Morning Edition, Filed 1-31-02:Mark Schuyler has resigned from his position as Executive Director of the White Plains Downtown Business Improvement District, announcing he is moving on other fields related to special events, according to a Journal News report by Susan Elan this morning.
Harold Vogt, Director of the BID said a successor would be appointed with the responsibility of the position shifting to economic development. The ebuillient and always forthcoming Schuyler promoted various special events in his three years as Executive Director, including most recently, the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop Celebration. He also presided over the introduction of the Clean Sweep Program of cleaning the downtown streets during the day that has been greeted with enthusiasm by most downtown merchants.
CCOS Appeals for $50,000 to Contest NYPH Biomedical Plan, Issues Talking Points
Morning Edition, Filed 1-31-02, 9:00 AM EST: Concerned Citizens for Open Space, the resident organization most identified with promoting a Central Park for White Plains is appealing to its membership and the public to fund their effort to frustrate the New York Presbyterian Hospital plan to construct a biomedical research complex on its property, now coming up for stage two of its public hearing Monday evening before the Common Council.
In a mailing to its membership this week from the 18-member CCOS Board, called upon citizens to write to newspapers and the Mayor and Common Council, and providing addresses of the public officials to do so, to advocate against approving the project.
CRUNCH time
The Board’s letter called the current situation “CRUNCH time,” saying “We have reached a crucial point in our fight to preserve this precious open space in the heart of our city…if the hospital is successful, our city will be dramatically and negatively changed forever.”
The letter calls for raising $50,000 to fund CCOS efforts to obtain “legal help, expert testimony on traffic, impact on real estate values, environmental issues, the impact of a Proton Bean Accelerator and appropriate city planning,” and asks the membership to renew their dues and “add as much as possible” to the membership fee.
Son of IKEA
The two-page letter points to the successful letter-writing that lead to the defeat of the IKEA development in New Rochelle as the reason why citizens should write the Mayor and Common Council to advise against the plan. It also advises that the 1984 hospital proposal to build “a city within a city” was defeated by overwhelming numbers of persons coming to City Hall to speak out in opposition.
The letter contains an address sheet of Common Council members and the Mayor, and a two-page yellow flyer of “Talking Points” to use against the project.
TEMPERATURES HOLD, ICY CONDITIONS HOLD OFF
Morning Edition, Filed 1-31-02, 7:15 AM: As temperatures hold above freezing, The National Weather Service cautions motorists about the possibility of freezing rain-sleet-to-all-rain segue this afternoon and evening. White Plains motorists should motor with caution.
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
341 AM EST THU JAN 31 2002
THE COMBINATION OF ABUNDANT MOISTURE STREAMING IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST AND COLD HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING DOWN FROM SOUTHEAST CANADA WILL RESULT IN ON AND OFF WINTRY PRECIPITATION THROUGH THE DAY TODAY.
BERGEN NJ-EASTERN PASSAIC NJ-NORTHERN WESTCHESTER NY-ROCKLAND NY- SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER NY-
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUES THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT…
OCCASIONAL SLEET IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE DAY TODAY. THE SLEET MAY MIX WITH SOME RAIN THIS AFTERNOON. BY TONIGHT…THE ATMOSPHERE SHOULD WARM ENOUGH SO THAT THE SLEET CHANGES TO ALL RAIN.
HOWEVER…THERE MAY BE POCKETS OF FREEZING RAIN EARLY TONIGHT WHICH WILL RESULT IN VERY SLIPPERY CONDITIONS LOCALLY. PLEASE EXERCISE CAUTION BOTH TODAY AND TONIGHT.
Scarsdale Planners Raise Key Questions On Senior Housing
DRIVE TIME EDITION filed 1-30-02, 2:45 PM: The Scarsdale Planning Board raised tough questions Monday evening about the nature of the Realm LLC proposed seniors project planned for a 7-acre “wooded and wetlanded” site adjacent to the Ethical Culture Society of Westchester property off Saxon Woods Road.
Realm LLC is now responding to the Scarsdale Planning Board queries.
According to reports from WPCNR correspondents observing the meeting, the Scarsdale Planning Board members followed a line of questioning following issues raised by the City of White Plains officials when the matter was before the same board last year.
PROPOSED SENIORS HOUSING OR NURSING HOME SITE OFF SAXON WOODS ROAD: Realm, LLC is proposing a 300-unit senior citizen complex, the nature of which is yet unclear, for this 7-acre section in Saxon Woods. The Mamaroneck River and bridge in the right foreground of the picture are in the City of White Plains. An entrance road and water and electrical connections would go through this area to access and power up the site. The property beyond the Mamaroneck River, is in Scarsdale, subject to Scarsdale zoning.
Photo by WPCNR
Observers at the meeting in Scarsdale Town Hall Monday described the meeting as a “work session.” The public was not allowed to comment. The procedure followed was Elizabeth Marrinan, Village Planner, “went around the room,” asking the planning board members if they had questions for the developer, Realm, LLC.
