Troubled Esplanade Redevelopment Gets Extension
With obvious frustration expressed by all members of the White Plains Common Council, the Esplanade (located at 1 Lyon Place and 10 Lyon Place) was granted an extension on its existing and approved site plan until April 4, 2019. The original approval to repurpose the existing, yet “challenged” buildings, was granted in April 2016 and since that time the project has been stymied by financial difficulties of the current owner.
Legal counsel for the owner, David Steinmetz, explained that discussions are underway with a potential buyer and that a sale is pending.
The issue of unsightly scaffolding and the length of time the neighborhood has had to deal with the conditions was a major concern of all members of the Council.
In June 2017 when the last extension was approved, the Council had hoped the issue would be reconciled, but instead the situation has remained at status quo.
Mayor Tom Roach suggested the owners of the property should be available at the meeting to answer questions about their future plans.
Steinmetz, hoping to keep the approval alive for the sake of the impending sale, said it would do no good to anyone to “pull the plug and see where it goes.” He said if the building department cited the property with violations, they would be costly to fix and provide only a temporary solution.
Councilwoman Nadine Hunt-Robinson suggested that the requested one-year extension was too long at that perhaps a six-month extension would be enough to encourage positive action on the property.
Hunt-Robinson also wants to get construction going on the affordable rental units that would be made available at 60% of AMI (Area Median Income), which she said would make wage earners with $49,000/year salaries eligible. “More workforce housing. This is how I see it,” she said.
Councilman John Martin noted that the one-year to April 4 would actually be eight months and should be enough time to reconcile the outstanding issues.
The extension was approved by a vote of six to one, with Hunt-Robinson voting ‘no’.
