September 15, 2014 | VOL. 50, No. 37 BY LEIF SKODNICK
YOUR ONLY SOURCE FOR REGIONAL BUSINESS NEWS | westfaironline.com
INSIDE
FASNY: Oui ou Non? PAGE 27
NATURE’S ART • 2
White Plains resident Terrence Guerriere speaks in opposition to the proposed French-American School of New York campus.
Cabaret owners await changes in licensing law BY LEIF SKODNICK lskodnick@westfairinc.com CABARET OWNERS IN WHITE PLAINS are waiting to hear from the city on changes to its cabaret licensing law. They’re just not sure how long the wait will be. The city placed a moratorium on the licensing of new cabarets on July 7, saying the regulations needed to be reviewed to address safety and
BY MARK LUNGARIELLO mlungariello@westfairinc.com
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SPECIAL REPORT • 21
NEWSMAKERS • 34
COUNTY SEEKS COMMON GROUND ON HOUSING MONITOR REPORT
health concerns. “Our concern is how long the moratorium will go,” said Kevin Nunn, executive director of the White Plains Business Improvement District. “There are plenty of legitimate businesses that need the cabaret license to operate.” While Nunn’s group is generally in support of White Plains businesses that operate under cabaret licenses, he said he understands the Cabaret, page 6
ix Westchester municipalities have zoning practices that are contributing to a lack of integration of their black and Hispanic populations, according to a federal housing monitor’s latest analysis. The study, released Sept. 8, is not a final report and monitor James E. Johnson, of the firm Debevoise & Plimpton L.L.P., said the municipalities named would have the chance to justify the seemingly exclusionary zoning or take steps to modify their local codes. Harrison, Larchmont, Lewisboro, North Castle, Pelham Manor and Rye Brook were cited for either restricting multifamily housing to areas with large minority populations or restricting development of housing types “most often used by minority residents.” Harrison was cited for both. Johnson said the most recent analysis looked at clusters rather than populations — the overall minority population of Rye Brook, for example, increased by 111 percent in the 10 years prior to the last U.S. Census. “We can’t stop at the shift,” Johnson said at a joint legislative committee meeting Sept. 10. “We need to continue and take a deeper look.” The report said that the sole district allowing for two-family homes accounted for 50.8 percent of the village’s minority population but only 15.6 percent of Rye Brook’s total household population. The district is in the southernmost part of the village on the Port Chester border. The chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators is now looking to adopt that analysis and several others as part of the requirements of the settlement of a 2009 affordable housing lawsuit. In that settlement, Westchester agreed to build or obtain 750 units of affordable housing in Housing, page 6
A marriage of nature and art in YoHo BY MARY SHUSTACK mshustack@westfairinc.com
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he has created fanciful corsets that will never be worn and ties that won’t adorn a single neck. She’s even made a collection of dramatic umbrellas, though none will keep an outfit dry. That the umbrellas are made of leaves, the corsets sport seashells and the ties feature moss and feathers point to the importance of nature as much as fashion in artist Catherine Latson’s work.
“MY WORK DOES NOT PREACH. NATURE IS THE TEXT AND A FULL-FLEDGED COLLABORATOR.”
Latson, a Tarrytown resident who works out of a Yonkers studio, on her website describes her work as springing “from the overlap between the natural world’s innovations and our own… My work does not preach. Nature is the text and a fullfledged collaborator.” That was clear on a recent morning in Latson’s light-filled workspace in the YoHo Artist Studios, which occupy a converted red-brick factory building in the historic Alexander Smith Carpet Mills complex on Nepperhan Avenue.. A muslin-colored corset sat on a table, fragments of the palest green anemone shells having recently been stitched onto its vintage surface as others awaited their turn. Nearby, twisted vines had been turned
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into one-of-a-kind chandeliers and sconces, while ink-black feathers were artfully draped to form a sleek necktie. Overhead, one of her classic umbrella creations hovered. Through the umbrellas, Latson said, she has learned about leaves themselves. “The beech trees hang onto their leaves all winter, and they’re this wonderful vanilla color,” she said. “Oak leaves are fun because of the spaces between them.” Harvesting the elements by hand is part of the process, giving the artist a chance to know her materials. “You can buy them,” she said of the leaves she gathers, “but why?” In her outdoor education, she has also learned to “stay away from the really fragile. It’s hard because they are the most beautiful.” Latson’s current work was spurred by a wiry bunch of vines collected on a walk. “I dragged it back and said ‘I’m going to make something.’” What others saw as a nuisance, she saw as an artistic element. “Nobody wants them because they’re invasive,” she said. She has long collected others’ discards. She pointed out an artful, salvaged sweep of a coppery wire that might find itself in a future work. “There I was, Dumpster-diving for piano wire,” she said. As her work has become better known, she will “frequently find bundles of things outside my door, bundles of bark.” A native Minnesotan, Latson studied both biology and studio art at Macalester College in St. Paul. She worked as a medical illustrator before embarking on a 20-year career as a professional scenic artist, painting sets and special effects for film, TV and city opera, ballet and theater companies across the country. “Then babies came along and that turned everything on its head,” she said. She lived for a time in Hawaii. The family moved to Tarrytown 16 years ago when her husband, a teacher joined Hackley School. With college tuition looming for her two
Main office telephone ........ (914) 694-3600 Newsroom fax ........................ (914) 694-3680 Sales fax .................................... (914) 694-3699 Research fax ............................ (914) 694-3682 Editorial e-mail:..........bobr@westfairinc.com Or write to: 3 Westchester Park Drive, Suite G7 White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3407 Publisher Dee DelBello Managing Editor Bob Rozycki Westchester County Bureau Chief John Golden
Catherine Latson at work in her Yonkers studio. Photograph by Bob Rozycki.
sons, Latson shifted gears and “cranked out a nursing degree at 40.” She worked in the field for seven or eight years, but felt something lacking, she said. “I thought I was going to lose my mind not having the right brain going,” she said of her return to art, as painting gave way to
sculpture and her current work. Today Latson is a hospice nurse at Phelps Memorial Hospital, working mostly nights and weekends, and spends time in her studio almost every day. “It’s a great balance. It’s turned out to be the perfect Latson, page 18
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Questions remain as deadline for developer’s $1M donation approaches BY MARK LUNGARIELLO mlungariello@westfairinc.com
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developer’s offer to donate $1 million for the town of Greenburgh to buy parkland was secured by members of a town civic group who agreed not to oppose or delay a 444-unit apartment project, a letter from the company’s attorney shows. A letter from attorney Peter J. Wise was posted online Sept. 5, five years after it was signed by all relevant parties, but only two weeks after the donation was first discussed publicly by the Greenburgh Town Board. Lawmakers must accept the donation by Oct. 1, the date on which the offer expires. A stipulation of the donation listed in the letter is that representatives of the East Irvington Civic Association “may not oppose and/or frustrate the grant of the approvals and/or cause the grant of approvals to be delayed, in any manner and by any means.” Wise, an attorney with White Plains firm DelBello Donnellan Weingarten Wise & Wiederkehr L.L.P., was
referencing the 444-unit Avalon Green II, which has since been built in the East Irvington neighborhood. AvalonBay Communities Inc. and Robert Martin Company L.L.C. reached an agreement with the president of the association in 2009, while the development partnership was looking to build Avalon Green II. The donation must be used to buy a 28-acre swath of land in the village of Tarrytown to expand the 190-acre Taxter Ridge Park. Although agreements for parkland are often part of a concession package from a developer to a municipality, this donation is unique in several regards. Firstly, the donation must be approved by Greenburgh even though the land is in Tarrytown, a municipality contained within Greenburgh but has its own government. East Irvington is part of Greenburgh and not Tarrytown. Secondly, the deal was struck not with the town but with Danny Gold, the civic association’s president. Town Supervisor Paul Feiner said the town had not been party to negotiations five years ago and
that he had not heard about the potential donation until this summer. Feiner said he was in favor of accepting the donation because it would add to open land in the area. “If the neighborhood association is embracing affordable housing and welcoming it — and they’re able to get something for it — I think that’s a positive,” he said. The town Ethics Board is reviewing the donation after Feiner wrote a letter asking for an opinion from the board. Feiner told the Business Journal that permits and approvals for Avalon Green II were given before elected officials knew of the civic association’s agreement with the developer. AvalonBay, though, is looking to build another 68 apartments to add to the development and that application is yet to be approved. The agreement included a confidentiality clause and the letter was only recently shared with the town, Feiner said. A separate civic organization, The Edgemont Community Council, posted a copy of the letter on its Facebook page after obtaining it from the town under a Freedom of
Information Law request. Edgemont Community Council President Robert Bernstein criticized the agreement, which he said favors the individuals named in the agreement as representatives of the East Irvington civic group. Two of the members, Bernstein said, live in Tarrytown and not East Irvington — with all three standing to gain property value of their homes from a parkland “buffer” that would be enhanced by the donation. He also is pushing for a written agreement from Tarrytown officials saying they would pay to maintain the new parkland, which under law would be Greenburgh’s financial responsibility without the village’s assuming of maintenance costs. The Edgemont Community Council met Sept. 8 at its first meeting of the 201415 year, with Bernstein saying the group’s directors “expressed skepticism that this was the type of matter that should be decided by the town’s Board of Ethics, noting that there are a number of open issues that call into question whether the agreement is of any benefit to the town at all.”
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BY GERI E. PELL
Investing for positive change in the world
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ll around us, there’s growing awareness and concern about the impact of business practices on our environment and society. Increasingly, civic-minded consumers are interested not just in the quality and cost of the goods and services they buy but the effect they have on our surroundings. Many companies have embraced the call for increased transparency and stewardship. Here in Westchester County, nearly 300 businesses signed on to the Green Business Challenge, an award-winning local initiative designed to move companies down the path toward environmental sustainability while improving performance and saving money. (A full list of participants is available on the county’s website.) Beyond choosing where to do business locally, people often wonder how they can align their broader investment strategies with causes they support. As a private wealth adviser, I spend a significant amount of time working through this question with clients and helping them position their portfolios to have a positive impact on the world. Social impact investing — the practice of integrating environmental, social and
GERI E. PELL
governance or ESG, factors into investment decision-making — is rooted in many people’s desire to offer financial support to causes they believe in. In the past, individuals directed their charity dollars toward organizations they wished to support, often paying little attention to whether their investments harmonized with those causes. The belief was that socially responsible investing required a sacrifice of return.
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Social impact investing takes a comprehensive approach, assessing not only how money invested will help specific causes but also how it might provide a return on investment. Under the ESG prism, I help clients identify the issues that are important to them. For example, when exploring investment decisions, we might discuss factors such as how companies manage their environmental footprint or how they foster a diverse workforce. Exploring these angles provides a sense of what’s most important to clients and how we can align their portfolios with their passions. The good news for anyone inclined to invest this way is there are more options available than ever. And, with more investment opportunities to choose from, investors can now expect to earn competitive returns on their investments. In fact, as one example, the MSCI KLD 400 Social Index, composed of companies with high environmental, social and governance ratings, has actually outperformed the broader MSCI USA Index since its inception in 1990. Within the broad financial community, large organizations and civic leaders are throwing their weight behind the effort to
standardize how ESG factors are integrated into financial analysis. Recently, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairwoman Mary Schapiro were appointed chairman and vice chairwoman of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, a nonprofit established to develop sustainability accounting standards for corporations. With big-name leaders lending their support to this effort, we can expect further development and expanded opportunities to invest in the ESG realm down the road. Social impact investing can be an effective way to engage as a shareholder and to vote with your pocketbook. A financial adviser can help you identify quality companies and industries to invest in to effect global changes you believe in. Geri Eisenman Pell is CEO of Pell Wealth Partners, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services Inc., with headquarters in Rye Brook and offices in Manhattan and Port Jervis. Contact her at geri.e.pell@ampf. com or 914-253-8800. This is the first in a series of articles she will write for the Business Journal focusing on different areas of investments.
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Housing — From page 1
31 of its communities where the population was less than 2 percent black and 7 percent Hispanic. The county was required to issue an analysis of impediments to fair housing as part of the settlement, but the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has rejected eight times the analyses from Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino’s office, which said there were no impediments to fair housing. Board of Legislators Chairman Michael Kaplowitz, a Democrat, said it was time that the county executive comply with that provision of the settlement. “At some point, you kind of get the pickup that maybe you’re doing something wrong,” he said. Last year, the monitor issued his first report under New York state’s Berenson legal standard to determine whether zoning practices were exclusionary based on socioeconomic status. Seven municipalities were found to be exclusionary in that report, though three have since been removed from the list due to modifications of its zoning code. The monitor’s most recent study used the federal standards of the lawsuit NAACP v. Town of Huntington. Kaplowitz wants the board to vote to accept the Huntington and Berenson analyses as part of a package along with the
Cabaret — From page 1
reasoning behind the moratorium on new cabarets. “It’s like zoning or other resolutions — things get out of date,” Nunn said. “We’ve had quite a few applications for new cabarets,” White Plains Building Commissioner Damon Amadio said in an interview shortly after the moratorium was enacted. “We decided we should take a breather, update the ordinance and apply it to the new cabarets. Everyone who is in good standing will be allowed to operate their cabarets under the moratorium.” Two cabaret license applications came up for review at the Sept. 2 meeting of the White Plains Common Council, both of which were adjourned to later this year. The first license application, by Daniel Coughlan, the proprietor of Coliseum on South Broadway, was postponed at Coughlan’s request, as his family recently welcomed a new baby. Coughlan spoke against the moratorium at the July 7 council
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September 15, 2014 • WCBJ
analyses from Astorino’s office, which he believes combined will settle the provision. The chairman wants to approve the package by Sept. 15, the date of a deadline from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development after which Westchester will lose millions in federal grants.
CDBG funding hangs in the balance
The county already lost $7.2 million in Community Development Block Grants, or CDBGs, in 2011 due to noncompliance with the settlement. It will lose another $5.2 million at the end of this month and since the applications come in three year cycles a loss this year could mean two more years in addition to that with no CDBGs — a total loss of $22 million. The original deadline for compliance was earlier this year, but Kaplowitz successfully lobbied to have the deadline pushed back several times. This deadline may be more compelling — the fiscal year ends in late September. The county executive, for his part, declined Kaplowitz’s request to adopt the monitor’s reports and sent a letter listing eight reasons for his denial. Astorino disagreed with the methodology used in the Huntington study and in a previous interview said that he would not be “held hostage to bureaucrats” in Washington, D.C. even if it meant losing the CDBGs. “It’s not worth $5 million; it’s not worth a billion dollars,” he said. Astorino may veto any law from lawmakers to accept
meeting. “I operate my cabaret without any harm whatsoever to the safety and welfare of the public while providing a significant benefit to the economy and quality of life in White Plains,” Coughlan said at the July meeting. He has operated a cabaret doing business as Coughlan’s, Prophecy and Coliseum in White Plains for the past 10 years. “I’m strongly in favor of reviewing laws to ensure the public’s safety and welfare are adequately protected. However, here the laws likely sought to be enacted will only strangle small-business owners such as myself who have poured their life savings into our businesses.” The second application for a cabaret license by Executive Billiards at 109 Mamaroneck Ave., was adjourned until the Oct. 6 Common Council meeting. “As you know, there’s a moratorium on issuing these right now, and so because we don’t have the new law — you don’t have a current cabaret license, so right now the moratorium’s in effect and we can’t issue them,” Mayor Thomas Roach told Executive Billiards’ general manager, Russell Masciotti, during the public hearing period.
the Huntington report, even as part of a package. In the letter to Kaplowitz that incorporating the report into impediment studies would, “completely undermine the principle of Home Rule since the county would be agreeing to turn over decision making on local zoning to a federal agency.” Astorino’s stance means even if a bill adopting the reports gets to the executive, he would likely veto it. The 17-person board would then need 12 votes to override that veto — Kaplowitz told reporters that he was speaking to his associates to see if they’d support an override of a veto.
