No Decision on Decision Night — LCOR OK Expected Thurs.

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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey.May 14, 2007 UPDATED 3:07 PM EDT UPDATED 11:31 PM EDT:  The controversy over the Bank Street Job, on the agenda for approval tonight, has been apparently orchestrated, contrived, if you will by the Common Council, since the Council was apprised of city plans to sell the property and promote it for development to 10 firms last May.  Three alternate proposals to the LCOR plan were received. LCOR was selected because, in the city opinion, they had the best proposal, and were a known trusted developer according to City Executive Officer, Paul Wood. Wood told WPCNR this evening that LCOR’s proposal was selected because they were the only developer agreeing to build affordable housing on the scale the city was seeking.


The Common Council after hearing several voices in support and against, and hearing Peter Gilpatric say he had not broached the subject of removing the Plan B option from the LCOR approving legislation adjourned  the public hearing on the LCOR Bank Street apartment project Monday evening until Thursday at 5 PM. 


 


According to Council President Rita Malmud, Gilpatric said he had not had time to talk with his LCOR Board of Directors to modify or eliminate entirely the Plan B — which would, if the LCOR PILOT (of $29 Million according to the city, or $39 Million the way the Westchester County IDA figures the total tax abatement) is not approved by the council. Plan B would find LCOR paying the city a mere $8 Million for the land (instead of $15.5 Million), and building only 32 units of affordable housing.


Mr. Gilpatric, retreating into the night from City Hall, after discussions behind closed doors in the Mayor’s office, when asked by The CitizeNetReporter what kind of financing would be used to pay for the $260 Million LCOR project, said it would be public markets. Bill Null, the LCOR legal counsel, said municipal issues would not be used and the project would be floated on the open bond market at prevailing rates.


No Decision on Decision Night.


The Council, meeting in the Mayor’s Conference Room after the hearings on LCOR and the White Plains LLC proposal to build affordable housing in the City Center Municipal garage, did not approve the $154.5 Million city budget or set the salary increases for administration personnel as an addition to the budget which should bring the budget to about $156 Million. The council declined to discuss the salaries and preferred to do this Thursday at 4 PM.  (This, despite Councilman Glen Hockley’s reverent comments that the council does everything in public, when Councilman Power and Councilperson Malmud were lobbying for more televised meetings and work sessions).


The rest of the budget action was approved without comment, including raising parking meter rates to $1 an hour on the street and 75 cents an hour in parking lots; adding Registration Fees and Inspection Fees for rental owners as a means of cracking down on substandard, illegal, unsafe housing. The reserve for financing stayed where it was at $4.7 Million (higher this year because of jobs expected to be filled being included in the budget), and the undesignated fund balance remained at $8.6 Million (including certiorari payments). The council also agreed with a provision in the budget allowing bonding for another $1 Million in certioraris.


To date, there has been no discussion of what raises the Mayor, the Executive Officer, the Corporation Counsel, and the rest of the city department heads, and the Common Council will be given. There is the possibility of course that no raises will be given out, in view of the budget squeeze the city is in. But should the raises average 4% it would raise the budget overall to $156 Million. Gina Cuneo-Harwood suggested the total raises for appointed personnel would total only about $200,000. We shall see Thursday.


Management & Budget Committee


Councilman Benjamin Boykin delivered a message from the Management and Budget Committee, which called for enactment of a hotel tax, and Councilperson Malmud was very enthusiastic about this.


Dennis Power, the Councilman, suggested that any sales tax increase (also recommended by the Budget and Management Committee) be shared with the school district. Power suggested that the only way the assembly legislator carrying the sales tax bill would agree with the sales tax increase the city is seeking would be if the city agreed to share some of the revenue with the school district.


The Mayor bristled at this saying he would only turn over sales tax money if the school district cut school property taxes by a commensurate amount. The Mayor griped, “Have you seen their salaries?”


That Nasty Old County Executive


The Mayor also reserved a few choice words for County Executive Andy Spano for not sharing County IDA money with the city. When Councilman Power said he supported a city IDA, the Mayor grumped, “that’s only because you know it’s going to be difficult to pass. But we’re going to try.”


