Nicoletti: No Dump Cleanup for Yr. Test. Then Solutions. NYDEC O.K.’d No Cleanup

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WPCNR Environmental Epitaph. By John F. Bailey. November 15, 2006: The 35-year contamination by TCEs – a documented  carcinogen – leaking from the City Dump into the Mamaroneck River will continue for at least another year according to Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Nicoletti told WPCNR Tuesday evening as it has for the last  three and a half decades,  according to Nicoletti with the approval of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.  


 



Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Nicoletti, City of White Plains briefing the Council of Neighborhood Associations on the status of his negotiations over the dump with the Department of Environmental Conservation. Photo, WPCNR News.



Mr. Nicoletti told the CNA that when test well samples  documented the TCE contamination in 1986, the DEC advised the city it was not necessary to clean up the TCEs because of the difficulty in shoring up the 20 feet deep or more excavations needed to reach the TCE “pocket” 15 feet below the compost, isolated by the city.

 


Nicoletti said he was willing at the time to clean up the TCE contamination in 1986-87, but that  “The state, at the time, said it was not worth the risk of opening that up.” There are no documents so far encountered in the DEC paper trail on this 30 year contamination that support that statement. A call has been made to the DEC press office to confirm this was the DEC directive at the time.


 


The Dump Update.


 


Nicoletti described the city dump situation with the Department of Environmental Conservation to the CNA. He told WPCNR that 20 new Test Wells have been drilled in the city dump at the request of the DEC to measure the current levels of TCEs in the dump. He advised the next step in the city efforts to continue the $100,000 plus-a-year composting operation in the dump is to test the ground water encountered in the new wells. He would forward the new levels of TCE contamination to the DEC. He and the DEC will evaluate the results.  At that time, he will advance possible solutions for cleanup to the DEC, if deemed necessary.


 


Asked if one of the solutions to the TCE leakage into the Mamaroneck River could be a filtering system, Nicoletti said possibly. The timetable the Commissioner told WPNCR would take a least a year from now to analyze what the new wells are telling him, discuss it with the DEC, and propose solutions for the remediation, if the DEC said it was needed.


 


A Limited Composting Operation Continues.


 


 Meanwhile, he told the Council of Neighborhood Associations the composting operations continues with DEC approval. It was not clear from what he told the CNA if or when the concrete pad (which he described would cover about two acres), as requested by the DEC, has been poured yet.


 


Leaving the CNA meeting, Nicoletti told WPCNR he did not expect any resolution on cleanup procedures to remediate the TCE contamination, if it is necessary at all, for at least a year.


 


This means the 36 years of leaking of TCEs from the City Dump/Compost adjacent The Greenway, into the Mamaroneck River from the dump will continue into a 37th  consecutive year, after having been identified by the DEC in the mid-70s and reconfirmed in 1986, according to DEC documents.


 


Just a Little Over Drinking Water Standards


 


Nicoletti described the seriousness of the leak saying it was “just a little over” the parts per billion standard for TCEs for drinking water that the DEC uses.


 


The Commissioner’s description “A little over” in 2006, according to the last Department of Environmental Conservation test report conducted on April 3, 2006, documents that the contamination level is 223 ppb, as opposed to the 005 ppb standard for drinking water. A contaminant level of .11 ppb was found in the West Branch of the Mamaroneck River according to the report:


 



 


 


The April, 2006 DEC Test Report Shows 180 ppb of TCEs as the level of TCE contaminent in a test well at the dump and a smaller level found in the Mamaroneck River on the site. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.


 


In other comments, Mr. Nicoletti said it was unfair to complain about his DPW not clearing drains on county roads: North Street, Mamaroneck Avenue, Old Mamaroneck Road, Bryant Avenue because he does not have jurisdiction over their roads.


 


At no time did Mr. Nicoletti say he wanted to clean up the TCE or how it would be accomplished or the cost.


 

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Board Approves $1.9 Million in Refunds. Budget Mulled. $200M In 2 Yrs

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WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. November 14, 2006: The Board of Education approved $1,961,955 in certiorari tax refunds Monday evening, consisting of a $620,034 payback to The Winter Organization, owners of 81 Main Street, and to Sears for their 275 Main Street property in the amount of $892,751 for the tax years 1999-2003 and $449,170 for tax year 2004-2005. The amount will be paid out of the $8,000,000 certiorari bond floated October 2.