The time factor
Legislator Catherine Borgia, the Democratic majority leader, said it was unlikely lawmakers could approve the package in time for the deadline. “I don’t see how we can,” she said. Borgia categorized the county executive’s stance as “stubbornness” and blamed Astorino for the loss of CDBGs for local communities who could use the money for projects such as infrastructure repairs and park work. She noted that the monitor’s latest analysis was released only seven days before the deadline, allowing little time to vet the study, speak to municipal leaders and bring the matter to a county board vote. There remains a question that even if Westchester submits its analysis package to HUD by the deadline if the county
will be guaranteed to have its CDBG funding restored. Legislator John Testa, the Republican minority leader, said the data in the most recent report was taken out of context because it did not take into consideration the larger picture. In Harrison, for example, only 0.3 percent of its total land is used for multifamily homes — but some Republican legislators noted that Harrison houses the county airport and numerous corporate parks. The monitor, in his report, noted that 43 percent of Harrison’s black population was clustered in four Census blocks, while the seven single-family districts had an only 6 percent minority population. Harrison has no affordable housing projects in the pipeline and has not built any affordable units since 2000, the report said. Testa criticized HUD for not coming to the table to meet face-to-face with legislators, saying there have been a number of questions about the terms of the settlement that remain ambiguous. He said the requirements continue to shift beyond the basic premise of building the 750 units. “The bar keeps getting moved,” he said. He credited the board chairman for trying to reach an amicable conclusion but said there remains a fundamental difference in viewpoint, with HUD and the monitor seeing exclusionary zoning where he and other legislators do not. “I don’t think this issue will ever come to a close,” he said.
CABARET DEFINED Under the White Plains municipal code, a cabaret is a “place of public resort, accommodation, assemblage, entertainment or amusement, where refreshments of any kind are served for gain or profit, and where dancing, entertainments or exhibitions are given or permitted in con-
Masciotti did not respond to messages seeking comment. Reached by phone Sept. 9, Coughlan said he is worried about what the moratorium on licensing cabarets means to White Plains if it should be extended or if the city were to stop licensing cabarets altogether. “We have over 160 vacancies in down-
nection therewith, or a place of public resort, accommodation, assemblage, entertainment or amusement where exhibitions or other forms of entertainment or amusement are given or conducted for gain or profit and dancing and serving of refreshments of any kind are permitted.”
town White Plains right now,” Coughlan said. “I’m 100 percent against underage drinking, bar fights and rough crowds. Other cities and towns are dying to have what White Plains has and White Plains is trying to shut it down. They should let anyone have a cabaret license if they are complying with the law.”
INBRIEF CLARFELD AGAIN RANKED TOP WEALTH ADVISER Rob Clarfeld, CEO of Clarfeld Wealth Strategists and Financial Confidantes in Tarrytown, has been ranked New York’s top independent financial adviser for the sixth consecutive year on Barron’s recently released Top 100 Independent Wealth Advisors list for 2014. With a score of 99.496 out of 100, Clarfeld ranked eighth nationally for 2014, placing among the top 10 independent wealth advisers nationwide for the sixth year in a row. “This past year saw us highly ranked by Forbes, the Financial Times, as well as other publications, but the Barron’s ranking is by far the gold standard of the financial services industry,” Clarfeld said in a press release. “We operate in an incredibly competitive environment, among very talented firms, particularly in New York, where the best of the best compete for the trust of extremely sophisticated clients.” Clarfeld added that his six-year run as Barron’s top-ranked New York adviser “attests to the consistency of our methodology, high-touch client service culture and ongoing commitment to excellence.” Unlike some industry surveys that rank advisers solely by assets under management, Barron’s proprietary ranking methodology assesses assets, quality of business practices, revenue that advisers generate for their firms and other factors, according to the financial publication. A spokesperson for the Clarfeld firm said those factors include the adviser’s investment philosophy and contributions to the community and profession. Clarfeld and his company are longtime supporters of the Foundation for Educating Children with Autism and its Devereux Millwood Learning Center. Barron’s said the rankings are based on data provided by individual advisers and their firms. That data is confirmed through regulatory databases, cross-checks with securities firms and conversations with individual advisers.
made such testing optional. The top spot on the list went to Williams College in Massachusetts, which has remained No. 1 for 12 years. Rounding out the top five were Amherst College, Swarthmore College, Wellesley College and Bowdoin College. Purchase College finished No. 171, the only other Westchester County college that made the ranking. It was the 30th year of the Best Colleges ranking, which was culled from nearly 1,800 schools in the country. For the first time in its history, the ranking includes the U.S. Department of Education’s three-year loan default rates — a meter for tracking how recent graduates are handling their student debt.
COUNTY HOSTS EVENT FOR BUSINESSES, JOB HUNTERS The office of Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino and 12:11 the Westchester 0630 ad_Layout 1 7/1/14 PM Page 1
Panelists include representatives from IBM Corp., MasterCard Inc., WestMed Medical Group, Consolidated Edison Inc., Greater Hudson Bank, the state Thruway Authority’s New NY Bridge project and various Westchester County departments and agencies. Lowell Hawthorne, president and CEO of Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill, the first Jamaican-owned business to be granted a franchise license in the U.S., will deliver the summit’s keynote address at 11:45 a.m. Based in the South Bronx, the privately held corporation he heads is a manufacturer and distributor of Caribbean food products and franchisor of Caribbean restaurants, according to the company’s website. A $35 registration fee for the daylong summit includes breakfast, lunch and parking. Business owners and job hunters can register online at westchesterny.org/connections. — John Golden and Mark Lungariello
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SARAH LAWRENCE COLLEGE MAKES U.S. NEWS LIST Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville was ranked the 59th-best liberal arts college in U.S. News and World Report’s 2015 Best Colleges list published Sept. 9. The college had been unranked by the publication since 2005, according to The Washington Post, because it did not use ACT and SAT scores in admissions, which meant its students’ scores could not be used in comparison with those of other colleges. Several years ago, the Post said, Sarah Lawrence
County African American Advisory Board this month will host “Connections for Success,” the county’s inaugural summit for small-business owners and job seekers. The event, featuring a keynote speaker with an immigrant’s “rags to riches” success story, will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 16 at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. County officials in a press release said business owners will learn how to gain access to the “3 C’s” that can make their business a success: customers, capital and contracts. Job seekers will get a jump on available employment opportunities in the county. The program will include panel discussions and breakout sessions with business experts; networking opportunities with representatives from organizations looking to hire or to contract with small businesses; and an exhibitor mall featuring dozens of business support services and resources.
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WCBJ • September 15, 2014
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Playland likely to remain mainly an amusement park BY MARK LUNGARIELLO mlungariello@westfairinc.com
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alerio Ferrari told county lawmakers that he wants to build the tallest pendulum ride in the world at Rye Playland. The new ride could set a record by 10 feet, he said. Ferrari is president and CEO of Italian rollercoaster and ride manufacturer Zamperla, which thinks the park needs to offer modern thrills in addition to Art Deco nostalgia if it is going to improve its attendance. “My brand manager tells me we need something to really put Playland back on the map,” Ferrari said. Zamperla owns Central Amusements International Inc., the operator of the rides at Coney Island in Brooklyn and one of the companies interested in taking over the day-to-day operations of countyowned Playland. A marquee ride such as the record-setting pendulum ride, or an “air race” ride that spins 100 feet in the air, could be a marquee attraction among new rides that would help increase attendance from Playland’s roughly 350,000 per year closer to 700,000 to 800,000, he said. New rides at Playland should match the aesthetics of historical rides such as the 85-year-old Dragon Coaster and carousel, he said. “Where Coney Island is a thrill ride, Playland would be a theme ride,” Ferrari said. When Westchester County solicited proposals in 2011 to reinvent Rye Playland, it was broad in its guidelines and hopeful that the loose parameters would bring in imaginative suggestions for what to do with the countyowned park. Many believed the reinvention process meant the end of Playland as an amusement park, with the expectation that proposals would come in suggesting razing some rides and shifting the focus away from the amusements. Today, it is becoming increasingly likely that Playland’s future, unclear as it may be, will be as an amusement park — and maybe even one with some new, state-of-the art attractions. The county Board of Legislators’ Labor, Parks, Planning and Housing Committee met Sept. 4 with two potential operators for the park, both focused on investing to once again make Playland’s amusements a local attraction. Standard Amusements Inc. and Central are each interested in running the park and both view new rides as central to their goals. Nicholas Singer, executive managing director of Standard, said improving the amusements was a restoration project. “It means not turning Playland into the
next Great Adventure or some thrill park, it’s maintain the historical integrity. …It’s really restoring it to its former grandeur,” he said. Standard and Central are back at the negotiating table after having been among the 12 groups that submitted proposals in 2011. The two companies finished as finalists, but were passed over in favor nonprofit Sustainable Playland Inc., which walked away from its agreement to take over the park among scrutiny of its improvement plan and questions about its access to capital. Neither Standard nor Central will need to rely heavily on outside funding, representatives said. Central and its parent company, Zamperla, have extensive assets. Standard is owned by Standard General L.P., a hedge fund operator. Both companies want a management deal that would see one or the other pay $25 million to the county over the course of the agreement. Singer said all of Standard’s investment in upgrades would be from cash on-hand. “We have the money and we’re committing to spend it in this fashion,” he said. The two companies had explored a joint venture but were unable to come to terms and a confidentiality agreement between the two meant the details were unclear over the failed partnership. Although both of the companies’ plans are similar in their approaches to revitalizing the amusement park function of Playland, the businesses differed in how they would undertake the project. Standard representatives said the company would look to make a splash in its first year of operation to announce its presence, saying it needed a visible difference and a number of new attractions to bring back regular visitors. Central officials said its transformation would take place over a number of years much the same way it has handled Coney Island’s evolution. Central started with aesthetic and safety improvements when it took over Coney Island, but this year unveiled a new marquee roller coaster, The Thunderbolt. Ferrari said Central has increased revenues at Coney Island from $8.5 million in 2010 to $22 million in 2014. The county executive’s initial goal of reinventing the park had focused on establishing a year-round use for 100 acres out of the total 280 acres of Playland. Sustainable had proposed a 82,500-square-foot field house though that could be used during winter months, but its construction became a rallying cry from some groups who said it was too large and would bring traffic to the area, in a coastal neighborhood in Rye. Standard’s and Central’s plans have more understated goals for year-round uses, Playland, page 9
8
September 15, 2014 • WCBJ
Playland — From page 8
although Standard’s plans did include new athletic fields (Singer said in light of the Sustainable process, Standard was willing to remove the fields). The companies suggested holiday-themed events for Halloween and Christmas and Central opening earlier and closing later than is currently practiced. Both groups said they would look to improve the food options in the park and would likely utilize the boardwalk area for new restaurants, which could also be used year round. County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican who came into office in
2010, made finding a private operator for the park a goal of his administration, saying the park was losing millions per year while attendance declined year to year. After Sustainable left the table earlier this year, Astorino agreed to pay $100,000 to consultant Dan Biederman and his firm Biederman Redevelopment Ventures Corp. to review operations at the park and make recommendations for its future. That report is due at the end of November and Democratic lawmakers have re-engaged Standard and Central before that report is even filed, saying waiting will mean not having a new operator in place for the 2015 season.
Playland: Looking back at the bids Westchester County received 12 proposals to “reinvent” county-owned Rye Playland in 2011. As the county revisits two of the proposals, here’s a look at all 12 bidders and their ideas to reinvent the park.
or construction plan and instead offered 50 points to improve Playland. These included small customer service tips such as “hire friendly guards,” “keep bathrooms clean,” “use more paint” and “serve really great ice cream.”
AIR STRUCTURES AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Q PROPERTIES L.L.C.
Air Structures worked with The Stonehill Group L.L.C., a Connecticut-based real estate banking firm for its proposal, which sought to build 6.5-acre, fully enclosed air dome to house indoor sports facilities.
The Connecticut-based group sought to build a field house complete with an adventure park, which would include a rope climbing course and a zip line canopy tour during the summer.
AMERICAN SKATING ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS L.L.C.
Backed by Standard General L.P., the group looked to revitalize the aging amusement park section of Playland with the help of amusement park expert Jack Falfas, who previously ran Dorney Park. Falfas is again working with Standard as they come back to the negotiating table with the county.
Elmsford-based American Skating Entertainment Centers L.L.C. focused solely on the Playland Ice Casino. The company recently received a 10-year management agreement to run the rink.
BOARDWALK ARTS INC. Heather Patterson, the group’s president, admitted to not having a grand reinvention plan and instead made several suggestions that focused on using the park as a haven for local artists. One of the suggestions was licensing and marketing Playland-themed merchandise.
CENTRAL AMUSEMENTS INTERNATIONAL INC. Central was considered the frontrunner due to its relationship to rollercoaster and thrillride maker Zamperla. Central operated the Victorian Gardens at Wollman Rink in Central Park and the amusements at Coney Island.
JMC MARKETING SERVICES, L.L.C. The group proposed building a new selfcontained village called The Village of Westchester, which would have residential units. It also proposed building a revenuegenerating marina.
PLAYLANDWATCH.ORG The community group, which did not list members nor disclose an address in its proposal, offered little in terms of tangible action
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STANDARD AMUSEMENTS INC.
STATE FAIR GROUP The New Jersey-based group suggested hosting classic car shows in the fall, having more musical acts and holding a holiday lights show.
SUSTAINABLE PLAYLAND INC. The group started in Rye and offered perhaps the broadest concept of how to improve the park. It was chosen as the management company in 2012, but the plan withered under legislative scrutiny.
TPC RYE L.L.C. TPC, a subsidiary of Louisiana-based Paidia Co., wanted to dramatically alter the park so that its amusement area was divided into thematic, educational areas centered around a giant pyramid structure overlooking the Sound. Kiddyland would have become a science zone.
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VALENTINE CREATIVE MARKETING Rye resident Susan Valentine Kane did not outline a construction or management deal, but offered some ideas that included a Dragon Coaster app. WCBJ • September 15, 2014
9
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Taxation Survey,” published by the National Small Business Association, found that payroll taxes were the No. 1 financial burden on owners and their businesses. And the administrative challenges of payroll taxes ranked second, behind only income taxes. So, as you sit down with your managers and tax advisers to discuss year-end tax planning, also discuss the impact of payroll taxes. If you have, for instance, failed to deposit withheld taxes in a timely manner, you may be subject to late-deposit penalties and interest. Factor such penalties and interest into
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your total tax liability and look for ways to minimize or eliminate them. Other year-end payroll activities to carry out include checking federal, state and local electronic tax filing requirements for this year, and reviewing accounts payable and general ledger records for unreported taxable items. Whether you handle payroll inhouse or use a third-party provider, be sure you are aware of these responsibilities. • Property and asset repairs The final IRS regulations for tangible property repairs versus improvements took effect this year. In a nutshell, costs incurred to acquire, produce or improve tangible property must now be depreciated. But you can deduct expenses incurred on incidental repairs and maintenance of such property. There are a couple of helpful safe harbors to consider. First, you may be able to deduct certain routine activities dedicated to using property and keeping it in efficient operating condition. These are activities that your business reasonably expects to perform multiple times during the property’s “class life,” under the IRS definition. Second, for buildings that initially cost $1 million or less, qualified small businesses (generally, those with gross receipts of $10 million or less) may elect to deduct the lesser of $10,000 or 2 percent of the adjusted basis of the property for repairs, maintenance, improvements and similar activity each year. The final regulations cover many other aspects of property repairs and improvements, as well. For example, they increase the dollar threshold for property that is exempt from depreciation from $100 to $200. And they address how to identify “units of property” when distinguishing repairs from improvements in relation to commercial buildings. • Mergers and acquisitions It’s been a booming year for mergers and acquisitions activity. In fact, the first half of 2014 was the busiest period of activity since the financial collapse of 2008, according to the July issue of FactSet Flashwire US Monthly (an M&A data tracking publication). Aggregate deal value shot up to $210.3 billion in June from $151.7 billion in May. As of this writing, the rest of the year is generally expected to follow suit. All of this action means more and more companies are considering the ramifications of an M&A deal in their year-end tax planning. Even if you are only pondering the possibility of buying another company or entering negotiations to be acquired by a larger business, it’s important to have an early heads-up on the potential tax impact. For starters, business structure plays a huge role in M&A tax planning. With a corporation, for instance, sellers usually prefer a stock sale for the capital gains treatment
BY NORMAN G. GRILL
and to avoid double taxation. Buyers, on the other hand, generally want an asset sale to maximize future depreciation write-offs and avoid potential liabilities. Another key issue is whether a deal should be set up as a tax-deferred transfer or taxable sale. Looking again at a corporation, ownership can be tax-deferred if it’s exchanged solely for stock or securities of the recipient corporation in a qualifying reorganization. But these types of transactions are strictly regulated. For cash flow purposes, it’s typically better to postpone tax liability. There are, however, some valid reasons for agreeing to a taxable sale. The parties don’t have to meet the technical requirements of a tax-deferred transfer. Also, the seller doesn’t have to worry about the quality of buyer stock or other business risks of a tax-deferred transfer. The buyer benefits from a stepped-up basis in its acquisition’s assets while keeping the seller out of the picture as a continuing equity owner. Naturally, the tax effects of a sale or acquisition are just one component of the deal’s viability. And, again, we’ve looked only at some of the aspects of a corporation’s sale here — other entity choices will involve different challenges and degrees of complexity. • Additional Medicare tax The additional 0.9 percent Medicare tax on the excess earnings of some highly compensated employees is nothing new. A provision of the Affordable Care Act, the tax took effect in 2013. But the IRS didn’t issue final regulations on the additional Medicare tax until earlier this year, and the agency even issued a follow-up FAQ about it in June. Essentially, taxpayers with wages over $200,000 per year ($250,000 for joint filers and $125,000 for married filing separately) must pay the additional 0.9 percent on their excess earnings. Unlike regular Medicare taxes, the additional Medicare tax doesn’t include a corresponding employer portion. But, as an employer, you do need to withhold the additional tax to the extent that an employee’s wages exceed $200,000 in a calendar year. (Various other stipulations and exceptions may apply. Talk with your tax adviser about them.) Withholding doesn’t have to begin until the first pay period when wages for the year exceed the $200,000 threshold — and that could very well be year-end. So now is a good time to learn more about the additional Medicare tax as well as assess which of your staff members may be subject to it. Norm Grill is managing partner of Grill & Partners L.L.C., Fairfield County, Conn.-based certified public accountants and advisers to closely held companies and high-net-worth individuals. Contact him at N.Grill@GRILL1.com or 203-254-3880.
