▁area , ▁now ▁the ▁Es sex ▁Cross ing ' s ▁site , ▁was ▁kept ▁empty , ▁except ▁for ▁par king ▁lots , ▁since ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁due ▁to ▁sus pected ▁political ▁al li ances . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁then - to - be - Assembly ▁Spe aker ▁Sh eld on ▁Silver ▁and ▁Metropolitan ▁Council ▁on ▁Jewish ▁P over ty ▁( Met ▁Council ) ▁head ▁William ▁" B ill " ▁Rap fog el ▁accompanied ▁then - may or ▁Edward ▁Koch ▁through ▁the ▁area , ▁prom ising ▁to ▁turn ▁some ▁ ▁of ▁bar ren ▁land ▁on ▁Del ance y ▁Street ' s ▁south ▁side ▁into ▁a ▁never - del iver ed ▁development ▁that ▁had ▁disp la ced ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 , 8 0 0 ▁residents ▁a ▁de cade ▁before . ▁ ▁Rap fog el ▁and ▁Silver ▁were ▁accused ▁of ▁prom oting ▁specific ▁plans ▁for ▁fav ored ▁developers , ▁which ▁would ▁maintain ▁the ▁area ' s ▁Jewish ▁identity , ▁at ▁the ▁exp ense ▁of ▁other ▁communities . ▁They ▁opposed ▁a ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁plan ▁for ▁afford able ▁housing , ▁which ▁would ▁have ▁changed ▁the ▁dem ograph ics ▁of ▁the ▁neighborhood ▁and ▁brought ▁in ▁more ▁Chinese ▁and ▁His pan ic ▁residents . ▁Silver ▁instead ▁proposed ▁a ▁sho pping ▁center ▁with ▁no ▁housing ▁for ▁the ▁site ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁they ▁proposed ▁a ▁“ big ▁box ” ▁store , ▁like ▁Cost co ,