 


This is in addition to the $2,415,280 in certiorari approved for The Cameo House ($100,756), Gateway 1 Group ($662,097) and Macy’s East ($1,652,427) approved previously to be taken out of that bond. (The $1.65 Million to Macy’s is about $400,000 less than WPCNR had estimated when the city approved their certiorari agreement).


 


The School Board entertained preliminary discussion of the 2007-2008 budget, expressing the need for cost-cutting.


Les Storch, representing  Bennett Kielson Storch DeSantis,the auditors of the district presented the annual report of the City School District for the fiscal year ended June 30 and reported a $5.5 Million surplus. This surplus was due in part to a $1.6 Million unanticipated increase in collections of Utility Taxes and a $700,000 increase in interest plus the fund balance from last year. The increased income was due to higher interest rates, resulting in a fund balance of $8 Million, allowing the district an “undesignated fund balance” of $3,066,000. Storch said the district has earmarked $2.6 Million of that for future certiorari payments, or slightly less than 2% of the school district budget, the maxium percentage the school district is allowed to hold in anticipation of certiorari paybacks.


 


Budget Consternation


 


On the Board’s discussion of the 2007-2008 School Budget, Board members Terry McGuire and Donna McLaughlin supported close scrutiny of the effectiveness of school programs in deciding whether existing programs would be continued – McLaughlin suggested new programs only be initiated to “substitute” for programs not in addition.  


 


Board President Michelle Tratoros said the district should look closely at cutting administrative staff to affect savings, not teaching staff. Peter Bassano said the closeness of the capital project vote required conservative budget construction. “We need to be vigilant with this budget. We need to be very creative. I can’t imagine the District is going to submit a budget that looks like this year’s budget.” Bassano, in addition, said he feared to see the increase in the Transportation Budget.


 


Bill Pollak, another Board member demurred, saying the annual budget vote was “not as passionate. Every year, the budget passes. End of story. The bond vote does not necessarily indicate we won’t get the same positive support we get in the budget process.”


 


Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors agreed the bond vote was different from the budget vote, and said that White Plains has always supported and demanded quality education, low class size and supported the school budget.


 


Calling ABC Members.


 


Donna McLaughlin urged the Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors to bring the Annual Budget Committee into the process earlier. Connors said he would be putting together  the Committee of some 30 to 40 persons over the next month, saying he had already gotten persons calling Michele Schoenfeld, Clerk of the District, wishing to serve on the Committee.


 


Connors cautioned though, said the ABC Committee is “advisory” – that they do not decide on what the budget will be, but have the opportunity to “advise” the District on what they should do. Not decide. McLaughlin, suggested that terms on the Annual Budget Committee should be limited to three years, rather than the same persons serving year after year.


 


Connors said he would consider term limits on the ABC. He also said the committee would be formed in December and brought in when the budget is being developed in its preliminary stages in January.


 


Unions Await in Wings


 


No mention was made by any Board member on negotiations with the White Plains Teachers Association, The  Civil Service Employees Association and the Administrators and Supervisors Association.  Representatives of all three unions were at the meeting last night, but did not speak.  WPCNR asked the Superintendent of Schools about the status of the negotiations, and he said it was too early for that, that negotiations had not begun.


 


Jerry Gorski, President of the Teachers Union, in attendance last night, told WPCNR today that by law the union did not have to present their positions to the School District until February. He said the union would be surveying its members beginning in December on contract issues. Results would be tabulated and from those findings, “positions” would be developed.


 


Asked if the union would be taking into consideration the accelerated pace of district expenses (The budget is $165.8 Million in 2006-2007), Gorski said “We’re looking for a fair contract that will benefit the teachers and the school district.” Asked if the union would look at paying more of its health benefits, as they agreed to do for the first time three years ago in negotiating the present contract,  Gorski said “he was open to everything,” but could not address the giveback question until he saw what the school district was “looking for.”  He said that in the last contract that found the union agreeing that  individual members would pay $450 a year share in medical benefits and $950 for a family plan – the first time they had had to pay for health benefits.


