WPCNR GREEN GAZETTE. By John F. Bailey. January 30, 2007: Mayor Joseph Delfino announced today the city will be purchasing a 4.5 acre strip of woodlands between Sunset Drive and county parkland in Woodcrest Heights for $1.575 Million. Executive Officer Paul Wood said the purchase may be funded partially by a combination of the $792,032 remaining in the city Public Space Acquisition Fund, with bonding for the rest or a cash payment. The decision on how to fund all of the purchase has not been decided.

The Greico Property Looking West. Photos WPCNR NEWS

The Mayor also announced the appointments of Councilmen Glen Hockley and Arnold Bernstein to head the city Open Space Acquisition Advisory Committee to seek out other properties to acquire in the city. Mayor Delfino expressed satisfaction that the five properties the previous committee had identified had all now been acquired (at a cost, Paul Wood, Executive Officer said of about $5 Million).

Mayor Joseph Delfino Announcing the White Plains Latest "Buy" on the Open Space Market. Glen Hockley, is at left, behind Mayor Delfino are Isabel Villar and Eli Schonberger, and  Matthew Shurtleff of The Trust for Public Land which negotiated the $1.575 Million purchase, and Councilman Arnold Bernstein.

The city decided to pursue the purchase of the property after a contractor’s agreement with the Greico property expired and that was when the Trust for Public Land was contacted and authorized to negotiate with the Greico family for the land. Since 2000, the tract has been the target of developers attempting to build approximately 15 homes on the property.

The Greico Property sits in back of Sunset Drive in Woodcrest Heights.

Paul Wood, the Executive Officer, told WPCNR there were no plans to develop the about-to-be-acquired parkland for public use, describing its purpose as “to remain passive open space.”

Hockley and Bernstein New Open Space Acquisitors

The Mayor announced he was appointing Councilmen Glen Hockley and Arnold Bernstein to the Open Space Acquisition Advisory Committee to analyze city open space and target new acquisitions. Bernstein speaking to WPCNR which has heard strong rumors as yet unconfirmed that a local golf course within the city is negotiating, was asked if golf courses might be considered, and Bernstein said he was not familiar with the economics of golf courses, but said the committee would be considering the city as a whole and “taking a look at what’s (space) is available.”

The Mayor pointed to a chart noting this completed his plan for acquiring key open space tracts targeted by the previous Open Space Committee Team had been completed with the acquisition of the Grieco property being the crowning piece. The properties total 45 acres and include the jewel announced today, the Grieco piece, the Dellwood (Dairy) property, the Pettinichi piece, D’Elia and Mindich properties (adjacent the Greenway).

Railside Not Under Consideration for Acquisition

Glen Hockley, taking the podium, digressed to discuss the Railside Avenue lot that he said was preserved at the request of the neighbors through his efforts and that of the Common Council. Hockley also said the Open Space Acquisition Advisory Committee would be working with neighbors to groom that “buffer” property adjacent the Greenway in a way that would be acceptable to the neighborhood. Behind Mr. Hockley is Matt Shurtleff (in white shirt), of The Trust for Public Land, negotiators of the city deal for the Greico property. Shurtleff said, "Over the years, White Plains has shown a strong commitment to open space for its citizens and we expect they will continue to display continued leadership in the future."

City Negotiates with 2 Buyers for 8 Railside Properties.

The Mayor through the conference open to questions from the press. WPCNR asked if all the properties sold on Railside Avenue had been paid for by the prospective buyers. The Mayor said they had not been all paid for, that only two buyers had paid for the lots they had purchased WPCNR asked if the city would consider keeping them for Open Space. the Mayor said the city was in negotiations with two buyers for the remaining  properties not yet purchased officially. The Mayor said approximately $3 million was budgeted for sale of these properties in the budget, and that was why negotiations were continuing to find new buyers for the properties previous buyers had presumably backed out of.

Wood said the 4.5 acres of the Greico property was assessed at $4,725 and paid city taxes of  $627 a year.

Wood also said the Trust for Public Land had not been asked to approach the New York Presbyterian Hospital to negotiate for land for the city because of the high cost of the Presbyterian Hospital, a minimum of $78 Million. He also said the NYPH was not willing to sell the property at this time.

A White Plains Wild Turkey Celebrates today  that his habitat in Woodcrest Heights is no longer at the mercy of developers. The Turkey is shown above the Silver Lake.