Ruthmarie Hicks

When clients are looking for high-end single family homes with plenty of green space and old-world charm – Gedney Farms is the first neighborhood that comes to mind in White Plains. Gedney Farms was named after John Gedney who bought the land in 1740. Gedney Farms was a working farm right that remained within the Gedney family right through the Civil War. It has long ceased to be farmland and is now a well established neighborhood. Through much of the Gedney area the zoning is for no more than three homes per acre, so most lots have at least .33 acres of land which for lower Westchester is very difficult to find at a decent price. The roads are fairly narrow the wind around giving the feeling of country roads. No checkerboard streets here! This is also a plus because the streets are generally quiet as this discourages cut-through traffic that sometimes occurs in other parts of White Plains. The homes are a mix of Tudors and colonials many of them built during the Great Depression or before with a smaller percentage being built in the 50s and 60w. This is a mature neighborhood with very little buildable land remaining.

The Ridgeway golf course defines the neighborhood and depending on your location. It bisects the Gedney neighborhood in several places and many of the homes have spectacular golf course views. Some even have the fairways coming right into their back yards giving an illusion of almost endless open space. This type of amenity is difficult to match in lower Westchester and is a world away from the hustle and bustle of the City Center and the Ritz Carlton of downtown White Plains. Some homes have their back yards extending right into the fairways. It looks like open space as far as the eyes can see. Others choose to build privacy fencing – however the fact that some have a back yard with no neighbors is a tremendous plus. My pictures show views from the golf courses as well as from the streets.

The Cost of Living:

All of this comes at a high price, however, Gedney Farms is far less expensive than comparable neighborhoods neighboring Scarsdale, Mamaroneck/Larchmont and Harrison. Recent sales show an average price of $970,000. The lowest price was for an 1800 sq.ft. home (small for the area) which sold for roughly $625,000. Apart from being on the small side for the neighborhood, the home was in need of major renovations. That is truly a ground floor price for the area. Another recent sale reflects the higher end of that market $1.23 million for a 3600 sq. ft. Tudor. The home wasn’t modern, but had many updates and was beautifully maintained. Sales in recent years suggest that a top-of-the line home with modern updates can go higher than that. Much depends on the location (golf course views are at a premium) and how recently the kitchens and baths were updated. Since these were designed as luxury homes, excellent floor plans can be found even in the older homes. So some of that older home funkiness with respect to the number and location of bathrooms and kitchen size are not issues in these homes.

Rosedale is a neighborhood at the Southern tip of White Plains . The location gives it the distinction of being about as far removed from the hustle and bustle of the downtown as is physically possible while still being in White Plains. The streets meander and are relatively narrow with no sidewalks. The area is quite secluded and quiet with few streets acting as a cut-through for downtown bound traffic.

Although the neighborhood has some pre-war homes, this area of White Plains started developing in the 1950s and continued into the 70s and 80s. There are quite of few pockets of contemporary homes in this neighborhood along with traditional colonials, a few raised ranches and split-levels that were popular during the 1960s and 1970s. This is now a mature neighborhood with much of the usable land already developed. - although many of the earlier smaller homes are undergoing renovations and are morphing into larger homes with more modern amenities and square footage. The average lot size is larger than in the Highlands averaging from 0.2-0.3 acre lots. So there is plenty of room for a front and back yard for the vast majority of homes. On average there are about four homes per acre.

Recent sales show that the average sale price was close to $700,000 with a range of roughly $560k- $900k. Larger homes can sell for far more – so those price points can be misleading. The differences in square footage create a wide price range with the renovated and new homes selling for over $1 million while smaller original homes sell for considerably less. For example a new pre-construction home of 3000 sq.ft. sitting on 0.21 acres is currently listed for close to $1.1 million. In general, it should also be noted that older homes that have more “charm” sell at a premium in Westchester. Given that the vast majority of homes were built during the 1950s – 1970s. – Rosedale is a wonderful neighborhood to find more square footage for the dollar. Although the general design of many of these houses is not currently “popular” – they have great floor plans and are relatively easy to renovate.

In a previous blog I commented on the need to enforce affordable housing quotas in order to maintain a vibrant mix in communities that are rapidly becoming unaffordable for working families.

