About White Plains' Gedney Farms

In spring of 2007 when I saw an article in the local paper, the story of a furniture bank that just opened in Westchester. Wasn't quite sure what a furniture bank was, but it sounded interesting.

Turns out there were several stories: what a furniture bank was, how it's long-planned grand opening coincided with the income-tax day nor'easter which flooded a lot of the Sound Shore area. Then, how 65 families in need were furnished , for free, in the 10 days after the storm. The article ended with what was still needed, and going forward, how people could donate to Furniture Sharehouse.

Still in retail at the time, it was a great referral. Clients buying new furniture were always asking me if I knew who could use what they no longer needed, or wanted. Up to that point, best suggestions I had were the usual charities, but this was such a find! Kept that article, because I thought "one day" I would also like to be a part of this.

That one day came a little over a year later. Had left retail and started my business end of 2007, but June of 2008 found me sofa-bound, nursing a muscle tear in my calf...started catching up on my phone calls, and finding out more about this place was at the top of the list.

Hard to believe that was almost 3 1/2 years-and 1400 families-ago.

You don't need to be a Decorator or Stager to know how much unwanted stuff people hold on to simply because they think it's that or the curb. People decorate around it. They park their car in the driveway because the garage is full, or pay hefty storage bills.

If you are beholden to unwanted, unneeded furniture (or some* furnishings), please consider donating it to Furniture Sharehouse. Whileserving clients and offering pickups year-round, spring and fall are drive seasons, where people have the opportunity to see how things work, drop things off, even volunteer.

This Sunday, November 13th is the last drive of the season, at the Woman's Club of White Plains, at 305 Ridgeway, from 9am to 1pm. Co-sponsored by the WCWP and the Outreach Committee of nearby Our Lady of Sorrows parish, the hope is it's a repeat of last year...where 2 moving vans were filled in 4 hours. STUNNINGLY< whatever comes in, seems to go out just as quickly...this fall in particular has been quite a challenge, with resources stretched even further due to families flooded out from Hurricane Irene.

Donated furniture is neither sold, or available to the general public. By appointment, it is re-distributed, FREE, to clients of approximately 40 different member agencies, all here in Westchester.

Basic, average-sized, clean furniture is always in demand. Mattresses, sofas, kitchen/dining table and chairs, and dressers, as much as the supporting players: lamps, microwaves and toaster ovens, rugs, mirrors and art to help complete the clients home. Donors get a receipt for their taxes, as well as the knowledge that they have helped make an immediate and meaningful difference to a neighbor.

Furniture provides the emotional and physical infrastructure of a home. In his 1943 paper, in a theory he called the Hirearchy of Needs, Abraham Maslowe articulated how greater and greater capabilities come when the more basic needs are first met. You can read the paper, or see it come to life in this video, filmed as a pitch to PBS almost 3 years ago.

As you might have gathered, I am passionate about this organization, and absolutely shameless when it comes to asking for help in furthering it. Thank you for reading this far.

If you are in the area Sunday, just come on by and say hi. For any questions about donating, volunteering,scheduling a pickup,or how to become a member agency- best to go directly to the site.

But if nothing else, just remember Furniture Sharehouse exists, because guaranteed someone you know will benefit from your being able to share this info.

Over the past few months I have written several times about the now infamous Gedney Farms vs. FASNY issue. For those not in the know – the private French American School (FASNY) is seeking a special permit to build a 1200 student K-12 campus in the Gedney neighborhood. I have been on record as being against the project. I have written a couple of posts to this effect outlining my concerns for the neighborhood and the implications for the future building prospects on other large tracts of land that have yet to be developed.

Over time, circumstances change and neighborhoods often have to change with them.

This is very true and can not be denied. Change is the only constant in life. Nothing stays the same Neighborhoods who are not open to any change will be left behind going into the future. But that does not necessarily mean that every change proposed by a developer is always good or even desirable. Developers and landowners generally are looking to get the most out of the property in terms of dollar value and this runs head long into the needs of the neighborhood and surrounding homeowners. Of course this leads to clashes and conflicts of interest.

When buyers purchase a home – they are buying the neighborhood and the lifestyle.

In the case of the FASNY proposal – the school would present a monumental change to the neighborhood that would alter it forever. The difficulty here is that it would definitely impact home values and that impact would range from a moderate reduction in home values for properties not directly adjacent to the facility to severe depreciation issues for about 40 homes that are in the “line of fire.” I don’t care how FASNY tries to spin this situation. The single family homes for which the property zoned for would be far better for the overall value of the surrounding homes than a large school and the facilities proposed. The traffic issues alone are cause for concern, but the sheer size of the facility and the parking required is just over the top.

Buyers bought their home in good faith and understood that the golf course might be sold someday. They imagined the possibility of low density housing as per current zoning regulations – not a facility that would bring 1200 cars twice a day that has several massive buildings, baseball fields, tracks, soccer fields complete with dugouts, lighting and lets not forget parking for close to a 600 cars. This type of development is a total betrayal of the zoning and its intention. Homeowners are up in arms and who can blame them?

