The Sidewalks of

White Plains Archives

• Solomon-Schechter Watch: It's been a quiet week at Solomon-Schechter
  thanks to Mayor Delfino's "secret summit" and "quiet diplomacy." ... more
• Church Street School activates new security procedures as school resumes... more
• Openspace Preservation, City Senior Housing Need, Saving of Old Grist Mill,
  come together in CHMC plan for Silver Lake... more
• Bulletin from Battle Hill: Residents to meet with Mayor Tuesday to demand
  crackdown on illegal rooming houses on the hill... more
• Fiber Optic Cable Installation begins on Bryant and North Street, Pushing towards Highlands ... more
• Planning Board Round-up: click more for details... more
• White Plains Middle School presents its 14th annual musical,
  "Oliver" on March 23 & 24... more
• Westchester Parks enacts Battle of White Plains Aftermath at 1738 Miller House on President's Weekend
  County Executive Spano hopes to reopen house on regular basis... more
• FLASH Solomon-Schechter implements new "traffic routing" to WABC television cameras... more
• Sick and injured mail carriers and retirements slow delivery of White Plains Mail;
  White Plains Post Office hiring 16 new carriers for replacements
• Dennis Power Selected "Mr. Friendly Gathering" for 2000 Founder... more
  of event to be honored for starting premier White
  Plains event for charity March 11 ... more
• Major Changes in White Plains Post Offices in Works,
  Misdelivered mail blamed on human error... more
• Planning Board Roundup City Hall... more
• Board of Education widens Soccer Field at WPHS... more
• WP Board of Education Approves Contracts for Expansion of High School Construction slated to begin in March... more
• Common Council Members Delgado and King to appear at Council of Neighborhood Associations Meeting... more
• First of Mayor's public meetings on Hospital Plan sparks lively exchange of ideas... more
• Mike & The Mad Dog to Auctioneer Stepinac High School... more
• February Softball Spring Training Clinics for girls 10 to 18 at Queens College... more
• Captain Kirk's Seafood hooks up with La Renaissance to serve gourmet items... more
• Havilands Manor Mail Delivery gets Later and Later and Late... more...updated

First of Mayor's public meetings on Hospital Plan sparks lively exchange of ideas

White Plains High School January 11, 2000

-- Mayor Joseph Delfino presented his series of Public Forums on the New York Presbyterian Hospital Plan this evening before over 100 persons in the White Plains High School Auditorium. The Mayor opened the presentation by emphasizing that he was not implying endorsement of the Hospital plans for their property by holding this series of forums, instead the Mayor took pains to point out that the forums were for residents to voice their opinions of what they wanted to see happen to the property in terms of what they wanted the property to provide the city. The audience was presented a very professional video describing the Hospital plan in detail. The video described the hospital plan developed by PKSB Architects as completing a "broken necklace of parkland" with the park in a manner that provides residents with a series of Accesses, Views, Paths, and Destinations, including up to 6 soccer fields, or 3 soccer fields and 3 baseball fields, with sophisticated upscale retail establishments connecting with Bloomingdale's and the pond along Bloomingdale road plus restaurant destinations within the limits of the Hospital property.

   The plan reserves 60 acres of now vacant wooded and pastured land on the South and Southwest side of the property into fields, nature walks. The hospital spokesperson Sherida E. Paulsen said, though that the City of White Plains would have to pay for the development of the parkland facilities, but not the retail or residential areas. The hospital plan sets aside residential development on the East side of the property in a style in harmony with the historic landmark residences already existing on the property. Public access and parking would be provided on Bloomingdale Road at Maple Avenue, Bloomingdale's, The Riverwalk Entrance, off Mamaroneck Avenue and on Bryant Avenue. The interior of the property would provide on-street parking along the "Park Drive" that currently circumvents the hospital complex. Audience questions were skeptical and openly hostile. Marc Pollitzer, who served on the committee which had discussed development of the property with the hospital on behalf of the city characterized the plan as "not what we had discussed," criticizing the retail aspects of the plan. Barbara Benjamin of the White Plans Concerned Citizens for Open Space characterized it as an "outrage," urging that the city reject the plan on the grounds of its retail and residential development, though she did say that she was for developing ball fields and soccer fields on the property. Sherida Paulsen, PKSB architect of the plan stated when asked that there was nothing standing in the way of the hospital developing the entire presently vacant property into residential housing, since the property is already zoned for residential use. The series of forums will continue, and the Mayor urges other citizens to attend to learn about the plan and make their feelings known.

Filed by John Bailey, WPCNR Top

Mike & The Mad Dog to Auctioneer Stepinac High School Nick Springer Fund Benefit Dinner at Rye Town HiltonFebruary 29

New York, February 3, 2000

   "Mike and The Mad Dog," Mike Francesa and Christopher Russo, respectively, CO-hosts of WFAN's popular sportstalk program will make a public appearance at the Archbishop Stepinac High School Benefit Auction for former Stepinac High ice hockey goalie, Nick Springer on February 29, to be held at the Rye Town Hilton. Scott Clark of WABC-TV Sports will host the event.

   Springer, an outstanding Archbishop Stepinac hockey goalie and bagpipe player has lost both his arms and his legs to a rare disease he contracted just last summer. The benefit is being staged by Stepinac High School to raise funds for The Nick Springer Fund.

  The event will take place between 6:30 PM and 10:00 PM February 29 at the Rye Town Hilton, and will include a Cocktail Reception, where supporters can mingle with the Cochairmen of the event, Adam Graves of the New York Rangers and Ranger great, Rod Gilbert, and Michael Strahan, All-Pro of the New York Giants. Admission includes the reception, dinner, beer, wine and soda preceding the gala auction featuring the "up for bid" sale of unique personal sports memorabilia with all proceeds going to the Nick Springer Fund.