Then the Mayor blew up at the “injustice,”  sputtering, “County IDA gets Millions….Millions… of fees. You’d think the county would share it with us. I asked County Executive Spano, and he said “I take all the credit for everything you (the Mayor) do. How can I do that (give back IDA money) for you?”


Mr. Boykin also mentioned that the Management & Budget Committee suggested reining in health care benefits and salaries. Mr. Bernstein took exception to this “taking it out on the working man.”


PILOTS Not Costing City Anything in Taxes–Boykin


Benjamin Boykin, in reporting on the Management & Budget Committee report also explained that PILOTS are exactly what a property would pay in taxes if it were on the tax rolls. Afterwords, when it was pointed by the CitizeNetReporter that the PILOTS might be set at too low a number by the city assessor, either deliberately or by being instructed to do so,  otherwise why would companies seek them, Boykin stuck to his guns saying that the PILOTS do go up over time at the same rate the property tax increase goes up and that companies sought the PILOTS to acquire sales, and mortgage tax relief from the Westchester County IDA. When the CitizeNetReporter suggested to Mr. Boykin that perhaps the PILOTS go out for too many years, he said that did matter, that the rising tax rate would take care of it and raise taxes fairly.


However, considering that Mr. Gilpatric had told the Westchester County IDA he was getting $39 Million tax abatement from the city, in order to receive IDA tax relief from sales and mortgage taxes, Mr. Boykin did not explain where the $39 Million, or by city math, $29 Million, is coming from if not from the real estate tax


Cappelli Says He is Required by Law to Give Electric Heat Credit


In the quiet approval process involving the 23 apartments White Plains LLC (Louis Cappelli’s holding company that owns the City Center), Bruce Berg said Cappelli Enterprises is willing to pay a percentage of electric heat rates as a credit on the rents of the affordable units that will be built in the City Center Garage — as his boss, Louis Cappelli indicated last Thursday evening.  Berg said that White Plains affordable housing policy dictates that they follow HUD guidelines in figuring the credit and they would comply. The council requested a computation sheet from the Commissioner of Planning showing the “credit” ratio that Section 8 persons received off their utilities under present HUD guidelines.


The Commissioner of Planning said that rent on a 1 Bedroom apartment in the Cappelli City Center Garage building would be $1,450 a month, and on a 2-Bedroom, $1,650. The Corporation Counsel said the amount of the electric heat credit would be placed in the lease. The Cappelli matter will also be taken up again Thursday at 5 PM.


The Usual Outcry


Today, an urgent flyer has been sent out to citizens from Marc Pollitzer, Robert Levine and Robert Stackpole to show up this evening and protest the LCOR Deal, concluding with the battle cry: “Let’s not be Railsided again!” — a reference to the ill-fated sale of Railside Land which has not resulted in the revenue planned to be received by the city. The letter with the flyer reads:


It is critical that WP citizens appear to express their displeasure of this “giveaway” of another City asset to plug a budget shortfall without complete and full information of other potential buyers or significant information concerning the details of the agreement. 

 

Does the City really stand to gain significant value or are we giving away the candy store once again?

 

Try to attend today’s significant Council meeting.

 

Regards,

Marc (Pollitzer)

WPCNR has also learned that the Common Council protests that they have not known enough about the Bank Street project to date, may simply be from lack of effort of the Common Council to find out about what was going on and adequately follow up on the endeavor to develop the lot which they approved of doing one year ago, according to Paul Wood, City Executive Officer.


Shopped to 10 Potential Developers


The prospect of selling the Bank Street Commuter Parking lot was discussed with the Common Council during the budget review one year ago, according to Paul Wood, City Executive Officer. He did not provide details, but said the lot was shopped to 10 potential developers.


Mr. Wood provided Requests for Qualifications (at WPCNR request) from qualified companies to develop the parcel which he said were sent out in June 2006 to Reckson Associates Realty Corporation, M Squared Development/TDC Development, Cooper Carry Architects, LCOR Incorporated, Robert Martin Company, Cappelli Enterprises, Delmhorst and Sheehan, Inc., Archstone Operating Trust; and Summit Development LLC and Greenfield Partners and Laz Parking.  Requests for Qualifications were also sent to DelBello, Donnellan, Weingarten, Tartaglia, Wise & Wiederkehr, Leader Associates, Inc., Cuddy & Feder, Paragon Honda, KSQ Architects and Guy D,Antona.


