WPCNR MR. & MRS. & MS. WHITE PLAINS VOICE. February 21, 2006: In the recently made available Comprehensive Plan Review Committee Report released to the Common Council, there is an exciting sentence in Chapter V, page 26, where the Review Committee calls on the city to "Explore the feasibility of creating (a) an enclosed multi-purpose sports facility and (b) placing one or more ballfields under a dome to enable year round usage.

The Gwinnett Center in Northeast Atlanta, Georgia. This is a 10,000 seat arena, completed four years ago. It is home to college basketball and hockey teams, a minor league hockey team, and hosts numerous concerts and athletic events. It is adjacent to a conference center and arts museum. Photo, WPCNR Sports.

WPCNR has done some loose thinking and has listed some areas of the city that might accommodate just such a complex. I have listed them at the right. What does Mr. & Mrs. White Plains think?

Here's a description of the sites:

1. County Center Parking Lot: the at-grade lot now used for commuter parking across the tracks from the White Plains Railroad Station. Access via Bronx River Parkway, and Route 119...convenient to I-287. Perfect! Parking and retail complex could be built adjacent structure on the County Center parking lot on the East side of Bronx River Parkway.

2. Defino Park -- You could build a combination minor league ballpark and indoor sports arena on this site, placing parking underground. The ballfield is already laid out. Easy-on, easy-off via I-287.

Gwinnett Center Entrance. Photo, WPCNR Sports

3. White Plains High School -- With the school district experiencing a budget climb, the high school Loucks Field, baseball fields could be purchased -- and an indoor arena and all purpose ballpark built there. The indoor arena would solve the school's stated need for a new field house.

4. Saxon Woods Pool. In cooperation with the County, a portion of Saxon Woods Park could be taken for the arena, or the arena built adjacent the soccer field, parking underground, and the Saxon Woods Pool replaced with full natatorium facilities on the site. Convenient access via the Hutchinson River Parkway,  I-95.

The Gwinnett Complex, including parking. Photo, WPCNR SPorts

5. New York Presbyterian Hospital Property. The Arena could by built on the interior of the Hospital property, with parking underground. Could be a combination of indoor arena and ballpark complex. Access via I-287.

6. Transcenter Bus Station: The Bus Station currently occupies a ton of space and does nothing but serve buses. County-City could lower bus station below ground and build Arena on that site. (Perhaps with some housing...hmmmm? Louis Cappelli are you listening?)

Gwinnett Interior. Photo, WPCNR Sports

7. George Washington School Fields and Swamp. This stretch lies North of George Washington School. A juicy tract that has a great access road right off I287, already in place. Plenty of room for an Arena and ballpark complex if the swamp problem can be solved.

8. Replace Gedney Field with Covered complex and Arena. Build the Arena on Mamaroneck Avenue on the Gedney Field complex that exists now...expand the Gedney Little League field to seat 7,000 for a minor league park. Again parking, underground.

9. Eastview Fields: Build the arena on the present Eastview School Fields -- and turn Delfino Park into a Minor League ballpark with adjacent soccer field. Will revitalize the neighborhood.

10.Westmoreland Avenue Warehouse District -- This is an area of warehouses along the railroad that is a last resort kind of choice.