Daily news Focuses on “Controversial” BTM Deal”

In today’s Daily News, Bill Egbert gets it right on the legal proceedings surrounding the eviction of the merchants at the Bronx Terminal Market. The deal is on hold until the legality of EDC’s action is fully evaluated by the courts.

This is precisely the issue that the City Council needs to focus on at its June 27th hearing. What we have here is an unacceptable sleight-of-height by the master magician himself: Dan Doctoroff. What kind of planning process is this? The current Market is a potentially valuable resource and even more so under the proposed free trade agreement (CAFTA) that will hopefully stimulate more trade into and from Central America and the Dominican Republic. How does the city justify removing the merchants and, even more shamefully, justify allowing Related to plan what to do for over a million square feet of valuable retail space right on the river?

It is also good to see Adolfo Carrion step up forcefully in defense of the merchants who will need time to find suitable alternative space, if it’s in fact decided that relocation is the optimal choice.