Does that mean all change is bad?

No, not necessarily. Times change and the needs of the community change with it. There is nothing wrong with that. One problems facing some suburban areas is the growing popularity of walkable neighborhoods. Some areas that prided themselves about being purely residential may have to accept light commercial construction in the form of shops and dining or become dinosaurs of a bygone era where the car was king and everyone drove to buy so much as a quart of milk.

Small subdivisions which add a few homes here and there should be encouraged. A slight increase in density puts more homes on the tax rolls without interfering with the underlying character of the area. It also allows property owners to mitigate the losses sustained in this terrible market.

Keep your eyes on the prize – its the big picture that matters…

Many small projects are trounced by overly enthusiastic environmentalist types – who can claim to have won a battle. But in the end this makes them lose the war. By focussing on what they can win – they often lose credibility and fail to win the battles that must be won. Rather than being labeled trouble makers and tree huggers, citizens who are worried about open space should focus their attention on developments that would cause significant harm to wetlands or the character of a neighborhood. Although I am a noted tree hugger – we have to know when to hole ‘em and know when to fold ‘em.

What is the big picture?

In White Plains it is the large tracts of undeveloped land in the south end of town that include the Ridgeway Golf Club (now owned by FASNY) The Westchester Hills Golf Club, the land owned by New York Presbyterian that encompasses about 300 acres, the Burke Rehabilitation Center, among others.

These areas contain delicate wetlands near major flood zones that extend through the south end of our city and into our neighboring towns and villages – most notably Mamaroneck which has been hit hard several times in the past few years. Should White Plains “get it wrong” with respect to development we could expect severe flooding in the south end of town as well as litigation from our neighbors to the south. FEMA has been active in the town of Mamaroneck twice in the past four years. Most recently in the wake of Irene.

First, do no harm….

White Plains needs to get this right. Too many large tracts of land are at stake. They need to respect the zoning ordinances in place when people bought their homes. Changes where needed, need to conform to the character and intention of the original ordinance while allowing for changes when those ordinances are no longer practical or doable. If White Plains isn’t careful they will find that zoning regulations will become mere suggestions with loopholes the size of the grand canyon for developers to march through. The city has to avoid a free-for-all among developers at all costs. Further, the council needs to show that it will stand pat against the threat of frivolous litigation when frustrated developers fail to get everything they want. And in all cases White Plains needs to ensure that ensure “do no harm.” particularly with respect to flood planes both local and further afield

Further Reading:

Zoning Schmoning – we can get around that!

© 2011 - Ruthmarie G. Hicks - http://thewestchesterview.com - All rights reserved.

Zoning & Planning and why it matters in White Plains NY

Zoning – Schomning! That’s what a lot of developers and buyers with deep pockets are saying these days….

In a world increasingly divided between the have mores and the have nots, and municipalities struggling to make ends meet – those with deep pockets feel that minor incidentals such as “zoning” and a “city planning” are small obstacles to be pushed aside with relative ease. All they have to do is purchase a property – zoning not withstanding – plant their flag and impose their “vision” for the future of the land on the community.

1. Zoning – Who cares? We’ll just threaten litigation if the city refuses us.
2. Declining Property Values? Change is inevitable - so if a few people get “hurt” in the name of progress – that’s life.
3. City Planning? – We bought the land – the city will just have to change its “plans!”

FASNY – The French American School of New York is a case in point….

For those who don’t know the story – FASNY bought the Ridgeway Golf Club in late 2010 with the intention of putting a large campus on the grounds. There were several problems with this plan, which doubtless the buyer were aware of at the time of purchase.

• The plan did not conform to current zoning.

• The land was environmentally sensitive – with extensive wetlands. This is how it came to be a golf course to begin with.

• The plan does not conform to the city master plan for that area.

• The neighborhood was not built to sustain the type of traffic a campus with 1200 students would impose. It would turn a quite bucolic area into a heavily trafficked nightmare.
• Many homeowners in the are would have things like parking lots and ball fields and buildings gracing the edge of their back yards – where there once stood a golf course – decimating home values for a large portion of the area.
• A school is of course non-profit – so not taxes could ever be levied – no matter what expense the school incurs on White plains residents. The city of White Plains would have to pay for massive infrastructure changes including – new sewer lines, new drainage systems. The electrical grid would have to be completely overhauled. Roads would have to be widened, new traffic lights put up on what were once quiet intersections. Ongoing outlays would include additional police, fire, medical, and sanitation services, traffic support including crossing guards on an on-going basis.
• Should any of this development result in flooding – a distinct possibility given the nature of the land - the city itself could also face lawsuits from neighboring towns if any new development – not-for-profit notwithstanding – causes problems “downstream”. That’s a lot of risk for the city to take on.

All of this expense and risk to accommodate something a development that the property isn’t even zoned for? My first question was what drugs were the FASNY officials taking when they thought they could get away with this and signed the contracts? But apparently – to FASNY – these are trivial issues.

Money equals hubris….