Wood provided documents showing that Reckson “proposed office use, subsequently withdrew,” M Squared Development and TDC Development proposed 391 units of housing, and 4,874 square feet of retail; LCOR submitted its 536-unit proposal on target for approval on tonight’s agenda; Archstone Smith Operating Trust offered 430-440 Units and 14,000 square feet of retail;  Summit Development suggested 450,000 square feet of office/residential with no conceptual plan, and Laz Parking wanted to acquire the site for parking, with development issues to be discussed “later.”


It would appear some council members need only have done routine follow up calls to ascertain the direction LCOR was taking.


Previously, the city had not revealed the number of firms to which  they had shopped the land.


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White Plains Hospital Begins Expansion of ER to Serve 60,000 Patients Yearly

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WPCNR General Hospital. May 14, 2007: White Plains Hospital Center ceremonially broke ground for a new five-story expansion of their Emergency Department  and new services to be opened in autumn, 2009, in an effort to serve the surge of 50,000 patients  a year, now  being treated by an Emergency Department designed to handle 30,000 annually. The new $9.5 Million expansion will increase patient capacity to 60,000 patients a year, to the ability to serve 38 patients at any given time, mostly in private rooms with express-tracked triage procedures to cut waiting times, and separate areas for serious injuries and conditions, and a special emergency care area for children.



At the groundbreaking ceremony for the new  White Plains Hospital Center Emergency Department, were (left to right): Margaret Crilly, RN, Sari Maenza, RN,Nurse Managers, Emergency Medicine; Timothy Haydock, MD, Director WPHC Emergency Medicine; White Plains Mayor Joseph Delfino; Jon B. Schandler, President and CEO of the Hospital; Paul M. Weissman, Chairman, Hospital Board of Directors, and Chris Weinberg, member of the Hospital Board.Photo by John Vecchiola, Courtesy White Plains Hospital Center. 



Upper left, view South on Post Road. Upper Right, view North on Post Road. Lower center, Emergency Room Entrance. New structure is the fiv story tower at left. Renderings, Courtesy White Plains Hospital Center


 


 





The first two floors of the new tower will house the Emergency Department, that will provide care for 38 patients at any given time housing them in private rooms. Children will be cared for separately in the Kylie and Louis R. Cappelli Pediatric Emergency Center on the first floor. Cardiac, stroke and seriously injured patients will be treated in a large critical care area adjacent the ambulance entrance. The ED will also have its own CT scanner in the department.


The third floor of the “Emergency Tower” will house the new cardiac catheterization suite, recently approved for the hospital in fall, 2006. The upper floors, according to Chairman of the Board of the hospital, Paul Weissman are reserved for future hospital expansion.


The Emergency Department private rooms will protect patients from exposures to illness, allow isolation of patients with infectious diseases, and a Decontamination Room at the Ambulance Entrance to handle mass casualties or bio-hazardous conditions. Computers on wheels will be available to provide medical documentation, information retrieval and patient registration.


Mr. Weissman said the $43 Million raised by the Health Care for Life Campaign was being used to fund the Emergency Department expansion, purchase a new cat scanner, and a new linear accelerator, new equipment, and would also fund future expansion on the upper floors of the tower.


One lane of Post Road northbound will be closed during the construction period between Lexington Avenue and Brookfield Street.


The state closings of St. Agnes and United Hospitals in White Plains and Port Chester, respectively, have contributed significantly to the increase in patient traffic that has until recently resulted in up to 3 hour waits for some patients at the White Plains ER which served  46,500 patients in 2006.

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Wellness Month Debuts at White Plains Mamaroneck Avenue School

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 WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. From Gail Epstein, Mamaroneck Avenue School. May 14, 2007: Beginning this morning at Mamaroneck Avenue School, to kick off Wellness Month at MAS, a new improved healthy lunch menu will be in effect. On Friday, May 18,MAS will produce its annual Health Fair; on May 22, the final PTA meeting will feature a program on how foods effect learning and behavior, wrapping up May 29 with a program on designing a healthy lifestyle concluding with a school musical on May 31, A Better Me, a Better You.