Nature of Who Would Own Facility Raises Tax Questions.
One member raised the issue of who would actually own the site, Realm or the Jewish Nursing Home & Hospital, whether it is a franchise or an outright ownership. Another question raised was the tax status, whether it is nonprofit, or is simply private senior multi-unit housing, which is not permitted, according to our source by Scarsdale zoning code.
The WPCNR observer commented on the significance of the planning board member’s question: If it is a nursing home and a nonprofit, he said then it requires permits from the state. He said, Realm representatives are on record as stating that the facility needs no permits from the state to operate. Our reporter says this raises the issue of whether the Scarsdale Zoning Code considers a senior housing complex (for profit), or assisted living complex, as a nursing home (non-profit). Our knowledgeable reporter familiar with Scarsdale zoning observed to us that if the complex is a nursing home, this means the “Senior Mystery-Housing” does need permits from the State Department of Health to operate.
ROUGH SKETCH OF SITE SHOWING LOCATION OF SENIOR MYSTERY HOUSING: This sketch was presented to the Ethical Culture Society of Westchester (7 Saxon Wood Road) last year, by Realm, LLC, when Realm approached the Society to build a pedestrian walk to the bus stop on Mamaroneck Avenue. Mamaroneck Avenue is at the bottom of the sketch. The Ethical Culture Society reports to WPCNR that Realm owns the home on the proposed site.
Photo by WPCNR
Planning Board Notes Utilities Come From White Plains, Wants Update on Realm’s Progress with City.
Our source said that another planning board member asked about Realm contacting the City of White Plains for the permits needed to supply water and electricity to the complex, and that this needs to be addressed by Realm. Another matter is the need to widen Saxon Woods Road to accommodate the traffic to the complex, which was recommended by White Plains Traffic Commissioner Ted Gammon.
No Site Plan has Been Presented to White Plains
As of Tuesday, according to WPCNR information, Realm has not started the formal application process, which includes a site plan, for the 14 building and construction permits required from the City of White Plains.
Realm has been in contact twice on related matters involving the flood plain in the area connected with The Living Word church site, and engineering protocols involving application procedures.
ETHICAL SOCIETY HOPEFUL OF PRESERVING TREE LINE: Here is the view from the Ethical Society of Westchester property line looking into the proposed construction site. An Ethical Society spokesperson said the Society was hopeful Realm could preserve the pine tree grove that serves as a natural buffer to the Realm “Senior Mystery Housing” proposal. The Society source said the 7-acre site is filled with rocky crags, some wetlands and is heavily wooded. The spokesperson said, the Society has no problem with Realm building the project.
Photo by WPCNR
The Process Continues
According to our CNR correspondent, the next step in the process will find Realm responding to the questions of the Scarsdale Planning Board, the lead agency on the project. The Scarsdale Planning Board, supposing their questions are answered will most likely move to approve the Final Environmental Impact Statement, and then, they have a choice of granting approval conditionally on working things out with White Plains or rejecting the project.
Village Planner of Scarsdale, Elizabeth Marrinan, told WPCNR Monday evening she would forward an official listing of the Planning Board’s concerns Realm is being asked to address before the Final Environmental Impact Statement is approved.
Planning Department of White Plains On Highest Level of Alert.
The Planning Department of the City of White Plains has issues concerning the sliver of the site that is within White Plains. This is the area from the Mamaroneck River to Saxon Woods Road. The Planning Department of White Plains considers it as environmentally sensitive, involving wetlands and the ecology of the Mamaroneck River. The proposed use for which the road gaining entry to the proposed complex, whatever its nature, violates White Plains Zoning, which does not permit either nursing homes or multi-unit housing on the site.
Westchester County Does Not Have Site In Mind for Open Space Acquisition.
WPCNR asked the Westchester County Communications Office if the Saxon Woods site was being considered for open space acquisition as part of the County on-going initiative to preserve natural areas. We were informed the site was “not on the radar scope at this time,” but that the county is standing by whenever a community requests its aid in preserving open space.
Suggested for Acquisition by County According to Website Open Space Acquisition List
In checking the Westchester County website, today, WPCNR discovered that Westchester County has listed a 2 to 7 acre site in Scarsdale in Saxon Woods as a likely target for acquisition for preservation. The site is on the list as “suggested” sites for county consideration, sent in by residents, according to the Communications Office.
On the county website, a resident of the Saxon Woods area gives a vivid description of the only 2 to 7 acre site he knows existing in this area and he describes the Realm-targeted property. The comment may be viewed at www.westchestergov.com, by clicking on the Open Space Acquisition button.
A spokesperson for the Communications Office, Donna Green, said the site had been suggested originally by the Ethical Culture Society a number of years previously, however, there has been no communication from either White Plains or the Village of Scarsdale to the county suggesting the County seriously consider acquiring it for open space inventory since then.
Photographs taken for this report were executed from the Ethical Society Property with permission.