   WFAN's dynamic sportstalk duo, Mike and the Mad Dog will arrive about midway through the event to CO-auctioneer the fundraiser, which will feature sports memorabilia from sports celebrities and collectors from all areas of sports.

  The event begins at 6:30 PM on Tuesday evening, February 29. Tickets are $80 per person. Corporate Sponsorships of Tables of 10 for $2,500 are going fast. Corporate ads are also available in the Dinner Journal Book and Program with descriptions of the merchandise up for auction. For more information on tickets, sponsorships and Journal ad rates, contact Archbishop Cardinal Stepinac High School at 946-4800, Extension 251.

  If you would like to get involved, Archbishop Stepinac urges you to contact the Event Coordinator, Bob Engel at 212-689-2609 or Pat Post at 914-271-6461.

Filed by John Bailey.

February Softball Spring Training Clinics for girls 10 to 18 at Queens College,Fairfield University.

February 2, 2000

   White Plains girl softball players 10 to 18 have a choice of two clinics presented by two top softball colleges in the metro area to hone their skills before Little League, Middle School, and Varsity seasons begin.

   Queens College presents its Softball Mini Camps on February 21 and 22, and February 28 and 29th, from 7 PM to 9:30 PM on each date at the Queens College campus in Flushing. Cost per player is $40 per each 2-1/2 hour session. The clinics will be conducted by Brian DeMasters and the Queens College coaching staff.

   Coach DeMasters' "Preseason Workout," as he calls it follows the same format as a college level early season practice. Workouts will concentrate on conditioning and agility, batting off machine and live pitching, drills on grounders, flies and infield coverage, situation drills for all positions, and mental preparation and game strategies.

   The Queens College clinics are excellent and are broken down by age group, with younger players treated with the same seriousness as the more experienced player. Girls are very receptive to the teachers, many of whom are Queens College Varsity players who develop instant rapport and respect from their softball students.

   My daughter attended a three-day Queens College Clinic on pitching in December and truly benefited and focused thanks to the quality of the instruction.

   For info, contact Queens College, (718) 997-2777. The Flushing campus is just off the Long Island Expressway...and a fast shot over the Throgs Neck Bridge from White Plains.

   Fairfield University presents a Hitting Clinic on Sunday, March 5 in Fairfield, Connecticut. Conducting the sessions will be Julie Brzezinski, Head Coach of Fairfield University. Session I, 9 AM to noon is for Girls, Grades 9-12. Session II, 12:30--3:30 is for girls Grades 8 and Under.

   The Clinic Tuition is $50 per session. For more information contact Coach Brzezinski at 203-254-4000, Extension 2368.

Filed by John Bailey.

Captain Kirk's Seafood hooks up with La Renaissance to serve gourmet items!

Mamaroneck Avenue, February 5, 2000

   Captain Kirk's Seafood, a seafood landmark in White Plains for about 20 years is offering a new gourmet line of quiches and tortes, breads and pastries from the Scarsdale fixture, La Renaissance.

  Captain Kirk's feels this arrangement just begun will make it a force in capturing more catering business in the city, by being able to offer the 1-2 punch of its fresh, seafood specialties backed with the gourmet reputation of La Rennaissance fare.

Havilands Manor Mail Delivery gets Later
and Later and Later

Havilands Manor, February 5, 2000

It has been the worst week for mail delivery in the Manor for sometime. Wednesday was a day punctuated by light snow showers and some icy conditions, yet no mail was delivered for a large part of Havilands Manor. Thursday, Havilands Manor received two deliveries of mail. Friday, mail arrived approximately 3 PM. Today, mail was delivered after sundown at 6 PM! When the mailman was queried as to what had been holding up the delivery, his curt quote was: "Ask the post office." No explanation whatsoever. Residents have been tolerating mail delivery that gets later and later. The average mail delivery time when a 21-year resident of the Manor moved into the matter was about 1 PM. In the last year, the mail has been arriving closer to 3 PM in the afternoon. This week it has reached a new low with absolutely no weather excuse. This is not a new problem in Havilands Manor. One resident reports writing the White Plains Postmaster three times complaining about late and erratic mail delivery. This resident has received no response to date. The CitizeNetReporter would like to know if other neighborhoods have experienced the same later and later mail delivery over recent months.

Update

It seems Havilands Manor is not the only neighborhood in White Plains experiencing abnormal delivery times. Two other residents, one in Battle Hill and another in North White Plains report unusual lengths of time for First Class mail to be delivered. A Battle Hill resident reports a two-day delivery time for First Class mail within White Plains. "Often I receive notice of a town meeting on the day the meeting is to take place, and I cannot go," she says. The North White Plains resident reports he sends regular mail to Elmsford and it takes 2 and 1/2 days. Any more mail horror stories? Is this a trend?

Common Council Members Delgado and King to appear at Council of Neighborhood Associations Meeting Tuesday Night for
Questions and Answers

Battle Hill, February 7, 2000

The White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations will host WP Common Council Members the Larry Delgado and William King in an informal question and answer session with the delegates from the neighborhood associations Tuesday evening, February 8 at 7:45 PM at Education House.

   In January, Mayor Joseph Delfino appeared before the Council in a lively question and answer session that bridged the information gap on a number of city and neighborhood issues. Ron Shakeridge, new CO-President of the Council, was instrumental in paving the way for the Mayor's appearance, (the first time a mayor has appeared before the Council of Neighborhood Associations in years), he hoped to have other members of the Common Council appear at future CNA meetings. Virginia Falzarano, Co-President said that Ben Boykin may be appearing at the March CNA meeting.

