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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey June 2,2009: The residents of Winbrook got a first public look at preliminary reconstruction plans for the Winbrook complex. The design shown below was followed by Executive Director of the White Plains Housing Authority, explaining the project and where it stood, and closed with WPHA counsel,  William Null, explaining to the council that the WPHA needed the council to pass the zoning paperwork to pave the way for more detailed design of the project. The council voted to adjourn the public hearing and resume it on July 6.

 

 

Overhead View of Winbrook Makeover Preliminary Design Shown at Monday Evening Common Council meeting. Street to left of picture is South Lexington Avenue, targeted for affordable, moderate, middle income housing and retail according to the requested zoning “cosmetics.”

 

Six new buildings each about 11 stories are proposed with underground parking. The recently completely White Plains Housing Authority Headquarters would likely be raised and moved to one of the new structures. The new buildings are to be built one at a time. The attorney for the Housing Authority said Council approval of the zoning cosmetics needed to pave the way for the mixed use project rebuild was necessary before a developer could be selected from among 30 applications received thus far.

 

Commuter Parking Lot on Bank Street to Close: Boykin.

Property Taxes, Loan Interest Cost City $362,659 in State Urban Renewal Capital Grant Money.

 

In another intriguing development quietly passed on the consent agenda, and not explained in any depth on last night’s telecast, Council President Benjamin Boykin advised White Plains commuters the Bank Street lot will closed by July 31, requiring commuters now using that open air lot by ther Metro North tracks to make other parking or station arrangements.  

 

55 Bank Street Commuter Lot shown adjacent to MetroNorth tracks, one year ago. (Presently it provides about 300 parking places for daily commuters. The lot was sold to LCOR for $16.5 Million, to build the 55 Bank Street 500-unit plus 20% affordable housing project, with the city responsible for property taxes on the commuter lot until the building project began. Project has been stalled due to credit market freeze up and city is left holding the bag on property taxes, necessitating burning $116, 560 in property tax payments

 

On the consent agenda, the city agreed to fund property tax payments for the use of the Bank Street open air commuter parking lot (due to a shortfall in revenues from the commuter lot, according to accompanying Urban Renewal Agency work), The council authorized  transfer of Urban Renewal  Capital Grant Funds would have to pay $116,560 in property tax payments on the LCOR  commuter parking lot property, due to LCOR’s inability to get the project financed in a timely fashion, and revenues not meeting property tax obligations on the property, which the city had agreed to pay.

 

Longview Garage Burns Interest

 

 In a related development involving similar dashed expectations of a much ballyhooed city project,  the Common Council  approved using the New York State Capital Grant fund to pay $246,099 in interest on the Cromwell place property bonds used to purchase the property for $4,000,000 to arrange to build the Longview Avenue Garage (at a bond cost of $19 Million). The city has been unable to sell the Cromwell Place properties acquired to build the Longview Avenue Parking garage for White Plains Hospital Medical Center so the city has been unable to pay off the $4 Million loan on the property through a sale the city thought would take place by now, covering the bond expenditure — according to council meeting documents supplied with the agenda to the press. 

 

The economic crisis of the last 11 months, have resulted in a Washington D.C. and Albany delay in acquiring  HUD approval of the project to be built by Kensington Properties. A public hearing for July 6 was scheduled for yet another site plan extension on the troubled Kensington project.

 

 

WPCNR ARMCHAIR PRESSBOX.  June 1, 2009 UPDATED WITH ROB CREWS INSIDE INTERVIEW: The sport the national press never reports on, covers or respects —  fastpitch softball – showcased two classics yesterday afternoon on ESPN2. First came the donnybrook of the ages – the 4 hour and 45 minute Georgia-Washington game  that went 10 innings, won by the Bulldogs on a sacks-full 3-2 walk on a classic full-count battle on top of 4 innings of courageous relief by Freshperson Erin Arevalo, who had not pitched in two months – but was ready!

 

 

This nail-biter was followed by the Florida-Alabama Semi-final that was won when Westchester’s own Ali Gardner of Waccabuc  connected with an opposite field 2 out Bags-Jammed Jackout over the left field fence.

