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WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. July 8, 2008: Last night the Common Council voted to extend the site plan for the 240 Main Street 42 units of affordable housing to April 9, 2009, giving Cappelli Enterprises another nine months to complete the project. The resolution was careful to say “does not supersede  (et al.) the Applicant’s obligation to complete the construction of the twenty-four (24) affordable units attributable to the 221 Main Street Project by August 6, 2008.”

The Council deigned to vote on the resolution to license the Ritz Traffic Island to Cappelli Enterprises as that matter was still in litigation with Supreme Court Judge Susan Cacace, voting to table the licensing compromise, pending the Cacace judgment.

In other action, the Council approved tax certiorari refund settlements for a series of  Mamaroneck Avenue property owners for the last four years, the proclaimed era of “the White Plains Renaissance,” totaling $236,795, which will mean an approximate $950,000 refund from the White Plains City School District (every $1 in city tax refunds, generates $4 in school tax refunds). The settlements and corresponding assessment reductions have already been deducted from the tax roll and will not result in any reduction in the tax roll next year according to City Assessor Lloyd Tasch.

Silverman 237 LLC, 235-237 Mamaroneck Aveue,  $51.229, refund; $118,300 reduced assessment;  Silverman 245 LLC, 245 Mamaroneck Avenue, $3,405.30 refund; $8,000 reduced assessment;

Silverman 222 Mamaroneck Avenue LLC, 222 Mamaroneck Avenue, 56 Waller Avenue,  $44,498.55 refund; $98,980 reduced Assessment and  56 Waller Avenue, $1,584.87 refund;  $3,520 reduced assessment.

The reduced assessments totaled $228,800 for the Silverman holdings, the refund $100,718.

48 Mamaroneck Avenue LLC (48-62 Mamaroneck Avenue),  received a $34,072.25 refund; $85,000 Assessment Reduction.

76 Mamaroneck Avenue LLC (64-86 Mamaroneck Avenue), received a $25,463.60 refund; $60,000 reduced assessment.

Post 180, LLC (180 East Post Road) was granted a $14,375.20 refund; a $35,000 Assessment Reduction.

144 Mamaroneck Avenue LLC (142-146 Mamaroneck Avenue), a $4,982.01 refund, $7,500 assessment reduction.

110-122 Mamaroneck Avenue LLC,  a $7,850.05 refund, a $20,000 assessment reduction.

Broadmar Company LLC,  277 Martine Avenue, a $53,812.80 refund (dating back through 2002-2003) and a $95,000 assessment reduction.

In other action,  requests for site plan extensions for the Kensington Assisted Living Apartments and North Street Community senior condominiums  were referred out to departments.

A total of $100,000 was added to the TransCare EMS contract to ease the higher cost of fuel for the ambulance service.

Lamb & Barnosky, LLP was hired as counsel for labor negotiations for the city at a cost of $158,000.

$1,500,000 in bonds was approved for Water main extension  connecting the city’s pump stations at Central Avenue and Orchard Street.

$125,000 in bonds was approved to improve Chatterton Playground, including new playground equipment, fencing, safety surfaces and walkways was authorized. Another $50,000 in bonds was approved for rehabilitation work at Slater Center, replacement of steps, retain walls and installation of handicap accessible entrance doors.

The Council also authorized $301,065 from the Reserve for financing to pay for repairs to city hall when a water pipe burst on December 3, 2007, submerging the city hall boilers and electric system, as well as storm damage to 140 South Kensico Avenue and the upper level of White Plains Public Library. Approximately 1/3 of the $301,065 was overtime and payroll costs.

Signage for the Burlington Coat Factory was approved.                                                                                                

And finally the Department of Parking reported an additional $884,000 in revenues will be collection from “surplus revenues in the area of parking meter fees, permit fees, towing/scofflaw fines, parking meter bags and cashkey revenue /sales. The Department projects it will collect $19,986,000 for Fiscal Year 2007/2008, just ended.

Vintage was granted a Special Permit  to operate another three years.

Elements Restaurant was granted a Special Permit for rooftop dining at 161 Mamaroneck Avenue.

WPCNR THE BUILDING NEWS. By John F. Bailey July 7, 2008 UPDATED 3:25 P.M. EDT: The Kensington, a 91-unit assisted living senior apartment complex expected to share the new  $19 Million Longview Avenue Municipal Parking Garage expected to be complete any day now is seeking additional financing according to a letter from the developer, Fountain Square Properties, LLC., of Reston, Virginia, delaying that project indefinitely. Development could begin in February, a principal told WPCNR Monday afternoon, pending HUD participation.

North Street Community, the developers of a 324-unit condominium project, which was approved one year ago, requested an extension of one year, too, in a referral contained in this evening’s information packet furnished the media and Common Council.

Longview Avenue Muncipal Garage, July 2, viewed from Cromwell Place, foreground.  It awaits use by White Plains Hospital Medical Center, on the first three floors. The hospital, according to a spokesperson has not set a date when hospital visitors can use the garage, and that the city has not turned the garage over for their usage yet. The Kensington would be built in the front of the parking garage

The Kensington appearts to blame both rising costs and the city for preventing their starting the project last year,  in their letter requesting an extension, writing :”WPK (White Plains Kensington) has recently received construction bids and has seen construction costs increase by approximately $3,000,000 over estimates at the time of initial project approval.”

The letter signed by Harley Cook, Dan Gorham and David W. Faeber, Managing Member of Fountain Square Development, LLC  reveals the developers are seeking public financing for the project: “the national markets, especially real estate finance, have experienced unforeseen turmoil and distruption. The conventional construction financing market is all but shut down. In light of these factors, WPK has had to pursue financing from the HUD 232, which is especially for assisted living communities. WPK has met with HUD’s New York office, and with the Mayor and City staff to initiate the process…”

David Faeber, the Managing Member, speaking to WPCNR Monday afternoon from Reston, Virginia,said equity has been raised for the project and that HUD is being asked to pay for the construction costs of the project. He declined to say at this time how much the project would cost, because his company was still working out the numbers. He said that  due to the state of the financial markets, they had decided to seek HUD’s help with the construction.

He said his company was still very excited about the project and fully expected an answer from HUD in January. He envisioned starting the project weather permitting at that time.

Asked if the project would cost $40 Million, Faeber said, “North of there.”

The letter in the information packet provided the Common Council states “The HUD office has informed us that they expect their process to take until January 2009 to complete.”

The letter also discloses that the city asked Kensington to delay its acquisition of the project  site “to allow the City to use the project site (fronting Maple Avenue) for crane staging for the construction of the Longview Municipal Parking Garage.”

Readers of WPCNR will remember, the positioning of the Longview Garage on the site had to be turned horizontal to Maple Avenue, due to unforeseen water table problems encountered in original borings. This necessitated the White Plains Kensington project to be taken off  fronting Cromwell Place, and to front on Maple Avenue instead.

County Department of Public Works Delays North Street Community Job

In the other site plan extension referral, North Street Community, in a letter from its attorney Paul Bergins, notes “Since the adoption of the Resolution, North Street Community LLC has complied with all the time-sensitive conditions of the Approval Resolution, except that approval from the Westchester County Department of Public Works for work required in North Street, a County road, has not yet been received and is pending.”

The letter from attorney Bergins also notes asbestos abatement related to the buildings to be demolished has begun, and the developer “has been negotiating with potential operators of the assisted living component of the project.”

The developer, North Street Community, commissioned a realtor that has been sifting potential partners in developing the property with North Street Community since last August.