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Council Gives JPI to June 1 to Get Jing. Mayor: City Strong
Posted on Tuesday, February 04 @ 00:49:37 EST by jfbailey
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WPCNR Common Council Chronicle-Examiner. February 3, 2003 UPDATED WITH PHOTOS: The Common Council Monday evening granted JPI, would-be developers of The Jefferson of White Plains 76 days to June 1st to pull together the $20 Million in financing they need to go ahead with their now-estimated $100 Million townhouse and luxury apartment complex at 300 Mamaroneck Avenue, demanding both copy of closing documents on the financing and a letter of credit for $500,000 to finance a Site Restoration Plan.
The council also approved the construction of a new White Plains Housing Authority Headquarters addition to 225 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, which is expected to begin construction this summer and be completed by the fall of 2004. All praised Mack Carter and the Housing Authority and the Winbrook residents and the city for working together to find a solution. "The Last Activist," Ron Jackson was credited by all speakers for being a catalyst of the community effort
AMERICA'S FAVORITE MAYOR Joseph Delfino delivered the State of the City Address and said, “It is with great pleasure that I report to you tonight that the State of our City is strong. The Mayor set an aggressive agenda for the new year, saying he would release Phase 3 of his economic development plan within two months, containing his blueprint for completing his administration’s vision of the city.<
Photo by WPCNR News
Training for "Unlikely" Terror Attack.
He said he would establish a training program to prepare public safety personnel for an “unlikely terrorist event,” begin new “outreach efforts to foster better police/community relationships,” and direct new initiatives in controlling speeding.
He said he was pleased to have hired a new Commissioner of Public Safety, Dr. Frank Straub, and his two Deputy Commissioners, David Chong and Charles Jennings, whom he said bring “tremendous expertise and professionalism to our department.”
Illegal Housing Crackdown
The Mayor said he would “expand our efforts in cracking down on illegal occupancies,” announcing that “our Building Department has been working extremely hard to address this growing problem but there is more that needs to be done.”
Mr. Delfino said he would create an Unsafe Housing Task Force, that “will combine and coordinate the efforts of our police, fire officials, building inspectors, and our law department to target illegal and unsafe housing conditions.”
In another initiative, he said he would propose legislation establishing guidelines and procedures for making new affordable housing units now being constructed available for those who qualify. He said he would “look for opportunities to encourage construction of new affordable housing.”
NYPH Talks Continue Positively.
The Mayor held out the possibility of reaching an accommodation with New York Presbyterian Hospital over acquiring parkland for the city: “I have been meeting with representatives of New York Hospital to discuss the issue of parkland. Everyone acknowledges that the hospital has no legal obligation to contribute any parkland to the City. However, in meeting with the hospital, I truly believe that the hospital is interested in our community concerns and I intend to continue my dialogue with them.”
Mayor Delfino noted his administration had finally come to a decision on bringing a cancer center to White Plains by approving the New York Presbyterian Hospital proton accelerator, biotech research project.
Legal Update
That project, incidentally, continues to be on hold while Concerned Citizens for Open Space lawsuit continues the discovery process. According to George Gretsas and sources close to the case, the discovery process is waiting on Thomas Whyatt’s response to the city’s motion to Judge Richard Mollea to dismiss the case on the grounds that Concerned Citizens for Open Space has no “standing” in the matter.
Projects All Around the Town
The Mayor said he would push for decisions on whether or not to double-deck the Waller/ Maple Avenue parking lot, and what to do about repairing City Hall. He said he was leaning towards the least costly option, repairing the heating and electrical only, but said there was no consensus.
Mr. Cappelli is Coming to Town.
Delfino predicted the city would be considering a proposal for a $300 Million hotel and condominium complex on Mamaroneck Avenue and Main Street. This will be presented Friday, it was reported by George Gretsas, the Mayor’s Executive Officer when Louis Cappelli, City Center impresario, and new owner of that site is scheduled to appear before the Urban Renewal Board.