 


Gorski appeared firm on retiree benefits, because he felt retirees were “less able”not in as good a position to absorb cuts in benefits as were presently active employed members.


 


Asked for a feel of what his union would seek in salary increases, Gorski said that in surveying other teacher organizations around the area, their increases have ranged 3.5% and up. The city awarded its police, fire, teamster, and civil service unions 4% raises three years ago through 2008.





Budget Trend Line


 


The school budget at $165.8  Million in 2006-2007 and has grown $86.4  Million from $89.4 Million in 1995-96. That is an increase of 86% in a decade when inflation has risen 26%. To finance this growth and the recent declines in city commercial assessments, the school district has increased Mr. and Mrs. White Plains school taxes 92%. From $202.91/$1,000 of assessed valuation(1995-1996) TO $449.64/$1,000 in 2006-2007.


 


In a projection issued February 27, the school district predicted it will spend $178 Million in 2007-2008.  Now let’s take this into 2008-2009. The School District Salaries, according to the Assistant Superintendent for Business office last spring will hit the $104 Million mark in 2008-2009, with fringe benefits hitting $42 Million, and the rest of the budget based on conservative 3% inflation will put the 2008-2009 budgets at $189 Million.


However the district 2008-2009 projection appears understated, because it assumed a 5% per annum increase and 6% per annum increase in transportation and utilities — both sure to escalate with the unforeseen escalation in fuel costs in recent months.


The 2008-2009 projection is a very generous budget prediction on debt service. The $189 Million 2008-2009 “Budget” lists debt service with no allowance for new certioraris in 2008-2009, and leaving out any mention of the capital improvements bond issue just passed.


The School Budget will break $200 Million in two years.

The school debt service would climb from approximately $6,000,000 in 2006-2007 to 10.6 Million in 2008-2009 if the school district floated the full $66.7 Million bond. That adds $4 Million to the $189 budget, lifting it to a minimum $193 Million in two years. This does not include any new certioraris the school district does not know about.It is not inconceivable that year-to-year expenses will bring additonal budget increases well beyond those February 2006 projections that will kite the 2008-2009 budget over $200 Million.



It is interesting to note that if that happens the budget will go from $165.8 Million this year (2006-2007) to $200 Million in two years.  

The School Budget is compounding at about $15 Million a year, so if you take that “automatic”  into play without budget cuts,  the price tag for education in White Plains should reach $180 Million in 2007-2008, and $195 Million in 2008-2009 without any increases in any expense areas.


 

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Rapid Transit Talks Coming Up Between City-State

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WPCNR Main Street News November 13, 2006: The Westchester Business Journal in an article by Alex Philippidis published today summarizes where the Tappan Zee replacement talks and rapid transit plans associated with that project stand at this time, reports  Paul Wood, the White Plains City Executive Officer as saying the city has been contacted by the state to begin discussions where either a bus or rapid rail transit stop or stops could be built within the White Plains downtown with talks scheduled to begin by December according to the state. 


Philippidis writes that the city of White Plains wants any rapid transit system — rail or bus — to link with the trolley service the city is now studying.  


Mr. Philippidis reports that Jeffrey Zupan, a consultant for the Regional Plan Association suggests White Plains needs two stops — the TransCenter at the West gateway to the city and at the Main Street-Mamaroneck Avenue intersection.








A stop at the Westchester Avenue office corridor is also envisioned in a map associated with Mr. Philippidis’s report from the Department of Transportion.


The article does not address whether the rail link would be underground or above ground — and exactly where it would be located. Other issues not raised are how any rail system is going to get to the White Plains Train Station without laying waste to a good portion of Greenburgh along Route 119– let alone reach  Mamaroneck and Main given the present state of density on either side of Main Street in White Plains. A bus transit system exists now in the county and it does not relieve enough traffic going across the county at the present time.


The following are the plans the state is considering:







+ Commuter rail (6 stops): From the bridge, trains enter a tunnel on the Westchester shore to a new Tappan Zee station north of the current tolls. Trains run underground, connect with the Hudson line just north of Lyndhurst, then resurface in Elmsford and stop just east at a new “Greenburgh” station with a park-and-ride lot. Trains follow I-287 till exit 5, where they enter another tunnel into downtown White Plains, with stops at the Metro-North station and The Westchester mall. Heading east, trains resume following I-287, stopping at Corporate Park Drive and at Purchase where another park-and-ride would be built, before ending in Port Chester at the village’s Metro-North station.



