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)

White Plains Office Rentals “Hold Own” Up slightly in 1Q Against County Decline

Posted on April 22, 2009 by John Bailey

WPCNR White Plainsonomics. From Cushman & Wakefield. April 22, 2009: According to Cushman & Wakelfield, the office rental and leaasing specialists, the White Plains Central Business District Class-A rentals remained the highest in the county, averaging $33.81 per square foot January to March, 09, compared to $33.68 in the 4th quarter of 08. The average office rental is down 23 cents from last year at this time.

In the Non-Central Business District, rents averaged $32.05 per square foot January through March, down 10 cents from last quarter, and up 18 cents from the corresponding quarter last year. Part of the decrease in leasing activity this quarter was the reduced size of the transactions. Exemplifying this trend was the 7,575-sf lease for Dragados USA, Inc. at 140 Grand Street in White Plains.

The relatively stable White Plains office market statistic was published by Cushman & Wakefield in its first quarter 2009 report for the Westchester County commercial real estate market, showing a significant decline in new office leasing activity for Class-A space in the region. Leasing activity totaled approximately 88,645 square feet (sf) in the quarter, down from 122,078 sf in the fourth quarter 2008 and from 317,987 sf this time last year, decreases of 27% and 72%, respectively.

Available direct Class-A space in Westchester County has remained fairly steady over the last year, registering 3.5 million square feet (msf) in the first quarter, 3.4 msf available at the end of 2008 and 3.3 msf available this time last year. A total of 319,933 sf were added to the overall Class-A inventory this quarter; 187,995 sf of which was sublease space.

Overall vacancies continued to increase countywide with the vacancy rate for Class-A space registering at 19.4%; an increase from 18.3% last quarter and 17.6% one year ago. This was primarily due to a 41% increase in sublease space returned to the market from such tenants as Blue Sky Studios for 58,717 sf and Thomson Reuters for 44,566 sf.

“Although Westchester County’s tenant mix is well balanced and without the significant exposure from the recent economic events, leasing activity slowed significantly as companies reacted to the continued recession,” said Jim Fagan, senior managing director and head of Cushman & Wakefield’s Fairfield and Westchester County region. “Though still quiet compared to previous years, the most active tenants in the market are those looking to lower occupancy costs or those with upcoming lease expirations.”

Overall asking rents for Class-A space countywide at the close of the first quarter averaged $31.64 per square foot (psf) down slightly from the $31.77 psf average at fourth quarter 2008 and the $31.75 psf average at this time last year. There continues to be a large delta between asking rents and taking rents as concessions, such as free rent and tenant-improvement allowances, continue to increase, as landlords vie for the few tenants in the market for space. The result for tenants is a substantial decrease in their net effective rents.

Council Takes Up Urban Renewal Extension Thursday.

Posted on April 22, 2009 by John Bailey

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE EXAMINER. From The City Clerk. April 22,2009: An agenda has been issued for a Special Meeting of the Common Council Thursday evening, at which extension of cabaret licenses for two pubs, including one roundly criticised for rowdy patrons cluttering a neighbor-business parking lot. The Council will then take up the budgets of the Traffic Department, Recreation and Parks, and the White Plains Public Library (proposed to be cut some $640,000) and the North Street Community request for a special permit to run an assisted living facility out of the former St. Agnes Hospital, capital improvements on the Slater Center, zoning application fees. The agenda, written in the usual criptic, uninformative style City Hall is known for, also talks about discussing Winbrook Community Houses, with no further explanation. The agenda:

COMMON COUNCIL

REVISED

AGENDA

SPECIAL MEETING

April 23, 2009

6:00 P.M.

RESOLUTIONS:

1. Communication from the City Clerk in relation to a request submitted by La Colmena Restaurant Corp., d/b/a Karamba Cafe, 185 Main Street, requesting a waiver of the thirty (30) day notification requirement set forth in the New York State Alcoholic Beverage Control Law for the renewal of a liquor license.

2. Resolution of the Common Council of the City of White Plains waiving the thirty (30) day notification requirement set forth in Section 64(2)(a) of the New York Alcoholic Beverage Control Law in regard to an application submitted on behalf of La Colmena Restaurant Corp. d/b/a Karamba Cafe located at 185 Main Street for a renewal of its license to sell alcoholic beverages.

3. Environmental Findings Resolution regarding the proposed extension of the Special Permit for a Cabaret Use at 199 and 201 East Post Road on behalf of Tri-Kelly Inc.

4. Resolution of the Common Council of the City of White Plains approving the application submitted on behalf of Tri-Kelly, Inc., d/b/a Kelly’s Pub and Grill and the Thirsty Turtle for a three (3) year renewal of a Special Permit to allow the operation of a Cabaret Use at 199-201 East Post Road (Section 125.84, Block 4, Lot 3) subject to certain conditions contained herein.

DISCUSSION:

5. North Street Community, LLC – amendment to the Zoning Ordinance.

6. White Plains Housing Authority – Winbrook Community Buildings.

7. Capital Project – replace fuel pumps at Public Safety

8. Urban Renewal Central Renewal Project Plan – ten year extension.

9. Slater Center Rehabilitation – Community Development.

10. Proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance – application fees.

11. Entertainment of a motion to enter into executive session for the purpose of discussing the employment history of a particular person or persons.

12. Proposed Tax Budget of the City of White Plains for Fiscal Year 2009 – 2010 – Traffic Department, Recreation and Parks Department and White Plains Public Library.

LCOR: HERE’S NEW 55 BANK STREET PROJECT. CREDIT STILL FROZEN.582 Units on FISH

Posted on April 22, 2009 by John Bailey

WPCNR DEVELOPER NEWS. By John F. Bailey. April 22,2009: LCOR presented the new design for their now 582-unit rental housing project (previously it had been 535 units), Tuesday evening at the Planning Board. Peter Gilpatric, the LCOR executive, said that financing for the project was currently not forthcoming due to frozen credit markets, but the newly designed project was of interest to potential funding sponsors. He advised the Planning Board that Phase One would be built first which would include the southern 28-story building with seven-story parking garage.

New 28 story Buildings on Bank. Parking Facility behind proposed for 55 Bank Street.

Bird’s-eye View of Plan. Bank Street at base of picture.The “Hotel-to-come” would be built on the green portion. The brown rectangles are the footprints of the two 28-story apartments. Units, Mr. Gilpatrick said, would be built smaller especially the 2-bedrooms, making up 582-units of which 117 would be affordable housing.

The project will be presented to the Common Council next who would then refer it out to departments, Commissioner of Planning, Susan Habel said. In the new design, the garage portion of the retail-residential complex will be built to the rear of the two-building complex, which fronts on Bank Street.

The new Buildings approaching from Fisher Avenue.

In commenting on a question about the possibility of a hotel being built, Mr. Gilpatric said he did not know when that would happen and there were no immediate prospects due to the present decline in the hotel industry. He also described the present White Plains rental housingmarkets as in decline with rents being lowered and incentives being offered by landlords to lure and keep tenants. He said it was a good time to rent an apartment because the rates are lowering.

The View from Battle Hill of the new complex, looking East.

Prudential Rand Acquires Wolff Century 21

Posted on April 21, 2009 by John Bailey

WPCNR MAMARONECK AVENUE AMBLER. April 21, 2009: Prudential Rand, the White Plains realtor, WPCNR has learned, is acquiring the three remaining offices of Wolff Century 21. According to a source close to the Woff Century 21 operations, Prudential Rand will be taking over the Yonkers office and the Wolff Century21 office at 490 Mamaroneck Avenue will close, with employees moving from there to One North Broadway.