Inside Press

16 Ensembles Convey Sandy Hapoienu’s Signature Unpretentious, Eclectic Style

March 13, 2015 by Inside Press

…in a Fashion Event Run at Neiman Marcus

It wasn’t long after I launched Inside Chappaqua Magazine that I had the good fortune of meeting Sandy Hapoienu and discovering her superior styling skills. Sandy has styled several features for us including a most memorable one, the Flood Sisters, whose work saving lives formed the basis for a February cover story. After watching Sandy’s career “take off” both in the freelance realm and at Bloomingdales, it wasn’t surprising for me to hear that Sandy was hosting a Fashion Event Run at Neiman Marcus in White Plains.

Sandy personally scoured the department store at The Westchester and chose coveted designer brand dresses, separates, accessories and shoes to create 16 ensembles, each possessing Sandy’s distinct unpretentious signature. And, while I’m not a fashionista, particularly, I couldn’t help but feel my spirits soar seeing Sandy’s fun and lighthearted “mix and match” of designer fabrics; with winter’s snow rapidly melting away, watching Sandy’s show made the promise of beautiful spring and summer wear feel blessedly real again. For more information about about Sandy and her services, visit www.stylingsession.com

— Grace Bennett

Broad Range of Town Issues–from Potholes to the Master Plan–Addressed this Week

March 13, 2015 by Inside Press

By Eileen Gallagher

An information-packed week began with the League of Women Voters’ Conversation with the Supervisor on Monday March 9, town board meeting including presentations by WSP Sells and Summit Greenfield on Tuesday March 10, and Pace’s Comprehensive Plan Update on Thursday March 12.
Conversation…

Supervisor Rob Greenstein provided a live and televised audience with his overview of the state of the town, as well as answers to questions posed by the community members present at the library. Topics ranged from the Master Plan, Chappaqua Crossing, and Hunts Place, to distracted driving, coyotes, and potholes. He focused on matters of public safety, delineating the town board’s goals for 2015 and beyond. First and foremost on the list is the Metro North grade crossing at Roaring Brook Road near Horace Greeley High School. Greenstein contacted Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, as well as Congresswoman Nita Lowey and Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney to request their assistance in funding a bridge over the Saw Mill Parkway. Per Greenstein, this would eliminate a dangerous railroad crossing as well as the traffic light, at which 460 accidents have occurred over the past nine years.

Potholes are catching the attention of town officials, as well as the need for road repaving. A five year plan is in the works, according to Greenstein. “The reality is that due to the economy, our roads are neglected.”

Greenstein mentioned working on a campaign to market the town, including the creation of a “welcome packet” extolling the features of living in New Castle. Events, activities, and opportunities for volunteering as well as a listing of resources would be found in this “packet”, which would be made available at real estate offices and town hall. (Editor’s Note: In the interest of full disclosure, The Inside Press, Inc., is being considered as the publisher.) Using the analogy of the “I Love New York” campaign, Greenstein suggested that New Castle could benefit from a slogan such as “Not Just Great Schools.”

Sense of Place…
At town hall, project manager Bob Severance of WSP Sells presented ideas for streetscape and infrastructure improvements in the downtown section of Chappaqua, stating that the goal is to promote a downtown center, to “enhance the sense of place.”

Suggestions such as relocation of parking on South King Street, a “triangular roundabout” at the current triangle at the foot of the bridge into town, and a stop sign or traffic light at the intersection of King and South Greeley are considerations. “We’re not here to choose what you want,” assured Severance, stressing that the town would ultimately guide the decisions.

Greenstein opined that the town should at least implement temporary measures sooner rather than later, such as a stop sign at King and South Greeley.
“We have a middle school in the downtown, as well as a tradition of kids running around,” referring to Friday afternoons after school.

Georgian Architecture…
David Ball, an architect contracted by Summit Greenfield, presented watercolor depictions of the plans for Chappaqua Crossing. Citing the cupola building as an “excellent example” of Georgian style architecture, he described the features of this style as symmetrical, simple, and having verticality. The plans showed buildings of various materials and design, providing “visual interest and variety.”

Councilwoman Lisa Katz remarked that this version was “so much better than the first iteration,” remarking, “recognizing it is a shopping center, we want to make it look like it’s been there forever.”

