A labor union filed a lawsuit last week to try to stop a Bronx hospital from using recovery zone facility bonds to build a parking garage. The suit seeks an injunction to stop finalization of the financing and to require the public hearing process to begin again.
The Committee of Interns and Residents, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union, and the Davidson Community Center in Morris Heights alleged St. Barnabas Hospital misrepresented the number of jobs the project would create when it applied for the bonds.
The New York City Capital Resource Corp. in December gave preliminary approval to an application from Arthur Management Corp., a subsidiary of St. Barnabas Community Enterprises Inc., to use $19.8 million of RZFBs to build a $25.7 million, five-story parking garage.
The plaintiffs allege that job displacement from the new garage would result in a net loss of 14 jobs whereas the application states it would create six jobs, according to the suit filed in State Supreme Court in the Bronx.
“St. Barnabas and New York City have not been transparent in disclosing how this project will actually decrease permanent jobs in the Bronx,” CIR president L. Toni Lewis said in a press release.
“That’s a ridiculous claim,” said Steve Clark, spokesman for St. Barnabas. “They’re not losing their jobs.”
