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ON WHITE PLAINS TODAY ON PEOPLE TO BE HEARD, THE COUNTY’S MOST RELEVANT INTERVIEW PROGRAM,
THE MAYOR DISCUSSES PROGRESS OF THE CITY’S NEW DEVELOPMENTS, WHAT’S NEXT AT THE WHITE PLAINS RAILROAD STATION PARCELS, RED LIGHT CAMERA PLANS THIS YEAR, THE FASNY AFFECT ON FUTURE WHITE PLAINS APPEAL, THE NEW BUDGET DIRECTOR AND MORE.
EXCLUSIVE ON PEOPLE TO BE HEARD.
ANYTIME AT
YOUTUBE
https://youtu.be/Rq5mhRODrdQ
the whiteplainsweek.com link is
http://www.whiteplainsweek.com/
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WPCNR MAMARONECK AVENUE AMBLER. JANUARY 23, 2019:
News 12 reported tonight based on interviews with residents of 86 DeKalb Avenue in White Plains, that residents of the White Plains Housing Authority Building have been suffering without heat for 3 weeks.
The reporter of the story speaking by phone to the manager of the building reported the manager said the building had a boiler problem, but had no idea when it would be fixed.
WPCNR will attempt to get a statement from the city in the morning on this situation.
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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. January 23, 2019 updated 10 P.M. E.S.T.:
The Westchester County Executive, George Latimer, this afternoon published this statement on the Con Edison decision to put a moratorium on natural gas connections to new developments in certain areas in March. Here is his statement:
“Here in Westchester County we are committed to creating an environment that is nurturing to business and development. We have learned of Con Edison’s temporary moratorium on gas service to new development, and we are concerned about this occurrence.
“However, before we draw conclusions we must learn more about the situation. We have requested a meeting with Con Edison officials and hope to bring to the table local, state and federal officials to discuss this matter. We need to understand what led to this moratorium, how the calculation for gas is made, how many customers exist in each municipality, which slated projects are in jeopardy, which are not, the duration of the moratorium, how that calculation was determined, an overview of the regulatory process, and Con Edison’s plan for developing and implementing alternative energy sources.
“We have many questions, and are expecting Con Edison will be able to shed light on this very serious prediction. We will keep the public abreast of any developments and the outcome of the meeting.”
WPCNR asked the Department of Communications if the meeting with Con Edison would be open to the press and I was advised, “No, it will not.”
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Developer says their previous contamination “findings” agree with city-commissioned private findings just released.
WPCNR NORTH BROADWAY News. WPCNR EXCLUSIVE. January 23, 2019:
WPCNR has learned that the developers of 52 North Broadway have written the Mayor’s Office proposing that the city adapt the developer’s previously proposed plan to mitigate the contaminated site upon which the developer proposes a 400-unit apartment complex overlooking the Cross Westchester Expressway.
WPCNR asked Geoff Thompson, the spokesperson for the developer, if the developer plans to ask for Common Council approval of existing plans for mitigating the project. Here is the text of Mr. Thompson’s statement given to WPCNR this afternoon.
WPCNR: Does this mean that the developer feels that putting the foundation of the garages and apartments is all that is needed to comply with the city (soil-testing firm) suggestions?
THOMPSON: The Applicant has proposed, from the outset, that in addition to having the building foundation act as a permanent cap for a portion of the area, a new geomembrane liner with two feet of clean fill on top of the liner would be installed on the remainder of the fill area.
This is consistent with methods allowed by NYSDEC at similar sites. With this remediation method, additional areas of the existing fill material would not need to be removed from underneath the buildings as the existing fill material would remain physically isolated, preventing human or environmental exposure.
WPCNR: Is the DEC going to enforce the regulations that VHB points out….and recommendations–the removal of the soil, placement of a cap and a ventilating filter to prevent escape….does the developer dispute this is necessary?
THOMPSON: The Applicant has proposed, from the outset, to include soil vapor mitigation measures in the building design to avoid the potential of vapor intrusion.
In addition, the Applicant has proposed, from the outset, to install two feet of clean soil on top of the new geomembrane liner outside of the building foundation.
All of this work will be done according to a workplan that must be approved by DEC.
It is also important to note that the data in the VHB report, which has been sent to the NYSDEC, are consistent with the results of all previous investigations of the fill area.
DEC will continue to retain jurisdiction to implement measures needed to protect human health and the environment.
WPCNR :Does the developer want the Common Council to decide in favor of your client’s solution?
THOMPSON: The Applicant hopes to engage in a meaningful conversation with the City and their consultants, as well as the NYSDEC, to develop the final remediation method for this Site during redevelopment based on the myriad data collected on this Site.
