KLEIN, SEPULVEDA & CASTLE HILL RESIDENTS TAKE ON PROPOSED “HOT SHEET MOTEL” with COMMUNITY RALLY

20141018_141205

BRONX, NY – State Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester) and Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda (D-Bronx) joined by the Castle Hill Neighborhood Betterment Association and more than 100 community leaders and residents rallied against the construction of a suspected “hot sheet motel” at 2338 Bruckner Blvd on Saturday. At the rally Klein and Sepulveda also announced their intent to introduce legislation which would require community review before a motel/hotel can be constructed or opened in Bronx County.

 

The rally was held as part of ongoing efforts by Senator Klein, Assemblyman Sepulveda and the Castle Hill Community to address the construction of a motel in an area where there are no local businesses or restaurants that call for local accommodations, thus serving as a potential breeding ground for illicit or criminal activity. Earlier this month Klein announced that a temporary stop work order had been issued for the site but the development of the site is still in flux.

 

“Any motel that would provide day rates creates the potential for a “hot sheet motel” and the conditions for potential illicit and illegal activity that could hurt this otherwise strong community. I stand with the residents of Castle Hill in saying no to this type of establishment. Moving forward any hotel or motel expecting to open in the Bronx needs to be subject to community review as a matter of law,” said State Senator Jeff Klein.

“It gives me great pride to see this community come together to exhibit their disapproval of this planned motel.  Members of this community are telling developers that if you want to come into our neighborhoods they have to be at the table.  I will continue to fight with our communities against these types of businesses.  I hope to see the Department of Buildings thoroughly examine the concerns that have been brought to their attention and come to a resolution on this matter,”said Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda.

 

“The Castle Hill Neighborhood Betterment Association is continuing with the collective effort of our community residents and our elected officials with our campaign in seeing that this project will not go through and that the Stop Work Order will remain in effect, until a more viable solution that will satisfy the community is reached,”said Castle Hill Betterment Association member and resident Fernando A. Panate.

 

The Klein/Sepulveda legislation, expected to be introduced later this year, would establish a mechanism by which local community members, neighborhood associations and community groups located in the Bronx and Bronx County Community Boards can learn about proposed hotel projects before they are constructed or established and enable them to offer comments to the NYC Planning Commission before any such hotels can be built.

 

In September, Senator Klein sent a letter to the NYC Department of Buildings Bronx Borough Commissioner, stating that he believed the approved plans for construction of a hotel at the 2338 Bruckner Blvd site were made in error. On October 1, 2014 the NYC Department of Buildings notified Klein’s office that a stop work order had indeed been issued on the property.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email