New Rochelle property-owner Harrin K. Platzner has an Op-Ed in the Journal News: New Rochelle has been poor at property management
Platzner writes:
In 1981, when the city took the railroad station from its private owners by eminent domain, and paid millions of dollars, one of the top reasons, according to then City Manager C. Samuel Kissinger, was to provide bathroom facilities for the commuters, the most basic necessity.
The assertion was that no such services were being provided. The owner always responded that the facilities were provided but were abused, vandalized and the cost was absurd. That claim was ridiculed. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority advised that the terms of the sale from the MTA to the private owner required bathroom facilities be provided, regardless of cost. The MTA made plain as well that coin-operated facilities had been outlawed and that the financial burden of the bathrooms rested entirely with the private owner.
I understand the problem; the need for bathrooms and the cost. I do not understand the double standard of the city being able to close the bathrooms for the exact same reason as the private owner wanted to but could not.
Platzner should know, he is the “private owner” referenced in his article.
At the last City Council meeting, City Manager Chuck Strome was asked about the situation at the train station bathroom. He said he has had no feedback so he takes that as people being satisfied with the situation. That seems doubtful since there has been no material change from when the bathrooms were closed last December. Only one bathroom is open, only for a few hours a day. A sign on the closed bathroom door directs patrons to the other bathroom which is closed most of the day. It is more likely people taking a wait and see approach, giving the City time to make good on their promise to improve the situation.
UPDATE: Mr. Platzner sends along the following update to Talk of the Sound:
It is incredible that the misinformation seems to come from knowledgeable sources.
The Station was sold to Trio in April of 1968 for $251,000.00. This was $1,000.00 more than the next highest bidder. It was a sealed bid auction and the City lost! Trio owned it for a day and it was transferred to a subsidiary, New Rochelle Plaza, and they owned the station until it was taken by eminent domain in 1981 — originally for $1.55M and then after a Federal Lawsuit, an additional $2,000,000.00+.
The City never maintained anything — NRP was responsible for roads, utilities, structures, parking, leasing, BATHROOMS, etc.
Correctly stated is that there is a deed provision that requires bathrooms be provided and maintained as well as provision for a ticket office. Bathrooms were provided for by the owner until 1981 without interruption per the demand of the City. NRP was not allowed by law to charge for the service, was forced to keep the rooms clean and operating and open 24/7 and one room was not an option.
One of the reasons the City took the property (and did nothing with it for 20 years) was that the City tried to claim ownership by adverse possession of what was then Railroad Place and lost a legal action — the street was then blocked off and closed to traffic. In addition, the City Manager C. Samuel Kissinger said that it was atrocious that the bathrooms were ill kept and the City could and would do it better! Guess not.
Its a shame they can’t even get the story correct!
Railroad Station Bathrooms
Though this all seems to be moot, as the City will do what they see fit, the private owner did provide bathrooms from April 1968 through the end of 1981 when the City took the property by eminent domain. There was and remains a deed restriction requiring bathrooms be provided and maintained.