+ Light rail (15 stops): Service starts at Metro-North’s current Tarrytown station, follows the Hudson line to the Tappan Zee Bridge, then enters a tunnel into the new Tappan Zee station for a cross-platform transfer to trains bound for Manhattan. Trains stop at Meadow Way and Benedict Avenue before emerging above ground at Route 119, stopping at new Greenburgh West and Greenburgh stations. Trains follow I-287 to exit 5, then diverge to a new County Center stop into downtown White Plains, with stops at the Metro-North station, the Galleria at White Plains and The Westchester. From there trains head east into the I-287 corridor, stopping at Corporate Park Drive, two stops in Purchase and then Port Chester, where trains stop on Route 1 before ending at the Metro-North station.



+ Bus service (12 stops) would use a similar route and similar stops as light rail, but could extend past Port Chester into Stamford


 


 


 


 

 

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Greenburgh Looks at Transit Stops To Be Built as Part of Tap Zee Project.

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WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. By Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner. November 13, 2006: The Greenburgh Town Board is currently reviewing a proposal I included in the 2007 budget to appropriate $30,000 from the town wide budget (unincorporated Greenburgh/villages) to hire a consultant to help us represent residents of the entire Town who will be impacted by any decision the State of New York makes regarding the Tappan Zee bridge.

    In 1952 construction was begun on a bridge crossing the Hudson, connecting Tarrytown and Nyack. A new bridge will have enormous impacts on the character of the Hudson Valley and Greenburgh. The cost of the bridge could be at least $14.5 billion dollars. There could also be construction related congestion problems for our area.


    An article in the November 13, 2006 issue of the Westchester Business Journal (www.westchestercbj.com) indicated that there will be up to 15 new transit stops along the way. Elmsford/Greenburgh was listed as a possible stop. This could include bus terminals or train stations. There are a variety of options: buses, commuter trains or smaller light rail trains.
     As the Business Journal article pointed out – once an option is chosen there are other questions that must be answered. Where will commuters park their cars? How many parking spots are needed near the planned stops? How many acres of property will need to be set aside for parking areas?


    The goal of the consultant study is to identify issues that will impact the town regarding the TZ bridge options. We want to make sure that your interests are advocated before the state finalizes any decision.


 PAUL FEINER


Greenburgh Town Supervisor

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Commissioner Jackson Explains the White Plains Gridlock.

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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. November 13, 2006: Deputy Commissioner Daniel Jackson spoke at length with WPCNR Monday morning on the matter of the gridlock on Hamilton Avenue and Broadway had seized White Plains in a paralyzing grip last Wednesday evening. In a telephone interview this morning, Commissioner Jackson advised WPCNR that the Police were busy handling other matters in the city at the time and did not have the manpower to facilitate the traffic exiting the city along Hamilton Avenue (1 hour to travel from Westchester Avenue at the East Gateway to the City to the West Gateway of the City, the Comp USA store). WPCNR has asked the Commissioner to elaborate on the manpower situation and exactly how much manpower was there , in the meantime, this is Commissioner Jackson’s comment on what happened to White Plains traffic last Wednesday evening:



Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety Daniel Jackson on Gridlock. Shown April, 2006. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.


Mr. Bailey,

I apologize for the fact that you got stuck in traffic last week. Unfortunately, the traffic problems were caused by the intense rainfall, probably also aggravated by the amount of leaves on the ground.
The closing of the Bronx RIVER parkway, partial flooding of the Hutchinson RIVER parkway and a Parking lot on 287 all contributed to the mess.



The Department of Public Safety does not agree with your “Informed Source” that it is too dangerous to put an officer in the intersection to keep the traffic flowing when possible, and the manpower is available. That evening was particularly busy as well with calls for service to both the Police and Fire Bureaus, all of which they handled appropriately. Including two pedestrian accidents  during the rush hour which further acerbated the issues. Fortunately, neither was hurt seriously.

