NEW ROCHELLE, NY — New Rochelle Mayor Bramson proposed a “drop dead” date of February 28th for Good Profit Works to sign the Letter of Agreement and deliver a $50,000 escrow check more than 5 months after the City Council awarded an RFP to the New Rochelle Armory to the organization. New Rochelle Mayor Bramson expressed concern that the matter had dragged on so long. The topic was discussed at last night’s City Council meeting.
Talk of the Sound was first to report that months after being awarded the Armory RFP, Good Profit Works has failed to sign a Letter of Agreement with the City of New Rochelle.
Newly appointed Development Commissioner Luiz C. Aragon said he would reach out to Good Profit Works today to determine if there was anything that could be done over the next 15 days to revive the deal.
Council Member Louis Trangucci confirmed with Corporation Counsel Kathleen Gill that it would be up to the City Council whether to put out a new RFP or allow the second bidder to move forward.
The second bidder on the RFP, a group compromised of veterans and supporters of the arts expressed their continued desire to develop a an adaptive reuse of the Armory centered on a performing arts center.
“We remain enthusiastic about our proposal and are hopeful that the Council will take seriously the proposal we made initially,” said Tocci. “We look forward to coming back before Council should the opportunity arise.”
Tocci expressed concern that the delay may have caused additional damage to the Armory which he believes has been subjected to willful neglect by the City administration which has long preferred to tear down the building to make room for developers to build residential and retail properties on the Armory property.
“We’re disappointed that another 5 months has gone by, another winter with more damage to our Armory,” said Save Our Armory Co-Chair Ron Tocci.