   The Council of Neighborhood Associations meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:45 PM at Education House. If you wish to be a delegate for your association, it is suggested you contact your own Neighborhood Association President.

WP Board of Education Approves Contracts for Expansion of High School Construction slated to begin in March

Education House -- February 7, 2000

   At its January 10 meeting, the Board of Education approved contracts for the voter-approved expansion of White Plains High School.

   Today, Mike Lynch, Director of Facilities & Operations for White Plains schools, said that preliminary paperwork is being prepared by the contractors, and once that is furnished and approved, protective fencing will be put in place at the high school and ground-breaking should begin March 1 to 7.

   Lynch said that prior to construction-start, contractors have to furnish their insurance, bonds, and list of subcontractors, as well as materials and specifications for approval of the project architect.

Reported and Filed by John Bailey.

Board of Education widens Soccer Field at WPHS

White Plains High School, February 7. 2000

   Those steam shovels and earth moving equipment you see on the highest soccer field next to Bryant Avenue at White Plains High School are performing widening operations designed to bring the top soccer field in compliance with regulation widths.

    According to the White Plains School District Facilities & Operations office, the soccer field is currently 162 feet wide and can be as wide as 180 feet. Field # 1 is having part of its border leveled to extend the width to the 180 feet dimension.

From Information supplied by the WP Board of Education.

Planning Board Roundup City Hall,

February 9, 2000

   Sprint Antennas at Madison House to be voted on March 9 Two new plans presented for development behind Sunset & Crescent on Silver Lake Board looks at upscale apartment complex at Church & Barker Board expresses concern over proliferation of antennas and long-term effects

   US Sprint airs its plans for antennas at Madison House U. S.

   Sprint presented its proposed installation of 9 small panel cellular phone antennas on the roof of 70 Ferris Avenue Wednesday evening at a Planning Board Public Hearing, offering private lab research that showed the antennas when run at full power only approached .06% of the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) allowed limit of radiation.

    The installation will present a minimally visible profile, (yet obviously visible in two parallel rows on the left and right rooftop of Madison House), when viewed from the front of the building according to a rendering. They will be mounted on 7 cabinets on the roof of the building.

    As payment for the installation, Sprint will pay $2,000 a month, ($24,000 annually) to Community Housing Management Group, the administrator of the building. Gene Conroy, President of Community Housing, said the $2,000 would be used directly to support tenant activities "to improve the quality of life at Madison House, and as a boon to the building."

    Five residents of Madison House expressed concerns about radiation from the antennas and fear of its effects on the tenants. They wondered why the antennas had to be placed on their building as opposed to Summit House nearby that already had antennas. Robert Gaudioso, presenting attorney for Sprint, said that "Sprint and Omnipoint have to separate signals," so as not to conflict with Omnipoint signals transmitting on the same North South corridor (in this case the Bronx River Parkway).

    Mary Cavallero, Chairwoman, commenting on the residents' fears, stated that the radiation was not of the allegedly harmful electromagnetic variety. The Board was assured the radiation met FCC-approved radiation standards judged to be safe she said. She stressed the Planning Board had no ability to deny the placement of antennas, due to the federal government right to supersede local governments in determining locations in these matters. "We can only control some of the aesthetics [of the installations), " she said.

   Residents were angry they had only received notice of the hearing in the middle of last week. They strongly suggested US Sprint publicize and educate persons affected by possible antenna installations in a more public and open approach more in advance.

   The Board will vote on the antenna installation at their March 9 meeting.

    Builder presents 2 alternatives for Crestview Avenue/ Sunset Drive Development in lee of Silver Lake

   The Planning Board revisited the Jillian Estates housing proposal for the vacant woodlands behind Sunset Drive and Crestview Avenue, in Woodcrest Heights. They viewed two alternative development plans designed to preserve about one-third of the now wooded area between Sunset Drive and Silver Lake County Park.

    The original plan for the former Greico Property called for developing the entire left to right (North-South direction) crest of the hill, by importing enough "fill-soil" to build up the hill to meet city sewer draining standards, which require a 1% downward slope on the sewer line serving the street on the proposed hillside development.

   The first Alternative Plan B from Amalgamated Construction (the developer which owns the property) suggests entering the area at the midway point of Sunset Drive (16 houses up the drive from Crestview Avenue). A new road would be created through the Grieco Property. The existing house would be removed.

   This new road would lead up to a cul-de-sac with 16 modular one-family homes to be constructed. The North one-third slope of the property would be left in a natural state. Leslie Cohen, the developer owner offered to bring the slopes of the newly developed area into align with existing property owners' backyards at no cost to them.

   The second Alternative Plan A would require an 800-foot long drive/cul-de-sac combination entering off the end of Crestview Avenue extending up over the hill in an elongated cul-de-sac. The road would end with an "emergency access street" for firetrucks and police to access the development through an emergency cut at the midway of Sunset Drive. The same 16 homes would be constructed. The developer allowed as 16 homes was the number of homes he needed to make the project financially viable.

    According to Cohen, this Crestview entry would result in the least amount of "fill" being used in developing the property with minimal disruption to Sunset Drive. This plan would require the city to grant a 300-foot extension over their 500 foot limit on cul-de-sac lengths. The Crestview entry plan would also preserve about one-third of the property in its natural state.

   The Woodcrest Heights Association President invited the developer, and his engineer, Emilio Escaladas who developed the alternatives to present the new plans to residents in the next Woodcrest Heights Association meeting. Concern was expressed by the residents in attendance of the short notice that the new plans were being presented.

