Yonkers HQ's And Ballpark Update

[61MACKBR1 222]

With news today concerning the "Ballpark" in Yonkers (New Plans-New Additions to the Development Team), I am curious to know if anyone knows if they still plan on knocking down "The Big House" and building a New Yonkers FD Headquarters and Training Facility, somewhere else in Yonkers, or are they going to keep "The Big House" right where it is, but with a New Face-Lift?

[Dr. Zuki 1]

10:30 today a city hall press conference will announce revised plans for massive downtown redevelopment including the previously proposed stadium that was to include a new YFD HQ.

If the stdium portion of the plan is withdrawn, then so is the new YFD HQ.

Check yonkerstribune.com and thejournalnews.com later this morning for details.

[Dr. Zuki 1]

R3,

Email me. I have something else I need to ask you about Grand Funk Railroad.

[61MACKBR1 222]

Based on what I read in today's NY Journal News, the Ballpark at Chicken Island is getting closer to becoming a realitiy, as it is marked for Phase 1 within the Development Plan intoduced yesterday. I am still curious on where the Yonkers Fire Department plans on building its New Fire Headquarters and New YFD Extensive Training Facility, that has been talked about, in conjunction with the Development Plans for Southwest Yonkers. Does anyone with "Inside Knowledge" have any updates? (PS - Dr. Zuki - I will be right back at you with the GFR Stuff)

[Guest]

Please, STOP! Speculating and asking over and over and over again will get you nowhere! I'm sure you will know when they know...obviously, since it hasnt been posted, there's no information to be had for the general public at this time. Why are you so agressively curious anyways? Maybe its making people not want to share.

Let's also remember that it would be a shame for the city to lose such a beautiful building, even though it could use some updating. That firehouse has a lot of heritage. Newer isn't always better, YonkersR3.

Just keep watching YFD in 2006 and you'll find out everything you need (or is it want) to know when everyone else does.

Edited February 3, 2006 by F009JOH

[61MACKBR1 222]

Contrary to F009FOH, A new YFD HQ was already proposed and announced to the public as part of the First Baseball Stadium Sstructure Proposal. This first go around called for the Ballpark to be built on Chicken Island and where the current YFD Headquaters stands, again the last time the developer made their proposal. It is also my understanding, that the developer had agreed to pay for a New YFD Headquarters, should the existing one be displaced to make room for the New Ballpark. Given the Ridge Hill Project, if it proceeds as planned, would also displace the YFD Ridge Hill Training Bunker, and with such, YFD's Training Facility would also have to be relocated. Thus, the rumored plans for a New YFD Headquarters and Training Facility could indeed be a reality, and at no cost to the taxpayers of Yonkers. These facts have been known already to the public. The "Simple" question is, does anyone know if the developer, within their presentation yesterday, make any comment or notation concerning a New YFD Headquarters/Training Facility?

[Dr. Zuki 1]

YonkersR3 may have moved north , but his heart is still here and if he's anxious to know, what's so terrible about that ?? You can take the kid out of Yonkers, but you can't take Yonkers out of the kid.....

The stadium will likley not be built, but a revised project with a large amount of retiail will still need the space occupied by YFD HQ. If not, somebody else could come along wanting to convert it into condos. Imagine years from now seeing Yuppies, tofu in hand, entering YFD HQ. It's no so far fetched either.

There also is a possibly that somebody will want to have the building landmarked, and it's a relatively easy process to accomplish.

Maybe somebody can email Capelli and ask or just email David Simpson, the Mayor's new press secretary 914-377-6000.

One thing for sure, the increased population coming to Yonkers over the next few years will require a rethinking of current fire dept manpower.

Happy Weekend

[Guest]

very true dr. zuki...as a proud yonkers resident myself, i can also verify you can never take the yonkers out of the kid!

in regards to yonkersr3...instead of spending alot of time trying to type it and explain something that i am also not 110% sure about, i can tell you to check out todays Journals News. hopefully you'll get it before its out, but the front page,

(as well as an article inside) actually talks about this project....let me know if you didnt get a chance to read it, and i'll try to sum it up best i can according the research done by the paper....

[Dr. Zuki 1]

The Journal News says nothing about a new YFD HQ. But the black and white rendering shows the project extending over the exisitng YFD HQ which was also to replaced in the mid 1970's when Ginsburg-Taubman was trying to build a shppoing mall in Chicken Island and beyond. That is why the city bought and leveled much of the Palisade Avenue stores abutting Chicken island.

Here is writer Michael gannon's email if anybody wants to ask him to write about how the poject afects YFD HQ: mgannon@thejournalnews.com

Happy Weekend to all.

