Mayor, Bronx leaders have put wage concerns at Kingsbridge aside

Despite previous concerns over whether or not living wage provisions would be included in any redevelopment plan for the Kingsbridge Armory, Bronx leaders are supporting Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s current push to redo the old military facility, the New York Times and New York Post reported.

In the text of his state of the city speech, due later today, Bloomberg will call the redevelopment plan an attempt “to bring jobs to the most talked about empty building in the Bronx,” and will state that he and Bronx leaders have been “putting aside our differences to do what’s best for the city,” according to text of the speech provided by his office to the Times.

Unemployment in the Bronx was 12.6 percent in November, the highest of any county in the state. Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz will let “the wage debate play out in the City Council,” sources told the Post. The City Council is considering a bill that would require all businesses that receive tax subsidies to pay a $10 per hour to all employees.

And things are different than in 2009, the Times said. Developers can propose purchasing or leasing the property according to the current RFP, and the city will accept proposals for any use other than housing, although it would prefer a mixed-use commercial use. [NYT] and [Post]