Cuomo wins primary, with surprising result from challenger BY MARK LUNGARIELLO mlungariello@westfairinc.com
A
viral Internet video shows gubernatorial candidate Zephyr Teachout at the New York City Labor Day parade. Teachout, a Fordham University law professor, approaches Gov. Andrew Cuomo, whom she was facing in a Democratic Party primary. The challenger tries to shake Cuomo’s hand but he ignores her — a gesture that encapsulated the governor’s primary campaign strategy. Cuomo didn’t debate or engage Teachout and even avoided mentioning her by name throughout the campaign, an approach from a well-funded and heavily favored incumbent that stood to gain little from acknowledging the primary. Cuomo secured the Democratic Party line Sept. 9, with a primary election victory over Teachout, who started the campaign as a political unknown but still took more than one-third of the total vote. Cuomo will go on to face Republican nominee Rob Astorino, the Westchester County executive, in the November general election. With 98 percent of districts reporting, Cuomo led Teachout 59.9 percent to 33 percent, with a third candidate, Randy Credico, netting a little more than 3 percent of the
vote. Few expected Teachout’s campaign to contend for victory but her surprisingly pronounced supported accentuated a rift between Cuomo and the left-leaning wing of the state Democratic Party. Although Teachout had lost, the mood of her concession speech on primary night was celebratory. “What we have done here is incredible,” she told supporters , who welcomed her with chants of “thank you.” “You created a courageous and marvelous campaign waged against all odds.” Teachout and her running mate, lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Tim Wu, called the result historic. Pending official results, Teachout had one of the strongest showings for a challenger against an incumbent governor since the 1970s. The candidate tapped into some displeasure with the governor stemming from liberal members of the Democratic Party. Teachout was able to net the endorsement of several state labor groups and also tapped into the anti-fracking movement. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a form of mining natural gas that is under a moratorium in New York, is a much-debated issue that Cuomo has yet to take a stand on. Despite what many viewed as a protest vote against Cuomo in the primary, in context the result likely does not mean a seismic shift in control of the party nor does it put
a dent in the governor’s re-election chances and potential presidential aspirations. Only about 10 percent of registered Democrats voted in the primary and despite it representing the first major political hurdle for Cuomo, the governor and his running mate’s victory signaled that the establishment candidate remained popular among his voter base. A scandal in which the governor interfered with and then prematurely disbanded a state ethics commission has not caught the imagination of voters and polls have shown
that large portions of the public are either not aware or not interested in the questions over corruption. The discontented liberal wing of the party is also unlikely to cross over the aisle and vote for Republican Astorino, who is pro-Second Amendment and leans right on issues such as abortion. Kathy Hochul, candidate for lieutenant governor and Cuomo’s handpicked running mate, won with 55 percent of the vote over Wu, who took 37 percent. Current Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy decided not to seek re-election.
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ask andi
BY ANDI GRAY
Improve service with cooperation between departments Salespeople wait until something is booked and then hand it to operations to get the job done. We have no say in what has been sold to the client. Just get told, “Hope you can make it work!” How do we avoid failing to fulfill what has been promised to customers? THOUGHTS OF THE DAY: What buyers really want is a predictable experience. It takes teamwork to build loyal customers. Measure the different kinds of breakdowns that impact customers. Focus everyone on producing successes. Get salespeople the help they need, before they even know they need it. Know when to save the day by saying “can’t do it” before problems erupt. Having to fix problems is not only expensive, it also destroys trust. Customers buy from you because they expect you can deliver as promised. When that fails to happen, customers start looking more carefully at what they’ve bought and become more critical of any flaws they find. Help operations people understand the importance of building customer loyalty through predictability. Show newcomers to the team how critically customers look at breakdowns. Start them out handling incoming customer complaints and responses to show them how much time is wasted recovering from breakdowns. Build customer loyalty through teamwork. Get people who produce what your company promises out into the field. Help them better understand what customers expect and the conditions under which customers use your company’s products or services. Ask people who sell for your company to do a tour of duty in operations, to get their hands dirty producing goods or services to match customer orders. Ask them to help solve problems so they have a deeper appreciation for the constraints under which people in operations do their work. Track results and look for opportunities to improve by getting sales and operations staff together to discuss what to do. Set standards for error rate, breakdowns and missed delivery dates. Ask both sides of the aisle, sales and operations, to discuss and agree upon the yardstick to be used for measuring client success. Encourage progress by celebrating suc-
cesses, regardless of who on the team produced them. Whether it is improved profits from sales, reduced production costs from operations, or increased customer loyalty through faster, more accurate, less errorprone delivery, everyone wins. Make sure everyone sees it that way — a team success. Open up lines of communication between your company and its customers. Ask customers to participate in recognizing your team’s heroes and heroines. Have a formal introduction process in place for new customers, telling them who to go to when they need help. Get critical feedback immediately by having customer service report directly to the top of the organization.
Ask operations staff to provide technical expertise that salespeople may not possess. Strengthen the quality of your company’s sales and reduce the problems that result by combining resources before a sale is completed. When making a promise to a customer, ask people to double and triple the time they think it will take and resist the temptation to overpromise. If the customer really and truly needs a product sooner, go back and work through the production schedule. Check that another customer won’t get bumped. Be smart enough to know when it’s necessary to say “no” to a sales opportunity
because your team can’t meet the delivery timeline or the quality the customer demanded. Looking for a good book? Try “The Effortless Experience: Conquering the New Battleground for Customer Loyalty” by Matthey Dixon, Nick Toman and Rick DiLisi. Andi Gray is president of Strate�y Leaders Inc., strate�yleaders.com, a business-consulting �irm that specializes in helping entrepreneurial �irms grow. She can be reached by phone at 877-238-3535. Do you have a question for Andi? Send it via email to AskAndi@ strate�yleaders. Visit AskAndi.com for an entire library of Ask Andi articles.
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13
Thirteen Westchester businesses named to Inc. 5000 list BY LEIF SKODNICK lskodnick@westfairinc.com
T
14_Layout 1 8/8/14 4:41 PM Page 1 County businesshirteen Westchester
es have been named to the 2014 Inc. 5000, including four in White Plains and two each in Scarsdale and Port Chester. The Inc. 5000 is a list of the 5,000 fastestgrowing private companies in the U.S., ranked by percentage revenue growth over the last three years. Inc. is a magazine and website focused on entrepreneurs. Of the 13 Westchester businesses to make the list, Petroleum Kings L.L.C. of New Rochelle had the largest three-year revenue growth, with its $2.6 million in 2013 revenue
a 962 percent increase over $247,000 in 2010. Ranked 497th on the list, Petroleum Kings delivers industrial and commercial fuels as well as installation and maintenance of heating and cooling systems to customers in the Bronx and Westchester. The company recently announced it will relocate in September to a 22,000-square-foot facility at 745 Nepperhan Ave. in Yonkers. Kings Capital Construction Group Inc., a commercial construction and site development firm based in White Plains, ranked 644th, with a 714 percent growth in revenue. Now with 20 employees, the company added 14 jobs since 2010, as revenues grew from $795,235 in 2010 to $6.5 million last year.
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Scarsdale’s Platinum Drive Realty Inc., which focuses on single-family homes, townhouses and apartments, ranked 838th on the list, with $2.3 million dollars in 2013 revenue, up 541 percent over 2010’s $353,292. Founded in 2006, the company added 23 jobs over the past three years. Also in the top 1,000 was White Plains advertising agency Inspiria Media Corp., whose 494 percent growth put the company at No. 907 on the list. Inspiria, which focuses on outdoor advertising, inbound marketing and lead generation, strategic media buying and creative design, pulled in $2.3 million in revenue in 2013, up from $391,221 in 2010. Another White Plains ad firm, Winterbridge Media, was No. 1,216, with a 359 percent jump in revenue, from $2.1 million to $9.7 million between 2010 and 2013. Winterbridge, a self-described boutique agency, counts Gerber, Nestle Waters, Thompson Reuters and Gannett-owned newspaper USA Today among its clients. Business analytics company QueBIT posted a 303 percent revenue growth, good for 1,411th on the Inc. 5000, pulling in $19.9 million in revenue in 2013. With 55 employees, the Scarsdale company uses business analytics to help organizations make decisions. Paragon Uniform & Apparel Inc., ranked 2,376th, grew its revenue to $2.7 million in 2013, a 162 percent increase from 2010. The White Plains business sells formal wear online
at finetuxedos.com. Avanti Systems USA, which supplies and installs architectural glass wall and door systems, ranked 2,664th with a 141 percent growth in revenue, pulling in $2.1 million in 2013. The company, with seven employees, is based in Port Chester. Pleasantville-based Primary Wave Media L.L.C., a company that licenses toll-free phone numbers to businesses for business-to-consumer connections, ranked 2,666th with a revenue growth of 141 percent. The company has 19 employees and made $3.6 million in revenue in 2013. WTP Advisors, a tax advisory business in White Plains, ranked 4,374th on the list. The company’s revenue grew by 62 percent, to $19.2 million, in 2013. GraduationSource, a Port Chester business that supplies graduation products and regalia to schools worldwide, ranked 4,499th on the Inc. 5000. The company, with 27 employees, had $6.2 million in revenue in 2013, up from $4 million in 2010. Tarrytown’s sole entry on the Inc. 5000 was Integrated Systems Management Inc. The IT services firm had $5 million in revenue in 2013, a 56 percent increase over 2010’s $3.2 million figure. Rounding out Westchester’s 13 companies on the list was Mount Vernon-based American Christmas Inc., which earned $10.7 million in revenue in 2013, up 49 percent from 2010.
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14 September 15, 2014 • WCBJ
INBRIEF MAYORS TO ADDRESS URBAN DEVELOPMENT Mayors from Westchester and Fairfield counties will address efforts to attract and retain business, development and an educated workforce for their municipalities at a Sept. 24 panel discussion at the University of Connecticut in Stamford. The Construction Institute’s Fairfield County Council — the stated mission of which is to advocate for, educate and connect construction companies — and the Westchester affiliate of the Society for Marketing Professional Services’ New York chapter are co-hosting the discussion, scheduled for 8:30 to 10 a.m. in the General Re Auditorium. Registration and networking begin at 8 a.m. Extended networking will continue after the discussion, from 10:30 to 11 a.m. The 2014 “Meet the Mayors Forum” will discuss “how governments are addressing the economic, infrastructure and social challenges to renew their urban communities.” It is titled “A Discussion About the Resurgence of Our Urban Centers.” New York mayors slated to attend include Noam Bramson, of New Rochelle,
and Thomas Roach, of White Plains. Connecticut panel mayors include Bill Finch, of Bridgeport, David Martin, of Stamford, and Harry Rilling, of Norwalk. Discussions will include collaborative efforts via improved operational efficiencies and wiser use of resources. The docket also includes perspectives on current economic and political trends that are shaping cities. “For a number of years, developers and government officials have been working together to design and construct cities that improve health, wellness and economic opportunities for our community,” said Gordon Soper, senior business development manager at Larchmont-based Gilbane Building Co. and chairman of the Construction Institute’s Fairfield County Council. “It is critical to the continued growth of the design and construction industry that we understand how federal, state, regional and local policies are impacting municipalities.” Visit construction.org to register.
ARTSWESTCHESTER SEEKS “50 FOR 50” NOMINEES ArtsWestchester is soliciting nominations from the public for its “50 for 50” awards as part of its 50th anniversary celebration next year. The “50 for 50” awards will honor 50 outstanding creative artists in Westchester County. Artists in any discipline are eligible,
including composers, choreographers, filmmakers, writers and visual artists. “The ‘50 for 50’ awards shine a spotlight on some of the exceptional artists that make Westchester a creative, vibrant place to live and work,” said Janet Langsam, ArtsWestchester CEO, in a press release. “We firmly believe that working artists are the lifeblood of the creative community, and we want to celebrate their talent, passion and work. We invite the community in Westchester and beyond to nominate candidates for this honor.” The nominees must live or maintain a studio in Westchester or have close and continuing affiliations with Westchester-based cultural organizations or educational institutions. They also must have produced a significant body of work over the past three years and have received significant local, regional or national recognition. Nominees may be emerging or midcareer artists or those who have reached a level of lifetime achievement, and all nominees must be active in their fields. ArtsWestchester will review the nominations and contact eligible nominees directly to request work samples and other support material. An independent panel will make the final selection of honorees. Winners will be announced in early 2015. Artists can be nominated via the ArtsWestchester website. — Bill Fallon and Leif Skodnick
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WCBJ • September 15, 2014
15
PMS 7545 Myriad Pro PMS 185 Adobe Jenson
BIZ BRIEFS HEINEKEN EXPANDS PRESENCE AT U.S. OPEN
Dutch beer giant Heineken, which maintains its U.S. headquarters in White Plains, this year expanded its presence at the U.S. Open. Heineken, a member of The Business Council of Westchester, extended its footprint on the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. Pattie Falch, Heineken USA’s brand director of sponsorships and events, said the goal was to make the event a “memorable, legendary experience for fans at the U.S. Open.” DEADLINE APPROACHES FOR LARCHMONT LIST Applications are being accepted for Pinebrook Condominiums, a new community featuring 51 homes in Larchmont. These one-and two-bedroom homes are priced from $155,000 to $241,200 and feature parking, wonderful amenities and access to great schools. Situated on Palmer Avenue in Larchmont, they are conveniently located near shopping, Long Island Sound and public transportation including Metro North Railroad and Bee-Line buses. The affordable units are being built as part of Westchester County’s affordable housing settlement with the federal government that was reached in 2009. The application deadline is Sept. 24, 2014. To learn more, log onto www. pinebrookcondominiums.com or call the Housing Action Council at 914-332-4144. CONNECT WITH CONNEX Businesses looking for some ambitious students this Spring should connect with Connex. The Westchester Putnam Intern Connex is a dynamic, one-stop portal designed to connect locally enrolled college and university students ages 18-22 with local internship opportunities. Employers can tailor the program to suit their unique needs and can search for talented students by major, minor, skill set and duration of the internship. The web portal is sponsored by The Westchester-Putnam Workforce Investment Board and The Business Council of Westchester and is free to all employers, colleges and students. To learn more or to get started, visit www.westchesterputnaminternships.com. NPW: NONPROFITS MEAN BUSINESS Nonprofit Westchester Executive Director Joanna Straub recently met with New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson and members of his economic development team to discuss the importance of the nonprofit sector. Straub cited an economic impact study -- done in conjunction with Johns Hopkins University – that showed the sector was the largest employment block in Westchester County and generated billions in economic activity. Additionally the study found the nonprofit workers contribute hundreds of millions in federal, state and local tax dollars while also contributing to local communities. Straub, who is meeting public officials and business organizations, wants municipalities such as New Rochelle to utilize NPW as a resource.
16 September 15, 2014 • WCBJ
SEPTEMBER 2014 | WESTCHESTERNY.ORG
BCW Annual Dinner is a Slam Dunk!
