Solomon-Schechter Watch:
Mayor Delfino to meet with Headmaster this week;
Headmaster personally directs traffic at controversial dismissal time;
Trustees to ponder Headmaster's report Tuesday evening.
Dellwood & Morgan Place February 28, 2000
School was back in session at Solomon-Schecter School today. Local residents were impressed with the Solomon-Schechter effort to dissuade parents from picking up students before 3:45 PM.
At approximately 3 PM, according to residents, the Headmaster of Solomon-Schechter, Dr. Elliot Spiegel was standing at the entrance to the school parking lot. He lent his presence and authority to the efforts of two Schechter PTA members who were advising early arriving parents to drive on and not park on Morgan Place and Elmwood.
A resident observing the traffic action reports to WPCNR that each driver approaching the school entrance before 3:45 PM was asked by one of the women not to park and line up on the street, and told to drive on. This resident reports that some of the drivers then proceeded to park on cross streets between Elmwood and Dellwood Road: Fernwood, Cloverwood and Birchwood. The WPCNR source says lines of parked cars were not a problem today, but she felt very sorry about the abuse the PTA volunteers were taking from the drivers turned away.
Trustees ponder enforcement plan Tuesday night
Dr. Spiegel, earlier Monday, told WPCNR he would be meeting with the trustees of the Solomon-Schechter School Tuesday night to report on his meeting with Traffic Commissioner Ted Gammon last Thursday morning. He said he could not elaborate on any suggestions or plans of action that he would recommend to the board, but that they would meet to discuss possible directions.
Mayor Delfino to visit Solomon-Schechter to meet with Headmaster
Mayor Joseph Delfino of White Plains has personally taken an interest in this ongoing traffic situation. He plans to meet with Dr. Spiegel later this week at the school. WPCNR was unable to get an exact day and time.
Our source told WPCNR that Mayor Delfino met with residents of the neighborhood. The Mayor is reported to have said that he shared their concerns and would personally meet with Dr. Spiegel to press for a fast, permanent solution to the problem. "The Mayor told us, we will give them a few weeks to straighten out the situation, and if not, the city would take some sort of action," the source said.
Last week Ted Gammon, White Plains Traffic Commissioner, is reported to have given Solomon-Schechter until March 15 to correct the ongoing alleged noncompliance with the 3:45 PM rule.
Compiled from WPCNR telephone interview with a resident observing the Monday afternoon traffic pattern at the entrance to Solomon-Schechter School, and a telephone conversation with Dr. Elliot Spiegel, Headmaster of the school.
To comment on this item, or add other insights, contact John Bailey at 997-1607 or e-mail WPCNR@aol.com or click on the Report News Button, or go to The Soapbox.
New York Hospital "explores" aiding White Plains in maintaining "Emerald Necklace"
McKinley Avenue, Battle Hill February 24, 2000
New York Presbyterian Hospital took its multimedia presentation of its Millennium Master Plan to the residents of Battle Hill last Thursday night and won over a majority of the residents attending to their plan.
For the first time, its spokespersons also said the hospital is considering sharing the cost of maintaining the 60 acres of open space ("The Emerald Necklace") the hospital envisions turning over to the City, if their request for rezoning the West side of the property for retail (directly behind Bloomingdale's), and a portion of the eastern side for higher density residential housing is approved by the city.
Our Battle Hill correspondent reports the mood of the persons attending the Hospital presentation was positive: "The attitude was that they liked it. Very much so. It doesn't affect us one way or another. Let's face it, we're over here on Battle Hill. Some thought the size of the retail could be scaled down a little."
Asked if the hospital's Presentation Team had added anything new to their vision as to how much it would cost White Plains to actually maintain the parkland, should they acquire it, our correspondent said "they said they are considering offering their own maintenance crews to the city to take over some of the cost of maintaining the park. They are looking into it."
Reported to WPCNR from Battle Hill.
To comment on this item, or add other insights, contact John Bailey at 997-1607 or e-mail WPCNR@aol.com or click on the Report News Button, or go to The Soapbox.
Solomon-Schechter Headmaster meets with Traffic Commissioner. To take up proposals with Solomon-Schechter Administrative Board Monday. Expected to present "corrective" proposals to Gammon middle of next week.
