The old Loews Theater, previously a nightclub and later planned to be a 156 unit condo/rental building with its own parking deck will be put up for auction on March 31, Thursday, at 11 a.m.
Tranzon Integrated Property Group, a New York-based a full- service auction and real estate company, will conduct the auction. Also on the block are several commercial properties including 8 office properties, 9 retail stores, and the former 2,500 seat theater turned nightclub.
The commercial properties located at 587-599 Main Street, also known as 48 Huguenot Street, was previously approved as a residential development by the City of New Rochelle. The commercial properties, built through the entire block on Huguenot Street has half of the block as the retail frontage. Total area for the entire commercial properties is about 53,000 square feet.
Press Release from Tranzon:
NEW YORK, March 14, 2011 — /PRNewswire/ — New York based Tranzon Integrated Property Group (“TRANZON”) has announced that it will be auctioning a 53,000 SF property in the heart of downtown New Rochelle, NY. The property which is located at 587-599 Main Street (aka 348 Huguenot Street) consists of 9 retail stores, 8 offices and a former 2,500 seat theater that was last used as a night club. The property was also approved in the past as a development for a 156 unit condo/rental building with parking deck. The auction will be conducted on site on Thursday, March 31st at 11AM.
“The opportunity to get into an income producing mixed-use property of this size with the potential for a large scale residential development in the heart of New Rochelle is tremendous,” said TRANZON Auctioneer and Partner Oren Klein. He adds, “The property has almost half a block of retail frontage along Main Street and is built through the entire block on to Huguenot Street.”
“Our auctions over the past 12 months have enabled Sellers to sell into a difficult market while also offering great buying opportunities for investors who have the resources to take advantage of the low reserve prices being offered,” said Joshua Olshin, President of TRANZON. He notes, “This auction is an excellent opportunity for value-add investors/operators who are either interested in turning around an undermanaged asset and/or repositioning as a major development in a few years.”To access and register for the auction simply visit http://bit.ly/newroauction or contact Tranzon IPG at 212.375.1222.
Tranzon Integrated Property Group, based in the New York metropolitan area is a full- service auction and real estate disposition company and a member company of Tranzon, L.L.C. With more than 30 offices from coast to coast, Tranzon’s independently owned and operated regional member companies have conducted more than 11,000 auctions in 47 States and the District of Columbia, selling more than $1.6 Billion in asset value since the Company’s formation. For a complete list of auctions and sales or to learn more about Tranzon visit http://www.tranzon.com
Press Contact: Quinn Collins, +1-212.375.1222SOURCE Tranzon Integrated Property Group
Green This!
Bob Cox,
Thoroughly enjoy it when you go long form. This is as succinct an understanding on just what ICLEI and Agenda 21 are up to, as anyone will get. Like you said, now it’s up to New Rochelle to buy what Noam’s selling.
Gag me.
Are these the same sort of U.N bureaucrats that had Libya on the Human Rights Commission? Brilliant bunch down there, a veritable storehouse of great ideas and successful initiatives wouldn’t you say? Gee, why wouldn’t we want the U.N. to tinker around with U.S. cities?
I favor the Bolton Plan: Lop of the top four stories of the U.N. and see if anyone ever notices.
Same Comment Appeared Twice So I Removed the Extra
Same Comment Appeared Twice So I Removed the Extra.
TOTS has been lagging when one enters the verification code, causing it to hiccup. No doubt others have had the same experience.
Loews Should Be Turned Into a Concert Hall
Loews should be turned into a Concert Hall.
It original was a combined movie & vaudeville theater, just like the old RKO across the street was.
New Rochelle should realize most of its adult population is working in NYC during the day, but when they are actully here at night, find little to do culturally at night locally. If there was a concert hall in downtown New Rochelle, catering to Baby Boomers, it would be the magnet to bring middle aged adults to New Rochelle to spend their money.
Perhaps Don McLean would even play here.
Unfortunately City Hall has little appreciation of good music, other than some local jazz bands that play at the Library Green during the summer.
Baby boomer entertainment…
I’m with you Brian in that we need our own place for entertainment post NYC worklife. Wish I had more insight in developing such a huge property. However I produce lots of entertainment, i.e., comedy, theatre, music and art events in New Rochelle.
This spring/summer line-up should get us moving in the right direction Friday through Sunday. Tonight I have a comedy show at Rangoli starting at 9pm. Hope you guys are free to attend. Thx E
Loews Theatre
Any development that involves the destruction of the Loews Theatre is incredibly short-sighted and would significantly harm New Rochelle’s long term downtown development. A sense of “place” is incredibly important to a functioning and attractive community. Distinctive buildings like the Loews Theatre, used in creative ways, are precisely what give a community sense of place. Without them, generic development blocks, even if planned using contemporary planning regimes (like mixed use) result in cookie-cutter towns. Places that rot with blight eventually because people are just too bored to live there.
Also it is important that any use that doesn’t involve preserving the theatre contradicts GreeNR. Section 4.30 is titled “Creative Capital.” It states, “Employ various land use, marketing, and incentive methods to attract a larger “creative class” to New Rochelle, stimulate demand for underutilized built space, and realize the economic benefits associated
with arts and culture.” The Loews Theatre is underutilized built space. Properly utilized it could attract this creative class to New Rochelle. A mixed-use development standing in its place WOULD NOT. Any plan needs to preserve the theatre. If they want to build retail and residential spaces around it. FINE. That would be a fantastic idea. But destroying it would not serve to better downtown or advance the principles that have been so heavily touted.
