Dozens of community members and advocates with the Bronx Coalition Against Up Zoning rallied Saturday in front of Council Member Marjorie Velasquez’s office to express dismay over her vote in favor of the Bruckner rezoning project.

“Campaigning Marjorie Velasquez had stated to multiple communities that she was against this project and would stand with the community,” George Havranek, protest organizer and President of the Spencer Estate Civic Association, said.

What You Need To Know

  • Advocates expressed dismay over Bruckner rezoning plan Saturday.

  • The project, which received the backing of Mayor Eric Adams and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, is expected to bring four buildings with 348 apartments — 166 apartments will be affordable

  • ”I listened to the recommendations of community members and maintained my position on community engagement, securing more jobs and affordable housing for local residents,” Council Member Marjorie Velasquez said in a statement to NY1.

  • Community residents said they were never involved in the discussion and were told by Velasquez that she was against the plan

The project, which received the backing of Mayor Eric Adams and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, is expected to bring four buildings with 348 apartments — 166 apartments will be affordable.

This would replace an empty batting cage and a dozen vacant lots in the area.

Havranek and others gathered said the community was never included in any discussions and they believe this development would ruin their beloved low density neighborhood of Throggs Neck, which they consider an oasis. 

“The low density community is sort of a slice of suburbia within a city environment,” Havranek said.

“It will bring affordable housing but you have to realize this area is overpopulated so by building that it’s going to be twice as populated,” Bobby Martin, who’s lived in the neighborhood for 68 years, said.

“The ones who want to make the change here, they don’t live here, they’re coming into our community telling us what we need,” added Edith Cactiano, who’s lived in the neighborhood for over 60 years, said.

“I listened to the recommendations of community members and maintained my position on community engagement, securing more jobs and affordable housing for local residents. The developers made the necessary changes to address the community and my concerns, coming a long way in transforming this project,” Velasquez said in a statement to NY1.

“We are struggling to pay our mortgage, and then they do this,” Rosaura Rodriquez said.

Rodriquez, who lives four blocks from where the rally was held, said this is not a case of NIMBY, also known as “not in my backyard.”

She added she pushes back on the notion that residents who are against the plan are racist, saying their neighborhood reflects the city’s diversity.

“Over here we are all mixed, they are Black, Spanish, Indian,” Rodriquez said. “I feel sad because why they doing this, I don’t understand.”