City Hall February 24, 2000
White Plains Traffic Commissioner Ted Gammon met with John Collins of Collins John Associates and Elliot Spiegel, Headmaster of Solomon-Schechter School of Westchester today to discuss the state of the traffic queuing occuring at afternoon dismissals on Dellwood Road and Elmwood Road outside the school site.
Gammon told WPCNR that "We did meet. We discussed issues of concern and some of the methods to address those concerns. They are going to work on a proposal and meet with their Administrative Board Monday. Then they are going to come back with potential modifications to their traffic management plan."
Commissioner Gammon said the school would get back to him "mid to late next week," after they had met with their board. Spiegel, contacted by WPCNR after he returned form the meeting, said he did not want to comment on the meeting with Gammon until he had consulted with his legal counsel.
Collins John Associates, of Hawthorne, the traffic consultancy firm which had originally prepared the Solomon-Schechter traffic management plan (which the city has alleged is not being complied with), was contacted and John Collins has not as of this writing returned my call.
Traffic Commissioner Gammon has given Solomon-Schechter until March 15 to bring their traffic procedures into compliance with the original plan agreed to with the city.
From a telephone interview with White Plains Traffic Commissioner Ted Gammon, 2/24
If you wish to comment and add information to any story, contact me at 997-1607, or click-on the Report News Button, and use the form, or e-mail me direct at WPCNR@aol.com or TheCpywtr@aol.com.
Solomon-Schechter alleged in violation of traffic management agreement for 5 months; Displeased Traffic Commissioner gives school month to comply.
Rosedale, February 18, 2000
WPCNR learned that White Plains Department of Traffic Commissioner Ted Gammon has given Solomon-Schechter School until the next Traffic Department Meeting, March 15, to come into compliance with the department traffic management plan and "cap agreement" approved by the city in June '99.
Should the commission find they have not corrected the vehicular loitering that narrows passage through the Dellwood Road/Elmwood Road area at school dismissal times, Gammon has said he will report them in violation of their agreement to the White Plains Zoning Board of Appeals. This message was delivered to the school by Commissioner Gammon Wednesday morning (February 16) at the regular traffic department meeting. (See last week report.)
The Commissioner will meet school traffic consultants Thursday, February 24, to hear the steps the school suggests to come into compliance. The school will have until March 15 to remove all school-related parked traffic from Dellwood Road, Elmwood Road and MacDonald Place during the afternoon dismissal hour.
My source tells me that if the Zoning Board of Appeals finds the school in violation after March 15, the matter will be referred to the Building Department for further action. This information comes from a person who was present at the scheduled Wednesday morning Traffic Department meeting, February 16.
Gammon chides Solomon-Schechter School on Channel 7
Commissioner Gammon alleged that Solomon-Schechter School of Westchester was "not in compliance" with their own agreement on traffic management with the City on a broadcast Channel 7 Eyewitness News report yesat the 5 PM Thursday February 17 news telecast. Julian Cohan and Susan Adams were also interviewed on the report. Neighborhood-generated video footage of the traffic in the process of violating the traffic plan was shown on the air.
The television coverage originated with WABC-TV Westchester reporter, Tim Fleischer, who covered the Thursday afternoon dismissal after seeing the photograph in the Journal-News Tuesday paper. The Journal-News report was generated by a letter sent by a Rosedale resident to the paper last week alerting the paper to the traffic problem.
Elmwood Road Plan initiated by school Wednesday afternoon the 16th
Solomon-Schechter took Commissioner Gammon's censure in last week's meeting serious, instituting an Elmwood Road routing for the first time Wednesday afternoon. Thursday was the second official day the "Elmwood Plan" was put into action. According to a WPCNR source, the Elmwood plan was suggested by Gammon and agreed-to to ease the traffic off heavily trafficked Dellwood Road at the Wednesday morning Traffic Department meeting on February 16. (See WPCNR story of Feb. 17)
Passionate feelings stirred over "soft" school enforcement of traffic management agreement
Another source told WPCNR that the accident in January was a catalyst that brought longtime neighbor resentment of the school-generated traffic on Dellwood Road, Elmwood Road and Morgan Place to a head.
Concern for safety of the 25 children in 12 homes that populate the immediate area was their paramount objection, they said. This source said the residents were very annoyed because they had learned for the first time this month that the school was not making strong efforts to comply with the school's own traffic management agreement with the city for the last five months. The agreement specifically prohibits queing of cars on Dellwood Road, Elmwood Road, Morgan Place, and other streets in the vicinity of the school.