Building a mixed-use development does not get you a get out of jail free card for future development. Greater density does not trump distinctive space. It’s not like you can say, well we can pretty much build whatever we want here, and it will be good from a planning perspective because it is a mixed-use development.
Let’s use some common sense here.
Are you seriously quoting GreeNR?
Andrew wrote:
…destroying it would not…advance the principles that have been so heavily touted AND…it is important that any use that doesn’t involve preserving the theatre contradicts GreeNR. Section 4.30 is titled “Creative Capital.” It states, “Employ various land use, marketing, and incentive methods to attract a larger “creative class” to New Rochelle, stimulate demand for underutilized built space, and realize the economic benefits associated with arts and culture.”
The principles have not been “heavily touted”. That has been the whole point of my objection to GreeNR. A very small percentage of New Rochelle residents pay attention to anything that goes on here until it bites them in the rear end. I seriously doubt you could find 200 New Rochelle residents who have read GreeNR. Few New Rochelle residents even know that it was proposed let alone passed.
If you watched this week, you saw the Mayor quickly discard entire sections of GreeNR in the hopes of getting a 7-0 vote. It did not work, Council Member Trangucci still voted no due to the association with ICLEI. It has been apparent to me that the Mayor is more concerned about being able to go around the country on behalf of ICLEI touting himself and his ability to pass an ICLEI-inspired S-ustainability plan than what the plan actually says.
The first mayor “green” initiative by Mayor Bramson was the conversion of a garbage truck to a hybrid diesel-electric engine. Where is the truck now? In the past couple years they have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars, how much fuel has been saved? How often has it even run with the electric component engaged? In the few times it has been in service at all, the vehicle has saved a whopping 3 gallons of fuel per month or about $12.00. Is spending $200,000 of taxpayer money to save twelve bucks a month what going green means for New Rochelle?
Although the City is denying it, my sources tell me that the vehicle is currently being re-retrofitted to run as diesel truck. The City is short garbage trucks, the hybrid engine no longer works and the company that was servicing the truck went out of business. In the hopes of adding another truck to the fleet they are giving up on the hybrid engine altogether. At least this is what my DPW sources tell me.
Now we have a S-ustainability plan where we are going to have solar panels on all our roofs (not!), Trump Tower size wind turbines on David’s Island (not!), hybrid engine garbage trucks (not!), adaptative re-use of Loews Theater, The Amory, Ward Acres Farmhouse, the Church on North Avenue, Wildcliff (not! not! not! not! not! not!).
I expect we will see two near-term outcomes from the passing of GreeNR; the Mayor traveling around the country showcasing himself as the Green Mayor and new costs of homeownership in New Rochelle.
The idea that a City with 3,000 outstanding building permits and an Comptroller report concluding that the IDA did not do a single cost-benefit analysis on ANY project it approved is going to effectively implement some of the hare-brained schemes in GreeNR strikes my as unlikely.
Did you see the discussion when the DPW Commissioner Alex Turgis proposed leasing vehicles from Enterprise? Al Tarantino asked Turgis for the cost-benefit analysis of lease v. buy. Turgis starts to say he does not have the cost-benefit analysis Tarantino requested. Chuck interrupts and says “in all fairness, we only got the request for a cost-benefit analysis yesterday”. Tarantino rightly pointed out that he was not asking for a NEW analysis but a copy of the analysis done by Turgis prior to making the recommendation to lease vehicles rather than buy them. Then the kicker — Turgis admitted he had not done a cost-benefit analysis. Really? Then on what basis is he recommend a leasing programming over an alternative to bond for the money and buy the vehicles.
Sound familiar?
Ask yourself why, when these people are not doing on a cost-benefit analysis, whether it be for leasing vehicles or handing out tax abatements, they making any recommendation at all. How could they? Easy, they are not motivated by cost v. benefits. They are motivated by something other than getting the best deal for the City. Fill in your own motivation but whatever it is, it is not doing what is best for taxpayers.
Just know the going rate for kickbacks on the street is 10-15% of the total contract. Think about that then think about all the contracts and deal being handed out by the City (in fairness, the City are pikers when you compare them to the New Rochelle school district).
Like Noam’s Green Garbage Truck, I expect we will get stuck with all of the costs, none of the benefits and, in the end, someone will, metaphorically speaking, steal the truck and sell it for scrap.
Oh wait, stealing a truck and selling it for scrap? That already happened!
GreeNR
Bob,
My post doesn’t necessarily support GreeNR as a plan. My view is that NR should not approve any development plans of that parcel unless it does not do harm to the theatre. Even further than the planning reasons I described, NR’s own planning documents (i.e. GreeNR) compels that result.
Now, on GreeNR itself, I am not commenting on the provisions as a whole. You have generally convinced me that many of the sustainability provisions will likely cost more to the taxpayers than any environmental benefit accrued. Wind turbines certainly seemed far-fetched in a coastal ecosystem with a huge waterfowl population.