Tad Smith
Allan Houston
In what promises to be the business event of the year in Westchester, top executives from The Madison Square Garden Company will take center court at The Business Council of Westchester’s 2014 Annual Dinner to be held November 6 at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown. As part of this exciting event, MSG President and CEO Tad Smith and former New York Knicks All-Star Allan Houston, who currently serves as assistant general manager for the team, will take part in an exclusive interview with MSG Network’s Al Trautwig. “We are absolutely thrilled to have MSG’s executive team for this year’s Annual Dinner. With MSG’s strong and growing presence in Westchester County – the Knicks and Rangers have their training facility in Greenburgh and the Westchester Knicks will tip off their first season at the County Center – this is sure to be a stellar event,” said Marsha Gordon, President and CEO of The Business Council of Westchester. In Smith’s role at MSG, he oversees all aspects of the company, which includes an unparalleled portfolio of iconic venues: New York’s Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon
Al Trautwig
Theatre; the Forum in Inglewood, California; The Chicago Theatre; and the Wang Theatre in Boston. Additionally, MSG owns and operates professional sports teams, the New York Knicks, Rangers and Liberty; MSG Entertainment and its entertainment properties, including the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, featuring the legendary Rockettes; and regional sports and entertainment networks, MSG and MSG+. Houston, a two-time NBA All-Star and Knicks co-captain whose career spanned 12 seasons, still plays an integral role with the organization, including serving as general manager for the Westchester Knicks, the organization’s new NBA Development League team that will debut at the Westchester County Center this fall. Trautwig joined MSG Networks in 1989 and has become the signature voice of New York’s most decorated regional sports networks. He currently serves as the pregame, postgame and intermission host for Rangers and Knicks home telecasts, and as an in-game reporter for Rangers home games. To register for this exciting event, visit www.westchesterny.org.
BE THERE! SEPTEMBER 17 Business After Business Sam’s of Gedney Way, White Plains 5:00 – 7:00 pm
SEPTEMBER 23 Entergy Day of Golf Westchester Hills Golf Club, White Plains All day event or dinner only option
OCTOBER 7 Power Breakfast Crowne Plaza 8-9:30am
OCTOBER 23 Business After Business Klaff’s, Scarsdale 5-7pm
OCTOBER 31 Road to November 360 Hamilton Ave., White Plains 9 am-2 pm
WESTCHESTER GREEN BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Westchester Projects Endorsed for State Funding The Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council (MHREDC) recently endorsed 25 projects as regional priorities for Round IV of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Regional Council initiative.
Business Council member Diamond Properties of Mount Kisco was among the first of 18 local companies to become Westchester Green Business-Certified, the region’s only green business certification program. A ceremony was held in August at Grand Prix New York in Bedford. WGBCertified provides the tools, training and expertise for organizations to become true green business leaders within their industries. As part of that certification, WGB-Certified helps businesses develop and implement a formal program for environmental sustainability that delivers value and measurable results. The next round of certifications begins on Sept. 23, 2014. Pictured from left, Jana Petrikova of Green Team Spirit; Scott Fernqvist of Westchester Green Business Challenge; Dani Glaser, founder and CEO of Green Team Spirit; James Diamond of Diamond Properties and BCW Director of Membership Sarah James.
Among the projects endorsed by the MHREDC were several important developments in Westchester. They include a variety of mixeduse developments with commercial space, parking and 400 rental units aimed at revitalizing downtown Yonkers and its waterfront; building a 6,500-square-foot waterfront restaurant as part of a larger $65 million mixed-use development along the Ossining waterfront; “daylighting” additional sections (Phase III) of the Saw Mill River in Yonkers; developing a historic museum at Sing Sing Prison; creating a revolving loan fund targeting minority, women and veteran owned small business and social enterprises; and designation of a New York Medical College Biotechnology Incubator to help biotechnology start-ups and emerging firms. “The priority projects selected represent great opportunities for economic transformation in the Hudson Valley,” said BCW President and CEO Marsha Gordon, who is a member of the MHREDC and played a critical role in choosing the region’s priorities. “We are especially pleased to see a diversity of projects, representing small business, infrastructure development in our urban centers, mixed use waterfront development, new tourism initiatives and a growing cluster in micro-brewing, which is also a boon to our agriculture and manufacturing sectors,” she added.
In recognition of the certification by the Westchester Green Business Challenge, James Diamond of Diamond Properties was presented a proclamation from the Office of County Executive Robert Astorino. Presenting the proclamation were, from left, George Oros, Chief of Staff for County Executive Astorino and William Mooney, Director of the County Office of Economic Development.
If awarded funding this fall, the projects have the potential to generate over $600 million in economic activity and the potential to create and retain more than 3,500 full-time jobs as well as create 3,700 construction jobs in the Mid-Hudson Region.
THE BUZZ IS SPONSORED BY Designed and written by Thompson & Bender
WCBJ • September 15, 2014
17
Latson — From page 2
balance,” she said. Latson’s studio has an element of fashion to it, complete with mannequin form, spools of vintage thread, sketches and swatches. “I learned to sew as a young girl,” she said. “I find myself sewing more and more.” Her current work in the “Garment Series,” as she has described it, “explores the language of clothing and offers unconventional versions of the packages we put ourselves in, and perhaps, too often define ourselves by.” The unconventional includes a mossy necktie and a fanciful gown whose flowing skirt is made of ferns and sold for $3,600. A corset-style framed work on a studio wall is a study in delicate hydrangea petals. Though working alone, Latson said she finds inspiration in her neighboring YoHo artists, especially stylist and vintage clothing dealer Jessie Matrullo of Bohemian Royalty. Latson might obtain an Edwardian or Victorian corset from her and “start taking it apart, piece by piece.”
It was vintage clothing, baby items in frames, that got Latson thinking about fashion-as-art in a new way. “I understand vintage, nostalgia, but there’s something haunted about them,” she said. In her work with natural materials, Latson transitioned her art into the realm of clothing — with her own spin. “I stuck with the organic materials,” she said. “The palette is endless. The textures are endless.” To her, the natural elements are key to an overall impression in her art. “I want it to look like it’s been washing along on the shore for a month,” she said, showing a recent find, a piece of well-worn leather that has fascinated her. The process of creating a work, which starts with sketches and often ends with museum-quality framing, can take up to a year. “The studio can be very solitary, which is nice, but it’s really nice to have feedback,” Latson said. Her work, priced from $900 to $5,000, has been featured at the Greenburgh Nature Center and in the Macy’s Flower Show in Manhattan and Philadelphia. She also
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has exhibited at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show in Manhattan. Recently, Latson was part of group shows at both the Blue Door Gallery in Yonkers and Gallery 66 NY in Cold Spring. Prior to the “Fashion as Art II” exhibition at Gallery 66 NY, which drew artists from across the country, owner Barbara Galazzo didn’t know Latson’s work. “She just submitted something to the gallery,” Galazzo said. The gallery owner called the Westchester artist’s work “stunning. It’s so original. Her piece was simple-looking but complicated in its execution… I loved having it in the gallery.” Latson said CSM Art & Frame in Chatham, N.J., started to carry her work last spring and she has a “really nice relationship” with Pergola in New Preston, Conn. For the artist, being in the studio is its own reward, preferable to being out selling her work. “I’d much rather be here playing by myself,” she said with a smile. “I always have five or six things going on. It’s like a playground.” This fall, she will do an installation at the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers for its Day of the Dead Celebration, for which she is considering a full-size gown in marigolds. “Every season has something different,” she said of her working materials. “It’s a different menu every season.”
Catherine Latson’s feathers necktie. Photograph by Bob Rozycki. HRG Ed Summit Ad 2014 v2_Layout 1 9/9/14 2:05 PM Page 1
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WCBJ • September 15, 2014
19
THELIST: IP ATTORNEYS RANKED BY NUMBER OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ATTORNEYS IN FIRM. LISTED ALPHABETICALLY IN THE EVENT OF A TIE.
WESTCHESTER COUNTY WESTCHESTER COUNTY HUDSON VALLEY NEXT LIST: SEPTEMBER 22 FINE DINING
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Ranked by number of intellectual property attorneys in firm. Listed alphabetically in event of tie. Managing partners or officers Email address Year firm established
Number of attorneys in Westchester County
Rank
Name, address, telephone number Area code: 914 (unless otherwise noted) Website
1
Collen IP
U.S.
Abroad
15
1
WND
David Leason inquiries@leasonellis.com 2008
23
23
16
7
7
13
Howard N. Aronson mail@lackenbach.com 1923
15
14
5
7
WND
6
Laura J. Winston laurawinston@kimwinston.com 2013
1
5
3
2
0
3
Pollack P.C. //
Grant Pollack info@pollackpc.com 2001
5
5
3
2
2
5
Bleakley Platt & Schmidt L.L.P
William P. Harrington info@bpslaw.com 1937
42
3
1
3
0
3
Henry D. Coleman R. Neil Sudol NA
3
3
NA
NA
NA
NA
David Glasser info@kblaw.com 1980
29
3
0
2
0
3
NA info@mccarthyfingar.com 1945
27
3
1
3
0
2
Vincent L. DeBiase vld@cgrlaw.com 1876
0 13 in Poughkeepsie
2
0
2
0
2
Dorf & Nelson L.L.P.*
Jon A. Dorf mgoerler@dorflaw.com 1997
13
2
1
2
0
2
Klose & Associates*
Peter Klose peter@kloselaw.com 1999
1
2
0
2
1
1
Thomas Smith dmenken@sbjlaw.com 1991
15
1
0
1
WND
1
Elissa D. Hecker eheckeresq@heckeresq.com 2004
1
1
0
1
1
0
Tom Pitegoff pitegoff@pitlaw.com 2000
1
1
0
0
1
0
Lackenbach Siegel L.L.P.
Lackenbach Siegel Building, 1 Chase Road, Scarsdale 10583 723-4300 • lackenbachsiegel.com
Kim Winston L.L.P.
52 Main St., Hastings-on-Hudson 10706 231-7822 • kimwinston.com
1 N. Lexington Ave., White Plains 10601 949-2700 • bpslaw.com
CoSud Intellectual Property Solutions P.C.
Keane & Beane P.C.**
445 Hamilton Ave., White Plains 10601 946-4777• kblaw.com
McCarthy Fingar L.L.P.^*
11 Martine Ave., 12th floor, White Plains 10606 946-3700 • mccarthyfingar.com
Corbally Gartland and Rappleyea L.L.P.** 35 Market St., Poughkeepsie 12601 845-454-1110 • cgrlaw.com
The International Corporate Center, 555 Theodore Fremd Ave., Rye 10580 381-7600 • dorflaw.com 99 Main St., Suite 206, Nyack 10960 845-727-7727 • kloselaw.com
6
Number of Attorneys in attorneys in intellectual property intellectual group who file for and defend trademarks property group who are involved and/or patents in litigation
5
15 Chester Ave., White Plains 10601 (203) 366-3560• patentassets.com
5
Number of attorneys in intellectual property group who are exclusively transactional attorneys
23
The Crysler Building, 132 E. 43 St., Suite 760, New York 10017 646-265-1468 • pollackpc.com
4
Number of attorneys in intellectual property group who file for and defend trademarks and copyright
17
1 Barker Ave., Fifth floor, White Plains 10601 288-0022 • leasonelllis.com
3
Number of attorneys in intellectual property group who file for and defend patents
Jess M. Collen info@collenip.com 1996
The Holyoke-Manhattan Bulding, 80 S. Highland Ave., Ossining 10562 941-5668 • collenip.com
Leason Ellis L.L.P.
2
Number of attorneys in firm who specialize in intellectual property
Smith Buss & Jacobs L.L.P.
733 Yonkers Ave., Yonkers, NY 10704 457-4186 • sbjlaw.com
Law Office of Elissa D. Hecker*
64 Butterwood Lane East, Irvington 10533 478-0457 • eheckeresq.com
Pitegoff Law Office P.L.L.C. +*
445 Hamilton Ave., Suite 1102, White Plains 10601 681-0100 • pitlaw.com
This list is a sampling of intellectual property firms, which serve the region. If you wish your firm to be included on our next list, please contact Danielle Renda at drenda@wes@airinc.com. Note: This list features companies that responded to quesDonnaire and informaDon from company websites. ** Infoma)on from the 2012 lis)ng. * Informa)on from the 2013 lis)ng. + Primary focus of the firm is franchising. // Firm not located in Westchester but serves region. WND Would not disclose. NA Not available.
20 September 15, 2014 • WCBJ
SPECIAL REPORT COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
This Larkin Plaza block will be razed for an estimated $168-million high-rise residential and retail development proposed by Rising Development Yonkers L.L.C.
Fidelco Realty Group’s Library Lofts residences opened this summer in the former Yonkers Public Library on Main Street.
The city’s Mill Street Courtyard project will add open public space downtown and uncover another segment of the buried Saw Mill River.
YONKERS REAWAKENING Downtown Yonkers is astir this year with construction work and planned and completed projects at several new development and redevelopment sites.
A city banner on the New Main Street and Nepperhan Avenue corner planned as the gateway to a transformed Chicken Island site, whose redevelopment has been delayed by its former developer’s financial troubles.
Some owners of downtown businesses like this recently opened bar on Main Street have adopted “SoYo” as their new marketing brand.
Site work has begun at Palisades Point, Fidelco Realty Group’s a luxury residential development on the downtown riverfront.
The former City Jail on Alexander Street gets a facelift by its new private owner, who plans to adapt its interior for arts-related uses and events.
This shuttered New Main Street retail block will be demolished this fall to make way for the city’s three-phase Saw Mill River daylighting project and a small city park.
WCBJ • September 15, 2014
21
BY BRIAN CARCATERRA
I
800 Westchester Avenue, Rye Brook, New York 10573 | 914.798.4900
BETHANY PROPERTY - Ossining, NY This campus is ideal for use as an educational facility, religious institution, hospital or nursing home. Formerly the home of Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America. 25 acres, 43,000 square feet, zoned R-40 residential with principal permitted uses being primarily single-family residential on 40,000 square foot lot. Public utilities serving this site include municipal water and sewer. For sale or lease. Call for details. Additional Properties Available: ONE-OF-A-KIND CONTRACTORS YARD 110 Hardscrabble Road, North Salem, NY 17.9-acre property conveniently located off I-684. Opportunity for landscaping business/contractors. Abundant parking for heavy machinery. ...... $2.8 Million
SALINGER’S ORCHARD
220 – 222 Guinea Road, Southeast (Brewster), NY 85-acre parcel with fruit trees, three detached homes, barn, cold storage facility, worker housing, retail market, bakery, loading dock and outdoor parking. Near I-684, Route 22 and Brewster Metro North station. $3,500,000
RETAIL BUILDING FOR SALE IN WHITE PLAINS 126 South Lexington Avenue, White Plains Busy, high-visibility location one block from the Galleria Mall and close to train. 4,100 SF ..$895,000
LARGE WAREHOUSE WITH RETAIL FOR LEASE 23 Bedford Banksville Road, Bedford, NY Former Tru-Value Hardware and Lumber. Unique opportunity for retail and/or warehouse business. 14,000 SF available ..................................$10/SF/Year
RETAIL BUILDING FOR SALE IN DOWNTOWN ARDSLEY 686 Saw Mill River Road, Ardsley, NY 3-bedroom apartment over turn-key hardware store in business for over 75 years. 4,000 SF ....$875,000
PRIME MEDICAL SPACE IN WHITE PLAINS
95 South Broadway, White Plains, NY Located in the Esplanade Senior Residence. Potential of approximately 20,000 SF of available space for redevelopment for medical use. $25/SF
MAHOPAC 6-UNIT MULTI-FAMILY 695 Long Pond Road Quiet residential setting with lake views. Excellent rental history. 5,000 SF................$575,000
FORMER KITCHAWAN INSTITUTE R&D CENTER 712 Kitchawan Road, Ossining, NY Set on 14.7 acres in Town of Yorktown (Ossining P.O.) Move-in condition with multiple large research labs, conference rooms, offices, kitchen and more. Minutes to Taconic Parkway. 7,937 SF......$1,900,000
MAIN STREET RETAIL FOR LEASE IN IRVINGTON STAND-ALONE LAKEFRONT BUILDING FOR LEASE
Ideal for daycare or similar use. Fronting Lake Mahopac. 5,000 SF with large outdoor lawn/play area. $7,500/month plus building taxes.