Commissioner Gammon is reported to have shown the Rosedale delegates the copy of the traffic management agreement Solomon-Schechter agreeed to in exchange for a lifting of its enrollment cap. Residents attending the meeting were shocked. They had not known such an agreement existed. (The agreement, according to Gammon, prohibits private cars from arriving to pick up children before 3:35 PM, after the school buses leave.)
3:35 is the magic moment
The agreement calls for private cars to arrive to pickup students only after 3:35 PM. Residents agree that if school parents abided by this time, it allows all buses to leave before cars arrive, permitting cars to enter the school drive to pickup children leaving the school. The three residents I spoke to said if the time were adhered to, there would be no problem. "The drive of the school easily swallows the cars, as soon as all the buses leave," a resident of Dellwood Road told me.
The backup of traffic has occurred because parents arrive up to an hour before the appointed time, backing up behind the buses and out into Dellwood Road, sometimes it is reported, as long as 40 cars deep, and sometimes parked on both sides of the street.
Gammon confronts Trustee with the agreement
It is reported that Commissioner Gammon asked the Solomon-Schechter trustee at an early February meeting, if the school required parents to sign an agreement to abide by the school rules and regulations. Then Gammon replied that if parents were in violation of the school traffic agreement with the city, then it was the school responsibility to enforce it.
This meeting in early February was set up at the request of Ron Shakeridge, President of the Rosedale Association. It was held as a result of a letter signed by "almost every household in upper Rosedale" and sent to the Headmaster of Solomon-Schechter School, The Mayor of White Plains, The Common Council, and various commissioners. Another letter was sent by the father of the child walking home from school with the accident victim to the Traffic Commissioner.
Rosedale Neighborhood Association receives assurances from school Thursday night, February 17
A "passionate" meeting consisting of about 40 persons, including two representatives from Solomon-Schechter School met Thursday evening February 17 to sort out the situation. However no resolutions regarding the situation were proposed or voted upon, according to a person in attendance at the meeting.
He said the Rosedale Neighborhood Association had received assurances from Sharon Arbackus and Hillary Moskowitz, liaisons from Solomon-Schechter School of Westchester (who are empowered by the school trustees to act on behalf of the school). The spokesman said the school would make a stronger effort to enforce the traffic timing rules with parents. This would start with a strong letter campaign, he reported and said the school representatives were going to proceed "vigorously."
Expresses confidence school will comply by March 15
"Whatever has to be done they will do it," this source told WPCNR, "In our dealings with them they have kept up their end of the bargain. They have to step up their message to the parents. They said they would do that. We have found them to be above board for the most part. There is no reason to believe they're going to let us down."
The RNA overall wants the school to stay (in the neighborhood), he reports, and this person said the RNA has been extremely supportive of the school in the recent past. He pointed out that the Association worked with the Traffic Department to support an $80,000 parking lot improvement the school made to accommodate more cars. He said the Journal-News picture which illustrated the newspaper report Tuesday was "unfair to the school," asserting that when you have a school in a neighborhood you are going to have traffic problems at certain times of the day. He said the school was in an impossible situation.
The resident told WPCNR that he hoped residents in the area would contact the Mayor's Office to urge the city to look into what they could do with police presence and traffic devices to aid the school to enforce start-time for private car pickups. He pointed out that it is not legal for a private citizen from the school to direct traffic on city streets outside the school grounds.
A person identified as an architect from the Solomon-Schechter School, who was present at the RNA meeting, was reported to have pointed out that the Rosedale neighborhood had rejected a three-entrance plan the school had proposed nine years ago, which would have had buses come in one way, and cars in another direction, which the school had felt would balance the traffic more efficiently.
The Head Master of Solomon-Schechter School of Westchester is reportedly in Israel and unavailable to comment on the school position in this matter, which is unfortunate because WPCNR was told by Solomon-Schechter that only the Head Master could speak for the school.
Reported by John Bailey, based on telephone reports.
If you wish to comment and add information to any story, contact me at 997-1607, or click-on the Report News Button, and use the form, or e-mail me direct at WPCNR@aol.com or TheCpywtr@aol.com.
