In a desperate attempt to circumvent the binding deed and covenant compelling New Rochelle to maintain and use the Armory for the good of the public, it is reported that Mayor Bramson will be bringing a Home Rule Request up for a vote at an upcoming council meeting. This would pave the way for council running amuk with no accounting to the public (tax payer). There has been no real discussion about a readaptive use for the Armory, although elsewhere, throughout this country, people have chosen to make a success of the jewel in their possession.
The city council chose to turn their back on the Armory on the advice of their developer. Mr Kruse from Forest City said …our retail guys have looked at it and considered it a “missing tooth”. What if the city said “we want to readapt the Armory” ? Well, the developer would have included it in their plans. Abe Naperstek, also from Forest City, said they would have included the Armory if the council told them to. Realizing the importance of the structure, one of the other developers applying for the project, Twinings Development, actually did include it in their plans . So. you see, it CAN be done, it just takes the commitment to turn an historical icon into something we can all be proud of.
Make no mistake, it will cost this city millions and millions of dollars to “support” the development of Echo Bay And Lecount Place. Both developers are in financial turmoil. There will be even greater concessions from the city’s IDA to help these projects along. If a neighbor builds a house next to yours, is it appropriate for him to ask you to pay the taxes on his new house for the next 25 years ? That’s what’s going on here.That translates into lost tax revenue for the city. These grand projects should be able to stand on their own merit without sibsidies from us. Maybe they’re just not right, right now. The home rule request removes any pause to give a chance to reevaluate things. Home Rule will let this council, and all that follow, decide for themselves without regard to historical significance, economic impact, or New Rochelle culture. Development is good but you can take it too far and if we, the taxpayer, have to subsidize it, there needs to be more discussion.
The Home Rule Request is nothing more than an end run, a political gambit that does nothing for the taxpayer and everything for the developer’s bottom line. Manipulating Chuck Schumer to “talk” the postal service into selling the post office at an obscenely reduced price is not only insulting to the owners(us) , but borders on unethical, charlatan politics. When does it end ? It ends when we call our officials, local and state, to tell them we had enough. That’s where New Rochelle needs your help. Don’t reach into your pocket to fork out more money for taxes, reach for your cell phone and call. The success of New Rochelle is in your hands. Don’t let her down.
Tell the State you don’t agree with Home Rule
Take a moment to read these posts with an open mind and see for yourself that there is a better way for Echo Bay and the Armory
Interesting story about a Philadelphia armory –
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/magazine/20090611_A_new_work_in_old_armory.html
Philly Armory is a great example
Cities all over the country have chosen the correct path and embraced their local history by incorporating their Armory. I’ve found that there hasn’t been any Armory destroyed to make room for a private developer when a choice was available. We have that choice.
contact Sen. Klein
Sen Klein is at jdklein@senate.state.ny.us
1-800-718-2039
To My State Assembly and State Senate Members
When the State Department of General Services Conveyed the Armory to the Citizens of New Rochelle they had a binding legal document. Its a Deed. The deed specifically says how it should be used. Obviously like any deed to any property it survives owners, and politicians. In the case of Mayor Bramsons desperate attempt to skirt the deed with this Home Run Bill lets call it a end run bill you can connect the dots. I believe Amy Paulin, Suzi Oppenheimer, George Lattimer, Senator Klein have a duty to not let your politics play into your decision to allow Bramson to skirt the law. Throughout out land Armory’s are part of the recreational fabric enjoyed by their residents. Imagine the Park Avenue Armory if the then sitting NYC Mayor was as crude and lacking in vision as ourMayor Bramson and introduce Home Rule. The Park Avenue Armory is a treasue today. It took vision not stupidity to protect and treasure it so it could become a true servant to the City of NY. That building serves the community within, for functions and events and with the propper tender loving care the New Rochelle Armory could easily do the same. In a few years Bramson will have moved on to some other office. Your votes will stand however as a means of measuring who you are because in allowing local politics to skirt that deed and give in to a developer with zero ability to work within a plan that makes sense. When you vote remember we vote.
Say no to politics, say no to Bramsons lack of ability to invision the New Rochelle Armory as a Jewel in the middle of our community as he can only invision profits for developers. The Park Avenue Armory once was as run down and in need of TLC. Before you vote take a look at that building and then have the vision to stop Bramson because he clearly does not have the experience to see the big picture.
good for you Political Forechecker
It’s good to see others with the ability to see not only the big picture but the correct picture. Vision, leadership and commitment are all that’s needed to create one of the greatest, if not the greatest, icons we can pass along to the future generations of New Rochelle. A small price to pay by any measure. “When we look back will the urban development fall under the Rich in History category” ? I don’t think so