White Plains · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in White Plains public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Leffell School campus expansion
The private school wants to add onto Building 1 and alter campus facilities. No enrollment increase is proposed, so traffic impacts shouldn't change — but neighbors may still weigh in.
Water Street Connector
The city would lease Urban Renewal Agency land along the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Extension to build the Water Street Connector — part of reshaping downtown connectivity.
1 Water Street site plan amendments
The developer of the 380-unit transit-oriented project at Ferris and Water wants minor amendments: a bit more retail space, reconfigured below-grade parking, a larger public and dog park, plus rooftop solar and battery storage. Newer council members asked for the detailed August submission in writing before any decision.
1 Water Street site plan amendment
The developer of the 380-unit transit-oriented project at Ferris and Water near the train station wants minor tweaks: a bit more retail, reconfigured underground parking, an enclosed garage, an expanded public park and rooftop solar. Groundbreaking is hoped for 2027.
78 Woodcrest Avenue four-lot subdivision and rock removal
A plan to split a three-quarter-acre lot into four building lots requires removing a large rock outcropping and an aging stone wall along Springdale. Board members pushed for alternatives that would preserve the rock and slopes, questioning blasting impacts on neighbors.
Farrell Estates at Ridgeway 105-lot subdivision
The former Ridgeway Country Club site is proposed for a 99-lot single-family subdivision on about 127 environmentally sensitive acres. Developers revised the plan to protect the Gedney Esplanade trees and wetland buffers, and the final environmental review could reach the board by April with action by May or June.
Whitmore Estates subdivision of former Windward School property
A developer wants to turn the old Windward School site into 13 house lots with a new public road. Neighbors worry about drainage, rock removal and construction impacts, and won extra time to have an engineer review the plans.
New 12-unit apartment building at 510 North Broadway
A vacant office building would be replaced by a 12-unit for-sale condo building near the North White Plains train station. The plan includes a stormwater system that would also fix existing flooding behind neighboring Brookdale and Holland Avenue homes.
Adora Row mixed-use project extension
Two downtown-adjacent projects got more time: 'The Loft' at Court and Quarropas Streets received a one-year site plan extension, and the Adora Row mixed-use project at 80 Westchester Avenue has an extension application under review.
12-unit apartment building at 510 North Broadway
Comstock got a height variance to build a three-story, 12-unit apartment building — a small addition to the city's housing stock.
Downtown and commercial signage approvals
A batch of sign decisions hit downtown businesses: approvals for Yale New Haven Health, The Altos, and Greystar's master retail sign plan, plus a do-over for Doner Haus's wall sign at 186 Martine Ave.
Brookfield Commons Phase 3 extension
The council signed off on lender-required paperwork for the third phase of the Brookfield Commons affordable housing development, which brings roughly $8 million in County infrastructure funding to the city.
Sale of City Center Garage to the City
The city is buying an interest in the major portion of the parking garage at 237 Martine Avenue, borrowing up to $11.1 million to do it. This shifts a piece of downtown parking infrastructure into public hands — a move that could affect parking rates and downtown development decisions for years.
23 Quarropas / Court Street permit extension
The 141-unit, 100% senior affordable project needs one more year to close financing, with Westchester Medical coming in as a healthcare provider. The board raised no objection.
275 Main Street redevelopment
Argent Ventures wants to fill the vacant former Sears/Walmart building with below-grade mini self-storage (about 800 units), a trampoline park, pickleball courts and a gym — reviving a long-empty downtown building. The zoning amendment must come back for formal council action.
Affordable housing buy-out fee calculation
A resident found that the Harlem and Holland Avenues development's affordable housing buy-out fee was calculated using 2021 income data, coming in at $3.03 million instead of roughly $3.9 million under current figures. He's asking why planning staff didn't flag the outdated formula citywide.
White Plains Hospital parking garage financing amendment
The variances allowing a 9-level parking garage next to White Plains Hospital got a two-year extension, keeping the hospital expansion project moving forward.
20 Haarlem Avenue project construction extension
A 296-unit, two-building apartment project by the North White Plains train station is finally under construction after financing delays, and the developer wants its 2021 approvals extended. Nineteen affordable units were bought out for roughly $3 million going into the city's housing fund, with five affordable units built on site.
Former Walmart building redevelopment at 275 Main Street
The empty former Walmart behind the transit center is slated for a health club, below-grade mini-storage, and recreation tenants like a trampoline park and pickleball venue, with a major facade upgrade. The board recommended approval to the Common Council.