White Plains Historical Society turns back the hands of time at Purdy House in traditional celebration of George Washington's 268th Birthday
Purdy's Hill, February 20, 2000
Many White Plainsians headed for Florida, Colorado or the Caribbean, this weekend. But citizens remaining behind on this miserable icy, snowy weekend, could relive the magnificent heritage of White Plains at Jacob Purdy House and the Miller House. The two homes where George Washington strategized with his generals and stayed overnight, respectively when he commanded Colonial troops at the pivotal Battle of White Plains in 1776.
Residents arriving at stately and proud Purdy House on Park Avenue were greeted by young Colonial soldiers in blue, a British "Redcoat," a man in a coonskin cap, a field drummer in tri-corner hat, and festive patriotic organ music at Purdy House, George Washington's headquarters before the Battle of White Plains. Characters from the past were portrayed by members of the White Plains Historical Society.
The red old farmhouse, built in 1721, is opened four times a year by the Historical Society, but Sunday before Washington's Birthday is its finest moment of the year:
I was not present at the opening ceremony. But, at 1 PM, just before the flagpole in the half-circle of the old stone wall overlooking the old Quorropas (Indian for "smokey plains" with 21st century White Plains magnificent below in the cloudy sky, the traditional flag-raising ceremony was performed by the White Plains Militia Color Guard and members of the 23rd Regiment of Foot Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Bruce Bruesewitz said the Pledge of Allegience. John Harrington, President of the Historical Society welcomed the assemblage, and a Special George Washington Birthday Salute was read by Judge Robert J. Friedman.
I arrived after festivities had moved inside. The beautiful Washington's Birthday Cake, cookies, cakes and coffee entertainment was highlighted by rousing patriotic songs played on the Purdy House organ played by White Plains resident, Jeff Rainer, a professional concert pianist. I spotted White Plains Common Councilman Robert Greer and Larry Delgado, and, if I missed any others, I apologize. But no one was talking issues, not today. We were just Americans today.
We were listening and clapping hands to "Yankee Doodle Dandy," "Yankee Doodle," "The Girl I Left Behind Me," "You're a Grand Old Flag," "Over There," "When the Caissons Go Rolling Along," and many old red, white and blue favorites that made you think of early America, the commitment and sacrifices of those Colonial rebels who died on this hill, and the everyday people and the extraordinary people who lived in this long ago special time, and walked in this very house.
Mr. Rainer the organist, was accompanied by Ray White, dressed in cocked hat and breeches and vest, right out of the 1770s. Ray is a retired Westchester County financial officer and self-taught drummer, who supplied stately rhythm for the organist on his own revolutionary war-style field drum, crafted himself some 40 years ago.
White told me his historically accurate field drum had a military purpose. It supplied a deeper and louder sound to carry across a battle field. I assure you it delivers a resonating reverb that the typical snare drum of today used by bands, does not match. White said the field drum was used for military signals in 18th century warfare. His drum, deeper than the snare drums of today, signalled charges, retreats, flankings and other military maneuvers for hundreds of years before electronics.
Fathers, mothers and daughters and sons came in for the two hours of festivities. Over 125 persons arrived, making their way among the paintings of the battle of White Plains, picking up the pamphlets the Historical Society has for purchase. You could also purchase the famous White Plains Historical Society Coverlet, featuring prominent White Plains buildings, including Purdy House.Children made birthday cards for George Washington under the helpful eye of Beverly Barker. Celebrants browsed some of the Society's artifacts of colonial times, including a cannonball from the battle, found in an autobody shop.
Pat Harrington, Secretary and Treasurer of the Society told me that the Historical Society cannot open the Purdy House more regularly to the public. One of the volunteers presiding over the splendid variety of pamphlets and historical publications, (many written by Renoda Hoffman, Historian of the City of White Plains), told me the Society did not have enough volunteers to open the house more often.
Next year, spend Presidents Weekend celebrating George Washington's Birthday with the White Plains Historical Society, it is White Plains' best patriotic party.
Filed by John Bailey, WPCNR at Purdy House. For comments on this story, call me at 997-1607, e-mail us by Clicking-On "Report News" or e-mailing me at WPCNR@aol.com or TheCpywtr@aol.com.