   Mike Graessle, Commissioner, White Plains Planning Department, said that the site stood to be environmentally sensitive because of its wetlands, natural rock outcroppings and steep slopes and the new plans would have to be reviewed by the Conservation Board, as well as an environmental "scoping" undertaken.

   The matter will now be scheduled for a Public Hearing next. Ms. Cavellero, responding to a resident question on how far along the project was, said "The developer has a right to develop the land. They have to show they are not impacting the environment." Since no zoning change is required to develop the site, the Planning Board is the lead agency on the project.

    High Rise Splendor to rise in downtown at Church and Barker?

   Pappas Development presented its plans for a 13 story high rise residential apartment building at the corner of Church Street and Barker Avenue perhaps heralding the new push for a more residential downtown in White Plains.

    The first three stories of the building would contain parking facilities for 132 cars, with a recreational area on the first floor. The next 10 stories would consist of 1-2 and 3-bedroom apartments. According to John Kirkpatrick, presenting attorney 1-bedrooms would rent for $1,800, 2-bedrooms for $2,300 and 3-bedroom units for $3,100 a month at this time. A representative from Houlihan-Lawrence commented the market was aimed at empty-nesters, upscale persons with jobs in New York, looking for a convenient commute.

   The Board asked for a schematic showing how the building would look when placed in the context of the neighborhood, and a public hearing will be held on the proposal at the April Planning Board meeting.

    Planning Board concerned about Antenna Proliferation and its long-term effects may explore way to "survey" cumulative radiation

   At the conclusion of the Planning Board Meeting, Mack Carter, Board Member expressed his empathy toward the reaction of the Ferris Avenue residents concerned with the radiation from the antennas that are going on top of their building.

   He asked if there were any surveys available showing the "cumulative" radiation levels of all the combined antenna and transmission devices in metropolitan areas. He voiced apprehension about the public outcry that could ensue if "down the road" the cumulative years of radio transmissions. He suggested a private lab commissioned to do such a survey for White Plains.

   He feared that findings in future years might find the barrage of conflicting transmissions from satellite dishes, cellphone antennas, direct TV, and other technologies could eventually be determined harmful since the only studies being done he knows about are done on individual antenna radiation emissions.

   His expression provoked similar concerns from other Board Members. Mary Cavellero, Chairwoman, said she would explore with Bud Nicoletti, Commissioner, White Plains Department of Public Works the possibility of developing a Cumulative Radiation Survey of the White Plains area. Another Board member expressed the thinking that the city had equipment that could measure the emissions.

    At the conclusion of the meeting, Michael Graessle congratulated the Planning Board for their hard work over the last year and a half, citing the Planning Department Annual Report which reported that from January, 1998 to June, 1999, the Planning Board had reviewed 120 items, held 32 public hearings, approved 5 subdivisions, and responded to 34 referrals from the Common Council and 13 referrals from the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Filed by John Bailey,

If you have reaction or input on any reports filed by WPCNR, click on the REPORT NEWS BUTTON and respond by e-mail or call 914-997-1607.

Major Changes in White Plains Post Offices in Works,
Misdelivered mail blamed on human error

February 11, 2000

   Mail delivery in Havilands Manor continues to be ridiculously late, or sublimely
early and amazingly misdelivered.

    I asked a mail expert whether this was related to a rumored postal office reorganization change. He said it was unconnected. Most misdelivered mail results from human error. He told me the post office computer sorts the barcodes (on letters and magazines and circulars) and funnels the same barcodes together in a bundle by zip code and street.

    If a wrong zip code is on the letter, a wrong street address winds up in a bundle meant for your street. He said it is up to the mailman to spot the wrong address in the individual bundle of mail meant for your house. He says it is very easy, taking a quick look, if the address looks similar to yours, for a mailcarrier to look at it quickly and miss the different name.

    I asked him if the post office reorganization I had heard about was behind it. He said not at all, but volunteered the following interesting information:

• White Plains post offices are in the process of reorganizing with all mail delivery coming out of the main post office on Fisher Avenue.
• He said that the satellite post offices such as Gedney Way are going to become postal retail centers with more focus on private mail boxes to compete with businesses like Mailboxes, Etc., and marketing postal products.
• He said that mail carriers will be picking up their mail for delivery from a central location.

We attempted to contact the White Plains Postmaster for details on this plan, but only got her voicemail.

Filed by John Bailey.

If you can supply some details on this new post office plan, please call me 997-1607 or file your report by clicking on the REPORT NEWS Button.

Dennis Power Selected "Mr. Friendly Gathering" for 2000 Founder
of event to be honored for starting premier White
Plains event for charity March 11

February 14, 2000

North Broadway    Dennis Power, long time Director of Development for White Plains own Westchester ARC, will receive the Msgr. Ed O'Brien Community Service Award as "Mr. Friendly Gathering 2000." He will be honored during the festivities of Friendly Gathering 2000 at Good Counsel Kearny Gymnasium at 52 North Broadway in White Plains on Saturday night, March 11, beginning at 7:30 PM.

   Dennis was the unifying community force who helped to organize the first Friendly Gathering. This year he is the man being honored for founding the "Friendly Gathering" tradition and building the spirit of community cooperation it celebrates.

   This great evening of Irish music and corn beef and cabbage (catered by Sam's of Gedney Way), raised $19,000 for White Plains charities two years ago, and this year hopes to exceed that total. Tickets are $25 per person if purchased before March 7, $20 for Seniors. If purchased the evening of the event, tickets are $30 and $25 for seniors. For Tickets call 949-7276.