That being said, I tend to agree with the module on creative capital. Bob, do you have a problem with this specific module (i.e. the idea that underutilized built space should be utilized in a way to attract artists and musicians to NR)? Forget about GreeNR and its genesis for a second, I woke up this morning and I had the following idea, which I hereby propose for New Rochelle: “We should employ various land use, marketing, and incentive methods to attract a larger ‘creative class’ to New Rochelle, stimulate demand for underutilized built space, and realize the economic benefits associated
with arts and culture.” A veritable epiphany. Do you have a problem with this?
Robert Moses
Andrew,
I am sure you have read The Power Broker by Robert Caro about Robert Moses. You will then recall how, when Moses worked in Albany for Al Smith he inserted unassuming language into various bills which individually appeared innocuous but when taken together formed the basis for his power. You know that Al Smith was taken aback when his most able staffer asked, as his reward for service, to be appointed Parks Commissioner, a seemingly low post for a man who could have asked for anything.
It was always understood the that right of a Parks Commissioner to invoke eminent domain was for the purpose of a short road near a park. Once Parks Commissioner he used the lines of law he had embedded in the State Code to assert the right to build roads, bridges and tunnels all over New York for the supposed purpose of connecting population centers to State Parks (hence the term “parkway”). You know the result — New York’s transportation system became almost entirely auto-focused with the result of massive traffic jams and pollution. Over time he parlayed building roads into bridges into creating a new entity called an “Authority” initially for the purposes of building the Triborough Bridge through which he created his own fiefdoms along with their own flags, currency and police force, a government within a government.
No one granted Moses his power. He took it. He made is possible by creating a seemingly innocuous but interconnected web of laws and governmental bodies and appointed positions which forced everyone in the State and City government to come crawling to him. In his view this was fine because he knew best and what New York needed was more roads and bridges and tunnels. The end result? He siphoned off so much of government financial resources that New York City went into bankruptcy. By the 1970s’ the Bronx was burning and New York was a crime-ridden mess.
I do not worry about any one individual element of GreeNR. What I worry about is the Mayor’s insistance that GreeNR must be taken as a whole or not at all and that this directive is coming from ICLEI and that while I may not fully understand what ICLEI and the UN intend by the various elements or phrases or definitions or wiggle words I can step back and look at their own goals and mission statement and founding principles. Like the way Robert Moses fooled the people of New York and even his own boss, Governor Al Smith, I believe that ICLEI has an agenda, I think that agenda has a name and that if I do not and should not read their so-called plan to understand where the plan is intended to ultimately lead.
By the Mayor’s own words, the plan is to be an ICLEI pilot program for how to apply ICLEI’s PlaNYC to other cities and counties in the United States, to help build a “toolkit”,whatever that means, so that all cities, towns and counties in the United States have their own S-ustainability Plan.
So what I need to really understand is the purpose of ICLEI in working toward the adoption of S-ustainability Plans throughout the U.S. Their purpose is no secret, it is to bring about the implementation of Agenda 21. This is not black helicopter theory but a fact made plain by their own web site. Agenda 21 itself is not secret. Here is the link…
http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/agenda21/res_agenda21_00.shtml
Not only does this lay out the entire plan but if you look closely you will see that the United Nations taken the position that they are “uniquely positioned” to bring about Agenda 21. It is their new mission!
38.3. The United Nations system, with its multisectoral capacity and the extensive experience of a number of specialized agencies in various spheres of international cooperation in the field of environment and development, is uniquely positioned to assist Governments to establish more effective patterns of economic and social development with a view to achieving the objectives of Agenda 21 and sustainable development.
38.7. The overall objective is the integration of environment and development issues at national, subregional, regional and international levels, including in the United Nations system institutional arrangements.
It is not “theory” or even “conspiracy theory” to believe that the United Nations has a specific goal to integrate Agenda 21 into every facet of every government at every level. ICLEI is the means to do that at the local level.
Now you may think Agenda 21 is great and that their specific, codified, defined an ratified meaning of the term “Sustainability” is fine and, if that is the case, you would see nothing wrong with the City of New Rochelle partnering with ICLEI to implement Agenda 21 in New Rochelle. I accept that and that is what democracy is all about; if most residents want to see Agenda 21 become the new way of life in New Rochelle fine. They can have it and those who do not like it can either accept it or move some place else.
But do not try and tell me that GreeNR is not a plan developed in partnership with ICLEI as a way to advance the ICLEI mission to implement Agenda 21 in New Rochelle. If you want to call black, white and white, black then do so without me.
Agenda 21 –>> ICLEI–>> GreeNR is a documented fact.
It is also a fact that the creation and filling of a position called “Sustainability Coordinator” was a prerequisite for applying to the ICLEI pilot program, something that was never disclosed to the City Council and has still never been discussed in Council.
It is a fact that ICLEI specifically recommends that the “Sustainability Coordinator” NOT be a municipal employee.
It is a fact that ICLEI “helpfully” provides a model job description for the position of “Sustainability Coordinator” and that this job description describes “coordinating” between ICLEI and the local government not WITHIN the local government and that a primary function of the position is to bring about the adoption of LEED building standards in the local government.