For information about the White Plains Historical
Society, their publications, and membership
contact them at 328-1776 or 682-8426
FLASH
Solomon-Schechter implements new "traffic routing" to WABC television cameras. WP Traffic Commissioner directs Solomon-Schechter to tell what steps it will take to ease congestion at Dellwood Road location where White Plains child was hit. School to offer solutions Thursday, the 24th.
City Hall -- February 17, 2000
White Plains Department of Traffic Commissioner Ted Gammon told WPCNR today that the traffic consultants for the Solomon-Schechter School of Westchester on Dellwood Road to meet with him next Thursday, February 24 at his offices in City Hall to address their dismissal traffic pattern enforcement. The meeting is not open to the public.
Meanwhile, a few hours after my interview, the Solomon-Schechter School was trying out a new traffic pickup pattern in its second go-round today.
WABC-TV covers the traffic
The school has apparently done this voluntarily according to the information WPCNR could gather, for this afternoon dismissal. As this is written, a neighborhood eyewitness reports WABC-TV cameras are recording the traffic moving in to pick up students. She also reports a White Plains Police Officer is observing the speed of the traffic moving through the area down Dellwood and adjacent streets. The eyewitness reports the new traffic pattern removes traffic off Dellwood Road by having parents (picking up students) turn off Rosedale Avenue onto West Street, then to Sylvan Road to Elmwood Road, then a left onto Morgan Place to make a right into the school lot. She said only one person from the school was directing traffic that was coming down Dellwood away from the school and back around to come in via Elmwood. She said it was getting the traffic off Dellwood, but that there was some confusion, this being the first day, and that there was till queuing up Elmwood.
Solomon-Schechter is not talking
A person identified as Principal of Solomon-Schechter, when contacted for comment at 3 PM today about the alternative plan refused to discuss the plan with WPCNR, saying the school was only talking with the Traffic Department and also refused to identify herself to me. She said the information is available for public viewing at the Traffic Department.
Solomon-Schechter traffic consultants to talk traffic with Gammon February 24
At a scheduled Thursday morning meeting next week, the Solomon-Schechter traffic consulting firm, John Collins & Associates, is to present their explanations, solutions and efforts they propose to ease the ongoing, bumper-to-bumper congestion of idling and parked cars during dismissal hours at the school along Dellwood Road. This congestion may have been a contributing factor to a child being hit by a school bus and being seriously injured in the leg (requiring surgery and a hospital stay of 4 days), when she emerged from between two cars in traffic lined-up at the school site in January. The police report on this accident has not been issued.
The Traffic Commissioner Disappointed
Commissioner Gammon held a meeting yesterday morning (February 16) at City Hall, hearing from 3 representatives from Solomon-Schechter and 10 representatives from the Rosedale neighborhood including residents in the immediate vicinity of the school. A source who was at that meeting informed me that the alternative traffic plan apparently implemented today was a step that most agreed would be a good solution to the situation.
As a result of that meeting, the commissioner decided that he and his department staff would meet with the school traffic consultants Thursday, February 24 to go over the present plan which the school had agreed to when the City Common Council agreed to raise their student limit to 590. Based on what the school presentation delivers next Thursday, he would determine whether "modifications," in the traffic plan, as the Commissioner put it, need to be made.
The Commissioner said he is "disappointed" in Solomon-Schechter efforts to police the traffic plan they had agreed to when they received their increase in the enrollment cap. He said the school needed to enforce the agreed-upon rules of pickup by parents of children at the school.
According to the Commissioner, school buses only are allowed in the pickup area around the school between the time of 3:00 PM to 3:35, with parents allowed to line up only after 3:35.
"The problem is some parents are lining up almost an hour earlier to pick up their children," Gammon said. In his opinion, there is more than enough room for the pickup area to handle the buses first, and then the parent cars, without congestion spilling out onto Dellwood and surrounding streets, if parents arrived to pick up children only after the designated time (3:35).
Gammon allowed that snow pileup had worsened the situation during January. He said that though the school had followed some of the traffic management plan, other areas of the plan "were lax in implementation by the school."
No city efforts are planned to reroute or enforce the traffic pickup restrictions in the interim, Gammon told me, while the Traffic Department awaits Solomon-Schechter response to the Commissioner's request for an explanation, according to the commissioner.
