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WPCNR BUMPER TO BUMPER. From Westchester County Department of Communications. April 17, 2007: Westchester’s parkways have reopened, except for a five-mile southern
The section of the
The other parkways, the Sprain itself, the
All these parkways were heavily flooded during Sunday’s storm.
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WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. By John F. Bailey. April 17, 2007: Paul Wood and Chief Financial Officer Gina Cuneo-Harwood announced exclusively to The CitizeNetReporter Tuesday evening that agreement has been reached in principle with LCOR on the procedure LCOR would follow in purchasing the city municipal parking lot for $15.5 Million.
Purchase of the lot is the first step in building a pair of apartment towers, which would include 107 affordable housing apartments in the 500-unit mix of retail, office and rental apartments LCOR plans to put on the site. Last week, in a surprise request LCOR, (which originally said in discussing possibility of city financing of the project they would not need a PILOT), requested a $300,000-plus Payment In Lieu of Taxes payment going out twenty years on the project. However, details were not provided at the work session. Councilperson Rita Malmud said she wanted a careful look at the PILOT arrangement.
Peter Gilpatric of LCOR, shown last Thursday evening, asking for a $300,000-plus PILOT on his 500-unit, double tower apartment, retail complex featuring 107 affordable apartments project. Yesterday the city announced the terms of payment for the commuter lot on Bank Street where the project would be built. Photo, WPCNR News
Wood told WPCNR that $8 Million of the purchase price would be paid this year (by June 30), and $7 Million would be paid next year. The $8 Million in cash, Wood said would go into the current 2006-2007 city budget.
WPCNR notes the windfall could have the effect of replenishing the $7.75 Million appropriation from fund balance in the current budget, and replacing any cash not received from land sales on Railside Avenue, the proceeds of which have been reported by the city to have not been fully collected.
WPCNR did not ask whether interest would be paid on the $7 Million payment delayed until the 2007-2008 budget year. Originally the commuter parking lot was valued,
No PILOT NO PROJECT.
Wood has reported the land previously, as appraised at $20.5 Million, and the price LCOR was asked to pay was lowered to $15.5 Million to pay back LCOR for the building of parking spaces to replace spaces lost by building the new complex on the commuter lot. LCOR came in last Thursday requesting a PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) of $300,000 plus a year on the project for the first 12 years of the project, the PILOT beginning after the apartments are built. Wood said last week that LCOR would be paying the city $200,000 a year via a lease for the parking spaces used for the commuting public after the new Bank Street towers open.
The Bank Street Job
2 Buildings Built on city Commuter Parking Lot, 29 Stories each, 272 feet tall, 536 Apartment Rentals, 109 “below market,”costing $260 Million Most Likely to be Financed by the White Plains Urban Renewal Agency.
Without the PILOT, Peter Gilpatric said LCOR could not build the project. Previously, in gaining approval of the council for the land sale and the change of use for the lot, Mr. Gilpatric had said LCOR would not need to request a PILOT on the project. Gilpatric reported last week that LCOR wanted the city to either apply for a Section 41A Home Rule approval from the state legislature, enabling LCOR to receive additional Industrial Development Agency sales tax breaks and to be able to finance the new LCOR project with Urban Renewal Agency issued Revenue Bonds. The project is estimated by Gilpatric to cost $260 Million.
The city is attempting to build what is called an 80-20 project (20% affordable units). LCOR also said they were requesting city financing of the project. The city is planning to ask for approval of home rule legislation from the state legislaturd approving city financing of the project under the Section 421A real estate law and enable the city to issue bonds through their Urban Renewal Agency to finance the project, that would be paid by LCOR. The $300,000 PILOT figure requested is based on appraisal of the commuter parking lot at the time of sale, and not on the apartments and retail to be built there.
The price of an “affordable studio unit” was estimated at $1,500 a month.
Sales Tax Up Handsomely. Officials Do Not Remember Figure.
Another piece of news from last night’s budget presentation was that, according to Gina Cuneo-Harwood the sales tax for January-February-March period revenue is up from last year, she estimated about 7% but could not remember the exact figure.
