THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. January 4, 2006. UPDATED 8:16 A.M. E.S.T.: The public hearings on the Hale Avenue Condominiums on both corners of Hale & Maple Avenues, and the Metropolitan condominium targeted for DeKalb Avenue and Maple received enthusiastic endorsement by the Carhart Neighborhood Association Tuesday evening in the first Council meeting of the new year. The Metropolitan project (89 Units) seems to be cruising for a March approval with no problems on the horizon.

Carhart President Robert Vogel said the association endorsed both projects, and praised Commissioner of Planning Susan Habel in bringing the developers and the neighbors together. Hearings on all three projects were adjourned to February 6. Approvals may very well come as early as March.

The Metropolitan with 89 Condo units in 12 stories, as it appears facing Maple Avenue (bottom of picture), and as it appears on DeKalb Avenue (top picture). Photo, WPCNR News.

The Hale Avenue condos (shown in an overhead here on either side of Hale Avenue) are not out of the woods yet.  The 57 units planned at 111 Hale and 70 in 114 Hale, both 10 story buildings dropping to six stories along both sides of Hale Ave )were put on notice by the Common Council, (speared by Rita Malmud), that the Council would look upon the Hale Avenue condos more favorably if the developer  built his affordable housing units instead of paying a “fee in lieu of.” A feature of the development is the green traffic island planned for the middle of Hale Avenue. Photo by WPCNR News.

The spokesperson for the development group, Hale LLC said that if they were able to purchase a home adjacent to the west building, which they said they were attempting to purchase for an independent appraised price from the owner, they would be more able to build the affordable housing apartments. The owner has not decided whether to take the Hale LLC offer on the house.

What does a home cost in White Plains? The lowest priced home (4 Bedroom, 1 bath) currently on the market in White Plains is on Denison Street and Orawauppum Street off South Lexington Avenue and is priced at $399,600. The highest priced home is in the Rolling Ridge Road area, priced at $2.65 Million.

During the public hearing, former Councilperson Mary Ann Keenan expressed her opinion that the approval of the Hale projects would start a real estate speculation boom in the Carhart neighborhood, one of the last “affordable” neighborhoods in the city.   In the Pinnacle hearing that followed, Mark Weingarten, spokesperson for the Ginsburg Development Group rejected Ms. Keenan’s fears, saying the city had its 2-family lot zoning to project the neighborhood against such incursions by speculators.

The Pinnacle as seen from across City Place (standing at entrance to Target). Photo, WPCNR News.

The Pinnacle presented its Draft Environmental Impact Statement showing the project as it would be constructed to the public for the first time since Martin Ginsberg had struck an accommodation with Cappelli Enterprises in June to build Louis Cappelli’s affordable housing units Cappelli owes the city for the Trump Tower and his 221 Main project. The Pin received lavish praise from the Common Council for its design, with only two residents complaining about the project. Of course, The approval of The Pinnacle has to be executed in order for Mr. Cappelli to receive his certificate of occupancy for 221 Main, so approval of that project is essentially assured.

The Pinnacle Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The project picture shows the Affordable Housing consist of 50 units at the left, and The 23 Story, 230 foot, Pinnacle condominium towers at the right. Retail lines the front of the project on Main Street. The DEIS notes only two more school children would come to the district as a result of the project, and that there would be no impact on traffic, and that it would add $2 Million in property taxes for the city and school district, and $563.000 in sales taxes.  Photo, WPCNR News.

The pungent odor of White Plains sewage floated figuratively to the surface in the course of the public comments on the Pinnacle, when Dan Seidel produced a letter quoting the Department of Public Works Commissioner  that upgrading of the Broadway and Main Street sewer line had to be executed to be able to handle the sewage from The Pinnacle.

Mayor Delfino, when asked by the CitizNetReporter what had to be done to the sewer, relining or new pipes, and what specifically Public Works Commissioner Jospeph Nicoletti recommends, the Mayor said “I don’t know, but whatever needs to be done we’ll do it. Why would you think we would build a building and not do what has to be done?”

The Pinnacle from the steps of City Hall, looking across Main Street. Photo, WPCNR News.

The affordable housing component, foreground, looking West down Main Street. Photo by WPCNR News.

The simulated White Plains skyline looking West from Westchester Avenue gateway. The Pin is the second building from right. Photo, WPCNR News.