46 Main Street, Irvington, NY Retail/professional office space for lease in the heart of Irvington Village. Great visibility. Directly across from CHASE bank. Walk to train. Approximately 1,200 SF........................$3,500/Month
View all listings at www.HLCommercialGroup.com 22 September 15, 2014 • WCBJ
Hospital realignments a boon for office market
n June of last year, four hospitals in Westchester County filed a request to leave the Stellaris Health Network, which since its start in 1996 was primarily mandated to create cost-reduction initiatives for its members. Since the announcement, all four hospitals — Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, Phelps Memorial in Sleepy Hollow, White Plains Hospital and Northern Westchester in Mount Kisco — have committed either to merge, “exploring partnerships” or be “taken over” by the largest hospital institutions operating in the New York City metro area. New York Presbyterian has aligned itself with Lawrence, Montefiore with White Plains, and North Shore-LIJ with Phelps and Northern Westchester. I believe that these announced alignments and their ramifications will have an extremely pronounced impact on the world of commercial real estate in Westchester County. The unlocking of this high-benefit market by those urban hospitals will lead to employee growth, facilities growth, adaptive repurpose and pressure on existing commercial inventory. I foresee those partnerships by and between the largest hospitals in New York and the local hospitals here in Westchester driving further growth out of New York City to satisfy the patient needs on a local basis here in Westchester County. Hospital systems in many ways are like gas stations. The more you have in the best locations with the best services provided to the best users in that community, the better and bigger the businesses can be. The former Stellaris Network members’ real estate footprint contained their main campuses along with adjunct or satellite facilities, which were mostly composed of a series of cost-sensitive one-off locations without a greater perspective utilizing typical necessary drivers for real estate acquisition such as growth, emerging conditions and sustainability. Or, the hospitals came into the real estate via acquisition of an existing business — either way lacking strategy. I foresee the growth not only on main campuses fueled by an injection of balance sheet capital and endowment growth but also “smart” expansion and consolidation in the satellite facilities as well. In most markets where land prices and barriers to entry are low, ground-up development for special use/institutional groups like hospitals and schools are more
prevalent. Here in Westchester, the opposite exists. When large special use/institutional groups seek facilities for expansion and consolidation, in many cases they must pursue adaptive repurpose projects. We have seen this trend start several years ago and now it’s accelerating at warp speed. Memorial Sloan Kettering’s project on Westchester Avenue in Harrison in the former Verizon building, New York Medical College’s planned repurpose in Hawthorne of the former IBM Watson facility and Montefiore’s purchase in Tarrytown of the Kraft Foods R&D facility are just a few. I foresee this trend continuing and expect that with the reorganizations of the former Stellaris Network hospitals, it will add incremental pressure on existing office inventory. This will lead to a tightening of the market regardless of new office tenant demand. This fundamental shift in supply will drive availability down and rent and acquisition pricing up. For a reviving Westchester market, that positive trend is coupled with the march toward the ninth inning of corporate relocations from the county to lowercost labor and housing markets here in the U.S. and abroad. IBM, General Foods, New York Telephone and other large corporate users blanketed the market with their respective employees and were the genesis for the initial growth and demand. Over the last 30 years, the relocation and consolidation trend had severely impacted the market as seemingly one large building after another was given back to the market for repositioning and multitenanting. At this juncture, very few of these single-tenant corporate structures exist. With the exception of several large financial services companies, all of which recently have either committed to stay or reinvested significant capital into their property, the market is basically through its cycle of retenanting. Ninety percent of current transactions involve tenant space of less than 10,000 square feet. So while there hasn’t been an availability compression, the overhang of redeveloped single-tenant buildings, which in effect replaced and inhibited new construction, is almost nonexistent. Brian Carcaterra is senior vice president at the Westchester/Fairfield CBRE Inc. office in Stamford, Conn. He can be reached at 203352-8903 or by email at brian.carcaterra@ cbre.com.
Visionary Development Simone Development, a privately held, full-service real estate investment and development company, begins every project with a vision—to create an ideal outcome for its partners, its tenants and the community. With more than 25 years of experience in successful real estate development, Simone offers a comprehensive range of services including design, building, finance, construction and management.
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WCBJ • September 15, 2014
23
INBRIEF ARIZONA REIT BUYS HARRISON MEDICAL OFFICE CAMPUS
The Harrison Medical Campus on Westchester Avenue.
An Arizona real estate company that embarked on an aggressive acquisition campaign along the East Coast this year recently closed on its purchase of the five-
building Harrison Medical Campus on Westchester Avenue. Healthcare Trust of America Inc., a publicly traded real estate investment trust in Scottsdale, Ariz., recently announced that its purchase of the 188,500-squarefoot complex of medical buildings in West Harrison was part of approximately $89 million in deals on which it closed in August. The East Coast acquisitions also included a 69,000-square-foot medical building in Charleston, S.C. The approximately 14-acre Harrison Medical Campus includes buildings at 220244 Westchester Ave. Previous owners had gained municipal approval to build a sixth building on the site, a four-story, approximately 71,900-square-foot building. Executives at Healthcare Trust of America did not respond to requests for comment on the purchase price and other details of the Harrison deal, the company’s
first venture in the Westchester market. The company in a press release noted the property “is part of a high-traffic regional medical corridor” in one of the wealthiest counties in the country and adjoins the $128.8-million Memorial Sloan Kettering West Harrison outpatient cancer center slated to open in October. The seller, Florida-based ProMed Properties Inc., in 2008 paid $53.3 million to acquire the medical office building complex from RPW Group Inc. in Rye Brook. ProMed, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Israeli real estate company GazitGlobe Ltd., in June closed on the $200 million sale to Healthcare Trust of America of medical office buildings totaling 444,000 square feet of space in Boston, Baltimore and Miami. Healthcare Trust officers in their announcement of the recent Harrison and Charleston deals said the purchases
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increased the company’s total investment activity this year to approximately $300 million, amounting to an approximately 10 percent portfolio growth rate. Since its start in 2006, the real estate investment trust has spent about $3.3 billion to build a medical office building portfolio composed of about 14.9 million square feet of space in 27 states. In New York, the company owns and operates a 77,000-square-foot medical office building on the campus of the former St. Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie, now the MidHudson Regional Hospital of Westchester Medical Center, and Putnam Center, a 90,000-square-foot facility in Carmel. Its largest New York holdings are in Albany, where it operates eight medical office buildings totaling 879,000 square feet of space.
SELF-STORAGE BUILDING ERECTED IN MAMARONECK Owners of Murphy Brothers Contracting Inc. have begun construction of a 40,000-square-foot self-storage facility on their headquarters property in the village of Mamaroneck. Brothers and business partners Christopher and Sean Murphy recently were joined by business leaders and government officials at a groundbreaking ceremony for Mamaroneck Self-Storage, an approximately $3 million project incorporating green construction standards at 416 Waverly Ave. The facility is expected to be fully operational by Labor Day weekend next year. Company officials said the development was planned to meet a community need for additional storage space due to the buying and selling of homes and residential downsizing and as an alternative to costly office space. “We’ve been planning this facility for five years,” Sean Murphy said in a press release. Joining the Sept. 4 celebration were state Assemblyman Steven Otis; Mamaroneck Mayor Norman Rosenblum and village trustees Louis Santoro and Andres Bermudez-Hallstrom; Rose Silvestro, first vice president and Mamaroneck branch manager at Hudson Valley Bank; John Ravitz, executive vice president of The Business Council of Westchester; William M. Mooney III, Westchester County director of economic development; and Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett. Plunkett lauded the 35-year-old, 45-employee construction company as “an economic engine, committed to Westchester, giving back to the community.” On behalf of Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino, he presented the Murphys a proclamation declaring
Sept. 4 as Murphy Brothers Contracting Recognition Day in Westchester County. The project architect is Kimberly T. Martelli of KTM Architect in New Rochelle. The company’s green-project consultant is Steven Winter Associates Inc. in Norwalk, Conn.
WEST HARRISON CANCER CENTER TO OPEN Memebers of the Westchester community will be able to tour Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s new West Harrison outpatient treatment facility Oct. 1, and patients will begin receiving treatment shortly thereafter. Memorial Sloan Kettering West Harrison’s cancer care program opens Oct. 6.The facility will provide outpatient cancer care services delivered by Memorial Sloan Kettering doctors, including diagnostic imaging, treatment and social work. “West Harrison was designed to extend the culture from the Manhattan site out to Westchester and the surrounding communities, so that we can bring what we’ve been doing in Manhattan to the local area, providing not only excellent clinical care but also a large array of clinical trials for our patients in the vicinity,” said Dr. Chau Dang, the chief of the medical oncology service for Memorial Sloan Kettering West Harrison, in a blog post published on the hospital’s website in August. “Our goal is to offer a robust array of trials for patients in West Harrison and the surrounding communities.” The facility was constructed for $128.8 million dollars and is an adaptive reuse of a former Verizon research building at 500 Westchester Ave., near the junction of Interstate 287 and Interstate 684.
County location in Mamaroneck, as well as three clinics in New York City, four on Long Island, three in New Jersey and one in Rockland County.
NEW RETAIL SERVICES VP AT CBRE Nina Santos Becker has joined the Stamford, Conn., office of CBRE Inc. as vice president for retail services. She will handle retail leasing for both Fairfield and Westchester counties, said Robert Caruso, senior managing director of CBRE’s bicounty operation, in the firm’s announcement. Becker joins CBRE from Liberty Enterprises Inc. in Mamaroneck, where she was a senior managing director
responsible for the direct retail and hospitality division for a private investment group. She previously was a managing director at Coldwell Banker Commercial. In a career spanning nearly a decade, Becker’s retail clients have included Famous Famiglia-DeBartolo, Delmonico’s, Wendy’s, Luisa Spagnoli, Focus Brands, Nissan, the U.S. Postal Service and Fresh & Co. “We’re thrilled to add Nina to our roster of professionals because we know that, given her background, she’ll continue to grow exponentially our retail practice in Westchester and Fairfield,” Caruso said. Friedland gets exclusive deal on Yorktown Green Friedland Realty Advisors in Yonkers recently announced that Josef Pomerantz and Karnit Mosberg have obtained exclusive brokerage rights to the Yorktown Green
shopping center in Yorktown Heights. “As a frequent visitor to Yorktown Green and a retail broker, I felt confident that Karnit and I understood the space and its value to the community,” Pomerantz said in a press release. The 177,250-square-foot retail center was built in 1975 and is owned by Oster Properties. This is the first time Oster has awarded exclusive rights to a brokerage firm in New York, according to Friedland Realty. Anchored by a Kmart, Yorktown Green also has Huntington Learning Center, Taco Bell, Burger King and Petland Discounts as tenants. Friedland Realty said Pomerantz and Mosberg are working to bring local and national retailers to the shopping center, which has more than 52,000 square feet of retail space available for leasing. — John Golden and Leif Skodnick
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WCBJ • September 15, 2014
25
BY KEN HARBOUR
I
Niche office condo market showing signs of strength
n the investment community, the brightest stars are not those who follow the pack to the latest hot commodity or market that is crowned that week’s “Darling of Wall Street.” Instead it is those who seek out and identify the niche markets that most others simply are not aware of or choose to ignore. In the Westchester County real estate market, one niche sector that is showing signs of strength is the office condominium sector. This is a small, segmented component of the overall commercial market in Westchester. Cold hard facts on the office condominium sector are hard to come by. None of the major regional office firms release statistics on the sector, likely due to little or no vacancies to speak of. Over the past 20 to 30 years, a few office condominium properties have been built or converted, but there is very limited supply. While a small component of the market,
these units are highly popular, particularly with the health care and medical community as well as family-owned enterpris-
are not alerted to the availabilities by their commercial brokers. What caught my eye was the recent sale
WHILE A SMALL COMPONENT OF THE MARKET, THESE UNITS ARE HIGHLY POPULAR, PARTICULARLY WITH THE HEALTH CARE AND MEDICAL COMMUNITY AS WELL AS FAMILY-OWNED ENTERPRISES.
es. The properties usually go unnoticed by many businesses searching for space because business owners know little of the advantages to owning an office condo or
of three office condominium units at 150 Purchase St. in Rye for an impressive sale price of more than $400 per square foot. The three had different buyers: One was sold to a
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Rendering of 3030 Westchester Avenue, future home of WESTMED Medical Group
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■ Abundant free parking for employees and patients
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■ Fourth building now in development – ■ Newly renovated lobbies and 3030 Westchester Avenue – adding 85,000 exterior facades square feet of medical space to the complex
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Fareri Associates
medical practitioner, the second to a general office user/buyer and the third to an investor with an existing dental practice. In what continues to be a lackluster conventional office leasing market in the county, condominium units in another well-known office building are now available. My firm is exclusively marketing three condo units totaling approximately 7,500 square feet at 245 Saw Mill River Road in Hawthorne, a 60,000-square-foot, three-story office condominium building in a campus office setting, developed by Ginsburg Development Cos. in the early 1980s. I don’t believe there has been a condominium unit available for sale at the property in more than a decade. The key advantage to owning an office condo is control of your own space and destiny. The business is not subject to the potential harsh terms of lease renewals when a building owner takes liberties based on a company’s reluctance to incur office relocation costs. Other key benefits to owning an office condo are tax advantages on mortgage interest, real estate, depreciation and property improvements, particularly for medical companies that invest heavily in equipment, for example. A charity or other not-for-profit entity can often eliminate real estate taxes, a significant component of occupancy or rent costs. The ownership of an office condominium unit also can provide a business possible favorable capital gains tax treatment, collateral for future business growth, a tangible and lucrative asset in the sale of the company, or a vehicle in retirement planning as a source of income in either a sale or lease of the unit. The office condo market seems to be coming into its own. For businesses that experience dramatic and rapid swings in space requirements and for many companies that are publicly owned, the office condo is probably not a suitable or appropriate avenue. Historically, there have been relatively few developments and conversions. This is due primarily to a lack of familiarity and understanding of the many benefits available to the purchaser and on the part of office users, brokers and investors. Before deciding on whether an office condominium is the right choice for you, discuss the option with your accountant or financial adviser. Ken Harbour is president of Harbour Commercial Real Estate Inc. at 80 Business Park Drive in Armonk. He specializes in sales and leasing of commercial properties in Westchester and surrounding counties. He can be reached at ken@Harbourcr.com or 914- 273-1442.
Large turnout for French-American School hearing BY LEIF SKODNICK lskodnick@westfairinc.com
R
esidents filled the White Plains High School auditorium Sept. 8 for the latest round of public hearings regarding the French-American School of New York’s proposal to build a campus on the site of the former Ridgeway Country Club. An estimated crowd of more than 600 turned out, as residents voiced support for the project and reiterated concern over its impact on White Plains. The hearings, held before the White Plains Common Council, were moved to the high school at the request of multiple residents. The first two rounds of hearings, held during the June and July council meetings at City Hall, drew well more than 100 residents, filling the Common Council chamber and forcing many to watch the proceedings on closed-circuit television in the hallway and lobby of the building. Residents in the neighborhood surrounding the former golf club have voiced opposition to FASNY’s plan, which would build a school campus near the former clubhouse while turning the remainder of the golf course property into a conservancy. Opponents have had concerns on
increases in traffic, fire department response times and potential neighborhood accessibility problems. “Street closures are rare for a reason — closing an active and functioning city street is a very serious act,” said Terrence Guerriere, a former Common Council candidate who lives on Dupont Avenue, near the project site. “One could easily argue that safety would be impaired, not enhanced” by the closing of Hathaway Lane between Ridgeway and Gedney Esplanade, which is part of the proposal. Regarding traffic concerns, Guerriere told the council there is no way to enforce the mandatory busing plan FASNY proposed to get students to campus as a way to alleviate potential traffic increases. “There are clearly more questions than answers regarding such a plan,” Guerriere said. “Simple statements and assurances are not sufficient answers. … Without a truly mandatory busing plan, the traffic management plan falls apart.” One resident suggested the school could have negative impacts on the White Plains public education system. “I just don’t see my children benefitting when a neighbor’s child signs up for private school,” said Michael Kraver. With other pri-
vate schools already in the city, Kraver said he worried about the effect that being the “private school capital of Westchester” would have on the city’s public education system. Others said they worried about the proposed campus’ effect on the city’s open space and parklands. “This matter of space in this town has always been of critical importance, especially to some of us who have resided here for a long time,” said Jack Harrington, a former member of the White Plains Conservation Board. “You have to look at what we have. We’ve been blessed here. We have a very diversified area — all kinds of terrain.” FASNY’s consultants spoke during the hearing to clarify the site plan and address residents’ concerns. “The site plan was developed based on a clear vision: Preserve mature trees and woodlands, maintain existing buffer vegetation, and value certain views afforded by the site,” said Diego Villareale of John Meyer Consulting, who gave an extensive explanation of the preservation of existing trees and vegetation on the site, including a number of large sycamore trees on Gedney Esplanade. Villareale also responded to concerns over the architectural fit of the school in the neighborhood. “The project team has
gone to great lengths to produce a design that responds to the neighborhood’s scale, material, massing and character,” he said. “The views provided indicate the distance buildings will be from the adjacent properties will minimize visual impacts to those properties.” FASNY consultant Graham Trelstad of AKRF Inc. said closing Hathaway Lane would not affect emergency vehicle access to the Gedney Farms neighborhood and could actually benefit the area. “The closing of Hathaway Lane would allow FASNY to enact a site circulation plan for the lower school and upper school that would further separate automobiles, school buses and pedestrians,” Trelstad said. “Closing Hathaway Lane would not have detrimental effects on traffic, and would likely have a benefit in removing a cut-through route that residents have complained to the city about for years.” The roughly $60 million to $70 million project would consolidate the schools’ three campuses in Scarsdale, Mamaroneck and Larchmont into a single site for 950 students. The hearing continued for well over five hours and was adjourned until Sept. 10, after press time. A Common Council vote on FASNY’s proposal remains unscheduled.
