WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL-CHRONICLE EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. January 24, 2008: At the Common Council work session last night, the Ritz Carlton Island in the middle of Renaissance Square moved closer to being acquired by Cappelli Enterprises for about $18,000. The Council was assured by Corporation Counsel Edward Dunphy that the city would not have liability in the event of an accident if the Cappelli organization owned the property, however a lease arrangement of the property with the city retaining ownership would hold the city accountable in the event of a mishap.
Bruce Berg of Cappelli Enterprises demonstrating the Ritz Carlton Traffic Island on Renaissance Square. Corporation Counsel Edward Dunphy's explanation appeared to tilt the council towards coming down on the side of selling the strip to the developer. Still to be ironed out would be whether the Cappelli organization would have to alter the design of the Ritz Island, changing the “mountable curb” to a standard White Plains “curb.”
The Cappelli organization maintains the curb was built to city specifications approved by the Department of Public Works at the time of the Island construction The item is expected to be agended at the February 4 Council meeting, should a resolution of the curb conumdrum be arrived at in discussion with Traffic Commissioner Tom Soyk.
Other items of interest found the council hearing a presentation by Westchester Jewish Family Services for a group home for six female mentally disabled, but mobile residents on Barton Road. The city, must within 30 days file a letter of intent to contest the location based on three criteria, either overconcentration of group homes in the area, concern over changing the character of the neighborhood, or lack of need. The Council has no jurisdiction in the matter.
The council also was briefed on Con Edison “coal tar” remediation in the vicinity of Water Street and learned that the Archdiocese was in negotiations with a buyer to sell a portion of their property on the St. John’s Church compound, according to John O’Toole, the Con Edison spokesperson. The Archdiocese closed the St. John’s school on their property two years ago.
Bruce Berg of Cappelli Enterprises advised the Council his company would be installing a new heating system in the air rights apartments which awaits approval possibly on the February 4 Council meeting. Berg explained the new heating combining electric with hot water heat a PETAC unit based system would make the heating more economical that the previously planned all-electric system. Berg said the Cappelli organization would build the 41 units of affordable housing on time, but reserved comment on where, saying he wanted to reserve flexibility as to whether the 41 “affordable” would be all in the 8-story building on 241 Main which they have approval for, or whether 24 would be in the Air Rights Building. Berg tantalized the media by alluding to the possibility of a more creative solution to the affordable housing obligation the Council might like better that he hinted could be introduced in the future.
It was announced by the Commissioner of Planning that details of the Common Council proposal to raise the number of affordable housing units required in any new multiple dwelling residential projects to 10%, together with higher buyout fees, had not yet been referred out to departments but would be on the February 4 Council meeting. Councilman Benjamin Boykin said in response to a WPCNR query that though the economy was soft at this time, the council was looking long term and that it was his opinion the 10% Ratio called for by the new policy was important to move forward, despite the present economy. Boykin told WPCNR that a more serious threat to development was financing. He said his former colleagues in financial circles had told him that no one was getting financing for major projects from leading capital sources for the last six months.
The council also saw the exterior materials for the 55 Bank Street LCOR 20% affordable housing project. The council found no problem with this routine presentation. The final construction approval of this pre-approved deal (committed to when the council agreed to sale of the commuter parking lot for $16 Million last spring) is expected in February. C ounsel for LCOR, Bill Null said he expected LCOR to go out for financing after approval. The city Urban Renewal Agency stands by as the financier of last resort in this project, and retains the ability to finance the $250 Million project with municipal bonds, expected to be issued as closely hold bonds which LCOR would be responsible for distributing.
