Greenburgh receives WestHELP proposals

The Greenburgh town board is taking the next step in deciding what is next for the WestHELP property.

Yesterday, the town received several proposals for potential redevelopment of the property at 1 Westhelp Drive in White Plains, and held a work session about the proposals this morning. The town has the rights to the property, though the county owns the land. The county operated the homeless shelter for 20 years, earning the town $1.2 million a year in revenue.  The WestHELP shelter was closed last year.

The highest bid was Ferncliff Manor, which would pay $500,000 to the town until 2031 to operate a residential school for 74 developmentally disabled children. Greenburgh legislators Mary Jane Shimsky and Alfreda Williams have expressed opposition to the proposal, while legislator Michael Smith has expressed his support.

Other proposals include a $350,000 per year proposal from Community Housing Innovations to develop the site for affordable housing, and a $200,000 per year proposal from Westhab Inc. to develop affordable housing.