Last year the city collected $11,327,529 in the Third Quarter (Jan-Feb-March) which would put the current figure up 7% at a little over $12 Million which would make it the fourth consecutive year of increases in Third Quarter sales tax receipts – up from a low of $8.8 Million in 2002-2003, before the City Center opened. However half of that 7% is attributable to inflation year-to-year, which the state calculates as having been 3.84%, which would make the real increase a little over 3%
It is notable that in the official sales tax growth chart displayed at last evening’s presentation to the Council (the nightcap of the Common Council Twilight-Night Doubleheader meeting last night), inflation accounts for much of the gain.
Inflation Erosion.
In 1997-98, the city collected $29.9 Million in Sales Tax. In 2006-2007, the city is on a pace (buttressed by Harwood’s report that third quarter sales tax collections were up) to hit $43 Million in Sales Tax a decade later. Inflation over that period of time has been 23% according to Infationdata.com. $29.9 Million then would be worth $36.5 Million now. In that context the $13 Million growth is really $6.5 Million in growth, adjusted for inflation since the end of 2002-2003 when the city rung up $34.4 Million in Sales Tax.
In the time since the City Center opened in fall 2003 and the Renaissance “officially” began in fall 2003, the city has increased sales tax collections $8.5 Million from $34.4 Million in 2003 to $43 million. Of that the original $34.4 million has inflated to a value of $37.4 Million today….which makes the real growth in sales tax dollars just $5.5 Million in the four years of “The Official Renaissance.” About $1.3 Million a year in real revenue from all of the development opened since 2003.
Sales Tax for First Quarter 2006-2008 was $10M; Second Quarter, $11.9, and third Quarter estimated at 7% is about $12.2. We await the hard figure from city finance. This translates to about $43.5 Million in sales tax to be collected in 2006-2007. The Final Quarter in 2005-2006 brought White Plains $9.4 Million in sales taxes last year.
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WPCNR PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DAY. By WPCNR Roving Photographer Paula Piekos. April 17, 2007: White Plains resident Paula Piekos spent time in floodstricken Mamaroneck yesterday, documenting just how high the flood of 07 rose in the Mamaroneck streets. The first photos are of one of the major reasons for closing Rosedale Avenue in White Plains Sunday — the Brook Hills development pond. The rest show how deep the waters in Mamaroneck along Howard Avenue and Mamaroneck Avenue rose at the height of Sunday’s flooding. To see all Ms. Piekos’ photographs, click on “Read More.”
Water cascading from Brook Hills Retention Pond Monday, White Plains. A landscaper said dumping of leaves and brush in the retention pond blocks it up. Excessive rain spilled over onto Rosedale Avenue causing it to be closed until situation was remedied.
One of two sheds that floated “downstream” on Howard Street in the “current”.
Leaves filtered in lattice work of church on Howard Street, Mamaroneck show depth to which flood waters rushing down the street rose.
Deck chair was floated down Howard Street and wedged between these two trees in the relentless waters Sunday evening.
Columbus Park, Mamaroneck, Monday.
Leaves in Fence show depth flood water rose to at this condominium construction site on Columbus Park
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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. April 16, 2007:. Updated 10:14 AM In a Special Meeting of the Common Council this evening, the council approved a landmark Verizon Cable Franchise Agreement calling for a $250,000 grant upfront over the first three years of the agreement and a $1 per subscriber PEG Grant over the first 10 years, which increases 25 cents in the 11th through 15th years of the contract., The contract is worth an estimated $3.4 Million.
Paul Jamison of Cablevision Makes an Offer and warns the council of an ambiguity in the contract they subsequently approved last night.
The approval was made over the objections of Cablevision, whose attorney pointed out as WPCNR did in a previous article that a section of the contract that city attorney Edward Dunphy and city negotiating lawyer Mark Ames cited as assurance the PEG Grant would be paid, stipulated by its language that Verizon would have the right to enter into a lesser contract if the city negotiated a contract for a lesser amount with another cable operator such as Cablevision.
Mr. Dunphy rejected the Cablevision attorney’s contention and interpretation of the key paragraph, when asked by the council to explain how the city PEG grant from Verizon is protected. Dunphy took an attack stance, saying Jamision took the paragraph (that Jamison read),”out of context” and dismissed the interpretation as being “a disservice to us.” Dunphy said the two sentences had nothing to do with each other.