   The evening proceeds will be shared exclusively by four White Plains-based community services: Grace Church Day Care, The Lord's Pantry, Good Counsel's Rainbow Connection and the Westchester Coalition for the Homeless. Revelers are requested to bring nonperishable food for the Coalition to drop off on the way in.

   Live Irish entertainment, including Dennis Power's own "Irish Tenor," will feature Irish Step Dancing by the Margaret Pike Dancers, bagpipe by Pipe Major Joe Brady and of course, corned beef, cabbage and potatoes as only Sam's of Gedney Way can prepare it.

Sick and injured mail carriers and retirements slow delivery of White Plains Mail; White Plains Post Office hiring 16 new carriers for replacements

Newark, New Jersey -- February 16, 2000

George Flood, Community Programs Specialist for the United States Postal Service in the New York metropolitan area attributed the slow, late and sometimes, lack of daily delivery of mail in most sections of White Plains to "an unusual combination of retirements and extended sick calls" in the White Plains mail carrier force in January and February.

  He reported the White Plains Post Office, under Postmaster Rebecca Agostini, is now hiring replacement carriers. Five have come on board and 11 more are scheduled for hiring in the next month. The mail carriers are being selected from persons who have taken the Post Office Battery Test where their abilities to sort mail and handle typical post office procedures are tested.

   The postal service troubleshooter blamed the flu for taking an unusual toll on the White Plains mail carriers, and reported a number of injuries to carriers involving broken bones which put mail carriers out of action permanently, resulting in a shortage of personnel to handle the routes efficiently.

   Flood ruled out the possibility the delivery slowdown was union-related, blaming it on an "unusual combination of circumstances."

   The spokesman assured me the unusual delivery delays had nothing to do with any reorganization of the mail carrier delivery procedures. He did not rule out that a reorganization of the mail carriers would happen in the future, but none is planned at this time.

   Flood said any remodeling and new services in the White Plains Post Offices would not affect the way residents could mail letters. They would still be able to drop off mail at the three satellite stations and pick it up, as before.

   White Plains residents experiencing mail delivery difficulties are invited to contact Post Office Consumer Affairs to document their mail complaints. Flood told WPCNR this because Consumer Affairs had not been reporting any particular problems reported in White Plains.

Filed by John Bailey, WPCNR, from a telephone interview with George Flood of the United States Postal Service.

To comment on this story, Click on White Plains Soapbox and e-mail me, or contact 997-1607, or e-mail the reporter at WPCNR@aol.com.

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.

Westchester Parks enacts Battle of White Plains Aftermath at 1738 Miller House on President's Weekend County Executive Spano hopes to reopen house on regular basis

Miller House, Miller Hill February 20, 2000

The Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation staged a costumed tour at historic Miller House on Virginia Road Sunday, to celebrate George Washington's Birthday.

    I had originally gone to Miller House looking for the George Washington Party, (mistaking it for Purdy House), but was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by Joyce Soltesz, a lady costumed in 18th century hoop skirt and dress, who proceeded to take me on a tour of the house where George Washington stayed overnight after the Battle of White Plains.

    At this enactment, visitors saw the sacrifice of the American Revolution on human terms on the everyday residents of White Plains. We met two young actors playing Ann Miller and her son John in a dining room off the main entrance of the 1738-built home. John was "recovering" from a grape shot wound suffered in the Battle of White Plains. Erica Ash and Adam Rudnicki were seated at a polished wooden table where George Washington had signed papers and orders when he stayed at the house after the Battle of White Plains. It was dramatic imagining the General seated at that table with an old quill pen.

    Our Tour Guide then showed us the actual bed where George Washington had slept, and conducted a tour of the cooking area and detailed the rest of the history of the home, explaining the cooking activities being demonstrated.

   Soltesz said that the Miller House had been closed by Westchester County during the O'Rourke Administration (Andrew O'Rourke, former County Executive) because no one was visiting the house. She said that County Executive Andrew Spano is very interested in reopening the historic farmhouse on a regular basis, and had organized this event three weeks ago drawing on the talents of many persons from the northern part of the county. John Barker of the County Parks Department is the man attempting to structure a plan that will reopen Miller House on a permanent basis.

    It was noteworthy that in Salem, Massachusetts, where virtually every historic home is open for admission, and well-visited, that in Westchester County, Purdy House and Miller House, are not able to be open on a regular basis to the public, due to lack of funds.

   On this Presidents Day Weekend, it was touching to see the two old stout and sturdy homes, almost 300 years old, bustling with activity, patriotism, pride and an occasional ghost of America when it was young.

Filed by John Bailey, WPCNR from Miller House.

To comment or add on to this or any WPCNR story, Click on Report News, or call 997-1607, or e-mail me at WPCNR@aol.com or TheCpywtr@aol.com.

White Plains Middle School presents its 14th annual musical,
"Oliver" on March 23 & 24

Highlands, February 22, 2000

One of the spectacular team efforts in White Plains is the annual production of the Middle School musical, a traditional extravaganza that has been produced by Doris Hernacki and Dr. Michael Passow for fourteen consecutive years.

   This year they reprise the first musical they staged in 1987, "Oliver," on March 23 and 24. The production features two complete casts, so that more actors and actresses get the experience of being in the show. Rehearsals are in full swing, judging from the complex cast call grids on display in the main hall at Highlands School. The show features the orchestras of both schools and involves hundreds of students and faculty in various capacities.

    Ms. Hernacki handles the front stage directing, while her Co-Director, Dr. Passow deals with back stage direction and technical details, but she admits their duties often overlap. The show has been working on individual rehearsals of pickpockets, townspeople, orphans and street people, leads and segments and expects to have its first run-through with everyone in the cast in the first week of March.

