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CITY SEEKS PROJECTS UNDER $100,000  AND OVER $100,000 FOR “REVITALIZED DOWNTOWN”

WPCNR DOWNTOWN DAILY.  By John F. Bailey. June 5, 2024 UPDATED 11:50 A.M  12:10 EDT:

The City of White Plains launched its search for downtown business owners and persons of interest with ideas and projects for its Downtown Revitalization Initiative  Tuesday afternoon  in  City Hall

Over 30 persons packed the Common Council Chamber to hear about the $10 Million grant the city Downtown Revitalization Initiative that seeks to find private owners of business and companies to suggest projects under $100,000 and larger projects over $100,000 to be built in the downtown.

You can see his remarks here:

Dr. Kevin Dwarka, Land Use & Economic Consultant of Nelson Pope Voorhis with offices in Suffern and Melville, the City of White Plains Consultant firm in the first public presentation of the program introduced the program to the overflow audience, consisting of mostly business owners in the White Plains Downtown.

He explained his consulting firm was available to aid business owners in formulating their proposals.

In the video above, Dr. Dwarka said exact specifications of the program were expected in July at which time specifics of what business owners or assuming possible developers needed to submit their possible projects would be available.

Dr. Dwarka said the City of White Plains at this time would decide what projects under $100,000 would be chosen to be submitted to the state for approval.

A Local Planning Committee has already been set up by the City to sort out  and choose major projects contenders  and presumably follow a policy for what they wanted to see  in larger projects (after submission) for the larger projects over $100,000.

Dwarka at this stage of the meeting  indicated the city would decide on the smaller (under $100,000) projects. A representative told me the Local Planning Committee would decide on what projects big and small would be selected.

The business owners and presumably urban builders would have to invest 25% of the cost of their plans, and finance the rest of the project with their own money, with the state reimbursing them after the project is completed.

This would indicate for business owners based in the downtown, if their project was say under $100,000 they would have to finance the project in its entirety with 100% reimbursement on completion.

All projects selected for the grants would need approval from the state before beginning.

The next meeting on the plan is Tuesday June 11, 6 to 8 PM at the White Plains Library, 100 Martine Avenue

The second half of the meeting had the business owners and downtown advocates list the “values” White Plains represented. Many of the owners had stayed for many years and advocated for its centrality, location. When it came to improvements, the audiences listed parking and more of it and less expensive was a major problem. Panhandling by beggars on the street was a major problem. Garbage collection from restaurants was another.

Danielle Dreyer, Planning Analyst for the consulting firm, Nelson Pope Voorhis recorded the audiences “values” of White Plains as they were brought up

 

What could be improved about White Plains downtown? Those items were listed, too:

Suggestions made including information kiosks to highlight promotions, sites to visit in the city, attractions such as restaurants; and a large,  well-lit performing arts  space. (The recent Rock the Block promotion was hugely successful, where business owners reported to the Downtown Business Improvement District increased their business 30%.)  Distinctive architectural tweaks to fronts of existing buildings was suggested to make the buildings warmer and not imposing.

To read about the Downtown Revitalization Initiative go to the consulting firm website:

www.white-plainsdri.npvoorhis.com

You can submit your opinions on what the “new” White Plains Downtown needs at that website.

He said exact specifications of the program were expected in July at which time specifics of what business owners or assuming possible developers needed to submit their possible projects would be available.

Dr. Dwarka said the City of White Plains at this time would decide what projects under $100,000 would be chosen to be submitted to the state for approval.

A Local Planning Committee has already been set up by the City to sort out  and choose major projects contenders  and presumably follow a policy for what they wanted to see  in larger projects (after submission) for the larger projects over $100,000.

Dwarka at this stage  indicated the city would decide on the smaller (under $100,000) projects. A representative told me the Local Planning Committee would decide on what projects big and small would be selected.

The business owners and presumably urban builders would have to invest 25% of the cost of their plans, and finance the rest of the project with their own money, with the state reimbursing them after the project is completed.

This would indicate for business owners based in the downtown, if their project was say under $100,000 they would have to finance the project in its entirety with 100% reimbursement on completion.

All projects selected for the grants would need approval from the state.

The next meeting on the plan is Tuesday June 11, 6 to 8 PM at the White Plains Library, 100 Martine Avenue

The second half of the meeting had the business owners and downtown advocates list the “values” White Plains represented. Many of the owners had stayed for many years and advocated for its centrality, location. When it came to improvements, the audiences listed parking and more of it and less expensive was a major problem. Panhandling by beggars on the street was a major problem. Garbage collection from restaurants was another.

Suggestions made including information kiosks to highlight promotions, sites to visit in the city, attractions such as restaurants; and a large,  well-lit performing arts  space.  A new downtown  hotel was suggested. (The recent Rock the Block promotion was hugely successful, where business owners reported to the Downtown Business Improvement District increased their business 30%.)  Distinctive architectural tweaks to fronts of existing buildings was suggested to make the buildings warmer and not imposing.

To read about the Downtown Revitalization Initiative go to the consulting firm website:

www.white-plainsdri.npvoorhis.com

You can submit your opinions on what the “new” White Plains Downtown needs at that website.