Protection Enough? The “redlined” agreement made available to WPCNR by Rita Malmud showing the new wording in Section 5.4.2 of the new Verizon franchise contract showing the removal of the words “Except as set forth below.” and “The second and third installments of the initial PEG Grant shall not become due and payable until the LFA (city) imposes a commensurate obligation to the obligations contained in this Section 5.4 on all cable service providers in the Service Area.” Mark Ames, the city’s private negotiator, told WPCNR that it was the elimination of these two phrases that assured the city it would receive the PEG and Annual PEG Grants.
Mr. Jamison, theCablevision attorney, echoing a comment in a previous WPCNR report, maintained that the wording in Section 5.4.3 in the above photo, to wit, “In any event, if any new or renewed franchise agreement contains obligations that are lesser in amount or aggregate value than the obligations imposed in this Section 5.4 (including the total amount of the Initial PEG Grant and the sliding scale amounts of the Annual PEG Grant), Franchisee’s (Verizon’s) obligations under Section 5.4 shall be reduced to an equivalent amount.”
Cablevision’s attorney, Paul Jamison said the correct way to structure the agreement between the two parties was to have Cablevision and Verizon each pay $1.7 Million over 15 years, and he said Cablevision was prepared to sign a deal like that.
Mayor Joseph Delfino tried to limit Mr. Jamison’s response, forbidding him to speak any farther, (“I don’t want you to comment” in reponse), chiding Cablevision for refusing to negotiate for a full year previously, and not paying the $100,000 he alleged they owed on their present agreement. The Mayor said he was angered that Cablevision made an offer now. “We’re not negotiating Verizon’s contact here.” However, he let Jamison respond.
After the hearing, Cablevision’s Mr. Jamison told WPCNR the city had refused to negotiate the $100,000 allegedly owed by Cablevision into the new renewal agreement, which Cablevision had been willing to do, Jamison said. Jamison also backed up his original comment about the section 5.4.3, describing the language of the Verizon contract the city approved as “poorly drafted.”
Dennis Power, the councilman, asked for more time to digest the contract, since all changes had not been incorporated into the agreement paperwork before the Council. Power agitated over this issue, prompting Councilman Roach to ask to see all the new language before the vote. Rita Malmud cut a fine line between the two positions, asking for a 15 minute recess to go over the final nits in the new contract. The council ajourned for the fifteen minutes, came back and Rita Malmud said she was satisfied with the changes, and had been assured by counsel Dunphy that all changes the council had requested had been made, and she saw no reason to hold up the approval.
The Mayor had been pushing for the agreement approval in order that the franchise agreement with Verizon be presented to the Public Service Commission of New York State May 16.
Power, too said he was satisfied all was contained in the agreement. The council then voted approval, 7-0. It is now up to the Public Service Commission.
WPCNR asked Mr. Dunphy after the vote what prevents the city being hit for a refund if a more attractive cable agreement is signed before, and why the city did not include the phrase to the effect that the PEG Grant of $250,000 was guaranteed to the city, Dunphy said “it’s in there, call me tomorrow.”
WPCNR asked Mr. Ames, the city negotiator, in light of the fact that Verizon’s right to recover all costs of the franchise agreement from the subscribers is not mandated, why didn’t the city negotiate that part of any PEG agreement could not be recovered from subscribers. Ames said Verizon was adamant on retaining that right.
Kensington a Slam Dunk.
Earlier in the meeting, the council voted approval 7-0 to approve White Plains Kensington LLC as the take-over developer of the former Sunrise Senior Living project on Cromwell Place. The council also approved borrow $19 Million to build the parking garage to serve the city, White Plains Hospital and the Kensington project, moving that project for the next stage which is formal approval of White Plains Hospital Center as partner in the parking garage project.