Holland Avenue redevelopment site plan extension
NW Plains Venture asked for another year on its site plan approval for redeveloping 27 and 7-11 Holland Ave. The board reviewed it and had no comment.
Trinity Financial housing project extension
The affordable housing project at 161 South Lexington Avenue got a one-year extension of its approvals, with Council Member Simmons recusing herself because she works there.
1148 Mamaroneck Avenue in-ground swimming pool
A homeowner wants to rebuild an approved in-ground pool on an environmentally sensitive lot. A neighbor raised drainage concerns, which the applicant addressed with the stormwater mitigation plan and the fact that pools collect rainwater. The vote waits until August because the board lacked a fifth member.
Hunting Ridge Road subdivision extension
The developer finished building the new driveway for the existing house and got a certificate of compliance, so the board granted a one-year extension to finish as-built drawings and close out the project.
Houses on environmentally sensitive lots on Hall Avenue
Two remaining lots from an approved four-lot subdivision — 1020 and 1024 Hall Avenue — are proposed for single-family homes on land with steep slopes and rock outcroppings. Public hearings are set for July 21, where neighbors can weigh in on how the builders handle drainage and slope disturbance.
Fisher Hill apartment project extension
The planned 6-story, 154-unit apartment building with retail on Westmoreland Avenue got more time on its variances, keeping the project alive.
Mt. Hope Plaza senior affordable housing funding
The city put another $850,000 into finishing a 56-unit affordable senior apartment building at 63 Lake Street that's been years in the making. Costs rose due to tariffs and high interest rates, and the county is contributing $1.25 million more.
27-unit condominium proposal at 98 Broad Parkway
A surface parking lot would become a six-story, 27-unit condominium building with 44 spaces. Month-to-month parkers using the lot will have to find parking elsewhere.
Galleria Mall redevelopment subsidy terms
The nonprofit CAWS laid out four conditions for any public money going to the Galleria project: real affordability, good value for taxpayers, integrated affordable housing, and public discussion of deal terms before the council votes.
12-unit apartment building at North Broadway and Brookdale
A vacant office building would come down for a three-story, 12-unit multifamily building. The board is inclined to approve but wants to review the conditions first — a vote is expected May 19.
Congregation Kol Ami 10-lot subdivision
The synagogue wants to carve ten house lots out of 8.5 wooded acres, keeping a 2.6-acre green buffer toward Scarsdale and replacing overflow holiday parking with 36 restriped spaces. Staff review comes first, then a public hearing.
Battery energy storage facility at 118 Oakley Ave
New Leaf Energy wants to build a standalone battery energy storage facility. The design review board approved the design as revised, moving the clean-energy project forward.
52 North Broadway development timeline extension
WP Development NB LLC got one more year on its site plan approval for the 52 North Broadway redevelopment — a high-profile church-owned parcel in the heart of the city.
East Post Road parcel sale conditions waived
The Agency gave its East Post Road buyer more flexibility: more time on environmental cleanup and room to finish buying an adjacent parcel from the Housing Authority before closing.
4 Hewitt Avenue house addition on steep slopes
Homeowners got approval for a 135-square-foot addition and finished basement on a steep-slope environmentally sensitive site, with fill to be removed after construction.
274 Hamilton Ave service station expansion
The Gulf station at Hamilton and Cottage has long been a traffic bottleneck, with cars queuing up Hamilton Avenue and cutting in from Cottage Place. The board wants the ZBA to require right-turn-only exits, one-way circulation, and longer pump hoses as a condition of the expansion.
White Plains Hospital cafeteria renovation screening
The hospital is renovating its cafeteria at 41 East Post Rd, and the Board approved the exterior screening, duct enclosures and rooftop HVAC equipment that come with it.
Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center site plan extension
The pediatric center on North Street asked to extend its amended site plan approval from February 2024. The board reviewed it and raised no objections.
New 12-unit multifamily building at 510 North Broadway
Comstock got a height variance to build a three-story, 12-unit apartment building — a small addition to the city's housing stock.
Hindu Temple of Tri-State expansion at 390 North Street
The temple's site plan approval for 390 North Street was extended after referrals to city boards and agencies.
Hamilton Green site plan amendment
The developers of Hamilton Green want a minor change to their already-approved site plan. The Building Department can process it as a minor amendment without a full re-review.
Life Time health club at The Source, 1 Maple Avenue
Life Time wants to turn the old Raymour & Flanigan space into a 60,000-square-foot gym with studios, a wellness clinic, cold plunges and a café. The city's boards all back it, with strict soundproofing conditions since offices sit above and a big-box store below. Parking studies show plenty of garage capacity.