After allegations that the Bronx Overall Economic Development
Corporation mishandled hundreds of thousands of dollars in funds from
the Community Benefits Agreement for the Gateway Center Mall, Bronx
Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is calling for a complete accounting
of the corporation’s economic activities. Officials from the agency say
the lawsuit is frivolous and deny that they diverted any of the $1.8
million provided by Related Companies, developer of the mall being
constructed on the former Bronx Terminal Market site. Related
contributed the money to promote job training and local hiring at the
mall. The corporation said it expects to be cleared of any wrongdoing when the
economic reports are released. [more]