 


As many children start the day without a healthy breakfast and eat unhealthy snacks throughout the day, the focus on health and wellness is a priority throughout the year at Mamaroneck Avenue School. 


 


Because research shows that when children eat well and exercise, they perform better in school, Mamaroneck Avenue School stresses a healthy diet and physical fitness in a variety of ways.  The school has devoted the month of May to this effort.  Events will feature the following;


 


 



  • Walking Club.  Over 230 students in grades 2 through 5, as well as many staff members, are taking part in the recess Walking Club, held daily throughout the month.  Four laps around the perimeter of the school field is one mile and students earn recognition for participation as well as tiny “feet charms” on a chain for every mile they walk.

  • MAS Marathon.  In grades 3, 4, and 5 students are participating in an incremental mini- MAS marathon.  They have a fitness log that they fill in each day using the Walking Club miles or walking at home with their parents. Their goal is to complete 26.2 miles by the end of May.  At the end of the month we will have a “last mile run” at school with all three grades together.

  • Revised Lunch Menu.  During the week of May 14, we have revised our lunch menu to only offer the healthiest of food choices, including whole wheat pizza and healthy snacks.

  • Annual Health Fair.  Our fifth health fair will take place on May 18.  Our 612 students in grades K through 5 will move from classroom to classroom throughout the day to hear thirty-minute presentations on various matters affecting health.  The students will learn from physicians, nurses, yoga instructors, nutritionists, fitness specialists, a dentist, and other professionals on topics ranging from personal hygiene to bicycle safety to first aid to smart eating choices. 

  • PTA Meeting.  On May 22 at 7:30 pm the final PTA meeting will highlight the District Wellness Policy and feature a video presentation entitled Impact of Fresh, Healthy Foods on Learning and Behavior.

  • Parent Wellness Night.  A Parent Wellness Night on May 29 at 7:00 pm will engage parents in a workshop about how to make healthy lifestyle choices for the family.  It will include recipes and menu development for meals and healthy snack choices for children.  The workshop will also focus on the importance of being role models for their children by participating themselves in some kind of daily fitness and by encouraging children to exercise at least 60 minutes daily.   We will also share information about recreational activities offered in White Plains.  All those who attend will receive one free week pass to the New York Sports Club, coupons to health stores, and bags of healthy snacks.

  • Musical Program.  May will end with a musical program on May 31, called, “A Better Me, A Better You” performed by ten of our classes.

 


Other Wellness initiatives at MAS during the course of the year include:


 



  • A once-a-month health and fitness program.

  • Staff workshop on incorporating health and fitness into the curriculum. 

  • “Wellness Wednesdays” with a Salad Bar featured in the cafeteria and a health-related “question of the day.”

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Meanwhile On the Westchester County Coastal Flood Plain …

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WPCNR THE SEWER REPORT. By Paula Piekos. May 13, 2007: On Mother’s Day, an assortment of volunteers from all over the United States were present in Mamaroneck, ready to disperse in teams to repair flood-damaged homes .  More volunteers are needed on a daily basis to speed the rehabilitation of the water damage. Work continues in drywall removal and replacement and sanitizing of cellars


 



From Coast to Coast: Habitant for Humanity and Americorps Volunteers working the Mamaroneck flood disaster area Sunday: Left to right: Shinchook Hong of Iona Prep; Brian Von Rees from Colorado; Jim Kiloran, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity; Westchester; Robert Cooper of Michigan;  Nicola Summa of Jacksonville, Florida; Mary Bonner, President of the Westchester Affiliate of Habitat for Humanity; Jennifer Pawlewski of Clinton, North Carolina; Tara Baker of West Lafayette, Indiana; and Mamaroneck businessman, Mr. Fava. Kiloran says more volunteers locally are needed. Photo by Paula Piekos


Many of the houses have the sheet rock ripped open to dry, but aren’t put back together again. Some people tried a weekend of volunteering, but then figure they did their part and don’t go back. There really is an ongoing need to keep up the rehabilitation, and it’s impressive Habitat for Humanity put out a call for Americorps people and got them here from so far away.


