More Traffic Woes Once Deli Opens - You Could Be Next

When CompUSA moved into the corner location at Rt 119 and Old Kensico Road, the Fulton Park neighborhood was relieved that the space would not be used as another homeless facility. It felt the same when Staples moved in as well. Directly across the street was the former Kings Inn Motel that Mr Feiner vowed to fight to make a senior residence should it close. Then he reneged on that promise (simply an ad hoc crowd pleasing-lie at the time to protect himself). Subsequently he contacted a host of people and helped broker a carte blanche deal for Westhab, as extremly lucrative albeit not for profit corporation. 

Now still only partially occupied after being opened for several years, ABG’s guess is it will soon be turned into a  DSS Section 8 housing facility commanding $1400 for a 400-600 square foot “efficiency” apartment. Since the government has no limits on its spending, Westhab will rake in the Benjamin’s once their full business plan is finally implemented! Previously, Mr Feiner condoned the facility’s use as a transition location for just released convicts and crime in the neighborhood soared. The neighborhood nor their concerns didn't matter to Mr Feiner. They shortly learned the rest of the Town Board didn’t care either - mostly because Mr Feiner instructed them not to.

The deli next door complained about damage to the building, thefts and break-ins. Could it be directly attributed to the residents living at the transition facility? The politically correct won’t say so but the neighbors will. Mysteriously, when the facility was finally closed by the County, crime in the area all but vanished. Maybe the neighbors were right?

We believe the pseudo-abandoned deli, they continued using it behind the plywood encased windows and doors, had been illegally boarded up and had illegal signage installed on it. The Fulton Park Civic Association asked Mr Feiner and the Town to address it. We’re told by residents the deli made campaign donations to Mr Feiner’s re-election campaign. The Civic Association did not. The illegal signage went untouched for two years – no fines, no mandates to remove any of it and no repercussions. The “struggling” deli owner is really a real estate owner of numerous properties along with his brothers, one of whom owns RJT Towing and more.

He maintained he was losing thousands of dollars in lost revenue because he lacked a drive-thru window. Really – that’s the reason? It couldn’t be the asbestos-caused empty Verizon building across the street who had provided the majority of his customers? Or, an issue of quality with the food? Or, the disposition of the employees and owner toward customers? Or, the day laborers hanging out in the parking lot each morning? Or, well, it doesn’t matter any more.

The deli petitioned the Town Board, Zoning Board and Planning Board to allow it to build a drive-thru window. Making an teary-eyed plea, the deli owner feined weeping as he explained his parents had started the deli, he used his mother’s recipes and worked there as a teenager and he wants to keep this going in their memory. Oh my gosh, what a performance. It seemed so real. Give me a minute to dry the keyboard from my own tears. His act worked and they disregarded the neighborhood’s complaints of increased traffic, setback violations, encroachment onto state property - all of it.

The former Staples closed and a CVS reopened in its place. As an aside, the CVS building is in White Plains and the parking lot is in Greenburgh. We guess with that entire staff on board, sandwich sales at the deli should soar to what, maybe four more a day? But keep in mind we don't believe this was ever about sales or a deli or a parents legacy. Rather, it was about flipping the building with a drive-thru window grandfathered into the sale. We’re guessing Dunkin Donuts. Once the deli reopens, for however long or short a period of time, traffic woes promise to be worse. We need a Town Board willing to help its residents. Then we will see A Better Greenburgh.