Realtor to Apple: Come hither

If opposition to Montefiore Medical Center’s plans for a Riverdale Avenue facility remains entrenched, could residents swallow an Apple Store?

A prominent local realtor has suggested an alternative use for the site where Montefiore wants to build a new center. Vasco Da Silva says if the health care giant’s plans do not work out — they have been in limbo for over a year — Riverdale Avenue and West 238th Street would be an ideal place for a new Apple Store.

“We would like something that’s commercial-related on the avenue, something that will bring business to the community,” Mr. Da Silva, a co-founder of the Riverdale Avenue Merchants Association, said in a phone interview. “We believe an Apple Store would be phenomenal for us.”

Mr. Da Silva made his suggestion as part of a broader appeal for people opposed to Montefore’s plans to be more open to development in the neighborhood. Since the health care provider announced its intention to build a facility here in fall 2013, scores of residents have attended Community Board (CB) 8 meetings to voice their angry opposition to the project, saying it would cause a traffic nightmare and warp the character of the community, among other concerns.

Mr. Da Silva, an executive vice president for Exclusive Properties Sotheby’s International Realty, says that kind of response could be self-defeating in the long run, deterring good developers and resulting in projects that no one likes.

“Change is inevitable. It’s going to happen,” he said. “It would be so much better for everybody if there was a more fair and balanced approach.”

Call for balance

Mr. Da Silva appealed for residents to be more receptive to development at the Jan. 7 meeting of CB 8’s Economic Development Committee, which scheduled time for members of the business community to discuss Montefiore’s project. Representatives from Riverdale Avenue establishments including Vasili’s Tavern and Yo Burger also reportedly attended.