We also disagree on the sensational :
“Hey – if you had a heart attack or your house caught fire and you lived in the Park Circle Section of town or North Broadway – you were dead or burned out because there was no way fire engines were getting into the Northend in 4 minutes and no way ambulances were getting into the Northend past Hamilton”

We would get there as we always do.  Traffic congestion aside.

We work closely with the Traffic department and are always evaluating the data and constantly making adjustments to accommodate changes in the city.

Finally, as for responsiveness of Public Safety, you and I exchange e-mails at all hours of the day and night, you have my cell number and address for that reason. My Blackberry is on 24×7  (including at 01:29 hrs this morning when you asked about the fire.) 



 


 

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Traffic Notes.

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WPCNR BUMPER TO BUMPER. From Don Hughes. November 13, 2006: Don Hughes who closely monitors Department of Transportation activities passes along this advisory:


Rock blasting resumes today in the vicinity of Grant and Lenox Avenue to facilitate the relocation of sewer and storm water systems.Traffic on I-287 will be halted in both directions for up to 20 minutes during the time of the blast.  In addition no vehicular or pedestrian traffic will be permitted on bridges located near the blasting sites during the time of the  blast.

The blast is currently scheduled for 11:00AM with one scheduled for tomorrow at the same time.

Going forward, I will be adding the scheduled blasting times to the on-line calendar available at www.WhitePlainsOnLine.com.

Work continues on the ramps near the Westchester, and the ramp near Ebersole should still be avoided. We have been told that the contractor is ahead of schedule in that area, and that the stop sign on the ramp and the traffic split should be removed shortly.

Also, in apparently unrelated work, two lanes of the bridge on Orchard Street over the Central Westchester Parkway near George Washington School are closed.

It sounds like the old advice – ‘Go West young man’ may again be appropriate.

The retaining wall on North Broadway in front of the Rural Cemetary has finally been repaired, and we will not have to worry about additional rocks falling into the roadway this winter.

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House In Flames on Battle Hill Sunday Evening.

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WPCNR BATTLE HILL Constitution. From  WP CitizeNetReporters and Department of Public Safety. November 12, 2006 UPDATE From Commissioner Daniel Jackson,  November 13, 9 AM EST: We were coming home this evening and came upon a raging house fire on the corner of Harmon Street and Chatterton Parkway. As usual, our  fabulous Police officers and brave Fire Fighters arrived quickly and  had things under control and everyone got out of the home safely.  Keep up the good work!!!


Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety, Daniel Jackson gives these details Monday morning: “The police and fire bureaus responded to 45 Harmon St. Shortly before 5 p.m. Last night to a report of an active structure fire received via 911 call. Upon arrival they found a single family home with fire showing from the top floor master bedroom area. All of the occupants were out upon arrival. The fire was knocked down quickly and under control in about 25 minutes. There were no injuries reported and the cause is under investigation.”




Housefire at 45 Harmon Street and Chatterton Parkway last night, 5 PM. Photo, Courtesy, John Matero & John Lindauer

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Boola Boola Boola Boola — WESTCHESTER GRIDDERS BOOST BULLDOG RUN GAME.

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WPCNR SIGNALS FROM THE SIDELINES Special Sports Report to WPCNR from Beyond The Game’s John Vorperian: In a Saturday afternoon heartbreaker at New Haven before 43,406, the Princeton Tigers (8-1, 5-1 Ivy) roared back with a 34-31 win over Yale (7-2, 5-1 Ivy). The Elis led all day due to the explosive ground game of Sophomore running back Mike McLeod (New Britain H.S.). The 5’-11” 200 lbs, 2005 Ivy League Rookie of the Year entered the contest with over 1,096 yards rushed (a new school record), 13 TDs, and ranked fourth among NCAA Division I-AA runners.  By halftime McLeod scored four touchdowns and the Yale offense had 355 total yards and a comfortable 28-14 lead.  The Bulldog Star is complimented by Matt Murray, the Chappaqua Flash and Rodney Reynolds of Mount Vernon who is being looked upon as a Big Bulldog of the future.


The (Princeton) Tiger Defense fared no better in containing 6’-1” 215 lbs, Senior tailback Matt Murray (Horace Greeley H.S.). Against Columbia the Chappaqua native had 12 carries for 55 yards and a TD. In what may have been his last appearance at the Yale Bowl, Murray racked up 61 yards in 8 carries. The Greeley grad had played football and lacrosse there and did develop a reputation at Yale as a versatile player handling halfback and end duties.