If the people in Mamaroneck don’t continue to get new volunteers, they will be left hanging. There’s so much still, and it’s starting to feel like old news, when the aftermath of the April 15 torrential rains and flooding hasn’t been dealt with yet. There’s a false though that FEMA will make it better for residents, but the few checks that have been given out have been for amounts like $1,500, not the $28,000 you hear of in the media.


I asked a county planner Saturday when the County is meeting with residents will be, and he said it will be in mid-June at the County Center. That is a month away. Meanwhile the residents (of Mamaroneck and White Plains in the Beverly Road area) seem to be left to cope with the disaster alone with only Habitat for Humanity’s help.


To volunteer or donate, go to www.habitatwc.org or call 636-8335, Extension 101.


 

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Hey Mom!

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WPCNR POET IN RESIDENCE. May 13, 2007:


Hey Mom!


 



Hey Mom, bring me two waters so I’m set?


Where’s my under armor? And my visor?


Are my tights washed? My skates are dull.


Hey Mom, can you call, go, get, call the advisor?


 


Hey Mom,  I wasn’t yelling at you.


I didn’t mean to! You were yelling at me!


You never let me do anything my friends do


Hey Mom, would you chill, lighten up, just do!


 


Hey Mom, I don’t like the way this looks for the prom —


I don’t like the color, how could you think this was me?


I just can’t wear this, it’s this, it’s that it’s…Oh, Mom!?!


 


Hey Mom, I’ve been studying all morning getting knowledge.


Can’t I go out, I’ll be back by ten.


But, I know the material, gone over it again and again.


Oh, Mom – I hate my life! I can hardly wait until college.


 


Hey Mom – But I did call and let you know


Don’t you understand, I couldn’t call at that time.


No, you can’t not let me go – it’s a great band


Oh, Mom – I hate you! You never understand!


 


Hey, Mom, please don’t embarrass me at the game


By screaming so loud, it’s just so tacky


But, hey mom, I like that you’re over there in the stand


Watching me play, you know that don’t you Mom, you understand.


 


Hey Mom, can you get me to the rink


At 5 – I know you have to take off from work early?


Thanks, Mom, I’m so sorry but the team has a special thing


I have to be there, thanks Mom – I love you—dearly.


 


Hey Mom, can you take care of the kids this weekend?


We’re going to Vermont with a friend.


And Mom, the cats get kibble in morning and meat at night,


We love you mom, sorry for the short notice, talk to you tonight.


 


Hey Mom, I’m sorry I can’t see you Mother’s Day.


Are you all right, what will you be doing today?


Going to the club – great – you know we love you in every way?


Though we may not show it you’re always with us


even when you’re away.


 


 

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Arts Bash 2007 — Set for June 8

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WPCNR MAMARONECK AVENUE AMBLER. May 12, 2007: A warm summer night, food, fun and fabulous art set the scene at the Westchester Arts Council’s annual ArtsBash party! This arts extravaganza will feature cuisine prepared by 12 leading chefs of Westchester, New York City, Fairfield, and Rockland, along with a special preview of the exhibit Seeing Stories and open studios.  ArtsBash 2007 will kick off at 6 pm on Friday, June 8. The festivities take place in the spectacular Grand Banking Room of the Arts Exchange, 31 Mamaroneck Avenue in downtown White Plains, and spill out onto Mamaroneck Avenue. Tickets to see and be seen are $100; to order tickets or for more information please call 914-428-4220 x273.


ArtsBash party goers will be able to tour the Arts Exchange building, visiting artists’ studios, tasting food, and taking in the exhibit. Thanks to the efforts of Cuisine Chair Anthony Goncalves of Trotters, guest will be treated to exquisite cuisine prepared by the best chefs in town. Hors d’ouvres will be created by cuisine artists from Trotters, Alfama, Antonees, Blue, Cosmos Seafood, Crabtree’s Kittle House, Iron horse Grill, MacMenamin’s Grill & Chef Works, Mulino’s of Westchester, Soprano Foods/Dairyland. Tintol, Wasbi, Wasabi Chi, and Whole Foods Market.



