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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. January 4, 2006. UPDATED 8:16 A.M. E.S.T.: The public hearings on the Hale Avenue Condominiums on both corners of Hale & Maple Avenues, and the Metropolitan condominium targeted for DeKalb Avenue and Maple received enthusiastic endorsement by the Carhart Neighborhood Association Tuesday evening in the first Council meeting of the new year. The Metropolitan project (89 Units) seems to be cruising for a March approval with no problems on the horizon.
Carhart President Robert Vogel said the association endorsed both projects, and praised Commissioner of Planning Susan Habel in bringing the developers and the neighbors together. Hearings on all three projects were adjourned to February 6. Approvals may very well come as early as March.
The Metropolitan with 89 Condo units in 12 stories, as it appears facing Maple Avenue (bottom of picture), and as it appears on DeKalb Avenue (top picture). Photo, WPCNR News.
The Hale Avenue condos (shown in an overhead here on either side of Hale Avenue) are not out of the woods yet. The 57 units planned at 111 Hale and 70 in 114 Hale, both 10 story buildings dropping to six stories along both sides of Hale Ave )were put on notice by the Common Council, (speared by Rita Malmud), that the Council would look upon the Hale Avenue condos more favorably if the developer built his affordable housing units instead of paying a “fee in lieu of.” A feature of the development is the green traffic island planned for the middle of Hale Avenue. Photo by WPCNR News.
The spokesperson for the development group, Hale LLC said that if they were able to purchase a home adjacent to the west building, which they said they were attempting to purchase for an independent appraised price from the owner, they would be more able to build the affordable housing apartments. The owner has not decided whether to take the Hale LLC offer on the house.
What does a home cost in White Plains? The lowest priced home (4 Bedroom, 1 bath) currently on the market in White Plains is on Denison Street and Orawauppum Street off South Lexington Avenue and is priced at $399,600. The highest priced home is in the Rolling Ridge Road area, priced at $2.65 Million.
During the public hearing, former Councilperson Mary Ann Keenan expressed her opinion that the approval of the Hale projects would start a real estate speculation boom in the Carhart neighborhood, one of the last “affordable” neighborhoods in the city. In the Pinnacle hearing that followed, Mark Weingarten, spokesperson for the Ginsburg Development Group rejected Ms. Keenan’s fears, saying the city had its 2-family lot zoning to project the neighborhood against such incursions by speculators.
The Pinnacle as seen from across City Place (standing at entrance to Target). Photo, WPCNR News.
The Pinnacle presented its Draft Environmental Impact Statement showing the project as it would be constructed to the public for the first time since Martin Ginsberg had struck an accommodation with Cappelli Enterprises in June to build Louis Cappelli’s affordable housing units Cappelli owes the city for the Trump Tower and his 221 Main project. The Pin received lavish praise from the Common Council for its design, with only two residents complaining about the project. Of course, The approval of The Pinnacle has to be executed in order for Mr. Cappelli to receive his certificate of occupancy for 221 Main, so approval of that project is essentially assured.
The Pinnacle Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The project picture shows the Affordable Housing consist of 50 units at the left, and The 23 Story, 230 foot, Pinnacle condominium towers at the right. Retail lines the front of the project on Main Street. The DEIS notes only two more school children would come to the district as a result of the project, and that there would be no impact on traffic, and that it would add $2 Million in property taxes for the city and school district, and $563.000 in sales taxes. Photo, WPCNR News.
The pungent odor of White Plains sewage floated figuratively to the surface in the course of the public comments on the Pinnacle, when Dan Seidel produced a letter quoting the Department of Public Works Commissioner that upgrading of the Broadway and Main Street sewer line had to be executed to be able to handle the sewage from The Pinnacle.
Mayor Delfino, when asked by the CitizNetReporter what had to be done to the sewer, relining or new pipes, and what specifically Public Works Commissioner Jospeph Nicoletti recommends, the Mayor said “I don’t know, but whatever needs to be done we’ll do it. Why would you think we would build a building and not do what has to be done?”
The Pinnacle from the steps of City Hall, looking across Main Street. Photo, WPCNR News.
The affordable housing component, foreground, looking West down Main Street. Photo by WPCNR News.
The simulated White Plains skyline looking West from Westchester Avenue gateway. The Pin is the second building from right. Photo, WPCNR News.
The only issue raised by the Common Council was the one way-in, one-way-out parking setup where cars enter and exit the Pin on Main Street. Councilman Glen Hockley called the Pinnacle the most beautiful, elegant building in White Plains and suggested a ball be suspended at the top to give a permanent ball-drop device for New Year’s Eve.