Comprehensive Plan Update…
A Master Plan update was presented by Tiffany Zezula and Kevin Dwarka of Pace Land Use at the library Thursday evening. Zezula opened with, “This is your plan. Where does your vision come into this?”

An audience of about 30 community members learned that a comprehensive plan is a formally adopted written document, including goals, strategies, and implementation steps. In other words, it is a “blueprint, or vision for New Castle” for the next several years.

Utilizing Westchester Base Studies and the Community Engagement Report (the result of four public master plan sessions held in 2014), Dwarka and Zezula took turns addressing topics such as housing, transportation, infrastructure, natural resources, and public and school facilities.

Zezula closed the evening with a question and answer session, keeping the entire presentation within the scheduled one hour time frame.

Items of note:
1. While the population of New Castle has remained stable, the “millennial” (age 25-34) population has shrunk while the senior (over 65) age group is growing.
2. New Castle has a significantly lower population density than Westchester County overall.
3. The median income of New Castle is significantly higher than the metro areas.
4. There are 6037 single housing units over 7727 acres. While there are no co-ops in New Castle, there are 644 condos and 328 rental units.
5. 24% town residents commute by train (20% is the county average) from a train station with 1191 parking spots.

Mike Brady–Appointed New President And CEO of Greyston–Applauds the “Pioneering Social Enterprise”

March 4, 2015 by Inside Press

For release:

Greyston’s Board of Directors announced today that Mike Brady, President of Greyston Bakery, has been named President and CEO of Greyston, expanding his leadership role to the entirety of Greyston. “We are pleased to have found a leader within our existing team who possesses both the passion for our mission, as well as a vision for what a successful organization should be in the 21st Century,” said Deborah Stewart, Chair of the Greyston Foundation Board of Directors.

Mike Brady

Brady was a Board Member of Greyston Foundation before being named President and CEO of Greyston Bakery in 2012, the for-profit arm of Greyston Foundation. Through his leadership, Brady developed the Bakery into a pre-eminent social enterprise, demonstrating that Greyston’s unique model of Open Hiring and PathMaking—Greyston’s mission in serving the people of Southwest Yonkers—is compatible with a profitable business model. Passionate about social entrepreneurship, Brady is a well-known thought leader on social enterprise management, mindfulness in business, and the development and success of Benefit Corporations. He is a regularly featured speaker on these and related topics, having presented at TED@Unilever, CGI America, the Ashoka Future Forum, as well as at Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and Brown.

Brady remarked, “Greyston celebrated its 32nd Anniversary this year and I am honored to have the opportunity to build on our heritage as a pioneering social enterprise. The momentum behind socially-minded and sustainable business practices has never been stronger and this could not be happening at a more critical time as we search for answers to the challenges of joblessness and poverty, which are preventing good people from leading lives of self-sufficiency. I look forward to working with the outstanding team at Greyston to address these problems and to set an example for other like-minded organizations to follow.”

“We congratulate Mike Brady as Greyston’s newest leader and visionary, who has the experience and passion to continue Greyston’s business model of expert community outreach and growth,” said Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano. “I look forward to continuing our collaboration with Greyston to assist those in need throughout Yonkers and beyond.”

Under Brady’s leadership, Greyston Bakery has been marked by solid financial and mission-based achievements. During his tenure, the Bakery increased revenues by more than 50% and was recognized as New York State’s first Benefit Corporation. Brady’s strategic initiatives have also resulted in national distribution of Greyston Bakery brownies and cookies through Whole Foods Market, a high quality contract baking capability, and a strengthened 25-year relationship with Ben & Jerry’s and its parent Unilever. “Mike has been a remarkable leader of Greyston Bakery. We look forward to him bringing that same passion to the entirety of Greyston, raising the bar for all of our programs to maximize our positive impact on the people who need it most,” said Deborah Stewart, Chair of the Greyston Foundation Board of Directors.

Brady has more than 20 years of experience in strategy and management positions identifying and exploring new business opportunities in high-growth and transitional industries. Prior to joining Greyston Bakery, Brady was a partner with BAO Food and Drink, where he oversaw the development of the country’s first incubator dedicated to organic food production and distribution. He is also a business advisor to the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC) helping to promote policies for a more sustainable economy. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, Brady lives in Westchester, N.Y. with his wife and two sons. Greyston’s main office is located at 21 Park Avenue, Yonkers, New York, 10703.

