BRONX, NEW YORK, (May 13, 2004)— Montefiore Medical Center today announced an agreement with Fordham University to permit the location of a newly designed transmission antenna for the University’s public radio station, WFUV-FM (90.7), atop a Montefiore-owned apartment building. The agreement is the result of a joint search by the University and The New York Botanical Garden to identify an alternative to WFUV’s present location atop a half-built tower on the University’s Rose Hill campus.
At a news conference today, Montefiore President Spencer Foreman, MD, told an audience of University, New York Botanical Garden, local and state officials, that Montefiore has offered to locate a state-of-the-art antenna-mast on top of its tallest structure, a 28-story staff housing building on Wayne Avenue and East Gun Hill Road, the highest location in the Bronx.
“It is with great satisfaction that Montefiore has been able to facilitate the solution to a controversy that has involved the University and the Garden–two of the City’s great institutions–for so many years,” said Dr. Foreman. “We are proud to be the link that could bring about a resolution satisfactory to both parties in a true spirit of cooperation.
“Of course, before the agreement can be made final,” Dr. Foreman said, “the proposal will go through a public hearing and government review process.”
Fordham has already hired, and Montefiore will be hiring, technical and engineering experts to confirm the safety of the new 142-foot antenna-mast and that placement of the antenna-mast at this location will comply with all relevant health and safety guidelines and regulations.
“On behalf of Fordham University, I want to express our deep gratitude to Montefiore Medical Center and Dr. Foreman for their assistance in providing a site for WFUV’s antenna. This will allow WFUV to further its important educational and public service mission,” said Fordham President Joseph M. McShane, S.J. “Moving forward, we will continue to work with the parties involved and with the community to achieve a positive outcome for all concerned.”
“We think it’s wonderful that, working with Montefiore Medical Center, Fordham University has found an appropriate location for its radio antenna,” said Gregory Long, president and CEO of The New York Botanical Garden. “This seems like a winning proposition for all concerned. Of course we’re grateful to the Medical Center for being such a good citizen.”
This agreement also has met with positive reaction from Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion Jr. “I applaud Fordham University and The New York Botanical Garden for their cooperative efforts in resolving the radio tower issue. I want to personally thank Montefiore President Spencer Foreman for offering a suitable location for the new antenna,” said Carrion. “I am pleased that all parties were able to come to a mutually acceptable agreement and that his matter has finally been settled.”
“Over many years, we have worked with all of the parties to find a location for a new WFUV transmission tower that would take into consideration the concerns of the people of the Bronx, Fordham University, and The New York Botanical Garden,” said Governor George E. Pataki. “After exploring a variety of options, Montefiore has offered a location for the new tower, which will enable Fordham to dismantle the existing tower and allow WFUV to continue to broadcast to its listeners in the New York Metropolitan area. I applaud all of the parties for coming together to find a solution to this long-standing problem.”
“I would like to thank Montefiore Medical Center for helping to resolve this long-standing disagreement on the location of the new transmission antenna for WFUV,” said Mayor Michael J. Bloomberg. “The solution announced today preserves the beauty of The New York Botanical Garden and provides WFUV with the new transmission antenna it needs.”
Montefiore Medical Center, The University Hospital and Academic Medical Center for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, is an internationally recognized leader in patient care, education, research and community services. Located in the Bronx, Montefiore provides treatment programs for patients with all major illnesses and has distinguished centers of excellence in heart care, cancer care, children’s health, women’s health and surgery.
Founded in 1841, Fordham is New York City’s Jesuit University offering exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to approximately 15,800 students in its five undergraduate colleges and its six graduate and professional schools. Fordham has three residential campuses: the bucolic 85-acre Rose Hill campus in the Bronx, the cosmopolitan Lincoln Center campus in the creative heart of Manhattan and the scenic Tarrytown campus overlooking the Hudson River. Fordham University also holds the 114-acre Louis J. Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y.
Fordham University has operated WFUV as a non-commercial, educational radio station since 1947. The station, staffed by 27 professionals and 70 students, is an affiliate of National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Radio International (PRI) and offers an eclectic mix of music, ethnic, sports and educational programming to more than 300,000 listeners 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Listeners can also hear WFUV online at www.wfuv.org.
A National Historic Landmark, The New York Botanical Garden is an international center of plant science and the region’s leading educational center for gardening and horticulture. The Garden is a 250-acre museum of plants, from the landmark Enid A. Haupt Conservatory offering an ecotour of the world under glass as well as seasonal flower shows and exhibitions to the innovative Everett Children’s Adventure Garden where children explore nature hands-on. The Garden’s 48 gardens and plant collections include a 50-acre tract of the original forest that once covered New York City.
