In a post from the North Castle Citizens for Change, the Town Board voted by a 3 to 2 vote in favor to support the construction of Lower Income Public Housing on Old Route 22. The site is also known as the Corkoran Property, which was originally designated to be used as 10 middle income housing as part of a arrangement known as the Cider Mill Development Deal, which goes back to about 2004. The area's affected residents sought additional parking for the usage of the space. The property was originally offered to the Town at no charge, which would now be helping to satisfy the County’s Housing Desegregation Settlement with the Federal government during the waning months of Andy Spanos’ tenure as County Executive. See the photo below for the proposed project. It is nice and while it will not fit in with the area neighborhood, it is not garish or unsightly. We'll concede that all pastel watercolor renderings have a charm to them - which is why they are proposed this way.
In Scarsdale, we find the developer, Frederick S. Fish Investment Company, has returned with an alternate proposal for a property near the five-corners on Weaver Street that was originally to be used as a 14-unit age-restricted condominium apartment building on the parking lot of the current restaurant Massa, which was the former Heathcote Tavern. But the new development promises larger units, higher price tags and more luxurious appointments. What’s the downside to the community? There are no senior-friendly units planned. Yet the new ten–unit parking is coupled with 20 parking spaces utilizing the current restaurant parking. Crunch. The feeling touted by Steven Oder, a Fish principal, said to the Board, “If this is simple, okay. If not, no. We already use the land; it has been a long journey.” After quite a bit of opposition for the project, the architect Rich Behr added, “We’ve always taken you’re your comments seriously. But if it leads to another four or five years, we don’t have the energy for it.” Basically, they’re saying approve our plan or we walk. We couldn’t find an image for this project. But we believe they should walk. No Town or Village should be held hostage over any project in any community.
This scenario sounds familiar. We've had this same situation, almost verbatim, in the Town of Greenburgh, from Westhab. Their representatives had stated on several occasions, at Town Board Lead Agency hearings, Zoning hearings, Planning B…, well you get the idea, that the Town approve their plan or they might walk. Former Vice President of Properties, Robert Sanborn, went in front of the assorted Town Boards, public and neighborhood and repeatedly stated that if they didn’t receive approval, they might withdraw the project. As frustrations mounted at Westhab, with all of Paul Feiner’s back room deals, winks and nods, handshake deals and unscrupulous cooperation from the Town Board not yielding the results they were promised, it would ultimately be the undoing of Robert Sanborn. He was terminated for not delivering the project on time. Perhaps he shouldn't have lied to everyone.
With the economy now at bottom, and funding dried up, the rumor mill is awash with speculation for that property. Having lost his own deal with Westhab, which the neighborhood found out about. ABG believes Ernest Tartaglione tried to renovate the property to quickly “flip it”, now that Westhab has been stalled. He's subsequently boarded up the glass portions of the deli and posted ‘For Lease’ and ‘Closed’ signs on it. ABG believes as the landlord, Tartaglione should be summonsed by the Town for erecting illegal signage.
Below is an image of the Westhab proposal with the current building superimposed over it. It’s no wonder that everyone except The Paul, was against it.
With the economy now at bottom, and funding dried up, the rumor mill is awash with speculation for that property. Having lost his own deal with Westhab, which the neighborhood found out about. ABG believes Ernest Tartaglione tried to renovate the property to quickly “flip it”, now that Westhab has been stalled. He's subsequently boarded up the glass portions of the deli and posted ‘For Lease’ and ‘Closed’ signs on it. ABG believes as the landlord, Tartaglione should be summonsed by the Town for erecting illegal signage.
Below is an image of the Westhab proposal with the current building superimposed over it. It’s no wonder that everyone except The Paul, was against it.
Our Cities, Town and Villages need to have politicians who are not out for the own gain and can remember why they were elected: to represent the people; not developers, campaign donors, friends and family, or someone who bows to the coercive pressures to donate something to the Town for various departmental approvals. At ABG, it was always our goal to try to make the Town of Greenburgh a better place to live, hence our name. We wouldn’t have so much to write about if our representatives were representing us. It's time Paul Feiner and “his” Town Board retire.
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