Resident tells WPCNR what she thinks
The resident witness to the new traffic plan she saw today commented that she felt the problem would be solved by strict enforcement of the time when Solomon-Schechter parents were allowed to pick up the children (3:45, according to her). "There is more than enough room (in the Solomon-Schechter pickup and drop-off area) to hold all the cars making pickups if they arrived when they were supposed to."
The Rosedale Neighborhood Association was scheduled to meet Thursday evening with this issue scheduled to be on the agenda.
Filed by John Bailey, WPCNR based on a telephone interview with Commissioner Ted Gammon and an Eyewitness Report via a telephone call to a resident of the area.
Filed by John Bailey, WPCNR, based on WPCNR-generated interviews.
If you wish to comment on these reports or add facts to any developing story, contact me at 997-1607, or Click on Report News and use the E-mail form, or e-mail me at WPCNR@aol.com or TheCpywtr@aol.com.
NY Hospital awaits Council request
for Formal Submission of plan;
Prepares economic study of cost to city of managing 60 acre park. WP Comprehensive
Plan Taskforce Chairman says plan concedes
"moderate retail development," on the property.
Highlands, February 15, 2000
The new President of New York Presbyterian Hospital said he would like the White Plains Common Council to invite a formal application to execute the Millenium Preservation Plan the hospital presented tonight at Highlands Middle School.
"What I'd like to see happen is the City Council invite the hospital to put the formal application for the plan in place," Dr. Herbert Pardes said in his opening remarks, after describing the size and scope of the hospital's position in the mental health field. "I think this is America as it should be, open democracy, people looking at it, getting a fair shot at it and looking at the proposed plan and getting your reaction, and in the end come up with something that's in the best interests of hospital care, patients and families of White Plains."
If plan is rejected...
Pardis said that if the Master Plan was not approved, the hospital had "no intent to pull out (of White Plains). We're here for the duration."
In answer to a question about what the hospital could build on the property, if the present plan was rejected, architect Sherida Paulsen of PKSB, said the hospital could conceivably build medical facilities on portions of the "designated park," as high as 8 stories. She said three residential homes per acre could be built on areas around the oval. The nature of the homes proposed in the Master Plan itself has not been determined, but whether they are for rental or sale will be spelled out in the Formal Application to the Council.
City Comprehensive Plan Position on Hospital Development Clarified.
John Martin, former Common Councilman (1994-95), who was Chairman of the White Plains Comprehensive Plan Management Group, responsible for distilling the input from the task forces composed of some 400 residents who inputted to the plan spoke from the floor.
He was concerned that there was "the beginning of misinformation and lack of information on some people's part about what the Comprehensive Plan actually said about development of the site (New York Hospital)."
Quoting from the report, Martin said the completed city plan promoted three policy positions involving hospital development:
- The continued existence of New York Hospital as a major contributor and employer.
- A portion not dedicated to medical should be a mix of passive and active recreation and open meadows; and
- Other strictly controlled uses from reside ntial to moderate commercial development."
In addition, he said, a part of the strategy for development on the site was "a transitional mixed-use approach that sets a range of intensity of development that steps down from the high intensity core areas to the West (of the hospital site), to be developed (of the hospital site). Permitted use consists of open space, hospital related usage, and moderate economic development."
"The amount of commercial development was not defined by the City Comprehensive Plan." Martin concluded. He said that when the Comprehensive Plan was developed in 1996, those developing the plan hoped, that in exchange for rezoning the hospital, the hospital would allow the city to acquire 40 acres of their property. The present Hospital Millennium Preservation Master Plan, he said offers the city 60 acres of parkland, more than hoped for by the creators of the City Comprehensive Plan in the mid-90s. He hoped there would be continued dialogue as the Plan moved forward to consideration by the City Common Council.
Hospital Is Researching New Park Maintenance Costs
WPCNR asked if any figures existed on the annual cost of maintaining such a 60-acre park envisioned in the Hospital Plan. According to Paulsen, the architect, White Plains maintains now for 62 acres of "parks." at an annual cost of $2 TO 4 million per year. (The WP Department of Recreation and Parks actual figure is 3.6 million dollars to maintain all the parks and fields in White Plains.)
Dennis Mincielli, Vice President of Allee, King, Rosen & Fleming, the environmental and planning consultants for New York Hospital said that a comprehensive study of the hard-dollar costs to White Plains of building and maintaining a new 60-acre park of meadows, pond, fields, as proposed would be presented as part of the Hospital Formal Application to the City Council. He said a cost feasibility study was being developed now.
