Do It Anyway

In yet another unsolicited campaign mailing at $.46.5, Mr Feiner bemoaned the vacant store fronts throughout our Town on our commercial streets in Fairview. He continues on that that’s why many are pleased with the economic development on Rt 119 in the Fairview section of the Town. What he doesn’t mention is that his policies have helped to create the suburban blight we see in many sections of the Unincorporated portions of Greenburgh. And, in particular to the Fairview section of Town, he has purposely created a specific area within the Town that will always remain depressed by being choked with an over-abundance of those requiring assistance for the homeless, DSS, prison release re-entry, and others in distress and need. And, while we feel compassion for these people, perhaps Mr Feiner has avoided putting them in more affluent neighborhoods as a means to control votes?

The former Greenburgh Health Center on Rt 119, actually owned and run by a Mount Vernon, NY, based agency, has remained closed and unoccupied for several years now after moving into their newer and larger facility on Knollwood Road. The building remains just as lifeless in appearance as it had when it was being used. The difference now is there are fewer women with strollers and kids-in-tow trying to cross Rt 119 in a suicidal attempt to get to the other side as well as dodging vans pulling in and out with patients.

The Greenburgh Planning Board, with all its appointees approved by Mr Feiner and his Board, recently granted site approval to demolish three existing buildings in the area, including the Greenburgh Health Center in October 2016. Demolition of the site should begin in October 2016 and building construction completed in July 2017, when a new store, Harbor Freight plans to open. Apparently, with all of these vacant stores in our commercial areas, Mr Feiner was unable or unwilling to provide Harbor Freight with a suitable alternative and recycle/reuse existing buildings. And, while the former Joyce Lesley facility has been vacant for some time, they will be getting a facelift without a new or confirmed tenant. Might this have been a viable site for Harbor Freight?

Next in this campaign mailing was his confession that he has been unable to convince supermarkets to move into the area, while ABG believes he has been successful in making them leave. How? When Pathmark, owned by the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (A&P) closed its doors, we spoke with a representative who said it was about the high cost of union personnel and the lowest of margins on their products coupled with high rates of theft. He continued that other stores in their chain had success with non-grocery items such as picnic sets, beach chairs etc., but that this particular store’s clientele did not have the spendable cash from which the others benefitted. Consequently, their low profits, theft, utility costs, taxes and fees made it impossible for them to continue at that location. As an aside and blame not cast on Mr Feiner, in the 1970’s the A&P Distribution Center on Warehouse Lane was closed in the north Elmsford section of Unincorporated Greenburgh with that operation transferred to a New Jersey facility in an effort to break the union. 

Now there are also discussions to raze the current housing off of Manhattan Avenue and create a new senior housing facility in its place if the Housing Authority can acquire the necessary funding. So, in classic Feiner-speak, this is not something that is going to happen, just be talked about. He also speaks of this housing being incorporated into a mixed-use development which would include a small supermarket. Not a bad idea, but with rents, taxes, fees, permits and health codes in abundance, anything small would probably not survive.

Another suggestion he made in tandem with creating a small supermarket is to have the Theodore Young Community Center create a training program for young people and out of work residents as to how to start and manage a business. This is also a good idea and need not be dependent on any of the above taking place. Although, Mr Feiner only suggests starting the program if there is a supermarket built with this senior housing. We are concerned that there are already too many programs run at the TYCC and they may be hard pressed to be able to accommodate another, no matter how good an idea it may be. Also at issue is what is required to start a business. There is a lot of paperwork involved and the need for money to proceed with permit fees, applications, incorporation, attorney and accounting services to name a few – can be staggering. While we understand that Mr Feiner is hoping to throw out many ideas in this campaign mailing and hope something “sticks”, his sincerity to create any of these is suspect if past performance is an indicator of future results. Start the business start-up program now and help those people before worrying about future funding, demolition and construction. Once we do, we’ll begin to see A Better Greenburgh.