WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. February 6, 2007 UPDATED 3:42 PM: The New York Presbyterian Hospital is now open to all options for its vacant land in the heart of White Plains and is looking for ideas, according to an official statement released by the Hospital this afternoon. Geoffrey Thompson released the following NYPH reaction to the council-kill of its proton accelerator-bio lab project last night to WPCNR today:

"New York Presbyterian Hospital is disappointed by the White Plains Common Council’s 4-3 vote against renewal of the permit to create new laboratory and medical facilities at its Westchester Division campus.  The Hospital will now review all options regarding possible future uses of the property."  

The "former" Proton Accelerator-BioLab Site  (previously the NYPH golf range)  Freed up for "other options" by Council Kill Vote last night demonstrated by TheCitizeNetReporter in May, 2002.  Photo, WPCNR News Archive.

The Proton-Accelerator and Biomedical Lab project (awaiting construction to begin for 5 years)  died early this morning at 12:15 AM, when the Common Council voted 4-3 to "take it off life support," in the words of Councilman Benjamin Boykin. Rita Malmud, Thomas Roach and Dennis Power all voted not to extend the hospital extension request, with Mayor Delfino, Arnold Bernstein and Glen Hockley voting to extend. The four councilpersons voting to deny cited the hospital lack of appearance to inform the council on the future of the project as being the main reason for not granting the extension. Ms. Malmud called their reluctance to discuss the status of the project "a farce." 

In an instant replay of the decision to sell Railside properties one year ago, the Council voted 4-3 to sell lots on Railside Avenue, with Councilman Benjamin Boykin casting the deciding vote to resell the lots to Voss Builders (who had purchased one lot previously)  for $1.7 Million. Mayor Delfino, Councilmen Hockley and Bernstein joined Mr. Boykin in reselling the properties against an impassioned parade of persons who pleaded, cried and emotionally tried to sway the council not to sell the lands a second time. Their efforts were ignored.

Corporate Counsel Edward Dunphy defended the right of the city to resell the land without public bidding as being a discretionary right of the city real estate committee according to the charter.

The Mayor blamed the withdrawal of previous buyers on the press, though Executive Officer Paul Wood said Monday afternoon that the buyers withdrew because the city refused to test the land for toxicity (due to possible contamination from the TCE-contaminated dump adjacent the property).

In other action, the North Street Community hearing was held open until the next council meeting on March 5. Developer Alfred Caiola repeated his stance that North Street Community has done all it can do to downsize the project. Opposition continued from Wyndham Close the neighborhood closest to the former St. Agnes Hospital development, with numerous persons continuing the rallying cry that the 332-unit condominium senior citizen project was "too high, too big, too dense." Several citizens -- Robert Stackpole, Dan Seidel, Marc Pollitzer -- warned the city that created a Senior zone on the property was setting a dangerous precedent. Paul Bergens speaking for the North Street Community rendered the opinion that the ordinance creating the district was a one-time piece of legislation that, unlike a Special Permit, did not retain the same precedent-setting possibilities of granting a Special Permit.

The Bank Street lot reclassification of the commuter lots paving the way for a reported $16 million plus city land deal with LCOR was not opened and held over until March 5