Proposed bill to give right of first refusal to small businesses atop Lefferts Blvd. bridge
Assemblymember Daniel Rosenthal and Senator Leroy Comrie announced the introduction of new legislation to protect the character of the Lefferts Boulevard bridge amidst restoration.
The bridge has been an integral part of community life and became a neighborhood landmark over its nearly century-long history. In the latest development, the MTA announced that the compromised structural integrity of the storefronts atop the bridge would require major capital investments. The authority plans to issue a request-for-proposal for a new property manager later this year with no provisions for existing tenants.
Rosenthal and Comrie argued that the state of disrepair to the storefronts came at no fault of the business owners, a consideration not included in the MTA’s impending bid. The legislators introduced a bill to give right of first refusal to existing small businesses and to preserve the current structure. This legislation follows a 2018 bill from the elected officials, which saved the bridge itself from demolition.