A Manhattan Supreme Court justice has ordered the Department of Health to submit its plan for animal shelters in the Bronx and Queens by early November. How the court order will influence an ongoing battle at the Old Fordham Library remains to been seen.
When the library closed its doors in 2005, neighbors urged Community Board 7 to push for a youth center. The three-story building on Bainbridge Avenue sits close to Fordham Road, a popular teen hangout. Neighbors rallied for a youth center in 2007 and 10,000 signed a petition.
Then in 2008, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services transferred jurisdiction of the building to DOH, unbeknownst to CB7. Bound by a law signed in 2000 to operate a 24/7 animal shelter in the Bronx, DOH prepared to open one at the Old Fordham Library.
When CB7 and the feisty youth of Sistas and Brothas United balked, DOH suggested that it build an animal spay and neuter center instead and that it share the building with a youth center. Councilman Joel Rivera promised to back a City Council bill that would repeal the 2000 animal shelter law.
The other shoe dropped in September, when the Manhattan justice ruled in favor of an animal welfare group and handed DOH a timeline. DOH has stalled before; it was ordered to operate a shelter in the Bronx by 2002, and then by 2005.
But the less time DOH has, the less time there is for the City Council to repeal the 2000 law. DOH will submit an outline of its animal shelter effort in November and will proceed at the Old Fordham Library, its best shot at legality, DOH said.
Chair Greg Faulkner restated that CB7 opposes an animal shelter at the building. CB7 favors a youth center there and considers residential Bainbridge Avenue inappropriate for an animal shelter.
In order to open an animal shelter at the Old Fordham Library, DOH would need to obtain CB7 and City Council rezone consent via the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure. But Faulkner is concerned that DOH will use the September verdict as carte blanche to override opposition.
“[CB7] won’t entertain a rezone,” he said. “The library was for the community and needs to remain for the community…I think [Mayor Michael Bloomberg] needs to step up and demonstrate whether or not he supports the community.”
CB7 has suggested to DOH a vacant lot on Webster Avenue as more appropriate for an animal shelter. Although DOH is “interested,” it has repeatedly stated that it would rather not build an animal shelter from scratch.
Rivera had not responded to requests for comment as of press time. DOH is aware of the City Council bill. It would prefer to substitute a spay and neuter center but is unable to do so under law, DOH said.