Johnny Verporian of WPPA-TV, Channel 76 Interviews Horace Greeley’s “Go-To Guy” Matt Murray — now a Bulldog Main Man for a future episode of Beyond The Game. Photo Courtesy, Kevin McCarthy, Yale University


 


 



Matt Murray Moving and Rumblin. Photo by Kevin McCarthy, Yale University.



A 32-yard run by Murray set up one of McLeod’s TDs but in the second half Princeton’s no-huddle offense kept to the air. With less than eight minutes to go in the fourth the Bengals made a 30+-yard touchdown pass reception and two-point conversation. They got and kept the advantage.

The Bulldog offense went with a shift in play calling. Our Westchester County ballplayer Murray was doing more blocking assignments in protecting Yale QB Matt Polhemus.


Yale’s twelfth player, the faithful fans made noise at the right moments and in fact at 1:37 left in the game got the entire Princeton offense line offside. But with the final gun Yale now must win next week in Cambridge over Harvard to take the Ivy League Crown.

A BEYOND THE GAME playbook against the Crimson would be for the Bulldogs to stick with their strength. McLeod on the ground balanced with carries by the Chappaqua carrier Murray.



Mount Vernon’s Rodney Reynolds coming on strong for 2007. Photo by Kevin McCarthy, Yale University

An advance 2007 Yale scouting report is McLeod will still be the primary running back with a Westchester County resident complimenting the ground game. Freshman Rodney Reynolds (Rye Country Day) 6’ 200 lbs, from Mt. Vernon has been doing good things for the Bulldog J.V. football team.

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White Plains Needs an Intersection Initiative.

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WPCNR BUMPER-TO-BUMPER. News Commentary By John F. Bailey. November 12: Hey, Mr. and Mrs. White Plains were any of you in the secret jam Wednesday night? The jam no one knew about?  The White Plains crosstown gridlock? Not pleasant was it?


 



Bring Back Officer Bill (Biolsi). We need a Traffic Directing Consultant NOW. Photo WPCNR News Archive.



It took me an hour, yes, one hour to travel from Westchester Avenue at Nordstrom’s west to the County Center. (Using North Broadway and Hamilton Avenue to Route 119). Sure we had 2.35 inches of rain in 24 hours. Yes the Exit 8, Cross Westchester Expressway is a mess thanks to the chimpanzees at the Department of Transportation who came up with that Exit 8 closedown (which WPCNR reported on the first week of September on that folly). However, chimpanzees might have done a better job. More on the DOT chimps later.


 


But the White Plains Department of Public Safety did not do all they could have to expedite traffic across downtown White Plains last Wednesday night in this reporter’s opinion. In this reporter’s personal observation from 5:45 P.M. to 7 P.M. – they did nothing.


 


Hey – if you had a heart attack or your house caught fire and you lived in the Park Circle Section of town or North Broadway – you were dead or burned out because there was no way fire engines were getting into the Northend in 4 minutes and no way ambulances were getting into the Northend past Hamilton. Perhaps Fire Station One could have handled you. It was a dangerous situation if you had a health emergency.


 


This is why you have to make a token attempt at directing traffic through the White plains downtown, Department of Public Safety. I do not fault the White Plains officers – I fault the management of the department.


 


The WP Department of Public Safety was asked Friday morning by yours truly why they could not have dispatched some “traffic specialists” – they did not respond. They should start giving traffic control response some serious thought.


 


Informed sources have told us that the police feel it is too dangerous for police officers to “person” the intersections in gridlock conditions because motorists do not pay heed to the officers. Come on, Department of Public Safety!


 


 



Officer Bill — We need you now! Off-duty White Plains police stand by street construction routinely risking hip-pointer shots from passing cars weekly, so don’t tell me directing traffic in gridlock conditions is too dangerous for our guys and gals. That’s insulting to them. They want to help. Perhaps we should bring back Officer Bill Biolsi (shown at his retirement in March, 2005)  who used to honcho Bank Street and Main for many years. Where’s a Wag-and-Whistle Swat Team when you need them? Officer Biolsi took care of business at Main and Bank for years with his white gloves and whistle and it moved. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.