Again, if New Rochelle residents understand the cost of LEED and want LEED and understand Agenda 21 and want Agenda 21 then fine. It is my contention that a tiny fraction of New Rochelle residents know about any of this and that even among those who say they support GreeNR.
This is VERY long way of saying that I am not going to debate the issue on your terms. I am not going to get down into the weeds and debate a particular point of a particular aspect of a particulate element of one of the 43 initiatives contained in GreeNR. Just like people should have made sure to understand better the cliff over which Robert Moses was taking New York State and New York City, I want people to better understand the cliff over which I believe Agenda 21 is taking us.
What I can see is that a great deal of effort (even smears and insults of a sitting Council Member) is being expended by the Mayor to ridicule the notion that there should be any discussion about Agenda 21 in New Rochelle. Why? Agenda 21 is hardly a secret. ICLEI’s mission to implement Agenda 21 at the local level is no secret. So, what is he afraid of?
It is my view that Mayor Bramson is very afraid that people will start to take a look at Agenda 21 and notice they are talking a great deal about the unsustainability of what most call “The American Dream”, starting with owning your own home, a yard out back for the kids, your own car. That might give pause to many voters in New Rochelle who specifically came to New Rochelle in order to live in a single-family home with a yard.
Bob,
I’m not trying to get
Bob,
I’m not trying to get you agree to benefits or disadvantages of GreeNR as a plan. Honestly, I’m not really on board with a lot of it anymore. I’m not trying to frame any sort of argument on my terms in order to somehow back you into a corner with GreeNR. I truly don’t care. You’ve won that battle.
What I DO truly care about is the fate of the Loews Theatre. You can ask Jim Killoran about my longstanding interest in the fate of the building. I think it is good planning policy to encourage distinctive spaces with community-enjoyed uses. The Loews Theatre is a prime example.
I’ll put my concern in plain terms: I am concerned that NR will approve some sort of exemption to allow the developer to destroy the Loews Theatre to put in a mixed use development. I think they will likely rationalize this as encouraging density per the GreeNR plan. This is the sort of Robert Moses business that we need to worry about. One strategy against it is to fight fire with fire. The mayor and the controlling members of city counsel support this plan. They find it convincing. If I want to convince those people to act or refrain from acting in a certain way, isn’t it better to base arguments in things that they find convincing?
Even setting all that aside, now what am I supposed to do here? As it turns out my own vision of urban planning involves using under-utilized space, optimally, in ways that inure to the public benefit (and also make some money for the developer). Distinct places like that help bind a community together. They encourage other people to move there. Being interested in film, music and the performing arts, I tend to prefer creative uses. These are my views on urban planning. They happen to align with that one initiative of GreeNR in this regard. Should I abandon these views just because they are in GreeNR?
I’m not trying to debate you on GreeNR. I’m trying to make sure that the Loews Theatre is still around in ten years.
Bob,
You are absolutely
Bob,
You are absolutely right. Noam is too eager to join forces with ICLEI and it certainly raises questions as to why. To me, and correct me if I am off target, GreeNR is a cover for Noam’s develpoment agenda. There is too much talk in the plan about adding residential units to downtown NR and developing Echo Bay.
Imagine, in this day and age, ONLY ICLEI has software that can analyze our enviromemt and promote changes. It may well be that this whole plan is on the up and up. However, it may also be a cover for the re-development of NR that long term residents of the community are unwilling to deal with. Unfortunately, before we realize it’s true scope, it may be too late to stop.
Underutilized built space a Trojan Horse
Underutilized built space is a dangerous term. It was used by council to condemn the area along I-95 in an attempt to build Ikea. Most of the businesses in that area were and still are viable. A study ratified by the city council used cracks in a building as criteria for condemning it due to underutilized space. Any proposed project which anticipates more revenue for New Rochelle, property taxes and or sales tax, would make the existing built property underutilized. If IBM proposed moving their headquarters to parcel 1-A that would deem Trump Towers underutilized built space.
Good point
I think that’s a good point. Underutilized built space could be broadly used to encompass basically anything. I think there is no doubt though that the vacant Loews Theatre is underutilized built space.
Loews Theater
So go for it Sussman, purchase the property and develop it. Seems like you have a potential partnership with Incoming Tide. However, I am fairly confident that the execution of your development plan would be much more complex then you think. I am sure that those who are looking to bid on the property are considering a variety of ways to develop the property. One thing I am sure of; their top priority will be how to maximize return on investment. Frankly, that should be yours as well if you were considering a purchase.
Your reference to “New Rochelle” is a bit unclear. Are you suggesting that city government should mandate how a private purchaser should develop the property? That would surely impact the value of the property in a detrimental fashion. Or are you suggesting that our, effectively bankrupt, city should purchase the property and develop it? Leading to additional government malinvestment and theft of taxpayer resources via an increased tax burden.
I am not to about to develop
I am not to about to develop any property. I’m not all that wealthy that I would throw a lot of money into an investment other than into government guaranteed entities like bank accounts.
When I speak of New Rochelle, I tend to mean the people and businesses of NR as well as the government. This is who I am referring to regarding New Rochelle needing a concert hall. Over the years, I have advocated a concert hall being put into any of three buildings, the old RKO, the old Loews or the old Armory.