ArtsBash is being chaired by Emily & Eugene Grant, Amy & John Peckham, and Jacqueline & Arthur Walker.



The featured exhibition, Seeing Stories is part of the countywide collaboration Open Books, presented by Target. The exhibition will highlight the work of Westchester-based artists and examine the fascinating process by which these illustrators breathe life into words.  You will recognize the work of award-winning artists such as Jerry Pinkney, Yumi Heo, Susan Jeffers, Peter Sis, and Ed Young and be delighted to discover the visions of eighteen lesser known but equally talented artists.  Their styles are as diverse as their backgrounds but their artwork and their stories will enchant children of all ages. Seeing Stories is curated by Yvonne Pollack and Jerry Pinkney, one an educator and the other an artist; both are long-time advocates for picture book arts.



ArtsBash continues on Saturday, June 9 with a free open house party at the Arts Exchange, home of the Westchester Arts Council. The public is invited to drop in, view the exhibit Seeing Stories, join a lively discussion with author and illustrator Jeremy Pinckney, participate in a comic book workshop, enjoy face painting, kite making, and so much more! The Arts Council staff is hard at work planning a day full of surprises for the whole family. Doors open at 12am, and the fun lasts all day!  The Arts Exchange is located at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue in downtown White Plains.  For more information please call 914-428-4220, or visit www.westarts.com.


 



 

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Superintendent of Schools Appears on White Plains Week Monday

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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS WEEK NEWS. May 11, 2007: The White Plains School Budget and School Board Election vote are coming up Tuesday, and White Plains Week has as its guests Monday evening on WPPA-TV, White Plains Public Access, The Spirit of 76, Channel 76, Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors and Assistant Superintendent for Business, Fred Seiler are interviewed by John Bailey, The White Plains CitizeNetReporter, Peter Katz, and Jim Benerofe of suburbanstreet.com.



Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors, second from left,  and Fred Seiler, Assistant Superintendent for Business, to Mr. Connors’ left, flanked by Jim Benerofe, left and Peter Katz on Friday’s edition of White Plains Week, which cables Monday at 7 PM on Channel 76. Exclusive Photos of the new Station Square proposal from Louis Cappelli will also be presented on the show.


 


In the course of the program, Connors said that the STAR Rebate program, by which residents apply for an additional STAR rebate through letter or online (instructions will be mailed to residents), will be continued by the governor for the next three years. He made no commitments to keep the budget at the 4% rate of growth established in this year’s $174.1 Million budget up for approval by voters May 15.


Mr. Connors predicts that 2007 Elementary and Middle School test scores would greatly improve thanks to the new BOCES data analysis techniques that the district elementary schools are employing to work on specific skill remediation to prepare students for the tests. He also said the measure of how well students are being educated in White Plains are reflected in the overall high school graduation rate which in 2006 graduated 82% of its students (entering high school in 2001). (Of those 82%, 94% of white students graduated; 82% of Blacks graduated, and 70% of Hispanic students graduated.)


The show may be viewed Monday evening at 7:00 P.M. on Channel 76 in White Plains.

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Louis Cappelli Proposes BILLION DOLLAR BABY: Station Square.

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WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey May 10, 2007: Louis Cappelli introduced what he called his “Billion Dollar Baby” to the Common Council Thursday evening: a staggering complex of three “World Class Office Buildings” anchored by a 5-Star World Class Hotel, replete with a new MTA train station and commuter parking garage — studded with retail. The developer also proposed he build the mythical “Grove Street” extension to facilitate traffic flow to enable the project.


Louis Cappelli presenting his vision for the 21st Century: last night. The Super Developer, creator of New Roc City, City Center in White Plains, The Ritz-Carlton at Westchester, blew the Common Council and reporters away with the scope of the project. Cappelli is seeking to acquire exclusive development rights to the city municipal parking garage, parking lot and Firehouse 7 to create the project. He told WPCNR, he would have to negotiate with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the state to put together the project, but said the city’s approval was his first step. As part of the project Mr. Cappelli would build a new fire house and parking for 1,500 commuter parking garage.



