Move would save taxpayer dollars, release waterfront property for adaptive reuse
A detailed study of the options for the location and modernization of the municipal Public Works Yard has concluded that relocation is the best option.
The DPW Relocation Study, conducted by Dolph Rotfeld Engineering, was commissioned by the City government in early 2011 to compare the costs and benefits of modernizing the current East Main Street operations center versus constructing a new DPW facility at City-owned property on Beechwood Avenue . The study was presented to the City Council on Tuesday.
In comparing the two options, the study found:
• Constructing a new Public Works Yard on Beechwood Avenue would save taxpayers more than $3 million when compared to the estimated cost of modernizing the Public Works Yard at its present location. The estimated cost of the Beechwood site is approximately $13 million as compared to $16 million for the East Main Street site- which has the additional expense of developing and operating a temporary facility during the construction period.
• The Beechwood site already meets all current and projected operational standards and spatial requirements for the Department of Public Works and has already been rigorously reviewed under the terms of the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA.)
• Relocation to the Beechwood site would free up the East Main Street site, which has a higher value re-use for alternative public and private purposes, including expanded public access to the Long Island Sound shore.
Based on the study’s findings, City Manager Charles B. Strome, III will recommend the Council proceed with the development of the Beechwood site. “ New Rochelle ’s Public Works Yard must be modernized to meet current and future service demands and avert the ongoing, escalating cost of emergency repairs,” said Strome. “Further delay could expose taxpayers to significant risks, while raising the cost of inevitable and unavoidable infrastructure expenses.”
The item will be discussed at the January 17 meeting of the City Council. Copies of the report are available as part of the City Council agenda on the City website www.newrochelleny.com.
The tax cap will be broken.
The tax cap will be broken. Taxes will increase by at least 2% in addition to the 238% increase in the garbage fee. Then, there will be the increase in taxes for pensions and unforeseen issues as well as health care and operating expenses. Amazing, isn’t it? This past December the City was in such dire straits that it had to eliminate the crossing guards and layoff six firefighters. This coming year, it expects to have enough to cover the cost of bonding out the City yard. How does this happen?
The “Hidden” Costs?
Does the 13 million reflect the “all in” cost of moving? Original estimates were 25 million. What happened? Brownfield mitigation/hazardous material clean-up, satellite property purchases, moving the leaf storage facility, subsequent lawsuits. How much will we actually bond? Any thoughts out there?
just one john
John ths is a done deal and maybe in a world of contained options, it is the best deal.
but, your question is appropriate. from what i can gather from a somewhat extended history of this project, the shortocomings can be expressed as (1) a lack of specific, detailed information on the total costs involved in moving and this is surely one of them. Looking at the summary data raises your inquiry and others appear too “pat” regarding comparable figures. I say “pat” not incorrect, but more information would have helped. (2) is the lack of what business called “alternative modeling strategies”. Noam provides people with a “teaching moment” on land; meaning its value takes on use only when that use is determined. Dirt is dirt. It would have been good longer term planning to provide an alternative use scenario…. what would modeling both sites as, say, a residential use, meant? (3) finally the communication plan was bereft of sensitivity, community involvement and did not take basic constructs into consideration. For example value of adjoining residential property when DPW is moved, more indepth health considerations, demographic concerns about the two cities; pristine north vs. industrial/residential west.
hope this helps.. again perhaps the right decision, but much to learn from how to go about making and xplaining it. Council must learn how to set policy and oversight on such matters and this will be critical on Albanese.
Of course the $13 million
Of course the $13 million doesn’t include everything, for example the city just bonded $600k to design the new city yard. That doesn’t mean there’s only $12.4 million to go, no we’re still at $13 million plus plus.
I still don’t understand how the city will be able to afford to pay the principal & interest on a $13 million bond as my calculator says its going to cost at least $1 million per year.
I also don’t know why if the city is going to suddenly find $1 million to pay for the project why it doesn’t save up for a couple of years so that it has $5 to $6 million to put into the project. Sort of like a down payment. As it stands now, New Rochelle didn’t even have the money to pay for the design; it had to borrow all of it.
Kind of sounds like we’re going down the same road that led to housing market disaster. You know & remember the days when people borrowed over 100% of the cost & thus had no stake at all in the property that they couldn’t afford in the first place. Or even worse with all this borrowing that I don’t think the city can afford, we could end up like Greece!