When I am specifically referring to the government, I tend to refer to City Hall, or to the government of City Hall, or to the City Council or members thereof (which included the Mayor), or to the City Manager, Commissioners, Departments or civil servants.
Regarding real estate purchases by the government of City Hall, I tend to frown on such purchases , unless they serve a useful purpose, such as for parks, cultural uses, or true necessities (a new City Yard not being a necessity). In general I think City Hall should get out of the ‘development’ business and instead should concentrate on commerce.
I have a different take than so-called conservatives, as how the government can maintain or extend services while reducing or at least not increasing taxes. The government should avoid privatizing services, as this usually increases government expenses.
Instead, the government should be providing some useful but unnecessary services at a profit, such as cultural events. As the government already owns the Armory, that would be an ideal location. I have a similar take on the best uses for Davids Island, something already owned by the government.
Alternately, the government should encourage a private entity to buy Loews and turn it into a concert hall. This is what I was writing about.
Sussman should register as Independence
Mr. Sussman, you have “graced” this blog as a proud democrat and chide the republicans at every opportunity. You need to check your history of New Rochelle since in 1999 or there about then councilman Bramson proposed legislation he described as “competition” which would have allowed competitive bidding for city services; street sweeping and garbage collection as I recollect. This was nothing more then a veiled first step to privatize city services. Now there is a new approach so CSEA/DPW beware. The city is ready to lease a major part of their fleet to “control” costs. This was done without a cost/benefit study for own or lease options. Once the city doesn’t own vehicles it will be one step closer to privatizing DPW services, which has been Bramson’s goal since his failed attempt at “competitive city services”.
You disagree with the democrats on development; you believe there should be a strong mayor form of government (the democrats have been on both sides of the street on this issue); and now you oppose Noam’s “competition”. Could it be you are happy being a member of the ruling gang as opposed to working for your beliefs?
Maybe you should focus on doing your part on the New Rochelle School Budget that makes up 68% of the overall New Rochelle tax bill.
Why I Prefer the Democrats
Under our republican-democracy form of government, what is done by any Councilperson, Mayor or any other elected official is by their choice alone. It is left to their mindset and conscience, as balanced by their political considerations.
True democracy, when the People are empowered to control their future, only exists on Election Days, importantly including Primary Elections.
You say I disagree with the Democrats on ‘development’. Your perception is in error.
The fact is, I disagree with most New Rochelle Councilpersons, Mayors, City Managers and Commissioners of Development over the last 50 years, about ‘development’ and privatization of services. Most elected officials of both parties, during the last 50 years are equally responsible for New Rochelle’s commercial deterioration, and increasingly precarious tax base.
New Rochelle City Managers and Commissioners, are appointed not elected, and presumably avoid partisan politics; but they are the ones who run this city, and sometimes it has appeared like the City Council is the rubber stamp of the City Manager rather than the other way ‘round’. This was especially true during the disastrous 17 year reign of City Manager Sam Kissinger, and his Commissioners of Development.
Why do you consider Mayor Noam Bramson’s development policies to be that of the Democratic Party? Do his development or privatization policies represent the policies of New Rochelle’s Democratic voters? Do his development or privatization policies represent the policies of the District Leaders of New Rochelle’s Democratic Committee? I am unaware of the answer to both questions, and I presume Noam only presumes support based on assumptions about election results, whether at the polls or at nominating conventions.
Why would a Democratic Voter be drawn to big business, eminent domain, urban removal or other things associated with New Rochelle’s ‘development’? Wouldn’t one expect Democrats in most other cities and towns to be mostly concerned about protecting the little guy from Big Business supported by the Republicans?
Perhaps Noam’s election success is dependent on considerations of voters, other than development. Certainly ‘Green’ energy is sought by Democrats throughout the USA. After the Gulf Oil Spill and the recent disasters in Japan, I would expect more Republicans are looking favorably at Green policies too.
But truly, I believe most North End New Rochellians will vote Democrat for City Council not because of any specific support of City Hall policies, but as a protest vote against fiends like GW Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Gingrich, Palin, Beck, O’Reilly, Hannity, Limbaugh and the Teabaggers.
As I hate GW Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Gingrich, Palin, Beck, O’Reilly, Hannity, Limbaugh and the Teabaggers too, and also dislike many Republicans in Congress and Albany, I am quite comfortable with being a registered Democratic and will remain so. I think Nancy Pelosi was a wonderful Speaker of the House. I think President Obama is a better President than most, and seems to be improving – he is a bit to conservative for my tastes, but is pretty much what I expected when he was running in the Primaries when I campaigned locally for him – I hope and expect to see him appoint Hillary Clinton to the Supreme Court.
The Republican’s Wisconsin Union fiasco will bring out a better than usual Democratic voter turnout in the elections of 2011-12, resulting in many Democratic successes locally and throughout the USA.
This year I hope to see a Democrat elected to City Council representing the 4th Council District, and my main concern this year will be with such success. I will do my best to make it so.
But regarding the reelection of Mayor Noam Bramson, it appears the Republicans have no one who wants to run against him, or at least no one that NR Republican Chair Doug Colety wants. So I guess, by default, the Republican Committee supports the reelection of Noam Bramson, which indicates the NR Republican Committee supports Noam’s development plans as much as the Democratic Committee does.