The model of Station Square on the site of the White Plains Transit Center, Parking Garage. In the foreground is The Galleria



The view looking North. Showing the fivebuilding complex and how it would fit at the Western Gateway to the city. The tallest building is believed to be the hotel.



The view West. In foreground is the City Center, followed by the Ritz-Carlton and the lit complex is Station Square. Mr. Cappelli said he envisioned this after takin several trips into New York by train, and feels that developing the train station area will revitalized the strip from The Ritz to the train station, saying “Station Square will connect the successful redevelopment of the Mamaroneck Avenue and Main Street area with the city’s transportation hub to create a first-class gateway to White Plains. This is smart growth in its truest sense.”

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District Inflated Contingency Budget to Show New Budget in Favorable Light.

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WPCNR SCHOOL  DAYS. By John F. Bailey. May 10, 2007: White Plains residents got a surprise


 when they received the  School Budget Vote and Board of Education Election Notice yesterday. The


  formal notice mailed to residents required by state law shows information previously sent to voters in


its newsletter on the budget was not true.


 



State Required School Budget Election Notice which arrived in mailboxes yesterday across


White Plains shows Newsletter (below) mailed three weeks ago is in error.


 



Newsletter Proclaiming Proposed Budget was less than a Contingency Budget. It arrived in


 mailboxes two weeks ago.


 


Budget voters had been lead to believe the $174.1 Million Budget was $300,000 less than the


Contingency Budget calculated by  the District one month ago and publicized as being a result of the


state legislature’s largesse and  accounting shift, when they open the Election Notice will find the 2007-


2008 budget  $174.1 Million,  while the Contingency Budget – publicized by the School District three


weeks ago as $174.4 Million –  is now officially $173.6 Million. This means that if the voters reject the


budget next Tuesday the district  will have to adopt a budget $400,000 less.


In the Budget newsletter promoting the budget as “District Presents Lowest Budget Increase in


Southern Westchester County,” on page 2, in the column, “An Important Message from the Board of


Education,” there is a paragraph entitled the Bottom Line which reads:


 


The Bottom Line: Vote on May 15. The budget-to-budget increase is relatively low – lower, in fact,


than the so-called “contingency budget” that the Board could adopt if the budget were voted down…


 


WPCNR asked Fred Seiler, Assistant Superintendent for Business why the Contingency Budget


figured by the district last month ($174.4M) had shrunk $729,884 to $173,670,116.


 


Seiler said that in figuring the contingency budget, the district is required by law to remove costs of any


new equipment,  which he said accounted for the $729,884 reduction. Seiler explained that when the


$174.4 Million figure was announced to the school board, it was the computation of what the state by


its own formula would set for ther district as the Contingentcy Budget.


 


WPCNR asked  if it was known at the time the school district would have to remove new equipment


from the $174.4 possible Contingency Budget. Seiler said, “Correct.”  He said that if the budget were


rejected by voters next Tuesday, May 15, the Board of Education would have the option of putting new


equipment back in, or cutting other items, or going back out to the voters for another vote. If they stayed


with the Contingency Budget, he said, the district could reconfigure the expenditures in a different


spending allocation, as long as the district did not exceed the $173,670,116 figure.

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Total Tax Abatement on Bank Street Job: $29 Million. Wrong Number Given IDA

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WPCNR Common Council Chronicle-Examiner. By John F. Bailey. May 10, 2007: City officials


provided the most detail yet three days before an absolute must approval date to get the 55 Bank


Street affordable housing and apartment project launched, and guaranteeing a fast influx of $6 Million


in cash to balance the city budget.


 


Total tax abatement on the project was put at $29 Million over 18 years, lower than the $39 Million


reported by the Westchester County Industrial Development Agency to WPCNR last week. The


difference is due to providing the tax abatement only on the 75 additional units the project will provide,


in addition to the 32 required by White Plains law.  The PILOT takes the towers off the tax roles and


assigns their assessment to the Westchester County IDA, which is not required to pay property taxes


on the assessment.