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EXTRAORDINARY PERSPECTIVE. EXCEPTIONAL OUTCOMES. WCBJ • September 15, 2014
27
BY JONATHAN GORDON AND JESSICA MUNZEL
T
Retail real estate’s strength defies changing shopping patterns
wo of the more pervasive strengths of the Westchester County’s retail real estate market remain its population’s impressive buying power and the relative supply-and-demand balance of its inventory of retail properties. Augmenting those factors are the last two years’ gains in employment and consumer confidence. On the negative side, retailers are under great pressure from the Internet, and leasing deals, while picking up momentum, remain difficult to bring to the finish line. The opportunities in this market revolve around
finding ways to harness changing consumer spending patterns in a market with strict zoning regulations. Buying Power. Westchester’s population, just shy of 1 million people, includes a high percentage of both families and baby boomers. Population growth is modest, but income levels are exceptional. Westchester’s 2013 average household income of $123,110 is 9 percent higher than Manhattan’s and over 70 percent higher than that of the entire U.S., according to the Census Bureau. Remarkable Stability. In relation
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Yonkers has a lot of untapped potential.
to many other markets in the Northeast, Westchester County has remained a remarkably stable retail market. The county’s proximity to New York City, affluent population, limited land availability and high construction costs help keep inventory and vacancy levels within a narrow range, even during periods of great volatility nationwide. Over the last eight years, which includes the entire span from the height of the retail market prior to the Great Recession, to the lows of 2008 through 2012 and finally to the current quiet rebound, vacancy has varied only between 5 percent and 6.2 percent, according to CoStar, an independent commercial real estate research firm. Similarly, CoStar reports total gross leasable retail area in Westchester increasing less than 5 percent over the same eight-year period, from 47.2 million square feet in 2006 to 49.4 million square feet at midyear in 2014. While the numbers here have generally been trending positive, and Westchester County has fared far better than much of the U.S. over the last 10 years, several trends in our retail market bear watching closely.
Retail — Changed by Technology
Improved Operations. On the positive side for retailers and developers/investors, technological advances have enabled many retailers to greatly improve their inventory control. Some have also benefited from lower product costs attributable to deflationary pressures in the countries manufacturing their products. The lower cost of goods sold brought about by these factors has provided some retailers the ability to support higher rents without decreasing their profit margin. Internet Pressures. The rise of the Internet is probably the most disruptive development retail has experienced in generations. The most recent data from the U.S. Department of Commerce shows $70 billion of Internet sales during 2Q14, out of total retail sales of $1,174 billion, representing 6 percent of total sales.
Continued Internet sales growth has of course put pressure on the bricks-and-mortar retailers that comprise the Westchester market. Retailers in hard and soft goods have been much harder hit than those uses that can’t easily be sent in the mail, such as food, services, medical and recreation. Accordingly, the latter retail categories are expanding the most. Our recent deals at Admiral Realty Services are evidence of this trend. Of the 220,000 square feet of transactions our firm has closed to date in 2014, 70 percent were in food, service, medical or recreation. Likewise, our office is currently representing Salsa Fresca Grill, a growing chain of healthy, fast casual restaurants, Peachwave, a franchisee of upscale frozen yogurt and entertainment provider, and Flywheel Sports Studios to open additional locations in Westchester County. Sales Tax Disadvantage. Avoidance of sales tax has been an unfair advantage for Internet retailers, and has diminished the coffers of municipalities that depend on sales tax revenue as a funding source for such services as police and fire protection and emergency medical. To support a level playing field for all retailers, our company participates in initiatives spearheaded by the International Council of Shopping Center’s Government Relations Committee and the Real Estate Board of New York. These initiatives educate and lobby city, state and federal legislators to enact legislation that restores the right for states to enforce sales tax collection by Internet retailers. The Power of Data. As in the larger business environment, decision-making by retailers has become much more empirical and less intuitive. Retailers and their site selection teams want to be shown detailed demographics to assess the viability of potential sites, supported by hard data.
Consumers Rebound & Redirect Dollars
Higher Confidence, Better Bonuses. Consumer confidence has rebounded sig-
So many exciting things are happening here. We love being part of it.
Something big is brewing in Yonkers where two young entrepreneurs have opened the city’s first microbrewery on the waterfront. When the owners of Yonkers Brewing decided to make their dream a reality they found a city open for business. Whether you’re starting a new business or looking to move, come visit Yonkers. You’ll be the toast of the town.
Source: The CoStar Retail Report - Westchester County Retail Market, Mid-Year 2014.
28 September 15, 2014 • WCBJ
nificantly and is now at its highest level since the Great Recession. As a bedroom community for job commuters to New York City, Westchester’s overall economic health is intricately tied to the finance, insurance and real estate, or FIRE, industries. These industries were at the epicenter of the subprime financial crisis, and FIRE employment and salaries suffered accordingly. Subsequent improvements in the stock market and residential real estate markets have fortified employment in these industries, also affording bigger bonuses and, most important to the retail sector, higher discretionary income. Changing Spending Patterns. The aging and retirement of the baby boomers, a large and wealthy demographic, has amplified the transformation in bricks-andmortar spending triggered by Internet sales. Spending is shifting away from hard and soft goods and to food uses, entertainment, and services. Similarly, medical and healthrelated uses are also on the rise, which is tied not only to the aging and retirement of the baby boomers, but also to the still evolving effects of the Affordable Care Act. Two leases, totaling around 12,000 square feet, recently brokered by our company were with large medical users with strong credit. These types of tenants have the added benefit of bringing significant pedestrian traffic and consumer dollars to neighboring retailers.
continues its transition from a tenant’s market to a more balanced market, a potential stumbling block in negotiations is tenants’ and landlords’ misaligned expectations about what terms are truly representative of the current market standard. Strong Investor Demand. On a positive note, an indication of confidence in the long-term prospects of the Westchester retail market is the pent-up investor demand for Westchester retail real estate. Our firm, primarily a seller’s agent, has assembled a continually updated database of current owners and active buyers with significant capital ready to invest in retail properties within our market. As the specter of an increased interest-rate environment looms, these buyers are hoping to capitalize on the window of opportunity afforded by today’s artificially low interest rates.
New Shopping Centers Planned
Tenant mixes in new centers reflect consumer demand in the market, often showcasing large, upmarket grocery-anchored centers with service, food-use, medical and recreation tenants to complement soft goods retail. The largest recent retail development in Westchester County, the 1.3 million-squarefoott Ridge Hill in Yonkers, was completed in 2011 and is finishing its absorption in the market. The 53,000-square-foot Armonk Square just opened its doors last quarter with DeCicco’s as the anchor tenant. Upcoming approved or proposed developments in the county include: Big-box retailers such as Target strive to find ways to expand in the Westchester market, but limited land availability, high construction costs and community opposition have constrained their growth. These
category-killers draw huge numbers of people to an area, but by definition drain retail demand from neighboring markets.
Location, Location, Location
The Westchester County retail market is very local. Shopping centers have a very different set of dynamics from Main Street retail, and the relative health of any retail has to do with the forces affecting its specific location and the municipality in which it is located, particularly for the downtown areas. Zoning Codes. Most zoning codes favor soft goods retail because it is perceived as having the least impact on parking. However, increased consumer spending on services and food uses have changed the ideal retail mix necessary to maintain vibrant shopping areas. Going forward, retailers and consumers will favor those municipalities that are Retail, page 30
“Top Grades!”
Bridging Market Gaps
Adjusted Rents. Over the last year, the gap between landlords’ and prospective tenants’ rent expectations has diminished, facilitating the leasing process. Although Westchester County’s vacancy rate has been quite stable, quoted triple net rents have shown a more significant change, ranging from a high of $30.76 per square foot in 2006 to a low of $25.86 per square foot in 2010, according to CoStar - a spread of just under 20 percent, although that percentage would be lower if comparing total rent costs ,including triple net reimbursements. In 2011, quoted triple net rents averaged $26.42 per square foot, and have remained relatively flat through this year’s second quarter. Tougher Deals. Paradoxically, while more leasing deals get past the letter of intent stage, they have been more difficult to close. A greater number of negotiations seem to be getting mired in legal nuances and obscure what-if scenarios. Moreover, email and texting from small screens have made business communications copious, rushed and at times less courteous, which can quickly undermine the trust upon which the negotiation process is predicated. Neither email nor texting has the benefit of face-to-face discussion, which is more likely to help foster mutual understanding. Also, as the Westchester retail market
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WCBJ • September 15, 2014
29
Retail — From page 29
willing to expand their zoning codes to adapt to the changing retail environment. Parking. Parking remains a key issue for many downtown areas. Increasing parking inventory near shopping areas is the most obvious, and most difficult, solution. More manageable ways to minimize real and perceived parking friction is by making retail streets one-way, or using less onerous parking rules and enforcement — free weekend parking, for example. Pulling from Manhattan. Manhattan retail rents have quadrupled in some areas in the last five years. Westchester County can be a less expensive way for New York City retailers to reach their customers, reinforcing their brand in areas where their patrons live, as well as gaining access to the larger population, which does not work in Manhattan but has similar spending habits.
Stability + Opportunity
In summary, technology-driven changes have created more uncertainty in the retail environment. While increased consumer confidence and spending power have improved overall sales, Internet retail and demographic trends have directed bricksand-mortar retail growth toward food, service, medical and entertainment uses.
Name
Town
Size
Retail Anchors
Chappaqua Crossing
Chappaqua
120,000
Whole Foods
(proposed) Rivertowns Square
square feet Dobbs Ferry
113,500 sf
Mrs. Greens, Sundance Movie Theater
Boulevard 22
White Plains
230,000 sf
Keystone Square
White Plains
45,000 sf
Metropolitan Plaza
White Plains
30,000 sf
Chipotle, Planet Fitness
Target (standalone)
Yonkers
135,000 sf
Target
(proposed)
Tenant and landlord rent expectations are not as far apart as they were two or three years ago, but deals are taking longer to get done. Municipalities that are best able to formulate zoning codes and approval processes that address the changing retail environment will offer the best opportunities for both tenants and landlords.
It is the nature of retail real estate that each space needs to be assessed on an individual basis. However, at its core, the Westchester County retail market provides a remarkably stable foundation on which creative tenants and investors can take advantage of the depth of buying power in the market.
Jonathan Gordon is president and CEO and Jessica Munzel is chief operating officer and chief financial officer at Admiral Real Estate Services Corp., a full-service commercial real estate firm in Bronxville. They can be reached at 914-779-8200 or by email at jgordon@admiralrealestate.com or jmunzel@ admiralrealestate.com.
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DOCTORS of DISTINCTION Saluting those who go beyond the diagnosis
2014
NOMINATE a DOCTOR IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES: }}HUMANITARIAN AWARD: In recognition of a physician whose
project or service significantly enhanced the quality of life for people in the region, the nation, or the world. }}LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: In recognition of a physician
respected for a lifetime career in the medical profession.
}}LEADERSHIP IN MEDICAL ADVOCACY AWARD: In recognition
THIS SECOND ANNUAL AWARD PROGRAM CELEBRATES THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF FIVE PHYSICIANS IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY JUDGED BY A PANEL OF PEERS AND SCHOLARS TO BE THE MOST EXEMPLARY IN THE PROGRAM’S CATEGORIES. THIS UNIQUE AWARD PROGRAM IS SPONSORED BY ACCOUNTING AND CONSULTING FIRM CITRIN COOPERMAN, THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL, AND THE WESTCHESTER MEDICAL SOCIETY.
Open to nominations from the public, this is an opportunity to recognize those physicians who make an impact each and every day on people’s lives.
of a physician who has provided exceptional leadership in the form of advocacy on behalf of the medical profession at the local, state, or national level.
}}COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: In recognition of a physician
for providing pro bono patient medical care services for people in need.
}}EXCELLENCE IN MEDICAL RESEARCH AWARD: In recognition of
a physician whose ingenuity or clinical research significantly contributed to the advancement of medical practice.
AWARD PRESENTATION A distinguished panel of judges will choose a winner in each category, all of whom will be awarded at the elegant reception and ceremony below.
October 30 5:30 p.m.
The Bristal, Armonk
SPONSORS
NOMINATIONS will be open from now until September 17. To nominate please visit westfaironline.com for instructions and nomination forms or call Holly DeBartolo at (914) 358-0743. WCBJ • September 15, 2014
31
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FACTS& FIGURES BANKRUPTCIES MANHATTAN Vida Les L.L.C. 1 Nagle Ave., New York 10040. Chapter 11, voluntary. Attorney: Lawrence Morrison, New York City. Filed: Sept. 3. Case no. 14-12522-reg.
POUGHKEEPSIE MRMMR Inc. 2007 Route 9W, P.O. Box 263, Milton 12547. Attorney: Thomas Genova. Filed: Sept. 9. Case no. 14-36798-cgm.
COURT CASES Abbvie Inc. Filed by Michael Allen. Action: Diversity-account receivable. Attorneys: Eric T. Chaffin and Roopal Premchand Luhana. Filed: Sept. 4. Case no. 1:14-cv-07118-PKC. Aetna Life Insurance Co. Filed by Brian Rosenberg. Action: Federal question. Attorney: Neil V. Shah. Filed: Sept. 9. Case no. 1:14-cv-07124-WHP.
Shock Studios Inc. 6 Country Knoll, Clintondale 12515. Attorney: Lawrence M. Klein. Filed: Sept. 9. Case no. 14-36817-cgm.
Alteva of Warwick L.L.C. et al. Filed by MCI Communications Services Inc. and Verizon Select Services Inc. Action: Constitutionality of state statute(s). Attorney: E. O’Brien Kelly. Filed: Sept. 5. Case no. 1:14-cv-07188-UA.
WNG Properties, L.L.C. 12 Hickory Ave., New Windsor 12553. Attorney: Lawrence M. Klein. Chapter 7, voluntary. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 14-36837-cgm.
AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company. Filed by Paul John Malagoli. Action: Employee retirement. Attorney: Peter Wessel. Filed: Sept. 9. Case no. 1:14-cv-07180-AJN.
WHITE PLAINS Antonio Equities L.L.C. 686 N. Main St., Spring Valley 10977. No listed attorney. Filed: Sept. 5. Case no. 14-23277-rdd. Executive Park Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy L.L.C. 1034 N. Broadway, Suite 11, Yonkers 10701-1329. Attorney: Bruce R. Alter. Filed: Sept. 9. Case no. 14-23258-rdd.
Items appearing in the Westchester County Business Journal’s On The Record section are compiled from various sources, including public records made available to the media by federal, state and municipal agencies and the court system. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information, no liability is assumed for errors or omissions. In the case of legal action, the records cited are open to public scrutiny and should be inspected before any action is taken. Questions and comments regarding this section should be directed to: Bob Rozycki c/o Westfair Communications Inc. 3 Westchester Park Drive, Suite G7 White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3407 Phone: 694-3600 • Fax: 694-3680
The All American Bar on First Avenue Inc. Filed by Lana Mollere. Action: Denial of overtime compensation. Attorneys: Eric Joshua Gitih and Brian Scott Schaffer. Filed: Sept. 9. Case no. 1:14-cv-07095-JGK. Bank of America Corp. Filed by Alaska Electrical Pension Fund. Action: Federal question. Attorneys: Ronald Judah Aranoff, Randi Dawn Bandman, Stanley D. Bernstein, Daniel Lawrence Brockett, Christopher M. Burke, Patrick Joseph Coughlin, Daniel Paul Cunningham, Marc Laurence Greenwald, David W. Mitchell, Steig Olson and Sylvia Sokol. Filed: Sept. 9. Case no. 1:14-cv-07126-JMF. The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. Filed by Jeffrey Thomas. Action: Federal question: employment discrimination. Attorney: Gregory Gladstone Smith. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:14-cv07229-KBF. Bank of Nova Scotia et al. Filed by Trieste Matt. Action: Antitrust litigation. Attorney: Joseph J. DePalma. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:14-cv-07235-VEC.