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About Greyston Foundation
Reaching more than 5,000 community members annually through its programs, Greyston recently celebrated its 32nd anniversary. Located in the heart of Yonkers, Greyston is a national model for comprehensive community development and is best known for the Greyston Bakery which has provided jobs and opportunities for hundreds of individuals and is the primary producer of brownies for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Greyston is an integrated network of programs that provide jobs, workforce development, childcare, housing, after-school programs and community gardens.

Congresspersons Lowey and Maloney Join Town and School Officials at Roaring Brook Road Metro North Railroad Crossing to Address and Propose Solutions

March 2, 2015 by Inside Press

Both Congresswoman Nita Lowey and Congressman Sean Patrick Mahoney (to her left) arrived to address railroad crossing hazards. Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein challenged public officials to take action on improving safety in the wake of the tragedy.

Article and Photos by Eileen Gallagher

With the backdrop of the Harlem Line trains roaring by, Congresspersons Nita Lowey and Sean Patrick Maloney joined members of the town board, school board, and various public officials at the Roaring Brook Road railroad crossing on Monday afternoon to talk about their efforts regarding rail crossing safety.

“We know that rail crossings are where the overwhelming number of fatalities occur in railroad accidents. We know that 95% of fatalities occur at rail crossings…we can do better.” The words of Maloney were nearly drowned out by the whistle sounding as both southbound and northbound Metro North trains passed in the background.

Flanked by Supervisor Rob Greenstein, town council members Adam Brodsky and Lisa Katz, Westchester County Legislator Mike Kaplowitz, Town Administrator Jill Shapiro, Superintendent Lyn McKay, board of education members Karen Visser, Victoria Tipp and Warren Messner, and Police Chief Charles Ferry, Maloney and Lowey spoke of their dedication to improving safety at rail crossings and the implementation of positive train control.

“We are acting now in a bipartisan fashion to save lives before we have another tragic accident on Metro North rail space.” Referring to the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act up for consideration by the House of Representatives this week, Maloney spoke particularly of the Rail Crossings Safety Improvement Act, which invests in state and local governments’ efforts to build bridges or tunnels to improve the safety of grade crossings. Maloney then introduced Lowey, who echoed his sentiments.

“The tragic collision at Valhalla should never have occurred. But incidents at grade crossings are all too common. On average there is a collision at a grade crossing every three hours, and they account for nearly 95% of rail related deaths each year.” Lowey went on to say that with over 212,000 public and private grade crossings around the country, a multi-faceted approach is needed to tackle this safety issue, most importantly educating motorists.

“We’re going to make these kinds of crossings less common, and in the meantime I want to ensure that drivers know what to do and, more importantly, what not to do when they approach a crossing.” Lowey spoke of a proposal of $10 million for efforts in a high visibility campaign to address critical safety risks.

Chappaqua School Board Members: Warren Messner, Vicki Tipp, Karen Visser, and Superintendent Lyn McKay
Evan Eisenhandler, the Executive Director of Operation Lifesaver (a nonprofit organization dedicated to rail safety education), shared his organization’s efforts to educate the public. Per their press release, Operation Lifesaver “provides free safety presentations for motorists and pedestrians throughout the U.S.” and warns “rail safety is something everyone should take seriously.”

Greenstein thanked Lowey and Maloney for their leadership on this “critical public safety initiative,” while reminding them of the urgency for safety at this crossing, located in close proximity to the high school and traversed by a large percentage of young drivers. Speaking of adjacent land owned by the town, donated in the 1930’s by Readers’ Digest owners Dewitt and Lila Wallace, Greenstein said that the land is available to build a bridge over the tracks. “All we need is money. I believe there is a will to do it, and certainly a need to do it, and I thank Congresswoman Lowey and Congressman Maloney for their leadership on this issue.”

