WPCNR CITY HALL TICKER. September 7, 2007:  No developer has, of yet, responded to the Request for Proposals as of Friday, according to Paul Wood, the Executive Officer of the City of White Plains in an official statement  released at 6:30 PM this evening to the media, "and they are not likely too," in light of the public announcement of four White Plains Councilpersons today, Wood said.

Paul Wood, White Plains Executive Officer for Mayor Joseph Delfino, asked if city hall would extend the deadline (past September 30), Wood  responded in an e-mail: "There is no point in telling them not to respond or to extending the deadline." Wood told WPCNR he would fax the list of developers who were sent the RFQ Monday.

The city hall statement is a reaction to the published policy statement of Councilpersons Benjamin Boykin, Rita Malmud, Thomas Roach and Dennis Power made public in the press today which stated publicly the four councilman would oppose the RFQ and end the procedure as soon as possible. The statement makes the case that the RFQ is needed to fund any study the city would do to determine the possibility of development potential in the Metro-North Station vicinity in White Plains. Wood also laments "we may have missed the boat." He also adds Mayor Joseph Delfino is very dissappointed the councilmembers chose to make this public without informing the Mayor of their feelings.

Mr. Wood is reacting to the surprise letter to the White Plains Times from the four councilmembers which appeared today vowing to kill the Request for Qualifications procedure initiated by the City August 27.

Here is Mr. Wood's statement on behalf of the Mayor of White Plains:

The City issued an RFQ after extensive questioning from Councilmembers Boykin, Roche, Malmud and Power regarding the development potential of the transportation center area.  If there is no interest in developing the area, why are they so concerned about what could be built?

When the Council was prepared to turn down the previous proposal offered by Louis Cappelli, the resounding sentiment was that there should be "competition" for the right to develop there.  The RFQ seeks to address both of those issues WITHOUT having to have the taxpayers fund the necessary studies estimated at about $3 million (or a 10% tax increase) to determine the development capacity of the area in question. 

Unless a developer is willing to pay for the studies, the taxpayer will have to.  It is insidious to try to develop a plan for the area without knowing what the capacity capabilities are.  In response to the insinuation that this is somehow a wolf in sheep's clothing, that's shear (get it?) nonsense. No one has responded to the RFQ, and considering the 4 council members recent comments, I doubt anyone is likely to now. 

So, that's where we are today.  Interesting to note that New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Yonkers and Stamford Connecticut all recently unveiled plans to develop their transit station areas with office and housing projects. 

Considering the change in financing and market conditions, we may have missed the boat this time around.  I can only say the Mayor was extremely disappointed that these council members expressed their negativity regarding RFQ's so publicly without the courtesy of informing him. 

Again, if there is no interest in developing the area, why did Councilmen Boykin and Power and President Rita Malmud request information regarding the development potential of the area.  You'd also think that sending out an RFQ to 22 developers and announcing it would certainly invite "competition?" 

The RFQ would simply answer the question of which developers would be interested in putting up $3 million to do the necessary studies.  It does not ask for proposals, it does not seek ideas, it simply asks are you capable of putting up the $3 million to do the studies and are you an accomplished developer/builder.

Some one or a group would then be selected to work with the City to develop a proposal for the area that conforms to what the capacity for the area is - period.  There is an timeline included to invite citizen participation in the process so that it would be a very public process.  Since I doubt anyone is now going to be willing to invest the $3 million based on their comments, the taxpayer will have to pay or nothing will happen there.  Those are the only alternatives.