ON THE RECORD
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. Filed by Karen McLoud. Action: Petition for removal. Attorney: Michael S. Mehrmann. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 7:14-cv-07233-CS.
GDK Food Enterprises Inc. Filed by Elizabeth Cain. Action: Petition for removal — account receivables. Attorney: Arthur J. Robb. Filed: Sept. 3. Case no. 1:14-cv-07092-GHW.
The Institute for Community Living Inc. Filed by Heather N. Bivens. Action: Civil Rights Act. Attorney: Robert B. Davis. Filed: Sept. 5. Case no. 1:14-cv-07173PAE.
Northland Group Inc. et al. Field by Jeffrey J. Gallago. Action: Fair Debt Collection Act. Attorneys: Joseph Karl Jones and Benjamin Jarret Wolf. Filed: Sept. 4. Case no. 1:14-cv-07115-AKH.
Bella Coppia L.L.C. Filed by Simi Linton. Action: Federal question. Attorneys: Julia Miriam Pinover and Rebecca Juliet Rodgers. Filed: Sept. 4. Case no. 1:14-cv-07122-VSB.
General Motors L.L.C. Filed by Stephanie Hamilton and Joseph Hamilton. Action: Diversity-product liability. Attorney: Robert Newton Trigg. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:14-cv-07224-JMF.
Jai Mata Di Ltd. Filed by Ashvin V. Joshi. Action: Fair Labor Standards Act. Attorney: Joseph H. Neiman. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:14-cv-07230-PAC.]
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. Filed by Wanda Sue Martin. Action: Diversity-personal injury. Attorneys: Ethan D. Stein, Philip Jeremy Miller and Daniel Adam Osborn. Filed: Aug 28. Case no. 1:06-cv-065060-JFK.
Biacci Inc. et al. Filed by The Basu Group Inc. Action: Copyright infringement. Attorneys: Jonathan Michel Doloff and Michael Robert Gilman. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:12-cv-05565-SN.
Hampshire Times. Filed by Lianyuan Feng et al. Action: Denial of overtime compensation. Attorney: John Troy. Filed: Sept. 3. Case no. 1:14-cv-07102-SHS.
David Bouley L.L.C. Filed by Syed Mizanur Ali and Mohammad Hassan. Action: denial of overtime compensation. Attorneys: David Evan Gottlie and Tranvir Haque Rahman. Filed: Sept. 9. Case no. 1:14-cv-07135-PAC. Coventry First L.L.C. Filed by Lavastone Capital L.L.C. Action: Racketeering (RICO) act. Attorneys: Jefferson Elliot Bell, Caitlin Joan Halligan, James L. Hallowell and Randy M. Mastro. Filed: Sept. 9. Case no. 1:14-cv-07139-UA. Fig & Olive Founders L.L.C. Filed by Francisco Corte. Action: Denial of overtime compensation. Attorneys: C.K. Lee and Anne Melissa Seelig. Filed: Sept. 10. Case no. 1:14-cv-07186-KPF. Deutsche Bank National Trust Co., et al. Filed by Danuta Lang and Ronald Lang. Action: Diversity-property damage. Attorney: Bruce Andrew Richardson. Filed: Sept. 10. Case no. 7:14-cv-07136-NSL. Division of Youth and Family Justice. Filed by Juana Morales. Action: Job discrimination (employment). No attorney listed. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:14-cv-07253-UA. Gatehouse Partners L.L.C. Filed by Lawrence Jaeger. Action: Diversity-contract dispute. Attorney: Michael L. Shanker. Filed: Sept. 2. Case no. 7:14-cv-07079-KMK.
JC Horizon Trading LTD. Filed by ANL Singapore Pte, Ltd. Action: Admiralty. Attorney: Edward A. Keane. Filed: Sept. 5. Case no. 1:14-cv-07175-JSR.
House pf Moxie Inc. Filed by Small Business Bodyguard Inc. Action: Trademark infringement. Attorneys: Tim Bukher and Benjamin Stillwell Thompson. Filed: Sept. 5. Case no. 1:14-cv-07170-CM.
Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. Filed by Zurich American Insurance Co. Action: Diversity-account receivable. Attorneys: Janet Patricia Ford, Michael Louis Ihrig II and Marshall Todd Potashner. Filed: Sept. 10. Case no. 1:14-cv-07130-LGS.
Merchant Solutions Group Corp. et al. Filed by Charles McNally. Action: Federal question. Attorneys: Christopher Quincy Davis and Rachel Meredith Haskell. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:14-cv-07116-GBD.
Manhattan Parking Group L.L.C. Filed by Manuel Rodriguez. Action: Federal question. Attorney: Alex Umansky. Filed: Sept. 5. Case no. 1:14-cv-07151-RA.
General Motors L.L.C. Filed by Jackie Rollins, Earl Golston and Mary Greene. Action: MagnusonMoss Warranty Act. Attorney: Jason J. Thompson. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:14-cv-07242-JMF. Hartford Insurance Company of the Midwest. Filed by Shenorock Shore Club Inc. Action: National Insurance Flood Act. Attorney: Joseph Michael Burke. Filed: Sept. 5. Case no. 7:14-cv-07148-VB. The Horse & Sulky Pub & Grill. Filed by Thomas Doane. Action: Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Attorney: Stephen Bergstein. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 7:14-cv-07232-KMK. Ingersoll Rand Company. Filed by Dresser-Rand Co. Action: Breach of contract. Attorney: Margaret Mary Cmielewski. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:14-cv07222-KPF. Inserra Supermarkets Inc. Filed by Pamela Deming. Action: Diversity-personal injury. Attorney: Christina Louise Anziano. Filed: Sept. 10. Case no. 7:14-cv07225-KMK.
Metropolitan Opera Associations Inc. Filed by Nickolas Curry. Action: Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Attorney: Erica Lynn Shnayder. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:14-cv-07240-CM. Microsoft Corporation. Filed by Getty Images (US) Inc. Action: Copyright infringement. Attorneys: Kenneth Lewinn Doroshow and Allison Irene Stein. Filed: Sept. 9. Case no. 1:14-cv-07114-JFK. NewsMax Media Inc. Filed by Permission Data L.L.C. Action: Diversity-account receiveable. Attorney: James George Sammataro. Filed: Sept. 10. Case no. 1:14-cv-07129-PAE. The New York Palace Hotel. Filed by Danny Yoo. Action: Federal question. Attorneys: Marjorie Mesidor and Nicole Ann Welch. Filed: Sept. 3. Case no. 1:14-cv-07090-VSB. Nine West Group Inc. et al. Filed by Jermaine Gilyard. Action: Civil rights. Attorney: Michael Joseph Romano. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:14-cv-07096-PGG.
Orchard Foods Inc., et al. Filed by Experience Hendrix L.L.C. et al. Action: Copyright infringement. Attorneys: Richard H. Reimer and Jackson Paul Wagener. Filed: Sept. 9. Case no. 1:14-cv-01996-SHS. Oriental Gemco (NY) Inc. et al. Filed by International Diamond Importers Inc. and Meira T. Designs. Action: Copyright infringement. Attorneys: Steven Michael Crosby, Stephen Edward Feldman, Kalpana Nagampalli and Nupur Shah. Filed: Sept. 2. Case no. 1:14-cv-03506-SAS. Otsuka American Pharmaceutical Inc. Filed by Rakeyia Marshall. Action: Diversityaccount receivable. Filed: Sept. 4. Case no. 1:14-cv-07133-UA. Pearson Education Inc. Filed by Palmer/Kane L.L.C. Action: Copyright infringement. Attorneys: Mary Veronica Mullally and Clyde Alvin Shuman. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:14-cv-07094-RWS. Penn West Petroleum LTD. Filed by Edwin M. McKean. Action: Federal question: securities violation. Attorneys: Patricia I. Avery, Robert Craig Finkel and Fei-Lu Qian. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:14-cv-07187-UA. Ralph Lauren Corp. Filed by Kevin Branca. Action: Diversityother contract. Attorneys: Jason Henry Alperstein and Wayne Scott Kreger. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:14-cv-07097-CM. The Republic of Argentina. Filed by Corboda Capital. Action: Breach of contract. Attorney: Judd Benjamin Grossman. Filed: Sept. 5. Case no. 1:14-cv-07164-UA.
WCBJ • September 15, 2014
33
NEWSMAKERS [PLUS AWARDS AND EVENTS] PURCHASE COLLEGE RANKED IN TOP 10
WESTCHESTER PRO TO RECEIVE BOARDSOURCE CREDENTIAL ROBERT E. MISS, a long-time philanthropy professional, has completed intensive training to become a BOARDSOURCE certified governance trainer. Specializing in nonprofit board development, board-staff relations and board retreats to help nonprofits get to the next level of mission fulfillment, Miss is now able to utilize BoardSource’s training and curriculum to better serve clients. A consultant to nonprofit organizations in the New York metropolitan area since 1996, Miss initially focused on fundraising and leadership training before transitioning to board recruitment and engagement. To date, he has worked with more than 60 boards in his practice, helping members clarify their roles, become more committed and develop more support for their cause, therefore increasing the overall success and visibility of the organizations they serve.
BoardSource focuses exclusively on good governance practices for nonprofits and serves as a resource for funders, partners and nonprofit leaders who want to magnify their impact within their communities. Only seasoned professionals are eligible to participate in the certified governance trainer program.
BAILEY JOINS GREYSTON BOARD PURCHASE COLLEGE-SUNY is listed as one of the TOP 10 PUBLIC LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES in the nation and a Tier 1 National Liberal Arts College in the 2015 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges. “When we look at how Purchase is consistently recognized by prestigious national ranking systems, we see the strength of our mission revealed. Ours is an institution driven to advance the creative process, open-minded engagement and academic excellence. The environment here is unique and supportive—dedicated to nurturing our students inventive spirits, ensuring our students’ academic and personal success, as well as opening doors to profes-
34 September 15, 2014 • WCBJ
sional opportunities,” says Thomas J. Schwarz, president of Purchase College-SUNY. In addition to the U.S. News & World Report recognition, Purchase College has been included on a number of other highly significant college ranking lists: • The Princeton Review named Purchase College in its Best 379 Colleges, 2015 Edition. • The Princeton Review’s The Best Value Colleges, 2014 edition selected Purchase College. Only 75 public and 75 private colleges were chosen. • Kiplinger’s Personal Finance named Purchase College to its list of “100 Best Values in Public Colleges.” Purchase also was included on the
list of the “Top 30 Best Values in Small Colleges.” • Purchase was selected for inclusion in the 2014 edition of The Fiske Guide to Colleges, a selective guide that includes just over 300 colleges and universities. SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher said, “Again this year, we are proud to see so many of our SUNY campuses recognized as being among the best nationally by “U.S. News and World Report.” In every community across New York state, SUNY colleges and universities like Purchase College offer students top-quality degree programs and applied learning opportunities that prepare them for success in today’s 21st-century global economy.”
Following the election of ANTHONY BAILEY to the GREYSTON BOARD OF DIRECTORS, STEVEN BROWN, Greyston’s president and CEO said, “Anthony brings to the board technological acumen, a history of involvement in the Yonkers community and a passion to Greyston’s mission of creating jobs and opportunities for Yonkers most underserved. We are excited to have him serve on Greyston’s board.” “The chance to work with Greyston in its mission to provide opportunities to Yonkers’ residents through many avenues was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up,” Bailey said. With extensive background in information technology, owner of an IT Consulting Firm, 24-7 Tech Solutions, and also a technical-service
technician with Eileen Fisher Inc., Bailey, a lifelong resident of Yonkers, is a council member of the Yonkers PTA and has worked with various organizations in fundraising, developing awareness of public schools issues and created developmental workshops for high school students. Bailey lives in Yonkers with his life partner Karen and their three boys. 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. The primary producer of brownies for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Greyston reaches more than 5,000 community members annually through its programs.
DATES
ALEMANY NAMED TO WCC FOUNDATION BOARD
THE MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF WESTCHESTER (MHA) has selected the honorees for its benefit slated for Friday evening, Oct. 24, at the CV Rich Mansion in White Plains. The event, Denim and Dreams, will benefit and support mental health services in Westchester. The honorees are ANNE KAUFFMAN NOLON , president and CEO, HRHCare, who will be recognized with the MHA On the Move Award for her visionary leadership in creating a cutting edge integrated health care system,
which has transformed the way community health care services are delivered. EDYE SCHWARTZ , director of systems transformation at the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (NYAPRS) is receiving the MHA Lifetime Achievement Award in celebration of her decades of leadership and unwavering commitment to promoting excellence and innovation in services for people recovering from mental health conditions. MARY NICOLICH , a CASA volun-
teer, will be honored with the MHA Spirit Award for giving tirelessly of her time and talent to MHA and the people it serves; demonstrating leadership, compassion and promotion of MHA and its mission. MHA is a community-based mental health agency that has been helping Westchester County residents for 68 years through direct services, professional and community education and advocacy. It supports more than 25,000 individuals annually through a comprehensive array of mental health services.
CO-COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVES WOMEN’S BUSINESS CERTIFICATION CO-COMMUNICATIONS, a public relations and marketing firm, has been granted status as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) by the New York State Department of Economic Development, Division of Minority and Women’s Business Development. STACEY COHEN, founder, president
and CEO of Co-Communications, has grown the Mount Kisco-based agency over the past 17 years and expanded the offices to locations in Farmington, Conn., and New York City. Co-Communications has a staff of 15 professionals and works with clients in the real estate, technology, law, health care and
nonprofit industries. “Successfully meeting the requirements to receive the Women’s Business Enterprise title allows us to open more doors for Co-Communications and our clients,” said Jessica Lyon, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Co-Communications.
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THE HUDSON VALLEY CHAPTER OF THE PKD FOUNDATION and thousands nationwide will come together and walk in support of those affected by polycystic kidney disease (PKD), one of the most common, life-threatening genetic kidney diseases affecting thousands in America and millions worldwide. It is the fourth leading cause of kidney failure and there is no treatment or cure. The 11th Annual Walk for PKD is scheduled for Bedford Hills Memorial Park. Registration for this year’s event (rain or shine) is at 9 a.m., with the walk beginning at 10 a.m. For more information and to register, visit walkforpkd.org/hudsonvalley.
SEPT. 20
MENTAL HEALTH GROUP TO HONOR THREE AT BENEFIT
THE WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE GATEWAY TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTER is presenting a free forum for entrepreneurs at 6:30 p.m. in the college’s Gateway Center. The forum will include information on how to improve sales and communication skills and entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to receive practical information and share their own experiences in a relaxed networking environment. Space is limited; reserve at RGO99@sunywcc.edu or call 914-606-5616.
SEPT. 20
worked hard to learn English and strongly encouraged Jack’s education as the pathway to success, he truly relates to the struggles of our students and is very moved by the mission of the foundation,” she said. The Westchester Community College Foundation annually ranks among the nation’s leading fundraisers among community colleges. Its extensive fundraising efforts are directed toward support of both faculty and students; more than $1 million is distributed toward student scholarships each year.
SEPT. 16
Attorney JOAQUIN (JACK) F. ALEMANY of Scarsdale has been named to the board of THE WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION. A member of the Alemany & Sheehan law firm in the Bronx, Alemany is a former member of the Silverman & Bikkal (White Plains) and Alemany, McLoone & Sheehan (Scarsdale) law firms and has served as an administrative law judge for the Westchester County Human Rights Commission and also the Westchester County Taxi and Limousine Commission (both in White Plains), and
was acting Village Justice for Sleepy Hollow. He has served on the Westchester County Hispanic Advisory Board and on the boards of the Westchester Hispanic Coalition and The Pre-Trial Services Institute of Westchester. “I am delighted to have Jack join our board,” said Eve Larner, the college vice president of external affairs and executive director of the college foundation. “Jack has lived the classic immigrant story. Born in the U.S. to Spanish immigrant parents who
THE MOUNT KISCO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS HOSTING ITS ANNUAL “SIDEWALK SALES DAYS” Sept. 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sept. 21 from noon to 4 p.m. There will be kids’ rides from Funtime Amusements, interactive demonstrations, musical entertainment, shopping and sales from local Mount Kisco merchants, food and more. Visit the “shopping capital of northern Westchester,” and spend a day or two supporting and celebrating the success of Mount Kisco businesses and organizations, while enjoying great food, company and entertainment. For more information, contact the Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce at 914-666-7525 or email director@ mtkiscochamber.com.