Rob Greenstein re: Hunt’s Place Affordable Housing, Railroad Grade Crossing, Sledding at Gedney and More

February 26, 2015 by Inside Press

Supervisor’s Report:

The Town Board recently sent a letter to the Federal Housing Monitor & County Executive Robert Astorino. In the letter, we expressed support for our Building Inspector, who has raised fire safety concerns with Conifer’s project site and building plans. These concerns stem from the fact that the project site is only 1/3 of an acre in size, and is wedged alongside Metro-North Railroad tracks, an exit ramp from the Saw Mill River Parkway, and a bridge overpass. Conifer’s plans call for developing a 4-story residential building, from lot-line-to-lot-line, on that site.

Our letter to the Monitor and County Executive also expressed concerns that the project site poses “the risk of significant stigmatization and isolation of residents.” Those are not my words–that is what the Housing Monitor initially said about the project site back in July 2012.

Our letter also explained that the Town owns vacant property directly behind its Town Hall that appears well-suited for the construction of workforce or affordable housing. The property fronts on Washington Avenue — a tree-lined, residential street in the heart of downtown Chappaqua. We’ve asked the County and Conifer to seriously consider working collaboratively with the Town in an effort to relocate Conifer’s project to the Washington Avenue Property and build residential housing that all parties can be proud of.

The Town Board also sent a separate letter to the New York State Board of Review. In that letter, we’ve expressed our disappointment with their decision on January 22, 2015 to grant Conifer’s variance petition. We also reiterated our support for our Building Inspector and our first responders, and questioned whether the latest iteration of Conifer’s site plan adequately addresses the risks associated with this project site. The tragic accident that occurred on February 3, 2015 on the MTA’s Harlem Line in Valhalla, which claimed the lives of two Town of New Castle residents and four others, has only heightened the Town Board’s safety concerns. Conifer’s proposed residential building would be erected only 15-feet from the MTA’s Harlem Line, which is among the busiest railway corridors in the United States. Our letter asks the Board of Review to reconsider its variance decision.

Finally, this past Friday, Conifer commenced a new litigation against the Town concerning the time in which it has to complete construction of the project. Under the Town Code § 60-430(M), the Town believes that Conifer has 18 months from the issuance of its special permit to complete construction. Conifer, citing a different section of the Town Code, contends that it can wait as long as 25 years before completing the improvements required by the special permit. On multiple occasions, the Town Attorney has advised Conifer that it can request an extension of the 18-month period by submitting a letter request. Unfortunately, rather than simply asking for an extension of time, Conifer has filed a lawsuit.

Railroad grade crossing at Roaring Brook Road/Saw Mill River Parkway Last week we were informed that the project to build a bridge and eliminate the grade railroad crossing on Roaring Brook Road was removed from the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) TIP list in 2006. We wrote a letter to the Commissioner New York State Department of Transportation requesting that the NYSDOT restore this critical project to the TIP list. Because of the proximity of Horace Greeley High School with a large percentage of young and relatively inexperienced drivers, we emphasized that these much-needed improvements to the Roaring Brook Road grade crossing and Saw Mill River parkway interchange are long overdue and urgently needed to prevent another tragedy from occurring. Now more than ever, the Town believes this project should remain a high priority for NYSDOT.

Meeting with Senator Terrence Murphy
This week I met with Senator Terrence Murphy. I requested that we be reinstated to the NYSDOT TIP list. He also provided me with a copy of a letter he wrote – at my request – to the Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos requesting $10M needed for the sewage Diversion Project to prevent sewage dicharged into the Croton and Kensico watershed basins. A copy of his letter can be seen here. http://www.mynewcastle.org/index.php/chappaqua-news/latest-news/1262-senator-terrence-murphy-sewage-diversion-project-request

Chappaqua Crossing
We received the updated Preliminary Development Concept Plan, and we are having a joint meeting with the Planning Board & Architectural Review Board on March 3. Public hearing on 2015 Retail PDCP and retail remapping Local Law set for March 10th.

Downtown Infrastructure/ Streetscape improvements WSP Sells, the company working on our $6.5M infrastructure & streetscape project, will be making their 30% Design Presentation on March 10. The Master Plan Steering Committee will be attending. Also, we will asking the Architecural Review Board (“ARB”) to attend. WSP will be working on design standards for downtown Chappaqua, and we would like input from the ARB.

Sledding at Gedney
The Town Board approved the amendment to Park and Recreation Rule requiring minor children to wear a bicycle helmet, skiing/snowboarding helmet or equivalent helmet when sledding at Gedney Park.