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WPCNR STORM STATEMENT. From the Office of Senator Hillary Clinton, NY April 16, 2007: Senator Hillary Clinton has issued this statement on the major flooding caused by the storm of the last 36 hours in the metropolitan area:
“I am deeply concerned about the reports of severe flooding in parts of
I know that the Governor and his team from the State Emergency Management Office are already touring the affected areas to assess the extent of the damage. Should the Governor seek federal funding, I will urge the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and President Bush to immediately provide aid and assistance to those areas that the Governor identifies. I will also be working with my colleagues in Congress to be sure that the necessary aid is granted to
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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. From White Plains Department of Public Safety. April 16, 2007, 4 PM EDT: Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety Daniel Jackson in a statement released moments ago, informs WPCNR: I believe the road closures are now all open. We have at least 50 pump outs (of flooded homes) still waiting. I’ll get you a total when I get an updated list.
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WPCNR PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE DAY. By the WPCNR Roving Photographer. April 16, 2007: The Shocker of the Week this week is the “The Big Wet” — the 7-1/2 inches of rain that fell in 36 hours in White Plains that has brought back the Bronx River to levels not seen since The Battle of White Plains. As of 1 PM — The Bronx River was making White Plains look like San Antonio’s “River Walk”:
The Bronx River between The County Center and Hamilton Avenue Overpass. The Ritz-Carlton Towers are on the horizon to the left. White Plains Railroad Station is to the right. To see more click Read More below.
The Bronx River Parkway, 12 Noon, looking North to the County Center.
Photos by the WPCNR Roving Photographer
Bronx River adjacent Bronx River Parkway Northbound lane noon today.
Bronx River Parkway Northbound Lanes. Flooded for a quarter mile under Hamilton Avenue and Main Street Overpasses, 12 Noon.
Bronx River Looking North at platform of White Plains Railroad Station.
Between the Bridges. Note “Rapids” at left. River appears 40 to 50 feet wide, swollen from its usual 10 feet width
View South from Hamilton Avenue Bridge. That’s the Bronx River Parkway inundated with 4 feet of water.
View from Main Street Bridge South. A Lone County worker works on the drain at the right.
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WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. By Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner. April 16, 2007, 2:30 P.M. E.D.T.: I spoke to many of the store owners/managers and residents of 180 & 170 East Hartsdale Ave who experienced
Two retaining walls, one behind the stores and a 2nd behind one of the apartment buildings also collapsed. Residents of 180 &
Some of the residents of 180 &
The town is currently reviewing all that happened yesterday. If you have any comments or suggestions please advise. There is always room for improvement.
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WPCNR BUMPER TO BUMPER. From Westchester County Department of Communications (EDITED) April 16, 2007 2:20 P.M. EDT: Here is the latest road and traffic conditions as of Noon.
FROM THE
FROM THE
MOBIL GAS STATION ON THE
ALL RAMPS ARE CLOSED AT THE
MAINTENANCE YARDS REPORT THAT THEY HAVE MANY CREWS OUT.
THE
The county will need this information as it attempts to qualify for any disaster aid from the federal government. People should gather their information and await further word on what to do with the information.
The county is also advising people not to deliberately walk into the flood waters, as was done Sunday by
Bee-Line buses and Paratransit runs are experiencing considerable system-wide delays due to wide spread road closures. The county airport remains open, but with many delays. People are advised to check with their carriers.
Other Miscellaneous Advisories:
Since the start of the storm, the county Department of Pubic Safety responded to 21 property damage motor vehicles, five accidents with injuries, 79 disabled vehicles, 15 abandoned vehicles that they were able to assist and many other abandoned vehicles underwater.
The county continues to monitor the situation and assist local municipalities.
OTHER MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
MAMARONECK POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DECLARING A STATE OF
TUCKAHOE POLICE REPORTING
BEDFORD POLICE REPORTING GREEENWICH RD AT MILLBROOK RD AND AT BEDFORD VILLAGE MEMORIAL PARK, SUCCABONE AT BISBEE, AND TWIN LAKES AT THE LEWISBORO TOWN LINE IS CLOSED.
ELMSFORD POLICE REPORTING ROUTE 119 CLOSED EAST BOUND AND WEST BOUND AT THE
GREENBURGH POLICE REPORTING
2045HRS THE
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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. April 16, 2007: County Executive Andrew Spano in assessing the state of Westchester County road conditions, in an interview with News 12 Sunday evening, requested Westchester schools to close today due to the state of flooding on major county roads, and the White Plains City School District has closed as requested.
As of early morning major parkways in the county were closed for much of their length due to flooding conditions.