Mayor Delfino said he expected to see proposed improvements at the Galleria Mall and at the Pavilion Mall, and said he would ride shotgun over the residential project at 300 Mamaroneck Avenue.
2002: White Plains Year of Acheivement
The Mayor ran down the list of achievements totaling $1.3 Billion in new development. In 2002 alone: Two apartments were erected at 50 Main Street, with completion this Spring; tremendous progress at the City Center, due to open in October 2003; progress on the Fortunoff’s, also scheduled to open in the fall, and completion of Clayton Park, which he described as “the first residential building to be built in the downtown since 1988.”
He closed with pointing to the new Stop & Shop store opening its doors to the public, the new Youth Bureau, the ESL for Daily Living Program, made possible through a partnership between the White Plains Public Library, the Westchester Library System and Westchester Library System.
Recreation Upgrade
In 2002, he noted recreation achievements: acquisition of the Lakefront property on St. Mary’s Lake for a lease of $1 a year, the city’s first waterfront park, and cited numerous other improvements to parks. The Mayor said the city planned to have the new Liberty Park on Silver Lake opened by the summer for boating, fishing and passive recreation.
The city’s chief executive said 2002 also saw two other key projects the city has needed get under way: renovation of the Main-Mamaroneck fountain, and the Performing Arts Theater for a cost not to exceed $7 Million, paid for bonds paid by city parking revenues, county , Federal and state dollars, and “no money will be used from City property taxes to pay for either project.”
Bouquets from Mayor Delfino
The Mayor threw out many bouquets tonight for 2002 progress. He praised the Business Improvement District for its cooperation: “This strong relationship has been invaluable and it is hard to imagine any downtown succeeding without the City and the BID working together hand-in-hand. Having looked at other cities nationally, we have found that adversarial relationships between a BID and its City are symptoms displayed by failed downtowns and I am thrilled at the example that we have set here in White Plains and I would discourage those who look to create conflict where none exists.”
He shared credit with the Common Council, magnanimously: “To my colleagues on the Common Council, I would like to once again thank you for all your service to this community. Each of you, in your own way, have put in a tremendous amount of time and effort…When we put aside partisan politics and do what’s best for our community, great things happen. When we look at each other as colleagues and not as competitors, we foster an environment of progress and positive change. And I would encourage each and every one of you to stay focused on our joint objectives without being distracted by the same handful of partisans who prefer political infighting and animonsity over progress. There is no question in my mind that if we stand united, we will continue to break new ground and flourish as a city.”
Columbia Crew Remembered
The Mayor opened Monday evening’s meeting with the White Plains Police Honor Guard salute to the perished crew of the space shuttle, Columbia. The Reverend Jacob Stukes saying a somber and appropriate Invocation.
THE WINBROOK-HOUSING AUTHORITY COALITION, celebrates the approval of the new White Plains Housing Authority on the Winbrook campus. The group includes, Bernard Arnold, far left, the architect, Al Pio, second from left, chief superintendent, (hero of the Windbrook gas pipeline leak incident), far right, Susan Habel, Commissioner of Planning, and second from right,
Mack Carter, Executive Director of the Housing Authortiy. Ron Jackson, who is recovering from an illness could not be present, but was praised by all as a key component of the compromise which made the new headquarters approval possible.
Photo by WPCNR
Employee of the Month
The Mayor recognized Vincent Longo, Senior Code Enforcement Officer of the Department of Building as Employee of the Month, a man who has lived all his life in the city, had a 30-year career in the construction business, with the last 5 years being with the White Plains Building Department. The Mayor saluted him for being the lead code enforcer on the Bank Street Commons project, Clayton Park, Fortunoff’s, and the Pace University Judicial Training Center. The Mayor praised him for “making a difference in this city” with his “excellent communications skills and congenial personality.”
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH,
Mr. Longo, taking the microphone said he had seen White Plains grow from when Mamaroneck Avenue went from two-lanes, and had five movie theaters. “It’s looking good and going to look better.” He said there was “a great bunch of people in the building department and safety is the number one priority when you come in (to the department.) I’m proud to be here to be one of them.”
Photo by WPCNR News
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