LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

It's time for some serious change at Skyview center

Posted

To the editor:

(re: “Key Food closes — when will it reopen?” July 9)

We are writing to raise the alarm regarding the deteriorating conditions in the Skyview Shopping Center on Riverdale Avenue.

These conditions need a response from the owner and management — Nahardale Associates, K.F. Braun Management LLC, Braun Management Inc., and Moses Marx. There has been little investment in the shopping center for decades. Its appearance has deteriorated markedly.

Onerous lease terms like high rents and cancelation clauses have pushed valued tenants out of business. And the traffic, parking and pedestrian design is downright unsafe.

We have watched with concern as the public — including elderly, disabled and families with strollers — have had to traverse traffic lanes and parking lanes just to shop in the stores. We are saddened to learn that members of the management and ownership team actually live locally.

The latest casualty is now the primary supermarket for Riverdale ZIP code 10471: Key Food. The shopping center owner and management have not responded directly to inquiries about the plans for this space, vaguely stating that a new owner or operator will come in after some weeks of renovation. In the meantime, more than 25,000 residents are without a major supermarket.

As of July 10, a sign reads “opening soon under new management.” If and when a supermarket returns, however, it is likely to be occupying the same deteriorated store and shopping center. These are problems that began before the COVID-19 pandemic and supermarket closure. We stayed quiet out of respect for the wonderful businesses that continue to occupy the shopping center. But this latest closure leaves us with no other choice but to speak out.

Elected officials and community leaders will work together over the summer to develop ideas to respond. We believe that a vibrant and middle-income community like Riverdale can support a dynamic shopping center and supermarket with the right design, ownership and management. We implore the owners and management of the shopping center and supermarket to take action to address these concerns.

While we consider further responses this summer, we welcome suggestions at riverdalemainstreetalliance@gmail.com, and ask residents to continue to support and patronize all the excellent stores and restaurants in the shopping center and throughout the community.

And we want to assure the community that we stand with it in demanding a major change.

Andrew Cohen, Jeffrey Dinowitz  & Chris Rizzo

Cohen is a city councilman and Dinowitz is an Assemblyman who represents North Riverdale, where Skyview Shopping Center is located. Rizzo represents the board of directors of the Riverdale Main Streets Alliance.

Have an opinion? Share your thoughts as a letter to the editor. Make your submission to letters@riverdalepress.com. Please include your full name, phone number (for verification purposes only), and home address (which will not be published). The Riverdale Press maintains an open submission policy, and stated opinions do not necessarily represent the publication.
Andrew Cohen, Jeffrey Dinowitz, Chris Rizzo

Comments