 


To not move officers into position to address developing gridlock from unusual traffic conditions is not good practice. The only answer is the White Plains Department of Public Safety just does not care about the motorist plight.


 


In New York City the brown shirt traffic specialists are out there nightly. If the police monitored traffic in coordination with the Traffic Department it has got to help somewhat.


 


How could the police have helped Wednesday night? They could have held traffic back on Central Park Avenue, and cleared out gluts of cars onto the relatively wide open route 119 just past the County Center. Believe me I thought it would be backed up clear across Route 119 to Tarrytown Wednesday evening considering how traffic was not movin’ on Hamilton Avenue.


 


But, I was shocked, shocked I tell you when I passed Comp USA and bingo – we started to move as soon as we motored into Greenburgh. Lousy job, Department of Public Safety. A Police Officer at each intersection moving them out and through, would have helped just a little Wednesday night.


 


 


 


What could they do? Move traffic out. Keep lanes moving. Coordinate better with the County Transportation Monitoring Center. Since this motorist was stuck in the Hamilton gridlock Wednesday night, WPCNR had ascertained the traffic lights were 30 seconds in length, but you needed more than that to handle that volume. There was no flooding on Hamilton Avenue. It was all volume.


 


Need I point out that we have spent millions of dollars on coordination communications between county and local police departments? How about developing a plan on how to use it?


 


If you can’t control traffic and move it with extra volume, how can you do it in an emergency?


 


The Department of Public Safety has great personnel and we love you all, but I believe the Department of Public Safety has lost its ability to communicate with the public effectively to ease emergencies. Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety Daniel Jackson is trying, but his hands are tied. He is just one person trying to do hands-on control of developing situations and handle public information at the same time. WPCNR deliberately does not badger the Department of Public Safety during developing situations to allow them to handle it.


 


However, that is no excuse for the do-nothing Mayor’s Office press spokespersons for not knowing what is going on at a given point in time. You cannot contact an official of White Plains after 5:30 PM.  


 


They either do not know what is going on or do not care to tell the press at least what is happening. Because they don’t. Do a little work guys. Give out cell-phone numbers to all media and have one person in charge who knows what’s going on. This worked a little with Dave Maloney on the last big Con Ed outage. David tried his best. But they obviously do not know how to do it. They need to find out how to do it. Or let Bud Nicoletti and Tom Soyk handle it. If the Police are too busy to advise the citizenry, the Mayor’s Office must.


 


How about a real-time White Plains traffic alerts on the moribund Department of Public Safety website, for example? It’s not much, but it’s a start. How about a tapeloop number the public can call for construction sites in the city blocking traffic?  How about a Mayors’ Office who knows what’s happening in its own city in real time? That would be a start. This is nothing new. I have pointed this out for years. Reading about it the next day in paper media does not deal in real time.


 


These are issues that a Common Council and a Traffic Commission that was paying any attention to the welfare of its residents might, just might call the Traffic Department, the Parking Department, the Public Works Department and the Department of Public Safety and get them on the same page and tell them get your acts together. Last Wednesday night was pathetic. No trees were down in the road. There was electricity. There was no flooding in White Plains except on Bronx River Parkway. It was just heavy traffic. Mind you the shopping season is coming up. Does White Plains have a plan?


 


Traffic is a quality of life issue, too. Besides look at the revenue potential, Department of Public Safety for writing all those cellular telephone tickets for persons using a cellphone with their bare hands during one of those slow downs. This could be a new Department of Public Safety revenue initiative.


 


As they say south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Git ‘er done.


 


As for the chimpanzees at the Department of Transportation – could any chimp tell this reporter why we are redoing all of the Cross Westchester Expressway bridges now – when we are going to have to do it all over again when and if we rebuild the Tappan Zee Bridge and plug in light rail? Hoo Boy!


 


Seems like wasted work to me. Why build new bridgeovers if you’re going to ream light rail across the Cross Westchester Expressway?


 


I’ll take an answer from any bright press person on that one.


