Photo c/o Betabeat
New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department decided in favor of the city in the matter of South Bronx Unite!, et al v. New York City Industrial Development Agency, et al, concerning the future relocation of FreshDirect to the Harlem River Yards in Mott Haven.
The court found that the decision of the lower court to dismiss the lawsuit in May 2013 was justified. It also found that the city did not violate the law in its environmental review process. The full decision can be read here.
Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. praised the decision today as a win for the Bronx.
“The court’s decision is a victory not only for FreshDirect, but for The Bronx as a whole,” the Borough President in a statement released today. “FreshDirect will continue to be a great asset to the Bronx. My office has, since day one, understood that this project is crucial to the future economic health and vitality of the Bronx, and I am glad to see that the continued legal efforts to stop this critical project have been thoroughly dismissed.”
The Borough President’s office has projected the project will create 1,000 new jobs while also relocating 2,000 jobs to the Bronx from Queens. FreshDirect has already displayed their commitment to the Bronx by establishing hiring initiatives that have led to Bronx residents receiving jobs at their existing Queens facility. Other community outreach efforts locally have been food donations to Bronx families during the holiday season and efforts to expand their services to EBT users.
said Marlene Cintron, President of the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation., commented, “FreshDirect is bringing much needed jobs to our borough, and this decision will allow for this project to move forward without delay. I look forward to continuing our work with this company to get Bronxites hired.”
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