   Ms. Hernacki told WPCNR there are 150 students from Highlands and Eastview in the show, and 200 total students participating in the show in some capacity. (There are approximately 1,350 students in the two schools.) She reports special education students and ESOL students participate too as ushers and vendors of bouquets sold on the night of the performance to raise money.

    She reports there will be two full run-throughs on Saturday, March 18 prior to the performances on the 23rd and 24th.

    The school helps to pay for the production of the musical through Program ad sales. The ads sell for $40 a full-page, $20 a half-page, $10 for a quarter page. Deadline for ads for the program was February 18, but you may still be able to purchase space in the program. Contact Ms. Hernacki to hold your space at 422-2092.

   Money from the programs and box office ticket sales is used to cover the $800 royalty paid to produce the show, to pay for a professional lighting technician, and rented sound equipment, to pay the $600 cost of renting all scripts and music for the cast and orchestra.

    Tickets for the show are priced at $6 for adults, $4 for students and senior citizens. Advance sale will begin March 13 at lunchtimes at Eastview and Highlands schools. Tickets may also be purchased at the door both nights. Call 422-2092 for how you can pick up your tickets.

From a WPCNR Interview with Doris Hernaki via telephone from Highlands Middle School.

To comment or add on to this or any WPCNR story, Click on Report News, or call 997-1607, or e-mail me at WPCNR@aol.com or TheCpywtr@aol.com.

Planning Board Round-up:

Planning Board teams with DPW Chief Bud Nicoletti to measure multiple antenna radiation impact in the city OKs 9 Nextel Antennas at Orchard & Reservoir;
Establishes precedent of escrow funds to be paid into by communications companies for testing of multiple antenna radiation Approves D'Elia Environmental Impact Statement, but keeps Hearing Open

City Hall, February 18, 2000

   The White Plains City Planning Board approved 9 new antennas on a platform at Orchard Street and Reservoir Road at its meeting last Thursday night. In the same action, the Board established a new policy of having communications companies sharing towers, to pay for the city "testing" of radiation levels generated by their antennas.

   The testing will be executed under the supervision of Department of Public Works Commissioner Bud Nicoletti, who has located a company with the technology to evaluate cumulative radiation affects in various areas of the city.

   Planning Board Chairwoman Mary Cavallo reported that after the previous Planning Board meeting had raised the issue of public concern over the possible radiation levels at the Madison House antenna approval, she had met with Nicoletti to see if there was a way the city could test for the overall radiation levels in certain locations of the city.

    She reported the Nicoletti knew such a company, and a survey about multiple antenna radiation affect, and that he was going to initiate testing on the Reservoir Road and Orchard Street site once the installation was completed.

   Nextel, Omnipoint and the other company sharing antennas on the site were required to pay $4,500 into an escrow fund to pay for the city testing of the multiple antenna radiation after Nextel has erected its 9 antennas, according to the Nextel attorney.

    In other action, the environmental impact statement filed by the D'Elia Subdivision was approved by the Board, but the Public Hearing kept open, pending resolution of the environmental concerns expressed in the report. The Board decided to examine personally Pepe Motors plantings and designs on the south and west elevations of 50 Bank Street before approval.

WPCNR Reports.

To comment or add on to this or any WPCNR story, Click on Report News, or call 997-1607, or e-mail me at WPCNR@aol.com or TheCpywtr@aol.com.

Fiber Optic Cable Installation begins on Bryant and North Street, Pushing towards Highlands

North Street & Bryant February 24, 2000

Backhoes, dump trucks, three off-duty White Plains Policemen, a road-cutter, an assortment of "tender" vehicles and flag-persons, and piles of chalk-colored cables, and a Bell-Atlantic observer car, heralded the installation of a new phalanx of fiber optic cables through the heart of White Plains today.

   One lane of Bryant in each direction (alongside the Baptist Church), this morning was blocked, forming only two streams of traffic across the North & Bryant intersection. Motorists approaching from the East up Bryant should exercise caution making lefts onto North Street to go to the high school.

   A White Plains Department of Public Works spokesman confirmed that the cable-laying (see previous WPCNR report, February 2) would be proceeding continuously marching west across White Plains to connect with Route 22. He said that the White Plains Policemen observing the construction were off-duty police, paid by Bell Atlantic.

   The lead engineer for White Plains was unavailable to confirm the route the 21st century gandy dancers would take, because he was out of town. The original route reported to the City Council Meeting when the cable-laying was approved was Route 22 to Sterling to Prospect to Bryant, out to Westchester Avenue. The construction is beginning in reverse order, slightly ahead of schedule.

From the White Plains Department of Public Works

To comment or add on to this or any WPCNR story, Click on Report News, or call 997-1607, or e-mail me at WPCNR@aol.com or TheCpywtr@aol.com

    Citing a known list of a minimum 7 one-family homes on Battle Hill that have more than one family in residence, a delegation of residents will meet with Mayor Joseph Delfino Tuesday to brief him on the situation and demand the city "get tougher" with repeat zoning offenders.

    A spokesman for the delegation said the neighborhood has noticed a repeated pattern of how landlords in violation of their occupancy limits are handled by the city court.

    "They are fined by the city court for their violation about $500," says this source. "We clean them up and two months later, another family has moved back in, repeating the violation. We want the court to give these landlords stiffer fines, $5,000, $10,000 or more. We contacted several of the judges to meet with them and show them the residences, but they never returned our calls."

    Battle Hill residents have been monitoring suspect homes, taking pictures to demonstrate the multiple cars in driveways, and reporting alleged rooming houses to the Building Department. A delegate who will be meeting with the Mayor, says that the Building Department sends out inspectors to check out the suspect premises, and are often told to leave. Sometimes they arrive with the Fire Department to check for fire violations as a way to verify the illegal residential situation. "We are determined to rid our neighborhood of this practice," the delegate said.

