Montefiore: The plot thickens

Activists who fought Montefiore Medical Center over its plans for a large new facility on Riverdale Avenue are trying to divine the meaning of news that the law at the crux of the saga has been repealed.

Mr. Klein and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz say since their legislation mandating a new review process for facilities like the one Montefiore proposed accomplished the purpose of making the health care giant cancel its project, the law is no longer needed.

Asked for comment, one of the main organizers of the Committee to Protect Riverdale, an informal group that fought Montefiore tooth and nail throughout 2014, said his first reaction was surprise.

“I don’t really know the answer to this. I can only speculate and guess that there was some sort of discussion,” Stuart Gartner said. “I think we have to hear from Messrs. Dinowitz and Klein as to what transpired.”

Both men rejected the notion that they repealed the law as a condition for getting Montefiore to cancel its plans.

Still, the maneuver left a sour taste in one anti-Montefiore activist’s mouth.

“You’re giving a voice to the community. Why now has the voice been muzzled? Why has it been taken away?” said an individual who attended meetings to fight Montefiore who did not want to have a name published.

Another interesting angle is Bronx state Sen. Gustavo Rivera’s role in the repeal. He was one of the few legislators who spoke out against the Klein-Dinowitz law, as it came to be known, when it was passed as part of the state budget last year.

Now he is taking credit for the latest development, saying he fought for stakeholders like St. Barnabas Hospital, which wants to grow within his 33rd district.

“While I strongly believe community input should be a key part of any development project, the law had the potential to needlessly delay or prevent the construction of any new healthcare facilities in our borough,” Mr. Rivera said in an e-mail statement.

“As soon as the law was passed last year I began speaking with members of the community, health institutions in the Bronx, and fellow Senators and Assemblymembers about the potential negative impact this law could have on the entire Bronx,” he added.

Mr. Klein played down any role Mr. Rivera played in the legislation. The two have been on hostile terms for years.

“I have had absolutely zero conversation with Senator Gustavo Rivera,” Mr. Klein said. “I’m glad he’s happy.”