 

Ms. Gardner and  Alabama’s Cassie Reilly-Boccia, of Yorktown are both proteges of the hitting guru, Rob Crews, the local “batologist” who has developed their swings to the extent that the two play with the elite of the nation’s fastpitch teams. Rob also developed the swing of the other local legend, Maddy Coon who played for Horace Greeley, and now plays for Stamford. 

 

Mr. Crews told WPCNR he was there in Oklahoma City to see the electrifying Gardner clout, he tells WPCNR, “I was there to see it. Spoke to (Florida) Coach Tim Walton and he informed me of his decision to make some stride and timing adjustments. She looked good in the ab’s leading up to the grand slam. What I appreciate most is that even through the struggle Ali kept a great attitude. That is why I nicknamed her Showtime. She is one heck of a performer.” The Batologist can be reached at www.complete-game.net.

 

 

The Longest Fastpitch World Series Game Ever Played — First of an Unforgettable Double Dip yesterday in Oklahoma City at the media-challenged Womens World Series.

 

Ms. Gardner in her senior year at Florida is one of three of  local Batologist Rob Crews’ groomed hitting stars playing in the elite of the nation’s fastpitch teams. (Crews is the hitting guru who groomed Ali’s portside  swing over the years, and the swings of Maddy Coon of Horace Greeley (late of Stamford)  and  Cassie Reilly Boccia, of Yorktown, now frosh firstbaser for Alabama, whose club was one out away from extending Florida another game last night, until Gardner took Bama out for the game-winning 4-run homer, the Gator form John Jay, snapping victory from the jaws of defeat.

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Both Ms. Garnder’s game and the Washington game were fraught with the tension, drama, and precision strategy that makes the fastpitch game compelling.   

 

Gardner began her rise to fastpitch prominence playing travel softball with one of the first travel teams in the 1990s, the Hudson River Bandits started by Chappaqua’s Rudy Nettick, whose daughter Margaret pitched for Horace Greeley.  The organization, along with the legendary Diamond Dolls, were the swashbucklerettes of fastpitch, with the best uniforms, the best logos, and professional atitude far beyond their years. The young players were taught the game right and played up and down the eastern seaboard. The Bandits disbanded in 2001, but the memories of the red and gray came alive this last week when Maddy (Coon), and Ali starred in the NCAAs.

 

The games over the last four days televised on ESPN2 were marvelous – from the electrifying homers, to the incredible defensive play (check out the throw-out Arizona State’s second-baser  on a relay made to gun down the winning run at the plate last Thursday against Washington—the ASU catcher made an incredible leap and tag).

 

However, you knew nothing about those games if you read the local press. What did the Times cover yesterday?  The French Open. The NBA Finals. The NHL Stanley Cup Finals.  Soccer. Bicycle races. Golf.  and the Mets and Yankees of course, who could use some starting pitchers who go more than 6 innings and throw more than 60 pitchers. 

 

The Yanks and Mets  should sign up Washington Huskies’  Danielle Lawrie — 150 pitches yesterday in 100 degree heat in Oklahoma City – and then she pitched the second game Washington had to play three hours later and won it, 9-3, throwing another 135 pitches. And she went again Monday night. 

 

 I don’t want to hear the  flackwriters write  how tough the Met starter was in “gutting” through 6 innings with a stomach virus. Give me a break, and the best bullpen in baseball. Give me that Huskie pitcher Erin Arevalo in a tough spot any day. That was heart!

 

The Times did not even have a correspondent in Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series. Pathetic. You would think that the College Women’s World Series warranted some coverage with local New Yorkers making their mark.

 

Is there a conspiracy to prevent fastpitch softball from growing and a deliberate intent by the networks, the sports press to prevent the National Pro Fastpitch league from becoming successful by not covering it?

 

Obviously.

 

Can the NCAA and American Softball Association work with National Pro Fastpitch and promote it so this wonderful sport can grow?

 

It could, but they do not.

 

What do you think?

Tomorrow the Fastpitch Sectionals continue around the county with White Plains playing New Rochelle over on O’Donnell’s Bluff at WPHS. Come on out and see some real ball up close and personal — without paying $50 a seat and $5 for a soda.