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WPCNR THE DEVELOPER NEWS. From North Street Community. April 2, 2009 UPDATED 12:30 A.M. E.D.T. April 3: North Street Community announced today that it has signed a joint venture agreement with The Engel Burman Group to develop an assisted living community at the former St. Agnes Hospital in White Plains.

Dean Bender, spokesperson for North Street Community told WPCNR Thursday evening construction was planned to begin on the former hospital building renovation in late fall or winter of this year.

The Engel Burman Group is a full service real estate company that owns, constructs and manages industrial, office, retail and residential properties throughout the eastern seaboard of the United States. The privately held company developed and operates The Bristal Assisted Living communities with locations in Westbury, East Meadow, North Hills, Massapequa, Lynbrook and North Woodmere, New York.

“We are excited about the opportunity to convert St. Agnes Hospital into a first-class assisted living community providing a much needed service to the residents of White Plains and the surrounding areas,” said Jan Burman, President of The Engel Burman Group.

North Street Community’s plan calls for adaptively redesigning the 150,000-square-foot former main hospital building into an assisted living community with a separate area for those residents with memory loss associated with dementia.

“We are very pleased to have a company of this caliber, financial strength and senior housing experience as our joint venture partner in the development of this important new community. Engel Burman’s reputation for excellence in the development and daily management of assisted living facilities is unsurpassed,” said Alfred Caiola, a principal in North Street Community.

In addition to developing the assisted living units, North Street Community plans to build 335 independent living condominiums for those 60 and older. Set in a quiet, wooded area adjacent to the city’s downtown, four residential buildings and an expansive club building will be inter-connected by all-season pedestrian walkways. The club will offer a wide range of amenities for residents including a lap pool, spa and various dining venues. Parking will be provided in below-ground garages.

North Street Community is currently renovating a 72,000-square-foot building on the campus into a state-of-the-art medical office complex called the Westchester Medical Pavilion. The company is investing more than $4 million in enhancing and upgrading the four-story building. Approximately 40 percent of the building is already occupied by medical related tenants. 

The North Street Community acquired the St. Agnes property in 2004.  Its redevelopment plan for the site was approved in 2007.

WPCNR QUILL & EYESHADE. By John F. Bailey. April 2, 2009: Jeffrey Gloak of the New York State Department of Real Property Services confirmed to WPCNR Wednesday that  Basic and Enhanced STAR Exemptions will continue to reduce homeowners assessment exemptions, costing White Plains homeowners under 65 $250 more in taxes and White Plainsians over 65, $407.

The legislature took out the STAR Exemptions from the enacted budget now being considered by Albany, Gloak confirmed. He said  the Basic and Enhanced STARS would continue to reduce homeowners assessment exemptions subject to property tax by 11%, affecting the 152,000 Westchester homeowners.

WPCNR was told today by the Office of Real Property Services that another cut in the key STAR Exemptions is included in the Paterson-Silver-Smith state budget agreed upon over the weekend. The STARS are the fifth tax increases  that taxpayers face next year. The STAR Exemptions, despite what Fred Seiler said Monday evening, are being cut again by 11%, not 18% as was originally in Governor Patterson’s budget, but still hiking the White Plainsian’s property tax to help fund their school district’s own state aid.

The restoration in district school aid  of $2 Million to White Plains  is being partially paid for again by the White Plains taxpayer because in the final Albany budget, the STAR BASIC EXEMPTION and STAR ENHANCED EXEMPTION ( the allowance deducted off your home assessment) is being reduced another 11% lowering your exemption from $3330 to $2,964  if you’re  under 65, and for those over 65 qualifying for the Enhanced Exemption it descends  $6,500 to $5,785.

The 11% cut in the exemption raises the BASIC STAR homeowner Property Tax on a $650,000-$700,000 home in White Plains $250.   The cut in the ENHANCED STAR (available only to persons over 65 earning under $73,000 a year ) raises your property tax an additional $407. The cut in the exemptions courtesy of the state legislature, is the fifth tax increase the White Plains homeowner and those across the state will face next year.

The five increases are: the County Property Tax (2.4%), The School Tax Increase (2.4%), the City Tax Increase —unless the city budget is cut from this year’s $161.7 Million, the takeaway of the STAR Rebate, and the cut in the STAR EXEMPTIONS.

Mr. Gloak said that 152,000 Westchester County homeowners are eligible for STAR Exemptions, and seniors over 65 make up 24,000 of those 152,000 owners. Gloak said Westchester BASIC  STAR Exemptionees save an average of $1,750 in property taxes thanks to STAR Exemptions, and seniors eligible for  ENHANCED STAR receive an average  $3,100 in tax savings thanks to STAR.

Gloak said Westchester County is Number 1 in the state by far in average STAR savings because of its high property values. The next closest county is Nassau at $1,095 and $2,040. Albany county by contrast is $560 and $1,000 respectively.