The  Revenue analysis calculated that it would cost LCOR $201,000 to build each affordable unit and


to construct 75 units would cost $15.1 Million and that the property tax abatement to pay for the


additional 75 affordable units of housing (over the 32 Bank Street is required to provide by city law),


would total $31,173,000, however LCOR, in an act of largess, according to the Commissioner agreed


that all the city need abate was $29 Million. 


 


The difference comes from the arrangement of the 107 affordable housing units. Because Bank


Street would be required to build 6% affordable units by city law, the abatement is being calculated


only using the additional 75 units. 


 


 A total  32 of the  107 units are to be offered at market rate or  100% of  median income, while the


balance of 75 units will be offered to persons  making 80% and  60% of median income, which was


counted as a good thing by city officials because  many who would like units priced at the Bank Street


affordable housing rents would not qualify unless they made less than $73,000 (the median income in


the city of White Plains) When the additional 32 units at 100% market rate are included the total cost to


build the 107 units comes to $21,507,000. By subtracting this figure from the $51 Million Bank Street


would pay in  taxes due over 18 years you come up with a figure of $29 Million which is the amount of


tax abatement LCOR and the city of agreed upon.


 


Additional revenue, the city reports, will be generated by the project consisting of $4,550,000 in the


Parking Garage Annual Fee, $15 Million in property taxes from the hotel “enabled” by the project for


15 years beginning after hotel construction, plus $1.2 Million in retail property taxes plus sales tax for


total additional projected revenues of $20.8 Million.


 


The council was impressed with these numbers. Ms. Malmud, the strongest critic of the deal seemed


mollified at the new figures, about $10 Million less than the Westchester County IDA reported last


week on the official deal sheet the IDA approved. The Mayor said that the assessed value of the new


55 Bank Street is assigned to the Westchester County IDA.


 


Later, Paul Wood, City Executive Office, told WPCNR that though the assessed values of buildings


enjoying PILOTS in White Plains is assigned to the Westchester County Industrial Development


Agency, the IDA does not pay property taxes on those assessments. At no time did any member of the


council ask the Assessor, Lloyd Tasch, who was in attendance what the assessed value of 55 Bank


Street would be, if White Plains did not PILOT the project. 


 


The  approximate $10 Million difference from the Terms Sheet received from the Westchester County


IDA, where tax abatement was given a value of $39 Million)  comes in reducing the 107 affordable


housing unit total figure to 75 (accounting for 32 units they would have to build  and taking it out of


equasion, making the abatement appear smaller.


 


The math computes: 32 units x $201,000 per net cost to build an affordable unit is $6.4 Million, which


when added to the 29 Million abatement figure brings the total to $35,432,000, add the $2.1 Million


LCOR agreed to take off the abatement and you are at $37.5 Million, $1.5 Million short of the $39


Million filed with the Westchester County IDA.


 


Gilpatric Says Hotel to Be Built Same Time.


 


Mr. Gilpatric of LCOR told WPCNR that the hotel would begin construction at the same time the 55


Bank Street project began. The hotel is being described as being “enabled” by the 55 Bank Street


project because the parking for the hotel would be contained in the 55 Bank Street garage. However,


again the hotel was approved as a distinctly separate project. Gilpatric told WPCNR the company had


several hotel chains interested in operating the hotel.


 


Paul Wood, City Executive Officer, told WPCNR that Lehman Brothers was expected to handle the


financing and that the city Urban Renewal Agency would not be issuing revenue bonds to finance the


$235 Million cost of the project. He said the White Plains Urban Renewal Agency might offer some


small sales tax breaks but there would be no major financing.


 


Gilpatric admonished the council in a firm way that this was the deal and that if the council wanted to


do it they could but only under these PILOT terms, but that he needed their O.K. of the PILOT that they


(the council) wanted to do it so he could begin spending $500,000 of preparation work to execute the


project.


 


Mr. Gilpatric declined to reveal to WPCNR what the rents would be to qualifying families on the 107


affordable units. Rod Johnson, City Deputy Commissioner of Planning said those rents are set by


county guidelines.


 


The $29 Million Tax Abatement was figured assuming taxes would go up an average 6.6% a year over 18 years. The 6.6% a year property tax increase was based on an average of the past 15 years tax history of the city, school district and the county.

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