 


And, another question, you need a more intelligent group of chimpanzees to plan the Tappan Zee Bridge-Cross Westchester Corridor fix coming up – because if the Exit 8 make over  is any example of how the present Zippy engineers at DOT think – well I shudder to think.


 


However the Common Council should be thinking about it. White Plains and Andy and Bill Ryan and the whole chummy concerned County Gang have to seize the DOT and Eliot Spitzer by their overalls and Brook Brothers lapels and get a handle on what is going on, before Eliot allows the DOT to turn Central Westchester into what happened when Robert Moses ripped The Bronx apart with the Cross Bronx Expressway.

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The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton a Hit with the Market.

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WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. Special From Cappelli Enterprises. (EDITED)November 11, 2006: Cappelli Enterprises announced Friday that 35 percent of The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester have been sold — more than quadruple projections for the first month of marketing the upscale offerings.



 


 


The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton Westchester Rise on the right in this picture in downtown White Plains. The City Center with One City Place and Trump Tower is at the left in the  picture. View is looking Southeast from the Northwest corner of the city. Photo, WPCNR NewsPlane Photo Archive


 


“What’s also impressive is that we have been able to accomplish this without offering buyer incentives of any kind. In fact, we have had two price increases already,” Louis Cappelli said. Prices for the Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester currently range from $750,000 to over $6 Million.


 


 


 


 


 



Located in the heart of downtown White Plains, The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester, ( the first tower of which is shown at the left of the photograph) on Main Street includes 181 condominium residences and 32 Atelier furnished suites. The residences range in size from 1,200 to 5,200 square feet and offer spacious floor plans from 1-bedroom, 1.5 baths to 3-bedroom, 3.5 baths. This view is looking East. Photo, WPCNR News



 


Also planned are Penthouse and Sky Club levels. Owners at The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester will have exclusive access to a wide array of The Ritz-Carlton’s legendary five-star amenities and services including maid service, room service, concierge and luxury spa, to name a few. Owners will also benefit from The Ritz-Carlton privileges around the world.


 


 



The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester first tower is just above the wingtip of the WPCNR NewsPlane to the left of the photo. This is the view to the Northeast toward Connecticut. The City Center “Anchor of the City” is the white capped building to the right.Westchester One is the square dark vertical streaked building to the right. The Small body of water is Silver Lake.Ph oto, WPCNR News.


 


“People understand the Ritz-Carlton brand and want to live it. The entire lifestyle package that Ritz-Carlton offers is unique,” Mr. Cappelli said.  He noted that the majority of the initial buyers are “empty nesters” who are selling a home in Westchester. The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester is also attracting young professionals who work in New York City.  “Until now, you would have had to live in a major urban center like Manhattan, Chicago or Montreal to be able to enjoy this style of living.  Now, it’s here in suburban New York and the buyers are responding.”


 



The Ritz-Carlton View Southeast to Long Island Sound. Here the first Tower of the Residences at The Ritz-Carlton Westchester is just to the left of the wingtip in the right of the photo. The horizon shows Long Island Sound. Photo, WPCNR News


 


The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester is the first of two towers being built as part of the 940,000-square-foot Renaissance Square complex being developed by Mr. Cappelli. The towers rise from The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester, a 10-level hotel comprised of 123 rooms, a 10,000-square-foot luxury spa and fitness center,10,000 square feet of meeting and special event space and a two-story glass “winter garden” restaurant fronting on Main Street.


 


A second restaurant will be located on the 42nd floor of the tower.


 


Main Street “Winter Garden Restaurant Close to Inking.


 


“Over the next couple of weeks we expect to finalize a deal that will bring a prominent Manhattan restaurant to the winter garden overlooking the plaza and fountains at Main Street and Mamaroneck Avenue,” Mr. Cappelli said.  “This will be a well known, trendy restaurant that will bring a new level of sophistication to the downtown White Plains dining experience.”


 



The View South to New York City. City Center is on the left center. The Ritz is the cylindrical building with the crane above it and another crane pointing to it. Photo, WPCNR News


 


 


Observing the housing market in general, Mr. Cappelli concluded:  “There may be a slowdown in some locations around the country, but we’re certainly not seeing it in White Plains and New Rochelle. The well-informed buyers know that interest rates are low and that now is actually a very good time to be buying a home.”


 

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