In an interesting turn of events, Mr. Cappelli, the super-developer of the Ritz Carlton, Trump Tower and City Center, has bowed out of a potential deal withe White Plains regarding a three acre lot of prime real estate surrounding the metro-north train station. Apparently, Mr. Cappelli was offended by the stony faced city council when they insisted that 24 units of affordable housing be built before he opens the second tower or the Ritz Carlton. Since he was supposed to have all of the units built prior to opening the first tower, and since Mr. Cappelli has known since the beginning of the Ritz Carlton project that he would owe the city these units, I and many others, I assume - fail to fathom why this is such a huge issue. It underscores my initial concern that Mr. Cappelli might have been trying to wriggle out of this obligation to the city. This is purely conjecture on my part, but some of the excuses offered up as explanations for the delays indicate a carelessness of thought and ineptitude that a man with his experience in building just doesn't make. If the super-builder is indeed to live up to his reputation, erecting 24 units that he knew he had to build for the past two years should not be unbelievably difficult - unless the intent was not to build them in the first place.

The proposed development that Cappelli is backing away from has an an interesting history and drives home one of the points I was trying to make in a previous blog about affordable housing and the need for proper planning. The initial proposal included three office buildings, 40 stories each, a large hotel and a totally revamped metro-north train station. No one doubts that the train station could use a complete overhaul, but the scope of this plan after the massive building in Renaissance Square and City Center was completely over the top and would have had a terrible impact on several close-in residential neighborhoods in the form of traffic, pollution and cityscape literally in their back yards. The public outcry against this proposal was swift and strong. Even major Cappelli supporters came out to the City Council meeting and said "enough is enough." Mr. Cappelli was asking for the EXCLUSIVE right to build on the site in exchange for conducting the feasibility studies at his own expense. The Council and the citizens rightly wanted to see more competition for a proposal of such proportions. Recognizing that he was staring defeat in the face, Mr. Cappelli, in an act of pure theatrics said that he would rather not harm his "perfect record" in White Plains and have his proposal go down in defeat. Instead, he withdrew the offer before the Council could vote....which of course allowed him to put the offer back on the table in very short order.

The recent election has changed the balance on the City Council such that Mr. Cappelli is no longer assured that his projects will pass easily and swiftly - to my mind, that's a good thing. As I have said in previous posts - nothing replaces good city PLANNING. Perhaps the new Council is understanding this concept better than I thought they would. Planning looks ahead and anticipates problems. Planning that assures that people from all walks of life can reside in a city like White Plains - not just the very wealthy. Further, given the dramatics practiced in the past - I am hardly impressed by this latest display of petulance. Planning a city should never be up to only one developer. There is room for other ideas and plans that might be less grand but not be so hard on the residential neighborhoods and city infrastructure.

That ante was upped in last nights Common Council Meeting where the City council basically stated that ALL 65 units of affordable housing will now have to be built prior to the opening of the second tower of the Ritz Carlton. My suggestion to Mr. Cappelli is this: the public wants and needs these units, that is the price of doing business here. You knew that going in - now stop complaining and build the units. If you do it with the zeal in which you approach your big ticket items - the units could be finished in time. All the time and energy that has been wasted trying to get OUT of building the units has only served to set you back time-wise and has caused you to lose credibility with the public and the City Council.

For more on the topic in question, Keith Edding's article in the Journal News is very informative as is John Bailey's review of the latest City Council Meeting.

For the most part, my blogs have emphasized the Cityscape of White Plains, NY and with good reason. Over the past ten years the downtown has undergone a revolution of development that has brought in many new residents who have flocked here from more urban areas. Those who are priced out of Manhattan have moved here as well as those who decided that they could get more bang for the buck in White Plains then in the city. The downtown has become a favorite destination for those who choose to leave Manhattan.

But not everyone comes to White Plains to live in the city. White Plains is often roughly divided into two parcels. To the north, is the downtown and to the south are the single-family residential neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are no more than about 2.5 miles from the center of town – 3 miles at the very outskirts – yet they appear to be a world away in character.

The Highlands is a neighborhood that borders the downtown. It sits on relatively high ground with respect to the rest of the city (hence its name.) It is often the favorite destination for first time home buyers. People who are moving up from condo or coop life. Manhattanites are attracted to the Highlands because parts of this neighborhood abut the downtown. Depending on where you live in the Highlands, walking to the train is a possibility.

This is a neighborhood characterized by single family homes that date back to the turn of the century. This is a mature neighborhood in that there has been relatively little new construction over the past 50 years and the bulk of the homes date back to the 1920s. For the most part, the homes are on the smaller side. 1800-1900 sq.ft. being the norm. The lots are spaced close together many being roughly 0.115 acres. Although oversized lots exist as do larger homes.

The neighborhood is one of the friendliest in the area. My pictures show many sidewalks and the residents USE those sidewalks. You often see neighbors chatting with each other on the street and taking walks early in the evening. Children often are playing in front yards. The area has a really close-knit family feel. For those who like older homes with Victorian wrap-around porches or a smaller colonial or Tudor from the pre-war period, this neighborhood is a must-see. It seems a world away from the hustle and bustle of the downtown. It has the charm and grace and uniqueness of an old established neighborhood. But looking towards the downtown area and one can see how close this south-end neighborhood Highlands is to the high rise buildings of the downtown.

