m thankful for the partnership of Council Member Dinowitz, Bronx Community Board 8 and the Kingsbridge Riverdale Van Cortlandt Development Corporation as we work together to make the Bronx safer, more livable and the best place it can be for small business.”
