RFEI Released for Development of White Plains Transit District
The City of White Plains released a Request For Expression of Interest (RFEI) for the White Plains Transit District last week, available for viewing on the city’s website at http://www.cityofwhiteplains.com/bids.aspx.
Through the RFEI, White Plains will solicit interest from qualified parties in the re-development of three city-owned properties and one Urban Renewal Agency parcel totaling approximately 4.5 acres. The parcels are located along the easterly side of the White Plains Metro-North railroad station. The property is located within the recently designated White Plains Transit District.
White Plains has been involved in a study to improve development within the city, as it relates to promoting more business and residential development in the downtown, by reinforcing the existing Main Street connection to that downtown, as well as promoting pedestrian access and connections between the Transit District and adjacent neighborhoods, including Battle Hill, Fisher Hill and Ferris Avenue.
The study, funded by a government grant that included the identification and engagement of a stake-holder task force and the public through open information and exchange sessions, created a goal structure to address the need for a modern, efficient and accessible public transit hub in downtown White Plains within a regional multimodal transportation network.
The challenges immediately identified in the Plan include physical infrastructure and land use patterns such as existing high-rise office towers and large surface parking lots within the identified district area. Near and short-term approaches for investment and improvements in the Plan range from streetscape improvements and improved access to the existing Metro-North station platforms to potential zoning changes within White Plains to establish future development patterns. These approaches included the establishment of baselines for pedestrian circulation, traffic and parking, land use, urban design and development, and market demand and demographics.
Creating an area identity was also given importance to establish a “sense of place.” The study area around the station includes buildings that lack frontages and landscaped areas that people can respond to. Focus was put on quality of life and pedestrian experiences.
The study notes that there is potential for 5 million square feet or more of new development based on a build-out of space under current zoning, including approximately 1.3 million square feet on four city-controlled parcels at or near the station and 3.7 million square feet on 14 additional parcels owned by others. The RFEI is concerned only with city-owned parcels.
Near-term strategies, identified for potential completion within one to three years include bicycle facilities, signage orientation and way-finding, open space, parks and plazas and station area improvements for traffic, parking and pedestrian flow.
Mid- and long-term strategies were identified as those investments that would begin planning stages and development within the near term with implementation longer than three years to complete; from three to five years out and beyond.
White Plains is coordinating with Metro-North for ongoing station area improvements. As well, the Galleria Mall, which was purchased by Pacific Retail Capital Partners from Simon, in September 2016, has indicated that the new owners are ready to invest in improvements to the exterior of the facility.
The RFEI specifies that all development concepts for the identified area within the Transit District must be consistent with the six primary community-driven planning principles developed during the Transit District Strategic Plan process, including: Bike/Pedestrian Improvements, “Placemaking,” Open Space, Density, Economic Development, and Parking.
The White Plains Metro-North train station has been credited with the highest ridership in Westchester County and as the leading reverse commute destination on the Harlem Line from New York City.
The White Plains Transit District also includes the Westchester County Bee-Line TransCenter Bus Terminal, and the future site of multiple stops and planned eastern terminus of the Lower Hudson Transit Link Bus Rapid Transit from Rockland County to White Plains.
The final Strategic Plan, background studies, presentations, and public comments can be viewed and downloaded from the White Plains Transit District website: www.wptransitdistrict.com.
The deadline to submit proposals for the RFEI is August 18, 2017.