The cost of living:

Recent typical sales have ranged from $550k for a 1600 sq.ft. 3BR/1BA home in need of renovation to $735k for a 4BR/2BA home fully updated. Taxes average about $7500.00 before the STAR rebate.

For those who are not aware, these are very competitive prices for Westchester , NY which is why few homes in this neighborhood stay on the market for long. The New York Times reviewed Living in the Highlands in 2004. The information is still timely and worth reading.

For those who don’t live in Westchester, NY – and even for those who do but don’t live in White Plains, this is a complex issue. Westchester in general and White Plains in particular is increasingly becoming very, very upscale. In recent years various attempts have been made to squeeze in affordable housing. The trouble is that builders don’t seem to have the enthusiasm for the affordable units that they do for high-end luxury housing. Complicating the situation is the way in which the City Council and particularly our Mayor (Joseph Delfino) seem to cater to the every whim of the developers that are blanketing the city with their “vision” of the future. Inevitably, this vision is always aimed at the high-end buyer. More and more the downtown is resembling a playground for the wealthy – while forcing middle class families out – to destinations further north.

Part of the problem is that developers can easily shirk their obligations by paying fees. The rule now is that for every luxury complex they build they owe the city affordable units amounting to a paltry 6% of the total number of units built – OR they can pay a fee. By and large, the builders have opted for paying fees. Since builders are falling all over each other to build in White Plains, is it so much to ask for the Mayor and the Council to show some spine and start INSISTING that the required units be built BEFORE a certificate of occupancy for the luxury units is given. Better still, increase the amount to 10%. If these things aren’t done, this city could eventually be unaffordable to anyone making less than $200k a year. This is terrific for property values, but does not achieve the goal of maintaining the vibrant mix White Plains, NY is famous for.

Take Mr. Cappelli – the super-builder of White Plains, NY. He currently owes the city 41 units of affordable housing. This man has had many very profitable projects that went up in record time. Including City Center, Trump Tower and the Ritz Carlton. He is also building a new building at 169 Main St. – yet he still owes White Plains 41 units of affordable housing - hardly a major feat for such a prolific builder. The city council demanded that 24 of these units be up and running before they opened the first tower of the Ritz Carlton. Well – the first tower is open – yet ground has not been broken on so much as ONE affordable unit. The agreement was that 24 of the 41 untis be built prior to the Ritz opening. Now, because of a heating issue (the units he wants to build call for expensive electric heating- which is a bad idea for lower income housing) Cappelli wants to be able to open the second tower before the affordable housing is built. COME ON!!! If Cappelli put the same time, effort and energy into the affordable units they would have been built long ago!

At the last City Council meeting Mr. Cappelli said that he felt as if he was “beat up on here” claiming that he had put $1.1 billion into the city when “no one else would.” When it was suggested that the certificate of occupancy for the second tower would be denied unless the 24 units were up and running, Cappelli's attorney sputtered in fury that this was "outrageous." Please stop whining Mr. Cappelli. White Plains has made you fabulously wealthy. Enough with the excuses, get your rear in gear and build the bloody housing. You are far too intelligent to not understand heating requirements for lower income housing. I don’t buy that excuse at all. As far as being beat up on…didn’t White Plains approve a building permit AFTER you had started building on 169 Main St? If the average citizen had pulled a stunt like that they would have been told to tear down what they had built and pay some hefty fines. Also, didn’t you start extra height on the Ritz Carlton BEFORE you asked for additional air rights from the City Council – which they gave you? Does anyone really believe that you “forgot” about these things? If you did your staff should have remembered. I’m not buying any more excuses.

The City Council (I’ve given up on the Mayor) needs to take charge of our city’s development and future – a new master plan needs to be created and the builders need to STICK TO IT. A current proposal to require 10% of all new building to be affordable with no option to pay a fee in lieu of this obligation is a step in the right direction – but it doesn’t go far enough. Right now there is no master plan for growth except the vision each builder gives us for a given parcel. Actually, there is a plan, but no one seems to pay any attention to it. Successful cities are planned, they don’t evolve willy nilly. And those plans need to take into proper consideration the needs of the citizens that are already here. You know, the people who paved the roads and built the schools and created the infrastructure. Building only with an eye to attracting the fabulously wealthy would bankrupt the city of its unique diversity and create a playground for the rich while the average citizen who made it all possible is tossed away like so much garbage. The fact that middle income citizens are worried about their future was eloquently stated in this article in the New York Times by Fernanda Santos, Urban Success Story, With Hint of Unease for Poorer Residents . The fact that this article was written in the first place speaks volumes.