Waiting pool

Plans remain afloat for an Italian Memorial at the site of the Fante-Leone Pool, but some of the organizers are accusing city officials of making waves.

The city has yet to transfer the property on the 800 block of Montrose Street to the National Italian Memorial Foundation — the next step in developing the site.

The project was announced last month by the Bella Vista United Civic Association and its president, Vern Anastasio; Viking Sculpture and Design Studio and The Italian Newspaper.

The stalemate is twofold, according to both sides.

In a March 26 letter from First District Councilman Frank DiCicco to Anastasio, the councilman said he had several concerns regarding funding, insurance coverage, long-term maintenance and an adequate timeline for getting the job done.

"These are questions I need to have answered as an elected official before I put my signature on a document and release that property," he said.

There is another complication: DiCicco said he had been in talks with private developers before he learned of plans for the memorial.

On Friday, the councilman reaffirmed the position he took in the letter: He would not transfer the property to the foundation or any other party for the next six months.

Fundraising is DiCicco’s major concern regarding the Italian Memorial. Because the site has remained vacant and rundown for almost a decade, the councilman said he doesn’t want to run the risk of seeing it remain in limbo while the foundation raises $1.5 million to complete the project.

"Certainly we don’t want the property to stay vacant for another 10 years," DiCicco said.

The price for the memorial might be too lofty, the councilman added.

"Having a vision is one thing, we all have visions and dreams. Putting those visions and dreams into reality is another thing altogether," DiCicco said.

As of about a month ago, the foundation had raised $2,200, he said. But Anastasio — who ran against DiCicco in last year’s primary before filing errors knocked him off the ballot — claimed that number is now closer to $12,000 and the councilman’s estimate was the "initial" figure.

The Foundation is currently "overwhelmed" with inquiries on how to make contributions, said the Carolyn Verdi, secretary and treasurer of Bella Vista United Civic Association. She added that a "major bank" was interested, but would not disclose which one.

And both she and Anastasio are encouraging the councilman to secure funding via the nonprofit Citizens Alliance group, which has raised millions for neighborhood improvements.

From a legal standpoint, the Italian Memorial Foundation, a registered nonprofit, would immediately become responsible for insurance and liability once the city transferred the property, noted DiCicco’s legislative assistant, Brian Abernathy. The assistant said such a move on the city’s part would be "irresponsible to the community."

"Before I sign off as an elected official on this project I have to make sure that it’s a solvent and legally recognized foundation," said DiCicco. "This [memorial] is being done as kind of a wish list. I do support it. But I just have to make sure that everything is in place from every legal aspect."

Anastasio argues that residents should be able to decide the site’s fate.

"With all due respect to the councilman, the district belongs to the people, not the councilman. And the people want an Italian memorial," he said.

Verdi said the foundation has received more than 300 signatures of support from the Bella Vista community alone.

Fundraising and other issues aside, a tentative pre-existing agreement between DiCicco and private developers for the same site might prevent the foundation from realizing its dream.

At a Jan. 29 BVUCA meeting, group leaders announced they would have "exciting" news about the Fante-Leone Pool at the organization’s March forum. Abernathy attended the January meeting.

Days later, BVUCA received a letter from DiCicco’s office stating the site was being transferred from the city to the Redevelopment Authority, said Verdi, who immediately called the councilman in an attempt to halt the transfer.

It’s unclear exactly when BVUCA informed DiCicco about the memorial since the councilman was in session when Verdi called and she did not speak to him directly. Anastasio said he e-mailed DiCicco an invite to the VIP unveiling in February.

Verdi insisted they would have gone to DiCicco with their plans, but his letter regarding transfer of the property pre-empted that.

"I think in fairness to me, I should have been informed," DiCicco noted.

Anastasio and Verdi both maintain the idea for the memorial was "barely a month old" at the time and the organizers weren’t going to approach the councilman before they had their ducks in order.

By the time DiCicco had learned of the memorial, he already had been in negotiations with private developers and set the wheels in motion for transfer of the property to the Redevelopment Authority, said Abernathy.

The move inflamed Anastasio, who said the councilman "committed this public property to a private developer without the knowledge or consent of the people who live near this property."

Verdi said the Bella Vista group knows the neighbors’ wishes for the site.

"The support that we’ve gotten from the community is that they don’t want another development there," she said. "And they don’t want the pool destroyed."

But it was that very community that requested for years that the pool not be reopened, DiCicco said.

Immediate neighbors in particular wanted the site closed because of water damage from seepage to their homes, said the councilman.

And over the years, the site had become a blighted eyesore with residents demanding its shutdown, he said.

As a result, DiCicco asked the Department of Recreation a few years ago not to reopen the Fante-Leone Pool.

About a year ago, two Ninth Street Market businessmen approached the councilman and expressed interest in buying the property — one to expand his business and the other to build a home. DiCicco thought both were good intentions for the site and set the wheels in motion to transfer the title from the city to the Redevelopment Authority.

Verdi and Anastasio believe the councilman is not showing enough support for the memorial.

Former U.S. Ambassador Thomas Foglietta is the honorary chair of the board of directors, and the advisory board includes Councilmen Frank Rizzo and Rick Mariano and Council President Anna Verna.

Verdi said while she understands DiCic-co’s concerns, she feels he is being "negative."

Abernathy said that simply isn’t true.

"The councilman has always supported this project. He feels this is a great project. He’s an Italian American. He feels it would be a great asset to the community," said the aide. DiCicco made a $50 contribution toward the memorial.

On Wednesday, many Italian organizations — Order Sons of Italy for one — will converge for an unveiling of a model of the memorial, Verdi said.

"A lot have expressed interest in giving their support," she said.

Meanwhile, she and Anastasio remain optimistic that in the end, the wait will have paid off.

"We’re confident that it will be handed over. The community supports it a hundred percent," Verdi said. "They don’t want any more development there. We want to preserve this historic site."