By N. Clark Judd

Make it a Barnes & Noble. Make it parking again. The city should just take its vacant lot on West 230th Street and Broadway and put it to some constructive use, Riverdale/Kingsbridge-area residents and merchants agreed at a Community Board 8 economic development committee meeting Sept. 24.

The city Economic Development Corporation has been deadlocked for the last six months in its negotiations with potential developer Ceruzzi Holdings, which plans to turn the lot into a mall.

Like a black hole sucking in all that comes near, that parking lot attracts hopes and dreams. And just like matter at a black hole, dreams close to becoming reality there have, so far, seemed to disappear.

The current mall plan sailed through the city’s uniform land use review procedure this summer — but it’s been tied up since April as the developers, apparently rethinking their decisions in light of the economy and the stellar deal the Related Companies will get for the much larger Kingsbridge Armory nearby, have sought to renegotiate the price, sources told The Riverdale Press.

An EDC spokeswoman said the city is considering temporary uses for the lot in the meantime.

Kingsbridge-Riverdale-Van Cortlandt Development Corporation Board President Petr Stand and Board 8 economic development committee chairman Bob Fanuzzi both said the site — with its links to subway and bus traffic and available, 166,000 available square feet of retail space — would be perfect for a Barnes & Noble.

“The fact that it’s just sitting there,” Mr. Stand said, “it’s insane.”

In the past, there was resistance to locating a chain bookstore in Riverdale, he said — in part because of fears that it would drive Riverdale Avenue’s locally owned Paperbacks Plus out of business. But Paperbacks Plus closed its doors last year, leaving the Riverdale/Kingsbridge area without a bookstore.

And the loss of the parking lot, which merchants have been doing without for some time now, is hurting the Kingsbridge economy, merchants say. Between the absence of off-street parking and traffic agents that, according to Land & Sea Restaurant’s Louis and Maria Koumoulos, are becoming ever more aggressive, the business district is seriously suffering.

Ceruzzi Holdings’ plans for the now-vacant lot include a parking garage. Mr. Fanuzzi said the developer and Board 8 are already talking about making excess parking available to people shopping in the neighborhood when the mall is developed.