Former Councilwoman urges compromise on Council, supports theatre
Jo Falcone, former Councilwoman for the City of White Plains, spoke at length of the possibilities of the Millennium Preservation Plan, urging the City Council to "do what is best for all the residents. The city needs a park." She asked the Council and the hospital to negotiate for more of what the city needs, open space. Falcone felt the park needed more depth, about 75 acres, extending it farther in from Bryant Avenue. She suggested a theater or conference center on the property as part of the development to meet a distinct need in the White Plains downtown.
She criticized the hospital for not maintaining the upkeep of the pond in front of Bloomingdale's. The hospital architect said that the pond was polluted by run off from five different sewer and inlets to the pond that the hospital could not control in explanation for the present condition of the pond.
Parking a Concern
A resident asked where all the cars were going to park to access the retail stores and restaurants, as well as the parks.
Architect Paulsen said double-decked parking would be added on either side of Bloomingale's and an another structure exclusive for parking would be adjacent to the retail hub slightly to the southeast of Bloomingdale's. Paulsen stated that street parking around the fields would offer another extensive parking option.
Positive Support for plan by audience; City Officials attend
The event was attended by about 75 persons, approximately 15 of whom were employees of New York Presbyterian Hospital, none of whom spoke to this reporter's knowledge. Four Common Councilpersons attended as well as Mayor Joseph Delfino who introduced the program, emphasizing this was strictly an information forum and the Millennium Preservation Plan had not been presented formally to the Council
Two residents spoke very strongly in favor of the plan, to loud applause. One resident evoked a great deal of applause be reminiscing about her days as a lifelong citizen of White Plains, and evoking images of what such a park as proposed would mean to the children of White Plains, saying the Hospital Plan was the best park plan she had seen proposed for White Plains.
Another resident urged the Council seriously consider the plan, and advised that relying on outside agencies to fund purchase of the 90 acres of developable land was not realistic.
More Public Forums Ahead?
This morning WPCNR contacted Willa Brody of the New York Presbyterian Hospital Community Development Department and asked if the hospital was only going to submit a Formal Application if the Common Council requested it.
She answered that she expected the hospital would file a Formal Application to the Common Council "when the time was right," which she said would be after input from various organizations and public forums the Hospital is holding throughout the city. She said the hospital was willing to present the Millenium Preservation Plan to any White Plains neighborhood association, community group or other organization interested in learning, discussing and expressing concerns about all aspects of the plan. She can be reached at 997-8651 to arrange such meetings.
Asked about the time and place of the next Public Forum, she said that "we look to the Mayor's Office," as to whether there would be more public forums. She hoped to hold two more Forums on the Residential and the Retail aspects of the plan for more public comment and reaction.
I asked her what she thought of the Public Forums so far. Ms. Brody said she was hearing "a measure of support form many people." She said she was buoyed by the positive support for the plan last night, and privately had heard a lot of positive feedback.
Eyewitness Report Filed by John Bailey, WPCNR.
You too, can post your comments about what took place at this meeting, by contacting me at 997-1607, or e-mailing me at TheCpywtr@aol.com clicking on "Report News" and clicking the "Report News button, or clicking on "The Soapbox."
City Hall Desk:
Second Hospital Master Plan Town Meeting
Planning Board to take up Kodomono Kuni School; Nextel antenna at Orchard Street D'elia Subdivision in Reynal Park environmental impact this week
The New York Presbyterian Hospital will present its
master plan for its property to White Plains citizens for the second time
in a public meeting Tuesday evening, February 15 in the Common Council
Chambers at City Hall. The Hospital Public Relations Department could
not concretely confirm this was the location or the time.
It is the meeting that was scheduled to take place two weeks ago and was snowed out. Interested parties should contact the Mayor's office to confirm location and time of meeting, 422-1411. We will let you know when we confirm it. Most likely the time is 7:30 PM (time of the previous meeting).
If it follows the last meeting format, the public will see a video and slide show, hear comments from the Hospital and participate in a question and answer session from the public addressed to the hospital representatives.