During several previous referendums efforts since the late 1980’s, I have consistently publically and actively been on the side of electing New Rochelle’s Chief Executive; and also of the City Council only being represented by Districts absent any At-Large City Council member, whatever the titles. I dislike the term ‘Strong Mayor’ and prefer the term ‘Executive Mayor’. But mere titles are unimportant.
I believe the voters of New Rochelle are entitled to democratically elected separation of powers into three branches of government, and one-man-one-vote legislative representation in the New Rochelle City Council.
I prefer elected officials who remember they took an oath…
I prefer elected officials who remember that they we elected to serve and work in the public interest.
Labels don’t work when both sides act like wolves in sheep’s clothing. There is one party in many cases and that is the party of green or pay to play.
When an elected official violates their oath of office, we the electorate should say so loud and clear.
You can use labels, but one size does not fit all in this brave new world.
Elected officials who are paid with our tax dollars must be held accountable no matter what party they are registered in.
JACK ASS
One word for you Brian JACKASS
The Real Problems with the New Rochelle Board of Education
As an apartment dweller, school taxes hardly affect me. I have no children in school. and graduated NRHS, 42 years ago. As I have little stake in the school system I generally leave it to others to follow school issues closely, although I do vote.
I think public education is one of the most important features of American government, and would rather see costs saved elsewhere other than in education itself, which means the cuts should be made in Administrators and Construction, rather than in Teachers or Programs.
But I will tell you of my concern regarding NR Board of Education / NR Library Board / Budget Elections. None of it is monitored at all by the Westchester Board of Elections. Neither the NR Board of Education nor NR Library Board keep computerized records of who voted in any NR Board of Education / NR Library Board elections, and so it is impossible obstain their records in electronic form. One can only view the records of the School / Library Boards’ elections by actually viewing the individual records on paper for all 40,000+ potential voters (the books we sign at the polling places).
Therefore there is a serious conflict of interest regarding NR Board of Education / NR Library Board / Budget Elections. Concerned voters should demand of the NR School and Library Boards, that that the Westchester Board of Elections must monitor and run NR Board of Education / Library Board elections, and to Count the Votes, and for the WBOE to maintain electronic records as to who votes/voted in those elections. Such records should be obtainable by FOIL, just like all other elections.
“As an apartment dweller,
“As an apartment dweller, school taxes hardly affect me”
Ignorance may be bliss but your building owner pays taxes and raises rents as taxes go up unless your building is exempt (can someone please list below what commercial apartment buildings in New Rochelle are currently exempt (in full or in part) from paying school taxes.
“As I have little stake in the school system I generally leave it to others to follow school issues closely, although I do vote.”
Well…sometimes you vote. Over the past 5 years you have voted in just two of the school/library elections. You skipped in 2006, 2007 and 2008, right?
“None of it is monitored at all by the Westchester Board of Elections. Neither the NR Board of Education nor NR Library Board keep computerized records of who voted in any NR Board of Education / NR Library Board elections, and so it is impossible obstain their records in electronic form. ”
Well..not really. I was able to obtain electronic (ie scanned) copes of YOUR voting records just by asking.
“One can only view the records of the School / Library Boards’ elections by actually viewing the individual records on paper for all 40,000+ potential voters (the books we sign at the polling places).”
Well…now that it is not right because candidates who run for various offices in New Rochelle can get all this information from the County Elections Board. I have seen these spreadsheets myself.
“Therefore there is a serious conflict of interest regarding NR Board of Education / NR Library Board / Budget Elections.”
Here I agree. The idea that the Board of Education is responsible for managing the vote is a problem. It is a problem because of the way the Board operates de facto but not de jure. The Board is controlled by a clique which has had a very heavy hand in determining who gets on the board. Not because it is inherently a conflict but because of the closed nature of the Board of Education I agree with Brian here.
“Such [electronic] records should be obtainable by FOIL, just like all other elections.”
Have you ever asked? I believe you can get these records. Contact the County Board of Elections and asked them about it and, if needed, who to send a FOIL request. When you get them please upload them here.
Bob – You Are Mistaken About Rent Increases in NY State
Bob –
You are mistaken about rent increases in NY State. When my very crooked landlords’ property taxes increase, they cannot apply that to their tenants via rent increases because all rental apartment buildings with six or more apartments in buildings built before 1974, are under the Emergency Tenant Protection Act of 1974, which in NYC is known as ‘Rent Stablization’, but as ETPA in Westchester, Nassau and Rockland Counties.
Property Tax increases are not appliable to be used for Rent Increases. Landlords are obligated to offer the tenant the choice of one or two year lease renewals, set at the percentage or flat rate increases set by the Westchester County Rent Guidelines Board.
The rent increases are set on a county-wide basis and do not take into account the property tax increases within any specific city, town or village. The rent increase, is appliable to the next lease but not within the time of a current lease.
If the Landlord fails to timely renew a lease the landlord cannot receive any Rent Increase for that apartment until a lease is timely renewed, and the Tenant can therefore remain for decades without a renewed lease but without any rent increases.
The Rent Guidelines Board is heavily weighted in favor of Landlords, so there is no reason to feel sympathy for the Landlords.
I have no idea what you were trying to prove by posting scans of paper voting records. You merely confirmed what I had stated, that I have little interest in School Board Elections but that I vote in them. Actually my real interests are the Library Elections that occur at the same time.