The only issue raised by the Common Council was the one way-in, one-way-out parking setup where cars enter and exit the Pin on Main Street. Councilman Glen Hockley called the Pinnacle the most beautiful, elegant building in White Plains and suggested a ball be suspended at the top to give a permanent ball-drop device for New Year’s Eve.

WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey. January 2, 2006 (Second In a Series): The issues will be coming at the White Plains Common Council, the City School District,  and the city’s residents and new residents-to-be at a relentless pace. WPCNR continues to identify “incoming” on the city radar which will have to be dealt with in the months and years ahead.

 

 

9. South Lex Revitalization.

 

According to the Mayor the city’s West Side will be next for his latest revitalization plan, however, there is no plan, as has been stated frequently by the Mayor’s Office to this reporter. However, the property owners in that area have been approached for appraisals. Now, how will the residents of South Lexington Avenue and merchants and property owners be involved in forming that plan? After the fact? Or before the fact?

 

10. Affordable Housing.

 

The Lake Street Townhouses, the South Kensico Avenue Senior housing project, senior housing on the post office site are all interesting in that there is no movement on them at this time. More to the point, the city funded the Lake Street Townhouses and the Kensico Avenue sites with grants with no payback requirement and no performance guarantees. In the future the city can expect more affordable housing projects, but with what assurances they will be sturdily capitalized? And where will they be built? How will the population be served with shopping and educational services? What city bureaucracy will be needed to administer the awarding of the below-market rate apartments?

 

11.The School District Infrastructure & $65 Million Bond.

 

Next week, the Board of Education continues consideration of how much of their school facilities renovation and infrastructure plan (the plan is mandated by the state but implementation of recommendations is not required) they want to do. The cost has been stripped down to a “bare bones” $67.5 Million, approximately $40 million of that is earmarked for a redo or a completely new Post Road School and renovation of Loucks and Parker Stadiums. About $25 Million is earmarked for the infrastructure and expansion of the other schools in the district. The bond would add some $500 to school taxes beginning in 2007-2008. Residents should involve themselves in helping the Board make the right calls here.

 

12. 40 Story Development Parcels in the Downtown.

 

The current new zoning for the downtown core provides for limitations on heights of buildings limiting 40 story buildings to assemblages of 300,000 Square Feet. Should some developers acquire properties to string together the required square footage, the prospect of more 40-story buildings in the downtown will be a spectre the Common Council will have to consider.

 

13. Wal-Mart Impact.

 

The nation’s number one retailer is expected to open doors on Main Street in February. (It cannot come soon enough for city hall.) The question that will answer itself with no solution is whether Wal Mart will cannibalize the retail sales of Target, Macy’s and Sears, or supplement them.

 

14.    The Transit System.

 

Mayor Delfino announced in the wake of Election Night triumph that a transit system, rubber-wheeled, of course, will be the next step in the downtown. How this system is planned, operated and paid for will be a significant issue. Frequency of stops and locations of stops has to be seriously considered, otherwise, it will fail like all other transit systems in the city have failed.

 

15.    Planning White Plains.

 

In the next month or so, the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee will submit its final report to the Common Council, and the Citizens Plan Committee will weigh in saying it does not go far enough. However, the vagueness of Comprehensive Plan Review Committee efforts to date as well as the criticisms of their opponents underscores a problem. No one has said specifically, “well, we need more supermarkets, we need a park here, a school there, a mall here, an arena here,” concrete planning suggestions. It is not all about zoning or sketchy building heights. Any planning has to consider what should go here, what do we need, who is coming to live in the city – questions like that – including demographics and educational needs. Planning to date does not address this in a specific way. There is no futuristic model of the city on display.

 

16.    Housing & Population Demographics.

 

In November, 2005, according to a local realtor, the median price of a single family home in Westchester County was $711,700, up from $570,000 in 2002. The median price of a condominium was $390,000, up from $283,500 in three years. The median price of a 2 to 5 family home was $575,000, up from $380,000 in 2002. Our realtor source says the price of one-family homes in White Plains is “slowing down?”

 

Will apartments and condominiums continue to rent and sell briskly?  Will the housing prices in White Plains continue to rise? If they do not, the city tax base will be in serious trouble, necessitating substantial tax increases on residents.

 

The City School District predicts a stable student population over the next five years, but they are right at capacity now. Any demographic uptick in new students brought in by new residents (in apartments and condominiums) is going to require adjustments on the part of the school district. An ongoing demographic analysis of the city’s population changes as they happen should be considered.

 

(To Be Continued)