The Planning Board will meet Thursday evening, February 17 at 8 PM at City Hall to revisit the Kodomono Kuni School Application for a Special Permit to build a school at 1001 North Street. When last we visited this proposal the city was of the opinion that the property did have enough frontage on the street to meet the zoning requirements.
In addition, an application of Nextel of New York to install a public utility antenna facility at Orchard Street and Reservoir Road in a residentially zoned district will be considered.
Third item on the agenda is consideration of the D'Elia Subdivision (Re-subdivision of the Reynal Park Subdivision), at Palmer Avenue when D'Elia will submit the Environmental Impact Statement.
Compiled from New York Hospital Information and Planning Board Agenda
New York Presbyterian Hospital Public Forum is at
Highlands Middle School Tuesday, 7:30 February 14, 2000
The New York Presbyterian Hospital told CitizeNetReporter today that the next public forum giving White Plains residents and interests a briefing on the scope of the Hospital Master Plan will take place at Highlands Middle School T uesday evening, February 15 at 7:30 PM, NOT at City Hall.
This Information updates WPCNR report of 2/11/00
Fiber Optic Cable-laying thru City starts in March
City Hall, January 3, 2000
The White Plains Common Council unanimously granted Level 3 Communications LLC a license to lay fiber optic cables within the White Plains city limits. Installation of the underground cables is scheduled to begin in March, pending agreement between Level 3 and the city Public Works Department on the route the cables will take through White Plains. Spokesman for Level 3, Bill Crabtree reported that the company cable network has been laid to Route 22 at the White Plains/Scarsdale city line border. Crabtree identified a tentative route that would see the cable trench laid up West Post Road to Sterling Avenue, through Prospect Street, onto Bryant Avenue and out to Westchester Avenue (via Bryant). Crabtree called this "the most direct route through the city without impacting the business district." Commissioner of Public Works, Bud Nicoletti, told the Common Council the city would work with Level 3 to decide on the best, least disruptive (to traffic) route.
The laying of the cable will involve excavating street surfaces and sidewalks to a depth of 42 inches, followed by restorative street paving and sidewalk construction. Crabtree said that with three crews assigned working from 9 AM to 3 PM, his crews could lay "1,000 feet of cable a week, a half-mile of cable in two weeks." The distance covered by the proposed route is 2.8 miles. The City of White Plains will receive $278,000 a year in leasing fees from Level 3 for the use of the cables once they are in operation. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 gives communications companies the rights to lay cable through metropolitan areas and prohibits any municipality from denying access to any company. The City of White Plains does have the right to determine any route the cable will take.
Filed by John Bailey.
The January 3 Common Council Meeting may be viewed
on White Plains Cable Channel 14
The German School of White Plains received a list of environmental considerations the school would have to respond to last night before the White Plains Zoning Board of Appeals would consider their on-going request to lift the cap on German School enrollment and the creation of an access from North Street to the German School campus in Havilands Manor.
German School attorney, William Noll, upon considering the questions, said that the school would need more than a month to prepare an environmental impact statement for each of the questions concerning traffic, wetlands, drainage, safety and neighborhood aesthetics and quality of life.
The Zoning Board gave the German School two months to prepare to prepare their answers. The expansion of the enrollment cap and North Street access request will be taken up again by the Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday, April 5.
The German School is requesting a relaxing of the enrollment cap (the school was restricted to in 1988), from 300 to 500 students, and simultaneously rezoning of the Kempner property from residential to Special Permit use, allowing the German School to build a driveway giving access to the German School from North Street at the Club Pointe entrance. The German School objective is to alleviate traffic to and from the German School along narrow Partridge Road within the Havilands Manor neighborhood.
Based an Eyewitness Report by Deborah Ardino.
Plans for senior housing, public park, picnic and boating facilities released to Woodcrest Neighborhood Association.
February 14, 2000
Woodcrest Neighborhood Association reports receiving preliminary site development plans for a senior housing development, "Lake Street Senior Housing Development," from Community Housing Management Group Friday. At this point, the plans have not been reviewed by the CO-Presidents of the Association. However, the plans call for a senior housing facility plus parking, picnic areas, a facility for canoeing as part of a public park development in the vicinity of the old Dellwood Dairy property at the southern tip of Silver Lake.
WPCNR has not seen these plans and will deliver initial reaction of the CO-Presidents of the association after they have reviewed them.
Filed by John Bailey.
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