TOM Seeks Grants To Renovate VFW & Add Affordable Housing

Also: New Parking Restrictions at Murray Ave School

by Harriet Kline

(May 22, 2008) The Mamaroneck Town Board held three public hearings on Wednesday, May 21 dealing with improvements to VFW Post 90 and restrictions on parking near the Murray Avenue School. The Board also heard specifics about the Larchmont Library Children’s Room renovation project and authorized an expert evaluation of the Town’s nine cemeteries.

CDBG Grants for VFW?

The Board unanimously authorized the filing of two Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applications as presented by Anna Danoy, Mamaroneck’s director of community services. According to Ms. Danoy, the Town is seeking funds for two specific projects:

Renovation and refurbishment of the David Potts Post Veterans of Foreign Wars building on the Boston Post Road. The facility is currently being used by the veterans and the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Senior Center.

Construction of affordable housing units above the VFW Post building.

The two applications are for funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that are to be administered by Westchester County. The first application asks for $200K to renovate the original stone portion of the building; Mamaroneck Town would add $160K for that project. The second asks for $205K to demolish the 1970s era addition and replace it with a new first floor social hall topped by two floors of affordable apartments. Mamaroneck would add $95K to that project.

Supervisor Valerie O’Keeffe said these two proposals would benefit both veterans and seniors of the community. Councilwoman Phyllis Wittner called it a “wholesome partnership,” while Councilwoman Nancy Seligson deemed the proposals as an opportunity to leverage federal funds for the benefit of the local community.

Reached later for further explanation, Supervisor O’Keeffe said “this is all the beginning of a process” and it would be months before the Town knows if it has received the grants. She estimated that there could be 20 or 30 apartments, which would be offered first to local veterans, then to Westchester County veterans and then to senior citizens. The exact number of units depends on factors to be determined by future engineering and design studies. As envisioned, the VFW would continue to own the property, but would lease it to Mamaroneck Town.

New Parking Restrictions at Murray Avenue School

Councilman David Fishman, who serves as the Board’s liaison to the Town Traffic Committee, outlined two Committee recommendations:(1) creation of a no parking zone on the school side of Colonial Avenue between Murray and Daymon Terrace during school drop-off and pick-up hours; and (2) creation of a no parking zone of approximately 20 feet at the corner of Sheldrake Avenue and Forest Avenue.

Mr. Fishman said that these recommendations are supported by the Mamaroneck Town police and are the result of numerous meetings with the Murray Avenue School PTA and administrators from the schools and Town.

Several residents were in attendance and addressed the Board. All were in favor of ether one or the other proposal but also warned that the new laws may not be a complete solution for the safety and congestion concerns at the school in the morning and afternoon hours.

Hyla Melnick of 2 Colonial Avenue said that she was glad that the Town was “doing something.” Suzanne Teply of 32 Colonial Avenue hoped that residents would respect the new laws and those that already exist. Marguerite Lawless of 49 Sheldrake Avenue also urged that existing laws be better enforced. Abby Katz of 40 Cooper Lane indicated that the crossing guard recently directing traffic on Daymon Place has been very helpful.

The two Traffic Committee recommendations were unanimously approved by the Board.

Library Children’s Room Renovations

Miriam Curnin, former Larchmont mayor and current chair of the Larchmont Public Library Board, opened Wednesday’s meeting by outlining the planned renovations for the Children’s Room of the library. Ms. Curnin displayed designs for the new interior and exterior.

Some of the new features will be a new activity room, a toddler area, a puppet theatre, a new circulation desk at the entrance to the room, new computers, an elevator big enough for double strollers, a screen for movies, new windows, an updated heating/cooling system, and an additional 278 square feet of floor space.

The total cost of the renovation project is $ 2.7 million. Mamaroneck Town and Larchmont Village have together pledged over $1 million. A grant of $755K was donated by the Burchell family. An additional $250K needs to be raised. Mrs Curnin suggested that if each family in Larchmont contributed $100 dollars, the goal would be met.

Kid Fest on June 1 will celebrate the upcoming project and raise additional funds. (See: Kid Fest To Celebrate Redo of Children's Library: June 1.)

According to Library Director Diane Courtney, Margaret and George Burchell were the folks whose generous bequest spurred this renovation. George was a judge, a supervisor of the Town of Mamaroneck, a devoted library user and a true gentleman. Margaret had been a writer, was a devoted reader and was renowned for her sparkling wit and sense of humor. The room will be named the Burchell Children's Room in their honor.

Ms. Curnin also recalled that the Village of Larchmont and the Town of Mamaroneck agreed way back in 1930 to share a library. That agreement was revised in 1994.

The Children’s Room will close July 7 for the renovation to begin.

Cemetery Evaluation

The Board also unanimously approved the expenditure of no more than $12,000 for an evaluation of the Town’s nine cemeteries by Lynette Strangstad of the firm Stone Faces and Sacred Spaces. According to a letter submitted by Town Administrator Steve Altieri, $5,000 of the cost will be subsidized through a grant obtained by Assemblyman George Latimer and an additional $2,100 has been raised through Donald March, Mamaroneck Town historian.

The next regular meeting of the Town Board has been scheduled for June 4. The July meeting will be held on July 9.

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