THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR | 2,905,611 VISITORS VISIT 8,324,077 TIMES 3 TIMES EVERY DAY IN ONE YEAR. HIGHEST ACTIVITY IN WPCNR HISTORY.White PlainsCitizeNetReporter lifted its worldwide visits from unique visitors to wpcnr.com to 8,324,077,a 1,306,419 increase in visits in one year from 7,017,658 visits to the site last year which covers White Plains and Westchester County. The 8,324,077 visits were made by 2,005,611 unique visitors who visited wpcnr an average of 3 visits a day. ON JULY 20- -2026 visitors have accessed wpcnr and made 3,072 visits an average of 1.6 visits. In the last week 33,495 individual vistors made 54,458 visits, averaging 1.6 visits. In the last month, 152,940 visitors recorded 229,338 visits (1.5 visits)

Financing for 1st Building of the New Winbrook in Place. Revitalization of Winbrook Begins. Tree Clearing Starts. Residents to be Informed January 21.

Posted on January 17, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR WEST SIDE STORY. By John F. Bailey. January 17, 2014 UPDATED 4:40 P.M. E.S.T.:

There was no ribbon-cutting, no celebration. Just the whine of saws heralding the coming Winbrook of the 21st century today.

The revitalization of Winbrook quietly got underway today with the removal of trees from the Northwest corner of the Winbrook complex, the White Plains Housing Authority public housing buildings dating back to the 1940s. The lot is being cleared for the first of an undetermined number of buildings (originally conceptual plans had 7 buildings being built with retail shops along Lexington and Fisher Avenue opposite the Federal Courthous) that will replace the 1949-50 era-built vintage apartments home to 450 families building by building, with no one being displaced.

WPCNR has learned that Jonathan Rose Associates, the builder has acquired financing for building one building at this time. WPCNR awaits a response from Jonathan Rose.

The first building to be built on the site being cleared (shown in the photographs above), will house a community center featuring a training center to prepare youths for positions in the restaurant business, according to Mayor Tom Roach, who made the comment at the Tuesday meeting of the Council of Neighborhood Associations. At that meeting, Mayor Roach did not say the project was starting this week.

Two residents sitting on a sidewalk bench told WPCNR this afternoon, the crews shown above removing the first of the trees needing to be cleared, had been here all week. The two ladies WPCNR spoke to said “they appear to be on a fast schedule, starting construction January 24.”

Today shows the first visible signs of actual action this reporter is aware of.

The residents said a meeting to inform residents of how construction was going to proceed wasto be held by the White Plains Housing Authority on January 21st at 6 P.M. The Housing Authority confirmed this to WPCNR this afternoon.

The Thomas Slater Center, holding a meeting this afternoon when WPCNR dropped by for information on “the big start” did not know about the Tuesday meeting and were unaware of the quiet start.

At City Hall, WPCNR inquired as to what was going to take place at the meet Tuesday, whether this meant that Jonathan Rose Associates, the firm that was selected as the Housing Authority partner in the project, has acquired financing for the rest of the building, and what the timetable was for completion, and selection of tenants who would be moved, but was told John Callahan, the Mayor’s Corporation Counsel was in a meeting and would get back to WPCNR.

White Plains Single Family Homes Market “strong” in 4th Quarter. Mr. G says.

Posted on January 16, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE HOUSING NEWS. January 16, 2014:

Michael Graessle of Rand Realty in White Plains told WPCNR Wednesday that White Plains single family housing sales continue to strengthen the last three months.

He said that in White Plains, 52 single family home sales closed in the 4^th quarter of 2013, up 21% over the last quarter of 2012. Average selling price was $648,512 virtually even with last year. The median selling price was $616,750. The median price means half the homes sold were priced above $616,750, and half sold below that price.

It is taking less time to sell a house, too, Graessle remarked, with homes sold being on the market 121 days (4 months) as opposed to 7 months to sell a year ago.