While I have no problem with your stating when I voted, I do have a problem with my signature being posted for the world to see, and possibly to be forged.
Will you please do the decent thing, and immediately remove those scans, and in the future consider the potentially malicious implications of unnecessarily posting scans of signatures?!?
The Westchester Board of Elections keep no computerized electronic digital records of who has voted in School Board Elections, as your scans of paper records prove. This means I cannot determine which School Board elections you have voted in either, unless I want to look at scans of paper. I am not interested enough to bother looking at your own paper records nor scanned copies thereof.
But regarding General and Primary Elections, I have voted in most if not all of them over the last 39 years that I have been eligible to vote.
You really have a lot of nerve to publish voting records here, let alone scans with signatures, and I am shocked you would. But as you have done so, I believe what is good for the goose is good for the gander, so I appologize that I am about to goose you, but fair-is-fair.
I don’t normally look up an individual’s voting records, as I am only interested in Voter Demographics. But since you intentionally and manually looked at my School Board voting records, I decided to look up yours electronically in a database.
In your case, I believe that in the last ten years you have voted in no primaries, but that you failed to vote at all in the General Elections of 2001, 2003, 2007, 2009 nor 2010. This means you failed to vote last year for Congressperson, US Senator, NY Senator, NY Assemblyperson or Governor, or NR City Judge.
This also means you failed to vote for Mayor or City Councilperson in 2003 or 2007. So you have no business ranting at our Mayor or Councilpersons. You have opted by default, for other persons, such as myself, to do your voting, to make your choices instead of you doing so. Persons, such as yourself, who can vote but fail to, have no one but themselves to blame if they dislike what their elected officials are doing. Actually, considering how much you complain about our government, I am surprised at this.
Evidently, you are not very computer-saavy. When I refer to electronic records, I don’t mean electric scans of paper records. What I am referring to is electronic data within a Computer Database. I presume you don’t really know what a Database is, as most people don’t, but I am an expert on Databases and SQL query language. Electronic scans of paper records are close to worthless for determining demographic patterns, whereas Computer Databases are highly useful and very fast to produce patterns from data.
Considering you have gone out of your way to investigate and publish copies of my paper voting records of School Board elections, I was suprised you actually do agree with me that the Westchester Board of Elections should monitor the NR Board of Education / Library Elections, and to keep Electronic records on a real Database.
I have previously inquired of both the Westchester Board of Elections and of the NR Board of Education in regards to this matter, which is exactly why I am informed on the matter.
I suggest all interested parties should call NR BOE Records Access Manager Lisdalia Saraiva at 576-4300 or to email her at lsaraiva@newrochelle.k12.ny.us
Tell her you insist that the NR Board of Education elections should be monitored, counted and Computer Database records must be maintained by the Westchester Board of Elections.
Scanned copies of paper records should only be used if they are the only option. The barcodes on those paper records, are scanned as electronic, digital data into the Westchester Board of Elections’ computer Database for all elections other than the elections of School and Library Boards/ Budgets, and other than for local referendums, such as the ones that brought NR City Council Districts and failed to bring us an Executive Mayor form of government.
Freeloader
Now we know why you support democrats; you live in a rent controlled building. That explains why you still live on Huguenot St. I wonder how much your rent is compared to the NR average for a similar apartment? Are there any other governmental programs you benefit from? It’s freeloaders like you who cause tax escalation. No wonder you have the time to post every ten minutes.
I hope your landlord reads your post and considers legal action for calling him a crook! But then half of nothing is nothing.
To Timknows – ETPA Is Not Rent Control. Most NR Rentals are ETPA
ETPA costs taxpayers nothing. You need to be better informed, so read on.
ETPA is based on a building’s age, not on the Tenant’s income.
ETPA is not a rent subsidy. It is an automatic
process. ETPA is not a government program, but rather it is a mandatory, statutory law, like traffic law.
ETPA Is Not Rent Control.
Rent Control is for all multi-family rental apartment buildings built up to 1948, but where a tenant has resided in the apartment prior to 1974.
Westchester’s ETPA and NYC’s Rent Stabilization is for all rental apartment buildings built up to 1973.
In apartment buildings built before 1948, but where a tenant has moved into the apartment after 1973, that Tenant is under Westchester’s ETPA or NYC’s Rent Stabilization.
Rental apartment buildings built since 1974 are not under ETPA, Rent Stabilization, nor Rent Control.
Under ETPA & Rent Stabilization, Landlord’s are encouraged via special permanent rent increases, in addition to the normal rent increases, to keep the buildings well preserved by replacing aged parts of buildings.
Therefore Landlords who fail to preserve their buildings only receive the lesser rent increases provided by the Westchester, which still provides them with a good profit.
As most apartment buildings in New Rochelle were built before 1974, most Rental Tenants in New Rochelle in building with 6 or more apartments, live in ETPA Apartments.
ETPA was created to protect Tenants from rent-gouging, crooked landlords, and to guarantee there be a sufficient number of well-preserved apartments. Don’t fault me if your landlord is ripping you off.
I am unsubsidized by any government programs, and am paying enough rent for my Landlord to make a decent profit.
