LA MARQUETA DE ACTIVISTAS
Across the river and to the north, the Village of Haverstraw in Rockland County once was known as the "Brick Making Capital of the World," its riverfront lined with brickyards, fuel depots and chair, pipe and glass manufacturers.
But industrial decline rendered the once vibrant waterfront derelict and rubble-strewn, although tenacious residents still found their way to the river. Resident Edna Rivera fondly recalls family picnics on what she thought was her own private beach.
"We all grew up on the river, playing in the large chestnut trees on the embankments, down by Trap Rock," said Ms. Rivera. "So the river has been part of our daily life."
Today that spot is a luxury yacht marina. Some 30 years after she lost her swimming beach, Ms. Rivera worries that more residents and small business merchants could be forced out.
To prevent this, Ms. Rivera, executive director of Housing Opportunities for Growth, Advancement and Revitalization (HOGAR), is working tirelessly to ensure that Haverstraw's redevelopment, and in
particular a proposed 850-unit upscale housing development, serves local residents, 65 percent of whom are Hispanic.
"The developer has this vision about saving Haverstraw," she said. "It sees the demographics; we see people - their faces and poverty. We know their names and their children, where they work and where they buy their gallon of milk."
In its 10-year history, HOGAR has made tremendous progress harmonizing village, community and developer aspirations.
"We went from zero affordable housing to 20 percent of the units being affordable," said Ms. Rivera. In addition, she negotiated for priority consideration for residents, an apprenticeship program and local contractor employment.
Helping Haverstraw define its niche, Ms. Rivera further asked, "Why couldn't we develop a Latin theme? Why couldn't we celebrate our culture the way they do in Chinatown and Little Italy?" The developer, Ginzberg Development Corp., agreed and proposed La Marqueta, Spanish for marketplace.
Scenic Hudson also has been an active player in this rebounding community. In 1998 our land trust purchased 1.5-acre riverfront parcel and together with the village opened Emeline Park in 2001. The park, accessible by land or water, boasts sweeping views of Haverstraw Bay - the widest expanse of the Hudson River.
Ms. Rivera advised other communities to, "Stay focused and continue, because you can't be thrown aside. You will find you have a lot of allies. Some may sit behind the scenes, but they have a lot to contribute."
She emphatically added that communities should "think about development not to run away from it and not to attack it. But instead say, this is an opportunity to get what we need, to build assertively, to rebuild assertively, to create new things."
Defining success in terms of community benefit, she confided, "That's the secret to a successful development along the waterfront." |
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| Photo of Edna Rivera by Michael Nelson. |
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