    "We want to talk to the Mayor and see what he can do to help us with this situation."

    The neighborhood blames the renegade rooming house trend on situations where prospective buyers are not briefed thoroughly on the restrictions of one-family zoning.

Reported to WPCNR from Battle Hill.

If you would like to add to this story, contact John Bailey at 997-1607 or write WPCNR@aol.com or Click on Report News or Go to The White Plains Soapbox.

WPCNR interviewed Eugene Conroy, President of Community Housing Management Corporation, today and he gave us a firsthand look at the CHMC plan for a 6-story senior housing apartment building proposed for the tip of Silver Lake on the White Plains-Harrison border, he calls it the Lake Street Senior Housing Development

   The development is the housing piece of a proposal by Westchester County with possible involvement of the City of White Plains. The three-step plan preserves open space in the Woodcrest Heights area, by extending parkland around to the end of Silver Lake, to meet County park property, while addressing the waiting list for senior housing in the White Plains area.

County acquires, resells portion of land to Beth Abraham Services

   As Conroy describes it, Westchester County will acquire 8.4 acres of forested land for approximately $950,000 from the owner of the property on the North shore of Silver Lake in White Plains.

   The property, heavily forested, extends from below Springdale Avenue, and rolls down in wild splendor to the Silver Lake shore. The purchase is in line with County Executive Andrew Spano's plan to preserve open space and connect with already-owned county parkland farther along the lake shore. The purchase (expected to be approved by the County Board of Legislators Monday night), would be financed by a $1,000,000.00 bond issue.

    The County will, in turn, resell 1.6 acres to Beth Abraham Health Services (a client of Community Housing Management Corporation), for a senior housing apartment building at the tip of the lakeshore. A 50-space landscaped parking lot adjacent to the apartment structure will serve as a transition between building and the park area and serve as both parking for the apartment building and for the public visiting the park.

   The land for the apartment building would be sold to Beth Abraham for approximately $160,000.00. Conroy reports that Beth Abraham Health Services expects to receive a grant from the Housing and Urban Development Administration for $7.5 million for planning, design and construction of the senior housing complex.

Target: Fall 2001

   Conroy said that after the County Board of Legislators approves the initial purchase, and O.K.'s the sale of the 1.6 acre portion on the shore of Silver Lake back to White Plains, his firm would submit a formal plan to the city and go through the usual city approvals process. He would request senior citizen zoning for the property (which permits the lower number of parking spaces). He estimated that if the double sale occurred as expected, approvals would take about 18 months and construction might begin in the fall of 2001.

6-story building in lee of Woodcrest Heights set back from Silver Lake

    Conroy described the unit as a 71-apartment 6-story oblong beige-brick building with 13 single room units and 68 one-bedroom units. Tenants would be drawn from applicants on the waiting lists for CHDC's two existing White Plains senior housing properties, but not limited only to White Plains residents. Hud requires the housing be open to all.

    Rents would be set by HUD regulations at $500 per month, with tenants required to pay only 30% of their monthly income in rent, with HUD paying back Beth Abraham (CHDC's client) for the balance of the rent.

   Typically, Conroy reports, the residents of Franklin Windsor and Station Plaza, (the two White Plains senior buildings his firm manages), are generally female and widowed and living on only social security income (with receiving pensions). He said the residents of the Lake Street Senior Housing Development would fit a profile that would find the average resident receiving $800 a month social security of which they would be required to pay approximately $266 in rent, with Beth Abraham being reimbursed by HUD for the remaining $244 rent.

Estimated 1,000 seniors on wait list for senior housing in city

    Asked about the number of senior citizens on a waiting list for senior subsidized housing, Conroy said that he has 500 persons on his waiting lists for his two senior housing complexes. He estimated that the other senior citizen complexes in White Plains, (Battle Hill, Kingsley House, The Armory), would have a similar number of applicants hoping for apartments. He places the demand for senior subsidized housing at over 1,000 persons for the White Plains area.

Old Grist Mill preserved

   Another advantage of the country purchase plan, according to Conroy, is that the Grist Mill, located adjacent to the proposed apartment building, would be retained by the owner and given to the White Plains Historical Society. The Society will preserve the site as an historic property linked to George Washington's exploits at the Battle of White Plains.

From a WPCNR interview with Eugene Conroy, President, Community Housing Management Corporation.

If you would like to add to this story, contact John Bailey at 997-1607 or write WPCNR@aol.com or Click on Report News or Go to The White Plains Soapbox.

Church Street School activates new security procedures as school resumes

Church Street February 29, 2000

   When I arrived for my regular weekly volunteer work at Church Street School during school Tuesday morning, I tried one door on the main entrance, then another. None of the doors would open. They were totally locked. I noticed a green sign, instructing me to buzz my way via a new bell and intercom to the left and "report immediately to the office and sign in." All doors at the main entrance were locked. In all my past visits the last six years, I would just walk in to the left go down the long hall and check in at the office. I buzzed, was asked my name. I mentioned my name and that I was here for my regular volunteer duty, and I was buzzed in. The new security system, where the school is locked from the outside while school is in session, has been activated as a result of the School Safety Committee actions taken after a seminar with the School District on security last summer. I interviewed Church Street School interim Principal Theodore Kuczinski about the system.