In no way am I freeloading at taxpayers expense. You just don’t understand what ETPA is.
I am sure you eventually will be freeloading at taxpayers expense, if you collect Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and live long enough.
If I want to, I can collect partial Social Security in a couple of years, or full SS when I reach 65, just like my parents and grandparents did. Likewise I will eventually get Medicare and Medicaid just like all Americans.
Are you one of those rare and unusual people who dislike Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and Public Education for everyone?
Or do are you only offended by NY State having statutes that over many decades have resulted in the preservation of quantities of affordable housing for everyone?
If my landlord reads my post and considers legal action for calling him a crook, he knows I have more than sufficient evidence, already on government record, to prove so.
What a jackass! You state;
What a jackass! You state; “ETPA Is Not Rent Control…. EPTA is not a government program, but rather it is a mandatory, statutory law, like traffic law.”
A quick Internet search of EPTA produced the following;
The Emergency Tenant Protection Act of 1974 (ETPA) provided for rent stabilization in various municipalities (local opt-in) in Nassau, Rockland and Westchester counties predicated on a continuing housing emergency (i.e., vacancy rate less than 5%), amended the NYC Rent Stabilization Law, and ended the 1971 vacancy decontrol of rent stabilized units.
EPTA is most certainly rent control as the above passage verifies. Who are you to decide whether or not your landlord makes enough profit on his rentals? Here is a link to an ETPA rent renewal form, which has a NYS seal on it; http://www.dhcr.state.ny.us/forms/rent/rtp8etpa.pdf The form has the NY State Seal and is regulated by public employees, which makes it a government program. Who do you file your rent renewal form with? Is it not NYS employees who process all forms, complaints etc. associated with ETPA?
Once again I challenge you to compare your actual rent to the average rent for a similar apartment through any real estate site or agency to see if you are paying the going rate in New Rochelle. Everyone knows the answer to that.
According to the above renewal form, the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) has final approval f all ETPA leases. A quick Internet search of DHCR will result in; http://www.nyshcr.org where you will see a picture of Governor Cuomo in an affordable public/private partnership.
Let the TOTS readers decide if you live in a rent controlled oh excuse me rent STABILIZED apartment. Since you don’t appreciate the term lie, once again you have stretched the truth….
Tim gotcha Brian
A picture of Governor Cuomo proclaiming a $52,200,000 Affordable Housing Deal via a PUBLIC/private partnership! How could you have the nerve to say EPTA or ETPA or whatever cover name you choose is not a governmental program? Come on Brian who administers and enforces the E whatever program? Be real, while jackass may be a little over the top it’s no more over the top then you proclaiming it doesn’t cost taxpayers.
As for Social Security & Medicare, most recipients paid into the system so they are not freeloading. Medicaid is for the indigent or disabled and most, including Tim I believe, have no problem helping those less fortunate.
Your rent is subsidized with lower than market value increases dictated by and requiring governmental approval. You do not pay the fair market value that the general public endures. Maybe you qualify with one or more of the extenuating circumstances above that’s between you and Uncle Sam.
I cannot vote…
…in primaries because I am not registered with a political party and thus not eligible.
I have never made any claims about my voting or my voting record and I am sure there have been times I have not voted but your information is incorrect. Surely you recall I worked on 4 campaigns last fall and, of course, voted for my candidates.
The essence of New Rochelle Development
The proposed 156 condo/rental unit building was approved and granted a Industrial Development Agency (IDA) tax abatement but could not get their financial plan approved. Think about that for a moment. A major project in downtown New Rochelle on Main Street is deemed qualified and received IDA tax abatements, which means the IDA felt their financing plan was sound and viable. Richard St. Paul made Barry Fertel look like a horse’s ass when Fertel criticized the wording in the legislation to give City Council final approval of all IDA abatements. St. Paul explained that all legislation is drafted by staff (City Manager Strome) so Fertel was criticizing Strome’s staff.
This building went from a bustling movie theatre to a nightclub where Idoni & Selin danced the night away to a vacant dump that is now up for public auction. If that scenario doesn’t capture the essence of New Rochelle’s development policies over the last 20-years, I don’t know what does.
Personally I agree with Fertel, the proposed legislation, which failed 4-3, was too vague. That’s why I would encourage St. Paul to introduce new legislation that is simple and direct; ABOLISH THE NEW ROCHELLE IDA!
Not to worry. GreeNR is
Not to worry. GreeNR is going to solve all our problems. Over the next 20 years, the city will be completely developed with enviromentally friendly buildings and our tax rates will be lowered thanks to S-ustainabilty.
Also, I have a bridge for sale if you are interested.
New Rochelle development and planing?
We do have an office in city hall called planning and development don’t we????
yea that’s the department that just hired a high payed hot shot from Conn !
Have we heard anything from them in ref to the last four or five possible development prospect’s that fizzeld out in the last two years !
What about the guy’s from Boston who proposed
The development across the street from the railroad station,
that went over the train tracks ?
Did an yone from there reach out to them.
Don’t forget that area has just recently recieved the most upgraded Zoning in New Rochelle .
Why is the city ,and the planning and development not trying to promote that!
There are sevral area’s in this city along I-95 and
the north avenue corridor that have alot of potential for the type development that would be very beneficial to this city.