Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.’s Fresh Direct Comments Anger Port Morris, Mott Haven Residents
News12
By News12 Staff
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. recently made some comments about the South Bronx that has rubbed residents the wrong way.
Diaz was describing an area where FreshDirect will soon plant roots while on the show "BronxTalk" earlier this week. "Right now that area is dark, dormant, and it's just a very morbid place," said Diaz.
Though there are closed storefronts and barren buildings in the area of Port Morris and Mott Haven that the president was talking about, many are unhappy with his use of "morbid" to describe it. In the moments on the show before those words, Diaz was talking about FreshDirect and its move to the area, saying he hopes the company will help spruce up the South Bronx.
His office claims he was simply talking about the land where FreshDirect is moving to, not the nearby neighborhoods. Many residents, however, say they are not buying that explanation.
Diaz's office sent a statement to News 12 The Bronx saying, "The borough president was clearly speaking of the condition of the FreshDirect site, not anything else, and any implication otherwise is ludicrous. Borough President Diaz loves Port Morris and Mott Haven like he loves all neighborhoods in this borough."
