Harrison REVIEW THE
August 25, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 34 | www.harrisonreview.com
Wegmans proposal granted final approval By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer
DATING WITH DISABILITIES Andrew Kranichfeld, a Westchester native, is working on a dating app called Love is Blind, which he hopes will help alleviate some of the problems that disabled people face when trying to find love. For story, see page 6. Photo courtesy Pinterest.com
Giordano to bring his candidacy, case to appellate court By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer Michael Giordano is not ready to concede his candidacy for the receiver of taxes position in Harrison, even with the New York state Supreme Court upholding a decision by the Westchester County Board of Elections to remove him from a potential Republican Party primary ballot. According to Giordano, who currently works in the Harrison tax receiver’s office, he will file another appeal, this time to the 2nd Department of the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division. “Frankly, this has left a very bad taste in my mouth after working in Harrison for 22 years,” Giordano told the Review. “But, as much as I don’t
like doing this, I have to keep fighting.” On Aug. 7, the state Supreme Court rejected Giordano’s appeal, validating the ruling of the county Board of Elections, BOE. Giordano said that, despite being removed from the primary ballot after more than half of the objections filed with the BOE by a Harrison resident were upheld, he will contend to the appellate court that the signatures he collected did not correctly list the proper municipality; one of the objections challenging his candidacy. “It doesn’t make any sense to me how the signatures are invalid,” Giordano said. “I feel pretty confident that [the appellate court] will overturn the [BOE] decision.” Based on the objections
raised, the BOE disqualified 200 of the 377 petition signatures Giordano obtained, leaving him short of the required 285 signatures needed to trigger a primary against Rosa Mastrogiacomo-Luongo, the Republican Party-backed candidate. Joe Angilletta, Mastrogiacomo-Luongo’s campaign manager and uncle, blasted Giordano’s decision to file another appeal, calling it a “shame” and an “embarrassment.” “This guy is misleading people about every part of his candidacy,” he said. “He’s free do what he wants but it’s clear that he doesn’t belong in this race on many levels.” Last month, Giordano’s candidacy was publicly called in question after the Review learned that he owns a home in the village of Brewster in Putnam County, while also owning
a home at 14 Woodside Ave. in West Harrison. Although Giordano has indicated on tax forms that his primary residence is his Blossom Lane property in Brewster, he claims to spend most of his time in West Harrison. Under his Brewster address, Giordano has been receiving a School Tax Relief Exemption, GIORDANO continued on page 8
A proposal to construct a Wegmans Food Market at an unoccupied office building has received its final approval from the Harrison Town Council. According to Councilwoman Marlane Amelio, a Republican, as a result, demolition of the vacated office complex at 106-110 Corporate Park Drive will begin in three months, bringing Harrison a step closer to introducing the private chain’s first location in the Lower Hudson Valley region. “It’s going to be a wonderful project that most people are going to enjoy shopping at the facility,” she said. Wegmans is headquartered in Gates, New York, near the city of Rochester, where it was founded in 1916. The privately owned regional supermarket chain, which owns 93 stores across the mid-Atlantic and New England regions, is known for selling locally sourced food. Introduced at the end of last year, the proposal calls for the demolition of an abandoned office complex in the town’s “Platinum Mile” area and constructing a 125,000-square-foot, 2-story grocery store, which includes a café area. The Town Council approved a necessary zoning amendment in May to allow for construction of the supermarket in its special business district. In April, the town Planning Board completed the environmental review of the proposal. The board determined the project wouldn’t pose any negative environmental risks, and issued a negative declaration, which completed the environmental review
without requiring a much lengthier environmental impact statement process. Kim Goergen, a representative for Wegmans, said building the supermarket will create 180 fulltime and 250 part-time positions with the company, which is planning to open a second location in the New York metropolitan area along Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Admiral’s Row, located along the East River, in 2018. According to Town Councilman Rich Dionisio, a Republican, the project’s approval comes with the addition of another development being built adjacent to the supermarket. “Wegmans will have nothing but a positive impact on Harrison. Right now, we’re concentrating on bringing the town forward and transforming the entire [Platinum Mile] area.” Last week, Toll Brothers, a publicly owned home development company, in partnership with Normandy Real Estate Partners, began construction of a 421unit rental complex known as Carraway at 103-105 Corporate Park Drive, which is located next to the site of the planned supermarket. Normandy Real Estate Partners, which is responsible for developing other properties along the Interstate 287 corridor in Harrison, has partnered with Wegmans to open its first location in Westchester County. Currently, town officials estimate the supermarket will open for business midway through 2019. Mayor Ron Belmont could not be reached for comment, as of press time. CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com
Follow us on Twitter @harrisonreview Like us on facebook.com/harrisonreview