The White Plains Urban Renewal Agency has moved forward with its plans to acquire up to 12 privately owned parcels of real estate on East Post Road and a 13th parcel on South Lexington Avenue owned by the White Plains Housing Authority.
The four members of the agency voted unanimously to approve a series of resolutions to acquire three of the parcels. The members also voted to issue $9.8 million in notes to cover the costs involved with the initial acquisitions.
On Dec. 5, WPURA voted to begin condemnation proceedings against the properties using eminent domain laws.
The East Post Road parcels were identified as numbers 1-3, 2-4, 60, 42, 34, 26-28, 22-24, 18-20, 14-16 and 12. The South Lexington Avenue property was identified as having street addresses of 184-188 and 190-192. The properties are diagonally across from White Plains Hospital.
The properties cover approximately 4.18 acres and are a mix of residential and commercial uses.
The agency has not announced a specific project or development plans for the properties, but has promoted the general concept that whatever happens there will be in the public interest.
The agency approved a document regarding the potential acquisition of the properties that said the sites were currently underutilized and WPURA”™s acquisition would “facilitate and promote the productive use of the property.” The resolution authorizing the initial $9.8 million in notes stated that “the project has a probable usefulness of fifty years.”
The WPURA members voted to approve paying $1.5 million to 26-28 E. Post LLC Inc. to acquire its property at 26-28 E. Post Road. According to documents, the owner agreed to the price.
WPURA also approved resolutions to acquire a parcel owned by Bridgestone Retail Operations LLC at 60 E. Post Road for a price of $2.9 million.
The third parcel, which is owned by 42-44 E. Post Rd. LLC and located at 42 E. Post Road, will be acquired for $5.2 million. The owners had challenged WPURA”™s condemnation in New York State Supreme Court in Westchester County but have now agreed to withdraw the court action and enter into a settlement agreement.
This is ridiculous, White Plains doesnt even have a plan to use the properties and why isnt the city negotiating to buy these properties directly from the owners? They want to low ball the owners and then mostly likely give the properties to a favored developer for next to nothing.
Misuse of Eminent Domain. It was designed to only be used in extreme circumstances for when a property is in direct line of a large NECESSARY municipal project that otherwise would not be able to be completed. Their claim “it will be for the public interest†is not good enough. They don’t even have a project planned—just wrong. Leaves the whole process vulnerable to corruption. Just because the shop owners came to an agreement doesn’t mean that they were well compensated either. Most likely the owners/residents don’t have the funds to fight the city in court.
It’s all going to WPH. Wait and see