As evidenced by the VHB report, there were no conditions discovered that would indicate that the NYSDEC-approved, and previously implemented, remediation measures are insufficient.
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WPCNR NORTH BROADWAY NEWS. From a White Plains CitizeNetReporter. January 23, 2019:
The North Broadway Civic Association will discuss the recently released report of VHB, the city-engaged soil testing firm that recently completed a soil testing of the former Good Counsel property at 52 North Broadway, where a developer is planning an apartment complex of some 400 rental units (see overhead plan of the site below.
The area in dispute appears in the upper righthand corner of the property. The apartments are represented by the curved buildings .
The report finds the site is contaminated well above NYDEC acceptable levels. The North Broadway Civic Association Board will discuss the report this evening at 7:30 P.M.
The report says:
Conclusions and Recommendations Re: 52 North Broadway: Based on the results of the subsurface investigation performed by VHB (soil testing firm) and its subcontractors at the subject property, the following conclusions and associated recommendations are presented herein:
Fill Investigation: The VOC acetone was detected above NYSDEC Part 375 UUSCOs in two (2) of the 11 boring locations. SVOCs were detected at concentrations above NYSDEC Part 375 RUSCOs in four (4) of the 11 boring locations. SVOCs were detected above NYSDEC Part 375 UUSCOs in three (3) of the four (4) aforementioned boring locations. No additional SVOC exceedances were detected. Pesticides above NYSDEC Part 375 UUSCOs were detected at two (2) of the 11 boring locations. Metals were detected at concentrations above NYSDEC Part 375 RUSCOs in one (1) of the 11 boring locations. In addition, five (5) boring locations (including the aforementioned boring location) exceeded NYSDEC Part 375 UUSCOs for metals concentrations.
Based upon field observations during the Phase II ESA field activities and the corresponding laboratory data, backfill of poor quality/C&D material generated during demolition was used to fill the former athletic field. To comply with the NYSDEC’s most conservative soil criteria for residential use (UUSCOs), the existing backfill material is not considered satisfactory and it may be necessary for same to be removed from each applicable building footprint. Regardless of environmental impacts and the eventual plan for addressing the removal and/or capping of environmentally impaired soils, the generation and disposal of surplus soils should also be considered. VHB anticipates that surplus soils will likely be generated due to the proposed site redevelopment activities, and there is a potential that geotechnical specifications will require additional excavation/removal of the backfill. Off-site disposal of surplus soils should be considered due the impairments detected.
Soil Cap Sampling: No VOCs or SVOCs were detected above NYSDEC Part 375 UUSCOs in any of the three (3) soil cap sampling locations. The pesticide 4,4’-DDT was detected above its NYSDEC Part 375 UUSCO at each of the three (3) boring locations. The metals lead, zinc and/or mercury were detected at concentrations above NYSDEC Part 375 UUSCOs in two (2) of the three (3) boring locations.
PCBs were not detected at concentrations above NYSDEC Part 375 UUSCOs or RUSCOs in any of the soil cap samples. Based upon the laboratory data, impaired soil was used to cover the geomembrane. As such, VHB recommends either removing these soils in their entirety or capping them with impervious materials or a minimum of two-feet of clean cover.
Soil Vapor Sampling: Based upon the results of the soil sampling, VOCs were detected at the target depth of four (4) – five (5) feet bgs. Several VOCs were detected above the NYSDOH 75th percentile for Indoor Air concentrations.
VOC compounds were detected at actionable concentrations that are subject to the NYSDOH Soil Vapor/Indoor Air Matrices. Soil vapor samples SV-1 and SV-4 detected concentrations of VOCs that are subject to the NYSDOH “Identify Source and resample or Mitigate” category.
Considering these VOC concentrations and the proposed site redevelopment for multi-family usage, at a minimum, VHB recommends that a sub-slab soil vapor barrier be incorporated into the building design(s) for basements and/or slab on-grade construction areas above occupiable spaces. However, based upon the number of detections at the NYSDOH 25th percentile and 75th percentile, a more conservative and recommended approach for design would be the development and incorporation of an active sub-slab depressurization system(s) beneath occupiable building spaces.
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WPCNR RAILROADIN NEWS. From the Governor’s Press Office. January 22, 2019:
New Stations Will Connect East Bronx Transit Desert and Metro-North to Penn Station
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that an agreement has been reached among the MTA, Empire State Development and Amtrak that will lead to four new Metro-North Railroad stations being built along an underutilized rail line in the east Bronx with access to Penn Station.
The parties signed a memorandum of understanding allowing the project to move forward, providing a transit option and dramatically reducing commute times for many Bronx residents.
