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“GOOD MORNING FROM WHITE PLAINS NEW YORK USA WHERE IT IS 40 FOGGY WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER DEGREES. TALK WAS THE STORY IN WHITE PLAINS THIS WEEK.

MAYOR TOM ROACH TALKED EXPANSIVELY TO WESTCHESTER MAGAZINE ABOUT THE NEW –WHAT AMOUNTS TO REBUILDING OF THE GALLERIA ON MAIN STREET BY PACIFIC RETAIL CAPITAL PARTNERS OF CALIFORNIA.

 THE MAYOR  HE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THE MALL WILL BE OPENED UP, INVITING PEDESTRIANS TO WALK THROUGH IT. THE MACY’S STORE THAT IS CLOSING IN JUNE, WILL BE TORN DOWN THE MAYOR SAID, EXPANDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE NARROW PLAZA ON COURT STREET JUST ACROSS FROM THE COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING—ESSENTIALLY EXTENDING THE RENAISSANCE PLAZA ALLOWING PERHAPS NEW USES.

“THE MALL ITSELF, THE CENTER BUILDING, WILL BE COMPLETELY REHABBED UNDER THE CONCEPTS THAT I’VE SEEN,” THE MAYOR SAID.

THE TUNNEL OVER MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD THAT RUNS THROUGH THE GALLERIA WILL BE BRIGHTENED AND MADE MORE APPEALING AS WELL.

ROACH HAS OFTEN TALKED ABOUT THE GALLERIA BEING ACTIVATED FROM MAIN STREET. In the beginning 2000s THERE WAS A LARGE SEAFOOD CAFETERIA OFF MAIN STREET AND AN ENTRANCE TO THE GROUND FLOOR INTERIOR LEVEL OFF MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD AND THE STYLISH FLOOR OF THE MALL AND ALSO THROUGH THE MARTINE AVE GARAGE.

THE PROBLEM WAS THAT ACROSS MAIN STREET THERE WERE JUST OFFICE BUILDINGS AND STILL ARE.

WITH THE WHITE PLAINS MALL DEVELOPMENT STALLED WAITING FOR FINANCING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRAIN STATION CITY PROPERTIES, YOU SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH ENTICEMENTS OR PEOPLE RIGHT FREQUENTING THE SIDEWALKS

BASED ON THE HIGH CLASS UPPER END RETAIL TENANTS PACIFIC RETAIL CAPITAL PARTNERS ATTRACTS TO THEIR MALLS ACROSS THE THE NORTHEAST IN HICKSVILLE AND ALBANY : CHICOS, WHITE HOUSE/BLACK MARKET,PINK, COACH, H & m SEPHORA, BEST BUY, OLD NAVY, REI, COST PLUS WORLD, ITALIA PIZZERIA, STARBUCKS, OLIVE GARDEN, PLAY LIVE NATION, TOTAL WINE, IKEA, ROUND 1 BOWLING,KAREOKE, BILLARDS, PING PONG THE NEW GALLERIA WILL RIVAL IN CLASS AND INVOLVEMENT SHOWPLACES, THE WESTCHESTER MALL WILL BE CHALLENGED FOR THE CARRIAGE TRADE.

LAST WEEK THE URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY MOVED AHEAD ON ONDISCLOSED PLANS FOR EAST POST ROAD ACROSS FROM WHITE PLANS HOSPITAL. 26-28 POST ROAD , 42 POST ROAD A STRIP OF  MEDICAL STORES AND 60 POST ROAD  WHICH IS THE FIRESTONE TIRE SURFACE CENTER.

TODAY THE COMMON COUNCIL WILL APPROVE CITY PURCHASE OF THOSE PROPERTIES FOR $9.8 MILLION OF CITY MONEY.

RUMOR HAS LONG HAD IT THAT THE BUILDINGS WILL BE RAISED AND WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL WILL BE GIVEN THE PROPERTY FOR OFFICES, HOUSING FOR STAFF AND EXPANSION. WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS TRUE. NOBODY IS COMFIRMNG THIS IT IS JUST A RUMOR BUT THE BUILDINGS ARE GOING TO BE ACQUIRED FOR A PURPOSE TO BE NAMED LATER.

THE GALLERIA THING IS AT LEAST 5 YEARS OFF THE RENEWAL PROJECT WE’LL LOOK AT THAT AS AT LEAST 7 YEARS AWAY.  MEANWHILE THE MITCHELL AT POST ROAD AND MAMARONECK CONTINUES TO GO UP.

IN ANOTHER TALK ISSUE, THE WHITE PLAINS LIBRARY FOUNDATION PRESENTED MARA GAY THE NEW YORK TIMES COLUMNIST AND MSNBC COMMENTATOR ON ZOOM INTERVIEWED BY BILL FALK OF “THE WEEK”.

MS GAY IS A GRADUATE OF WHITE PLAINS HIGH SCHOOL AND FORMER EDITOR OF THE ORANGE. MS. GAY COMMENTED ON THE CANCEL CULTURE WHICH HOLDS PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THINGS THEY HAVE DONE OR SAID IN THE PAST THAT ARE PUT OUT THERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

MS. GAY SAID THAT WHEN CONDE NAST PUT PRESSURE ON THE RECENTLY HIRED TEEN VOGUE EDITOR FOR REMARKS SHE HAD MADE IN THE PAST, SHE SUGGESTED CONDE NAST SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE PERSONS WORKING FOR TEEN VOGUE HOW THEY FELT ABOUT WORKING FOR HER. YOUR PAST IS NOT NECESSARILY THE PERSON YOU ARE NOW WAS HER POINT.

 SHE SHARED HOW SHE HAD NEVER HAD EXISTING HEALTH ISSUES AND SHE GOT VERY SICK FROM COVID AND STILL SUFFERS FROM A THROAT CONDITION RESULTING FROM THE COVID DISEASE.

  SHE ALSO SAID THAT NEWS PERSONNEL ON THE TIMES DO NOT INFLUENCE COMMENTARY OR SUGGEST WHAT COLUMNISTS LIKE SHE IS SHOULD WRITE.

SHE IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE TIMES ENDORSEMENT FOR WHOM TO ENDORSE FOR MAYOR SHE IS INTERVIEWING ALL 12 CONDIDATES  RUNNING.

ASKED ABOUT WHETHER SHE RECEIVED THREATS, MS. GAY SAID SHE DID RECEIVE HATE MAIL AND TWEETS, BUT DOES NOT KNOW IF THEY ARE ” JUST RUSSIAN BOTS.”

SHE EXPRESSED DOUBT WHETHER THE NATIONAL MEDIA CAN EVER REALLY REACH OR PERSUADE THE PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS THAT MAJORITIES OF AMERICANS HAVE OF THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA. 

SHE SAID AS A JOURNALIST, “OUR JOB IS TO TELL THE TRUTH.” 

I MIGHT ADD IT TAKES A LOT OF GUTS TO DO THAT.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, DENNIS AND TONNY, I APPRECIATE IT“