It became painfully obvious that FASNY came to the table with their litigators lined up and ready to sue. Any school where the minimum tuition for one child is over $20,000 has deep pockets.

• Already, their attorney has sneaked tape recorders into meetings and used portions of conversations to build their case. This is not the sign of friendly negotiations – but a sign that they are already playing hard-ball.
• They have already indicated that the six month moratorium imposed on developing several environmentally sensitive land masses in the area is directed “against them.” Another sign of hard-ball and a path to litigation. Of course a moratorium was put in place! There are several such tracts of land potentially in play. What the city does with the FASNY property sets the precedent as to how the development of the rest of that land is managed when the time comes. The FASNY development does not exist in a vacuum. This is something they should have thought of before purchasing the property.
• They have slapped “no trespassing” signs all over the place and have threatened to have any one arrested should they step foot on the golf courses that local residents have walked freely upon for over 70 years. I walked those golf courses every day as a child. Dale Carnegie would not be proud of a move like that.
• They’ve insulted our schools indicating that their presence would add “culture” to our obviously inferior educational system.
• They claim that because they are a “School” they have to be accommodated. Doubtful. A private school with very well-heeled families is hardly in need of such accommodation and I doubt very much that state law precedent would be ruling in their favor in that regard. Such ordinances were applicable to public schools and perhaps schools for the disadvantaged.
• Their “plans” seem to be growing incrementally from the earliest renderings offered at the “get together” for the residents (more like a propaganda meeting) in Jan 2011. Below are renderings of the early plan and the most recent. The “invasion” into the community itself has increased significantly in less than six months.

So does FASNY fit the criteria for the monied developer trying to muscle their way around local zoning?

1. Deep pockets? – Check.
2. Arrogant as hell? – Check.
3. Trying to to find any hook available to have local zoning ordinances overturned? Check.
4. Threatening the community with litigation and other bully-boy tactics? Check.

Can the City Council let FASNY do this?

To me the answer is absolutely NO! I will site three major reasons for this stance.

• People bought their homes in good faith and if they did their due diligence – they did so after examining the ZONING. If the zoning of the city of White Plains becomes merely a suggestion, this will impact home prices throughout the city. You permit the undermining of city planning and zoning ordinances at your peril. You think you have a lawsuit issue now – how about ten more down the road once you have established a precedent for caving to pressure.
• The city of White Plains has just worked its way through a fiscal crisis. We are still facing cutbacks in our city and school budgets. There is no excuse for the city council to give the green light to a development that will cost the city dearly to accommodate and give nothing back in terms of revenue. How do you explain to a resident earning $50,000 that their taxes are going up – again – to accommodate a school that charges $22,000 (or 44% of their income) a year in tuition while our own school system is in the middle of major cutbacks?
• This type of manipulation of zoning codes has the potential to impact everyone in the city. For those in White Plains who think this is a south-end issue – think again. If one property owner can trample over zoning ordinances – what’s to prevent another developer from buying up land or buildings in your area and attempt something equally egregious.

© 2011 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchessterview.com – All rights reserved.

Zoning Schmoning – we can get around that!

The jet stream has created some particularly volatile weather in our region over the past several years. Watching storm clouds gather has almost become a hobby. This was taken about a week ago in the Gedney Farms neighborhood of White Plains NY. It was in the wake of all of the dangerous tornadoes that hit the south. There were some isolated tornado warnings in New Jersey – which is rare at any time – although we do get some in the summer around June. The sky was ominous enough for me to question whether or not I should be out. The eerie contrast between the bright spring colors and the dark gray sky prompted me to stop for a photo op! The clouds hung so low that I could almost imagine a funnel cloud forming. But I had things to do for my clients. Perhaps I should have listened to my gut. The the storm did break I could not see three feet in front of me and had to pull off the road.

© 2011 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com – All rights reserved.

Fotos On the Fly – White Plains NY – Gathering Storm

My business is fairly seasonal - slower in the winter and busier in the spring/fall. I'm guessing yours may be the same way. This year, it's been a lot more challenging than usual with the snow.

But, this week things are really starting to turn. Finally, the snow is starting to melt and the weather is bearable and the days are longer, and all of a sudden there is a lot of hope and anticipation. We have closed a lot of sales this week - both from customers that we have just met with as well as from customers who we met with last year.

We have a lot of people in a rush... they are planning to put their house on the market or they are about to move in, or they had water damage (due to all this snow) or they are now just finally ready and want to get moving on their home improvement project. It's very exciting. Everything is starting to click.

I can see a more upbeat tone in the blogs I'm reading. Everyone is encouraging their customer to get ready for the spring market. I see pictures of flowers and grass (ooohh...forgot what that looks like since all this white stuff has gotten in the way).

I know this is a sign of good things to come - in all of our markets. So, let's get ready for a wonderful spring market. March is almost here. And, if you're not busy yet, take steps so you will be well positioned. It's coming...real soon. I promise. So, let's keep the positive thinking going. People love to be around people with positive energy. Remember that.