Empire State Development Corporation is going to work with the MTA to do the planning and expedition of the project, which will help unleash a new generation of economic development for the Bronx.
As part of the agreement, Amtrak and MTA will jointly study the feasibility of Amtrak running several trains daily from Long Island to Penn Station and continuing either north to Boston or south to Washington.
“Too many residents of the Bronx have been without reliable transit, which is why I proposed these new stations,” Governor Cuomo said. “With a reconstructed Moynihan Station currently underway, these four stations not only will connect the east Bronx to Manhattan’s West Side, but also build upon our ongoing efforts to fully transform our state’s transportation infrastructure.
I want to thank the Empire State Development Corporation for their assistance in the expedition of this project to unleash a new generation of economic development in the Bronx. I also want to thank Amtrak for their agreement.”
Acting MTA Chairman Fernando Ferrer said, “Bringing Metro-North service to the east Bronx is a game changer for the borough, and we have all been eager to get started. This project will significantly reduce travel times for east Bronx residents and help area businesses and institutions attract employees. This is a long-held dream of mine and hundreds of thousands of Bronxites. Needless to say, we salute Governor Cuomo’s leadership with Amtrak to let the MTA get this project moving.”
During a meeting of the MTA Board’s Metro-North Committee this morning, the committee approved the $35 million contract with HNTB New York Engineering and Architecture for preliminary engineering and design of the project, known as Metro-North’s Penn Station Access project. The full MTA Board will consider the contract on Thursday. The MTA Board’s action is contingent on a similar approval by the Amtrak Board.
The new service will bring Metro-North trains over the Hell Gate Bridge into Queens, where they will merge with the Long Island Rail Road’s route, proceeding through the East River Tunnels into Manhattan and west to Penn Station. In addition to the new stations, the project includes new tracks and switches, as well as power, signal, communication and infrastructure upgrades. The stations include:
· Hunts Point
· Parkchester/Van Nest
· Morris Park
· Co-op City
The MTA’s 2015-2019 Capital Program contains the initial investment of $695 million towards the project, including $250 million in State resources will be provided through ESD. The MTA is seeking additional funding for the project in the 2020-2024 Capital Program to complete the project.
HNTB will advance the preliminary design, while developing project schedule and construction strategies. Work will also include analysis of options for train operations along the line, finalization of track alignments, and community outreach work. In addition to the preliminary design services, the contract contains options for different construction methods.
In addition to dramatically reducing commute times of East Bronx residents, bringing Metro-North trains to Penn Station will substantially expand the labor pool for employers in the east Bronx, such as the medical complexes in the Morris Park area, and will also provide commuting opportunities for Bronx residents to work in Westchester County and Connecticut.
The MTA expects to issue a “Notice to Proceed” to HNTB within weeks, at which point work on contract services will begin. A more specific schedule for the project will be developed as design work progresses.
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AT 8:30 AM THE TEMPERATURE HAD CLUNKED 34 DEGREES IN 17 HOURS AND BY NOON TODAY IT HAD SHIVERED TO 4 DEGREES AGGRAVATED BY A SWEEPING, BLUSTERY WIND OUT OF THE NORTHWEST AT 15-20 MPH WITH GUSTS.
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County Executive George Latimer commented this morning on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. whose birthday is today:
“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is more than a day commemorating a historical figure that is remembered and quickly forgotten – it is a day where we must reflect on the challenges Dr. King overcame and his mission which we must complete. Here in Westchester, we strive to honor the legacy of Dr. King through both our words and our deeds – both in our minds and in our communities. For as Dr. King said, ‘the time is always right to do what is right.’ Now, let us all take up his mantle and strive to achieve what Dr. King dreamed.”C
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19TH YEAR ON THE AIR ON THE TRUTH ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
White Plains Week for 1-18 has been Internetted Worldwide:
youtube link is https://youtu.be/G8oyMHs4S8g
The whiteplainsweek.com link is
http://www.whiteplainsweek.com/
T
JOHN BAILEY, PETER KATZ AND JIM BENEROFE
ON
THE KATZ TAKE ON THE NORTH 60 BIOTECH COUNTY COMMITMENT
SPECTACULAR TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE
INSTANT REPLAY
MAYOR ROACH ON THE TRAIN STATION DEVELOPMENT
DR. RICCA WP SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT ON THE 4 YEAR LONG RANGE SCHOOL BUDGET PRESSURES
ON THE WHITE PLAINS SEWER SYSTEM: CAN IT ACCOMMODATE 10,000 NEW RESIDENTS IN PLANNED APARTMENTS? MAYBE? DO WE KNOW?
A TALE OF TWO ECONOMIES — WESTCHESTER COUNTY AND WHITE PLAINS. TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS
AND MORE.
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