by Olivia Young

Residents are pushing back against a proposed six-story building at 3232 Oxford Ave., the latest dispute amid increasing development in greater Riverdale.

The former three-story brick house on the property was built in 1922, and is in the process of undergoing a full demolition, according to city records. Next door is William Kozy, a resident of 60 years. He and 25 others in a Google Group have been filing complaints about the current site to the city, while Gjergj Bujaj — who is listed on the deed for the property,  and is leading construction — maintains that he has a right to build and the creation of more housing is essential.

A partial stop work order was issued July 14 for housekeeping after a complaint alleged unsafe conditions at the site, the city’s department of buildings told The Press. This means demolition had to stop, but maintenance and cleanup could continue.

The order was issued because department inspectors found demolition debris and combustible materials were being improperly stored on the site, and that a section of glass left standing insecurely on one side of the building created a debris fall hazard, the department said. The site failed reinspection July 22, city records show. The department’s construction safety enforcement unit also issued $3,750 in violations.

Bujaj, a construction superintendent who lives on Greystone Avenue, bought the property in January for more than $1.6 million, according to city property records. He said it isn’t final how many units the proposed building will have, but they will all be one-bedrooms or studios.

As of July 27, the building plan filed in June had not been approved by the city’s department of buildings.

Meanwhile, Kozy and another involved neighbor, Jared Skolnick, are concerned the proposed building will undermine the residential character of the neighborhood.

Compared to smaller, private homes on the block, a six-story building would “stick out and just look very awkward,” Skolnick said. He also expressed concern about the possible future tenants as well, since one-bedroom and studio apartments are intended for individual people, not families, he said.

Skolnick and Kozy believe mobilizing residents can make change, evidenced by the partial stop work order. The goal is to either deter construction, or at least mitigate the impact construction and a new building would have on community members, they said.

Complaints filed to 311 about the site include unsafe demolition and possibility of asbestos — which the site is free of, according to the department of environmental protection.

“I’ll say this over and over — our complaints are working,” Skolnick wrote in a July 20 email to the group of concerned neighbors. “Keep reporting violations as you see them!”

A neighbor who lives in an apartment building down the block, Donald Boyce, called the proposed building “ridiculous.” Boyce wasn’t involved with the Google Group, but said a six-story structure would “break up the neighborhood.” If it were two or three stories, Boyce would have less of a problem with it, he said.

Skolnick also said he’s worried about whether Bujaj will cut down trees in the back of the property. Bujaj told The Press he has no plans to do so. Another concern was that Bujaj would expand beyond the 3232 Oxford Ave. property, as he has asked Kozy to consider selling.

For Kozy, the Oxford Avenue site represents a greater fear that could reach farther than the house next door. Developers recognize Riverdale as an attractive, not overly-developed place to live, and are now “jumping on that bandwagon,” Kozy said.

“I don’t know how long it would take, but Riverdale won’t be Riverdale anymore,” Kozy said.

But for Bujaj, the Oxford Avenue site presents an important opportunity.

An immigrant from Albania, and a Riverdale resident for 16 years, Bujaj said he’s not happy with the current situation either. Some residents don’t like change, but “we have to build,” Bujaj said, in order to make a living and provide housing.

According to the department of city planning, greater Riverdale produces the third lowest amount of housing in the Bronx. From 2010 to 2025, the district’s number of net housing units created was 2,344.

Bujaj questioned residents’ efforts, and said he was working to achieve his dream of building in New York. Bujaj also said once the building is finished, he wants to have a screening process for prospective tenants, involving background checks and recommendations.

He said he is open to good-faith communication with residents. If a compromise is not able to be reached, Bujaj said residents could buy the property from him.

Keywords

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