[Guest]

ya i know zuki...i never said anything about it talking about YFD HQ, i said it talked about the project itself and that hopefully it could give better insight

[61MACKBR1 222]

This is an piece of the Yonkers Industrial Development Proposal for Southwest Yonkers, that specifically references the "Demolition" of YFD's New School Street Headquarters, to make way for the New Ballpark. However, there is NO REFERENCE made to where the developer plans on building a New YFD Headquarters and Training Facility (See Below for the Excerpt):

"The parties agree that each applicable Municipal Entity shall convey the parcels that such Municipal Entity owns in the Chicken Island Project area to the Company for the amount of one dollar ($1.00), subject to the agreement of the Company to, as part of the Chicken Island Project, construct the same number of replacement public parking spaces at no cost to the Municipal Entities on the Chicken Island site or adjacent thereto as currently exists in the public parking lot on the Chicken Island site (to the extent required by existing YPA agreements or applicable YPA legislation, such replacement spaces to be operated by YPA and constructed in accordance with YPA regulations and standards). In addition, the City agrees to: (1) cause the School Street firehouse to be vacated as soon as is practicable after the full execution of this Agreement, but in no event later than the date on which ownership of that parcel is to be transferred to the Company pursuant to the applicable Land Disposition Agreement; and (2) “de-map” and discontinue School Street as a public street of the City (by such date as is provided in the applicable Land Disposition Agreement(s) for the Chicken Island Project).

"

[Dr. Zuki 1]

But when the stadium was last proposed, a new HQ was included in the structure.

This time, it looks like the developer expects the city to build it themsleves along with too many other costly infrastructure improvements for the entire project.

And I doubt the City Council will agree to giving away so much to a developer who in return is paying for nothing along with seeking too many tax abatements.

Regardless, you may see a new YFD HQ someday. Question is will the city or a developer pay for it. Or maybe the city will renovate the exisiting structure and alter the developer's plans. It's all very early on in the entire process.

Time will tell.....and the YFD likely has not even been apprised of much of this, that is why they won't say anything publicly....they just don't know at this time.

[Dr. Zuki 1]

P.S.--I would also hope that the Alexander Street development project can include a facility on the waterfront for both the YFD and YPD rescue boats and accessories.

Hopefully this will be suggested by the bosses in the above two departments early on in the process, not after it is built and completed.

And let the developers pay based on all of the corporate welfare involved with these projects.

Happy Weekend to all...

[61MACKBR1 222]

Bottom Line is that I believe that the City Officials need to make sure that Senior Level Managemetn within YFD are involved totally with the plans and development of this New Proposed YFD Headquaters and Training Facility. It should be the developer and the developer ONLY who foots the bill for this new faciility and not the tax payers of Yonkers. Finally, it should be the Senior Management within YFD, total responsibility to inform the residents of the city of their plans going forward in regards to this new facility and who is responsibile for paying it, any (if applicable) disruption that this may cause to the fire service within the city and just plain good open government communication. Finally, it should also be the responsibility of the Senior Management within YFD's responsibility to inform the residents (be it either in the NY Journal News and/or within a site as this one) of ANY and ALL updates pertaining to the Proposed Ridge Hill Fire Station, a New Ladder Company potentially being added, and the city's plans for the New 3rd Aerial Ladder Truck to which they just purchased with the help of the taxpayers of the city.

[dadbo46 50]

Yonkers board approves new firetruck purchase

By MICHAEL GANNONmgannon@lohud.com

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: February 23, 2006)

YONKERS — The city yesterday exercised an option to buy a third ladder truck for the Fire Department off a $1.2 million contract approved in November.

The $611,916 option with Smeal Fire Apparatus Co., which locked in the price of the first two trucks, was unanimously approved yesterday by the city's Board of Contract and Supply. It was the largest of several public safety-related expenditures approved by the board, led by Mayor Phil Amicone.

The Fire Department was the main beneficiary of the board's actions, receiving nearly $50,000 in other equipment in addition to the firetrucks. The board also approved $9,920 for two Searchcam Breaching Systems — gas-powered drills and drill bits that enable firefighters to drill through different types of materials while searching for victims at building collapses and in other confined spaces — and $9,676 for search cameras used in technical rescues.

"It just keeps enhancing our abilities to perform the duties we have after 9/11," Fire Commissioner Anthony Pagano said.

Smeal will deliver the first two trucks by November and the third truck by early next year. The first two will be assigned to firehouses on Central Park Avenue and Radford Street, and the third will go to a firehouse on either Vark Street or Shonnard Place, Pagano said.

The money will come out of the city's capital budget, which was approved late last year. Some of the other equipment is funded by federal Homeland Security grants, Pagano said.

The board also approved an $89,950 bid by Choice Security Systems to patrol Untermyer Park and approved $34,552 in spending on new equipment for the Police Department, including $6,998 for new defibrillators for each police precinct.

[EXDC203 38]

It would be a sin to tear down such a historic building, I cant believe that city govt thinks they can rebuild a getto by tearing down HQ & numerous stores.

[Truck4 48]

Nice, private security to guard a city park. Wow.

[Dr. Zuki 1]

Rescue3,

City Hall, and only City Hall, are the only ones issuing press releases which includes the YFD and every other agency. That is why Pagano and company absolutely cannot say anything further and likely have not been apprised of what is going on with the developers. It will all come out as the process goes on....nobody is trying to hide anything...

Watch Amicone's state of the city address Wednesday night on cable or the telecast on cityofyonkers.com and maybe he will address future YFD issues like the HQ status and traning center. A text of the speech might also be posted thereafter on the city website.

Remember the old saying "A watched pot never boils" ...the same holds true here with the above.....

Stay Warm