Homes are being priced to sell with sellers settling at just 5% off their selling price.

Condominium and co-op sales were sluggish.

Forty three co-ops changed owners as opposed to 41 sold last year in the Oct-Nov—December period. Average selling price of a co-op was $177,686 down 1%, median price was $158,000. Co-ops are now the new entry level housing, Graessle observed. It is taking longer for co-ops to sell however, in the last three months co-ops sold took 7 months to move.

The condominium market is down. Graessle showed statistics noting 34 condos sold last quarter compared to 44 a year ago a 23% decline. Condominium prices dropped. The average price of a condominium fell 9% to $439,482 from $481,000 last year. The median selling price fell to $375,000. Condos are taking an average of 4 months to sell, once on the market.

Graessle said inventory of single family homes was continuing to shrink.The fourth quarter though is the strongest quarter of 2013 with increasing demand.

For the year 2013 in White Plains real estate, single-family homes outpaced the Hudson Valley with sales up 28% (227 sales to 177 in 2012). The selling price however, dipped 3% to $626,071. Median price declined to $565,000 from $592,000.

Condominiums through 2013 were strong until the fourth quarter. Selling price averaged $532,023 up 17%, and 5 months on the market; 164 condos sold a 6% increase over 2013

Co-ops for the year increased sales 20% (175 to 146). Prices declined slightly, the average co-op selling for $174,046, down 4%.

Three Years of price stability.

In three years, single family home prices have gone up 2% since the year 2011 when the average selling price was $611,558. In 2013, average selling price of a Single Family Home is $626,011

Condominium prices have gone up 1% since 2011 ($532,023 to $529,331)

Co-ops in three years have declined 9% in value. In 2011, the height of the real estate doldrums, Co-op average sell price was $191,141, but in 2013, the co-op average sale was $174,046—a decline of 9% in three years and as of the fourth quarter of 2013 has not gone up significantly (currently $177,686).

City has boom December in Sales Tax. Up 4%/1st 6 Months. On target to Beat 12-13 collections. County finishes 6.2% higher for Year

Posted on January 16, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. From the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. January 16, 2014:

December shoppers brought White Plains a refreshing $965,000 dollar increase in sales tax receipts in December, bringing the city total for the first six months of the city fiscal year to $25.6 Million, an increase of 4% over July-December, 2012.

Should the city earn the same sales tax receipts as they did in 2013 for the next six months the city is on target to hit $51 Million in receipts, $2 million more (about 2.2% more) sales tax dollars than fiscal 2012-13.

Westchester County sales tax receipts ended the county fiscal year of 2013 with a strong 6.2% increase $28.5 Million more over 2013 ($488 Million to $459.6 Million).

MTA Payroll Tax Stays. Business Council Outraged. Demands Albany Repeal

Posted on January 15, 2014 by John Bailey

WPCNR TAX & SPEND NEWS. From the Westchester Business Council (Edited). January 15, 2014:

The Business Council of Westchester responded today to the New York State Court of Appeals declining to review a lower court ruling, upholding the Metropolitan Transit Authority payroll tax.

The council called on state lawmakers to repeal the MTA payroll tax on the grounds that is bad for New York’s business climate and hampers economic growth.

“The MTA payroll tax is simply a state mandate by another name,” said Dr. Marsha Gordon, President and CEO of The Business Council of Westchester. “It is an unfair burden on businesses — some of which don’t even benefit from the MTA’s services — and hampers economic growth while reinforcing the notion that New York is unfriendly to businesses. While the court has ruled this punitive tax is constitutional, state lawmakers should do the right thing with a wholesale repeal of the law. The Business Council is working hard to remove obstacles that keep businesses from coming to New York, and in some cases staying here, and stands ready to work with the governor and state lawmakers to show that New York is truly open for business.”

The payroll tax charges a 34-cent tax for every $100 of payroll for large businesses in the MTA’s 12 county region, which includes Westchester, Rockland, Putnam and Dutchess counties.