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Harrison REVIEW THE

September 2, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 36 | www.harrisonreview.com

‘Platinum Mile’ offices set for possible transformation By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer

AND THEN... THERE WAS ONE

Restaurateur Angelo Liberatore recently withdrew his proposal to manage Rye Town Park’s restaurant and concession stands. The Rye Town Park Commission is now left with only one proposal, from Seaside Johnnies co-owners John Ambrose and Sam Chernin. For story, see page 3. Photo/Andrew Dapolite

Town seeks to amend replacement of trees law The Harrison town board is seeking to amend a law that allows individuals to remove and not replace trees in an effort to address the concerns of residents and property owners, according to the mayor. The law currently mandates property owners to submit plans showing the removal and replacement of trees only when a building permit is required and when more than three trees are to be removed. As it stands, the law permits property owners to remove trees without replacing them. Harrison is now seeking to change the law by obligating all property owners to provide and plant a new tree for each tree

removed, bearing in mind the anticipated survival rate of the tree. The law would also mandate property owners to submit removal and replacement plans regardless of where a building permit is required and how many trees are to be removed. Mayor Ron Belmont, a Republican, said, “I think amending the law is long overdue and I don’t see why the [town board] will not approve it.” According to the mayor, there have been numerous complaints from residents about property owners removing and not replacing trees. “This has been an issue with residents for a long time, and the public hearing is a

result of that,” he said. The public hearing to amend the tree law is scheduled for Sept. 15, as of press time. According to Republican Councilwoman Marlane Amelio, residents concerned with maintaining safety and flooding and erosion issues would also support amending the tree removal legislation. “Trees are known to prevent erosion and flooding,” said Amelio, who supports the amendment. “In some cases, trees that have become too large or dangerous can be replaced with smaller versions without changing the landscape of a neighborhood too drastically.” Belmont also mentioned that

there are other current provisions of the law that are an issue. The enactment currently establishes that residents are obligated to seek the discretion of the town Tree Committee when removing and replacing trees. However, according to Belmont, the provision, which was adopted in 1989, does not take into account that the committee no longer exists. Following the amendment’s approval by the town board on Sept. 15, the mayor said it will be the responsibility of the town Building Department to conduct inspections for tree removal in place of the defunct tree committee. -Reporting by Franco Fino

The first mixed-use development proposed for the town/ village of Harrison’s “Platinum Mile” to replace an old office complex at 103-105 Corporate Park Drive will reverse a downward trend in generated revenue and spark more business expansion, town officials say. Normandy Real Estate Partners and Toll Brothers, a publicly owned home building company, is proposing to build a 421-unit rental development and indoor parking garages at the Corporate Park Drive location off Interstate 287 to be known as the Residences at Corporate Park Drive, replacing two antiquated office buildings. The proposed multi-family development will include 5,000 square feet of space for a restaurant and other commercial expansions, as well as 10,000 square feet of recreational amenity space, which includes courtyards and a swimming pool. “Most of the community is really excited about the development, and we’re really looking forward to getting started,” said Mayor Ron Belmont, a Republican. The mayor explained that the residential development will help solve a growing issue with the town’s tax base. During its height in the late 1970s and 1980s, the town generated as much as 68 percent of its annual tax revenue from corporations such as General Foods, Texaco and IBM, which have since left the area in search of newer, modern buildings, according to Belmont. To date, after an overwhelming

amount of corporate departures, Harrison generates approximately 18 percent of tax revenue from businesses along the Platinum Mile. “We want to reverse that trend,” Belmont said. Among those in favor of the residential development also include the local business community. “Many companies today are relocating to cities where millennials prefer to live, work and play, [but] many young adults are being priced out of those cities [and] are looking to satellite cities and other urban areas,” said Bill Mooney, president and CEO of the Westchester County Association. “That spells opportunity for Westchester County.” However, with nearly three years passing since developers proposed to repurpose the land, the developers and the town have collectively encountered a number of hurdles in order to get the project off the ground, according to the mayor. “Part of the [permitting] process is the reason why it’s taken so long to begin the project,” Belmont said. As of press time, the developers are seeking to acquire a special exemption use permit, which would allow for construction to begin. The public hearing in front of the town board is scheduled for Sept. 1, after press time. The land designated for Residences at Corporate Park Drive has long been associated with a contentious county debate about affordable housing as well. Westchester Workforce Housing Coalition, Habitat for Humanity for Westchester and Community Housing Innovations Inc., TRANSFORMATION continued on page 8