Visual security enhanced by "lock-down"

   The School Safety Committee composed of himself, the Assistant Principal, parents, custodian, and faculty members had been briefed on security matters as a matter of routine by the school district. In the fall when school reopened, work was begun to design the present system, the intercom buzz-in system having been installed and activated this week. In addition to having to "voice-announce" yourself to have the door opened, the central office, (located deep within the school, far from the main entrance), is able to identify you on closed circuit television in the office. This television system has been active for about 6 years, but now the addition of the intercom/buzz-in device (similar to the typical luxury apartment building), enhances the visual security approach. Office personnel are forced to identify closely all who enter the building before they even enter the school.

Changes in place

    Now, at Church Street School, there is a new awareness, established procedures, and plans in place to handle emergencies. Some of the changes are:

1. All doors to the outside are locked during the school day, but are able to be exited from the interior of the building.
2. Attendance is expected to be in promptly to the office at 8:25 AM, so any students missing during a fire or any other emergency can be determined to be actually missing and not just absent from school. This, the principal said is to protect both students, school personnel, and fire and police personnel from risking themselves on a "search" for a student when that person is simply missing because he or she did not come to school that day.
3. When children are allowed outside for recess in the school playground or in Gardella Park, personnel supervising them are equipped with Walkie-talkies to report any problem back to the school office, as it happens.
4. When personnel leave the building during the school day, they carry walkie-talkies to communicate with the office to return to the building.
5. When a child has to leave recess to go back into the building, the exit door to the playground is not left open. A supervisor observes the door to prevent any unauthorized entry back into the building.
6. Banks of telephones have been installed so the central office of the school can communicate outside the school in an emergency.
7. All personnel know a secret procedure that they know will mean an emergency is in progress when it is invoked and can initiate emergency reaction procedures on their own.

   According to Mr. Kuczinski, the White Plains School District routinely conducts surprise emergency drills where the school office is notified with no warning that a threatening situation is taking place within the school. Church Street School has participated in these drills, and has been able to adjust and refine its reactions, note problems, and adjust them, he said.

Real fire evacuation ran smoothly not by accident

   Last fall, the school evacuated quite orderly, I thought when the fire alarm went off due to an electrical transformer problem. This brought fire trucks and police to the building. The clearing of the building was quite satisfactory according to administrative personnel. Now, I realize this orderly evacuation within 5 minutes, was not achieved by chance.

    According to Kuczinski, Church Street School has installed this system to address security concerns the Safety Committee itself pinpointed as a result of the School District seminar on safety last summer. The Safety Committee created the procedures for the school and choose the Intercom-Buzz-in system because of the deeply centralized main office location at Church Street. The principal could not speak for other schools adapting the same system, because other elementary schools in White Plains have offices located at the front entrance of the schools. Each school is responsible for its own security arrangements.

A WPCNR Special Report written by John Bailey based on an interview with Church Street School Principal Ted Kuczinski.

To comment on this report, you may reach me at 997-1607 or e-mail me at WPCNR@aol.com, or click on Report News or White Plains Soapbox.

Solomon-Schechter Watch: It's been a quiet week at Solomon-Schechter thanks to Mayor Delfino's "secret summit" and "quiet diplomacy."

Dellwood Road and Morgan Place March 3, 2000

   WPCNR visited the most controversial intersection in White Plains Thursday afternoon in "prime violation time" at 3:20 PM, and there were no lineups of cars. The school buses were in the parking lot picking up children, but no "maverick" parents were waiting to pick up children at that hour. One person was in the parking lot booth that marks the entrance of the school. Another person was stationed there to apparently turn early arriving cars "in violation" away.

   Was this a direct result of Mayor Joseph Delfino's very hush-hush personal visit to Dr. Elliot Spiegel, Solomon-Schechter Headmaster, referred to by a receptionist at Solomon-Schechter spoken to by this reporter?

Mayor meets Rosedalers Sunday night.

   Sunday evening, February 27, Mayor Delfino met personally with residents of the Rosedale Neighborhood Association who have led the protests that have highlighted the Solomon-Schechter alleged indifference to their own traffic management plan. Mayor Delfino assured those residents Sunday night that this problem of traffic lining up in the neighborhood before 3:45 PM in the afternoon would be addressed. When a resident asked if the Mayor was just going to give the school time until the end of the year, hoping the problem would be forgotten when school was out for summer, the Mayor said "Absolutely not," and that he would visit the Headmaster.

The Secret Summit

   WPCNR called the Mayor's office Tuesday to find out when this Mayoral visit was to take place. But the Mayor's office did not call back to confirm it. Nor, when WPCNR called the Mayor's office for a statement on a result of the Mayor's meeting with Dr. Spiegel, did the Mayor's office return our call.

   However, a receptionist from Solomon-Schechter appears to confirm such a "secret summit" did take place.

   When WPCNR called Wednesday to ask the Headmaster the result of his Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday night, the receptionist reported Dr. Spiegel was "out of town." WPCNR asked when was he going to meet with the Mayor, and the receptionist said, "Oh, didn't that take place yesterday?(Tuesday).

Illegally parked vehicles vanish!

    Mysteriously, parked cars on Dellwood and Morgan Place were absent from the area Wednesday, Thursday and we presume Friday afternoons during the 3 PM to 3:45 time frame, when no cars are permitted to line up back onto Dellwood Road. Parked passenger car traffic was parked nowhere to be seen Thursday, from this eyewitness.

    Traffic Commissioner Ted Gammon was not available to comment on the new compliance procedures that Solomon-Schechter was using, if any, to correct this situation the school had been unable to control for a full 6 months since September.

     Based on neighborhood surveillance and routine telephone calls by WPCNR to officials and commentary from neighborhood correspondents.

   If you would like to add to this story, contact John Bailey at 997-1607 or write WPCNR@aol.com or Click on Report News or Go to The White Plains Soapbox.