Information for these features has been submitted by the subjects or their delegates.
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WCBJ • September 15, 2014
35
FACTS & FIGURES The Republic of Argentina. Filed by Los Angeles Capital. Action: Breach of contract. Attorney: Judd Benjamin Grossman. Filed: Sept. 10. Case no. 1:14-cv07169-UA. The Republic of Argentina. Filed by Montreux Partners L.P. Action: Breach of contract. Attorney: Judd Benjamin Grossman. Filed: Sept. 10. Case no. 1:14-cv-07171-UA. The Republic of Argentina. Filed by Wilton Capital Ltd. Action: Breach of contract. Attorney: Judd Benjamin Grossman. Filed: Sept. 10. Case no. 1:14-cv07166-UA. RJJ Restaurant L.L.C. Filed by Celestino Cholula, Dilman Vasquez and Santiago Vasquez. Action: Denial of overtime compensation. Attorneys: Vivianna Alexandra Morales and Louis Pechman. Filed: Sept. 3. Case no. 1:14-cv-07105-PKC. Ryszard Koscielny et al. Filed by Ren-Pol Manufacturing, Sales and Service Co. Action: Federal question. Attorneys: Livius M. Ilasz, Matthew Fitzgerald Didora and Jennifer Leigh Hartmann. Filed: Sept. 9. Case no. 1:14-cv07127-ER. Selective Insurance Company of America. Filed by The Netherlands Insurance Co. Action: Diversity-accounts receivable. Attorneys: Michael Louis Ihrig II and Marshall Todd Potashner. Filed: Sept. 9. Case no. 1:14-cv— 07132-KPF. Smithfield Farmland Corp. Filed by Globex International Inc. Action: Diversity-accounts receivable. Attorney: James F. Sweeney III. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:14-cv-07113-LGS. Smart One Ener�y L.L.C. Filed by Ayodapo Oladapo. Action: Diversity-accounts receivable. Attorneys: Taylor Asen, Richard David Greenfield and Charles Joseph LaDuca. Filed: Sept. 4. Case no. 1:14-cv-07117-LTS.
The Travelers Indemnity Co., et al. Filed by Kips Bay Endoscopy Center P.L.L.C. Action: Diversity-accounts receivable. Attorneys: Wyanstan M. Ackerman nad Michael Joseph Mernin. Filed: Sept. 5. Case no. 1:14-cv07153-NRB. U.S. Bank National Association. Filed by the Law Offices of Michael B. Wolk P.C. Action: Diversity-other contract. Attorney: Michael Bryan Wolk. Filed Sept. 5. Case no. 1:14-cv-07159-SAS. Vitamin Shoppe Inc. Filed by Edwin Segovia and Junior Hermida. Action: Diversity-product liability. Attorneys: Peter James Cams, Jordan Lucas Chaikin and Jonathan Shub. Filed: Sept. 9. Case no. 7:14-cv-07061-NSR. Wavecrest Management Team Ltd., et al. Filed by Froilan Francisco. Action: Job discrimination. Attorneys: Tanya N. Blocker, Richard Elliot Blum, Karen Cacace, Peta Gordan, Adriene L. Holder and Hollis Virginia Pfitsch. Filed: Sept. 5. Case no. 1:13-cv-08900-LGS.
DEEDS Above $1 million 10 Eve L.L.C., Rye. Seller: Scott E. Gould, et al, Rye. Property: 10 Eve Lane, Rye. Amount: $2.2 million. Filed Sept. 8. 2 Hillside Place Associates L.L.C., Armonk. Seller: Karen Pennar, Rye. Property: 2 Hillside Place, Rye. Amount: $1.5 million. Filed Sept. 3. 2 Second Street L.L.C., Stamford, Conn. Seller: Ganz Easy Street Inc., Rye. Property: 2 Second St., Rye. Amount: $2 million. Filed Sept. 9. 24 Redfield L.L.C. Seller: Estate of Maria Maccaferri. Property: 24 Redfield St., Rye. Amount: $1.3 million. Filed Sept. 5.
HSBC Bank USA N.A. Seller: Robert Hufjay, Mount Vernon. Property: 110 Oakland Beach Ave., Rye. Amount: $1.2 million. Filed Sept. 5.
Gain Development L.L.C., Floral Park. Seller: U.S. Bank N.A. Property: 3 Cliff Way, Mamaroneck. Amount: $710,000. Filed Sept. 9.
LaSalle Avenue Associates L.L.C., Rye. Seller: Steven Lawrence Bissonnette, et al, Rye. Property: 5 Lasalle Ave., Rye. Amount: $1.1 million. Filed Sept. 5.
Global Real Estate USA Inc., New York City. Seller: Acacio Marques, et al, Harrison. Property: 73 First St., Harrison. Amount: $692,000. Filed Sept. 4.
SCGH Farm L.L.C., Mount Kisco. Seller: Ilene J. Scheer, et al, New York City. Property: 340 Guard Hill Road, Bedford. Amount: $2.4 million. Filed Sept. 8. TDJ Contracting Corp., Scarsdale. Seller: Mary K. Wallach, New York City. Property: 20 Sherbrooke Road, Scarsdale. Amount: $2.6 million. Filed Sept. 9.
Below $1 million
City National Bank, Los Angeles, Calif. Seller: Lea Meierfeld, et al, Katonah. Property: 375 Hook Road, Bedford. Amount: $5.9 million. Filed Sept. 9.
20 North Hillside Realty L.L.C., Elmsford. Seller: Michael Karnes, Ossining. Property: 20 N. Hillside Ave., Greenburgh. Amount: $200,000. Filed Sept. 8.
Dobbs Ferry Road Acquisitions L.L.C. Seller: U.S. Bank N.A. Property: 280 Dobbs Ferry Road, Greenburgh. Amount: $1.9 million. Filed Sept. 8.
5 Stanley Lane Corp., New Hyde Park. Seller: U.S. Bank N.A. Property: 107 Sickles Ave., New Rochelle. Amount: $305,000. Filed Sept. 8.
Wavecrest Management Team, Ltd. Filed by Tiffany M. Robinson. Action: Federal question: other. No attorney listed. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:14-cv07261-UA.
Elk Homes Partners II L.P., Rye. Seller: Daniel R. Halem, et al, Larchmont. Property: 12 Lundy Lane, Mamaroneck. Amount: $1.2 million. Filed Sept. 9.
Abacao L.L.C., Mamaroneck. Seller: Adelphi Properties Inc., West Islip. Property: 24-26 Parsons St., Harrison. Amount: $320,000. Filed Sept. 5.
West 56th Hotel L.L.C. Filed by The Najjar Group L.L.C. Action: Diversity-accounts receivable. Attorneys: Michael B. Buckley and Alan Richard Levy. Filed: Sept. 4. Case no. 1:14-cv-07120-RA.
H’Y2 570 Taxter L.L.C., Bala Cynwyd, Pa. Seller: Mack-Cali CW Realty Associates L.L.C., Edison. N.J. Property: 570 Taxter Road, Greenburgh. Amount: $2.9 million. Filed Sept. 4.
Cartus Financial Corp., Danbury, Conn. Seller: David Muir, et al, Purchase. Property: 56 Old Lyme Road, Harrison. Amount: $770,000. Filed Sept. 9.
Willodene Ketcham. Filed by Onewest Bank N.A. Action: Diversity-accounts receivable. Attorney: Priya Swaminathan. Filed: Sept. 9. Case no. 1:14-cv07123-PKC.
H’Y2 Talleyrand L.L.C., Bala Cynwyd, Pa. Seller: Talleyrand Realty Associates L.L.C., Edison, N.J. Property: 200 and 220 White Plains Road, Greenburgh. Amount: $12.7 million. Filed Sept. 3.
Wave Crest Management Team Ltd.. Filed by Tracey Emerson. Action: Federal question. No attorney listed. Filed: Sept. 8. Case no. 1:14-cv-07252-UA.
Stmicroelectrics International N.V. Filed by Atlas Partners L.L.C. Action: Diversity-accounts receivable. Attorneys: George O. Richardson III and Harry H. Rimm. Filed: Sept. 4. Case no. 1:14-cv-07134-VM.
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H’Y2 Taxter L.L.C., Bala Cynwyd, Pa. Seller: Mack-Cali Taxter Associates L.L.C., Edison. N.J. Property: 555 Taxter Road, Greenburgh. Amount: $31.5 million. Filed Sept. 4.
Cobblecreek Builders North America Inc., Purchase. Seller: Douglas M. Fisher, et al, Rye Brook. Property: 9 Oriole Place, Rye. Amount: $750,000. Filed Sept. 4. Commerce Street Associates L.L.C., Thornwood. Seller: Stephen Holden III, et al, Rye Brook. Property: 592 Commerce St., Mount Pleasant. Amount: $750,000. Filed Sept. 4. Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. Seller: Theodore J. Brundage, Harrison. Property: 1 Orchard Parkway, White Plains. Amount: $150,000. Filed Sept. 3.
Happy State Bank. Seller: Barry McGoey, Yonkers. Property: 344354 Webster Ave., New Rochelle. Amount: $786,104. Filed Sept. 3. Living Faith International Church, Mount Vernon. Seller: JMak Realty Corp., Yonkers. Property: 186-190 W. First St., Mount Vernon. Amount: $450,000. Filed Sept. 9. MCP Realty Group L.L.C., Port Chester. Seller: 7 Bent Avenue L.L.C., Harrison. Property: 7 Bent Ave., Rye. Amount: $300,000. Filed Sept. 8. National Residential Nominee Services Inc. Seller: John E. Waddell II, White Plains. Property: 257 Central Ave., 2JP, White Plains. Amount: $501,500. Filed Sept. 9. Presbyterian Church of Ghana in New York, New York City. Seller: U.S. Bank N.A. Property: 21 Winfield Ave., Mount Vernon. Amount: $333,518. Filed Sept. 4. Purchase Fire District, Purchase. Seller: Lynn S. DiCintio, West Harrison. Property: 610 Anderson Hill Road, Harrison. Amount: $540,000. Filed Sept. 4. Rio Blanca Realty Inc., White Plains. Seller: Marilyn Picone, Ridgefield, Conn. Property: 694 Saw Mill River Road, Yonkers. Amount: $125,000. Filed Sept. 5. Shoup and Hill L.L.C., Katonah. Seller: Anthony Graziano, et al, White Plains. Property: 210 Martine Ave., 4N, White Plains. Amount: $165,000. Filed Sept. 8. Twin Brothers L.L.C., Katonah. Seller: 24 WB L.L.C., Bronx. Property: 24 Woodbridge Road, Bedford. Amount: $525,000. Filed Sept. 9.
U.S. Bank N.A. Seller: Mary Beth Ryan, White Plains. Property: 15 David Lapsley Road, Bedford. Amount: $450,000. Filed Sept. 4. U.S. Bank N.A. Seller: Michael E. Carlson, et al, Armonk. Property: 31 Ernst Road, Cortlandt. Amount: $520,000. Filed Sept. 4. Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Seller: Richard Elsasser, et al, Yonkers. Property: 137 Rita Drive, Cortlandt. Amount: $268,800. Filed Sept. 8.
FORECLOSURES HARTSDALE, 64 Chaucer St. Single-family residence; .17 acre. Plaintiff: Citimortgage Inc. Plaintiff: Knuckles, Komosinski & Elliot, 914-345-3020; 565 Taxter Road, Suite 509, Elmsford. Defendant: George Amoah. Referee: Christopher Meager. Sale: Sept. 15, 9:30 a.m. Approximate lien: $632,306.36. HASTINGS ON HUDSON, 22 Hastings Landing. Single-family residence; .03 acre. Plaintiff: US Bank National Association. Plaintiff ’s attorney: Knuckles, Komosinski & Elliot, 914-345-3020; 565 Taxter Road, Suite 509, Elmsford. Defendant: Frank McGinnis. Referee: Francis Apicella. Sale: Sept. 23, 10 a.m. Approximate lien: $541,511.88. MOUNT VERNON, 416 Bedford Ave. Single-family residence; .06 acre. Plaintiff: Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. Plaintiff ’s attorney: Knuckles, Komosinski & Elliot, 914-3453020; 565 Taxter Road, Suite 509, Elmsford. Defendant: Jahaira Felix. Referee: oseph Goubeaud. Sale: Sept. 23, 9 a.m. Approximate lien: $889,864.12. PEEKSKILL, 604 Simpson Place. Single-family residence; lot size: N/A. Plaintiff: US Bank National Association. Plaintiff ’s attorney: Gross Polowy L.L.C.; 25 Northpointe Parkway, Amherst. Defendant: Eduis Rodriguez. Referee: Brandon Sall. Sale: Sept. 17, 10 a.m. Approximate lien: $443,762.36.
FACTS & FIGURES WESTCHESTER, 22 Cherrywood Road. Single-family residence; .15 acre. Plaintiff: JP Morgan Chase Bank NA. Plaintiff ’s attorney: McCabe, Weisberg & Conway, P.C., 914-636-8900; 145 Huguenot St., Suite 401, New Rochelle. Defendant: Donald Wong. Referee: Brian Farrell. Sale: Sept. 16, 10:15 a.m. Approximate lien: $870,979.30. WHITE PLAINS, 235 Battle Ave. Single-family residence; .11 acre. Plaintiff: HSBC Bank USA National Association. Plaintiff ’s attorney: Gross Polowy L.L.C.; 25 Northpointe Parkway, Amherst. Defendant: Juan Naupari. Referee: Albert Cornachio. Sale: Sept. 24, 10 a.m. Approximate lien: $652,945.36. YONKERS, 10 Vredenburgh Ave. Two-family; .17 acre. Plaintiff: US Bank National Association. Plaintiff ’s attorney: Gross Polowy & Orlans, 716-204-1700; P.O. Box 540, Getzville. Defendant: Brigida Reyes. Referee: Joseph Maria. Sale: Sept. 15, 9:30 a.m. Approximate lien: $514,696.11. YONKERS, 54 Rosehill Terrace. Single-family residence; .21 acre. Plaintiff: LaSalle National Bank Association. Plaintiff ’s attorney: Davidson, Fink, Cook, Kelly & Galbraith, 585-546-6448; 28 E. Main St., Suite 1700, Rochester. Defendant: Patrick Morgan. Referee: Francis Malara. Sale: Sept. 17, 9 a.m. Approximate lien: $450,737.13.
JUDGMENTS Bib Productions Inc., Chappaqua. $56,747 in favor of KMT East L.L.C., Lake Grove. Filed Aug. 28. City of Yonkers, Yonkers. $257 in favor of Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx. Filed Sept. 2. Commercial Contracting Company Inc., Millwood. $2,554 in favor of New York State Fence Inc., Hilton. Filed Aug. 29.
Derosa Sports Construction Inc., Mamaroneck. $62,019 in favor of Merchants Mutual Insurance Co., Buffalo. Filed Sept. 2. Di Marino Brothers Contracting Inc., Mount Vernon. $3,551 in favor of Concrete Cutting Company Inc., Port Chester. Filed Aug. 29. Redwood Nursery, Larchmont. $26,629 in favor of Bissett Nursery Corp., Holtsville. Filed Aug. 29. Si Services of New York Inc., Scarsdale. $54,905 in favor of Peter Gisondi and Company Inc., White Plains. Filed Sept. 3. Topside Systems L.L.C., Katonah. $28,814 in favor of S and K Distribution L.L.C., Hicksville. Filed Aug. 29. Victor Villa Mason Contracting Inc., Ossining. $5,897 in favor of Bedford Stone and Masonry Supply, Bedford Hills. Filed Sept. 2.
LIS PENDENS The following filings indicated a legal action has been initiated, the outcome of which may affect the title to the property listed. Tucker, Rose M., et al. Filed by Residential Mortgage Solutions L.L.C. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $550,440 affecting property located at 485 N. Columbus Ave., Mount Vernon. Filed Feb. 6. Murray, Gerard, et al. Filed by U.S. Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $467,500 affecting property located at 6 Ritters Lane, Yonkers 10701. Filed Feb. 6. Davitt, Dennis M., et al. Filed by First Republic Bank. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $2.3 million affecting property located at 18 Knightsbridge Manor Road, Purchase 10577. Filed Feb. 6. Mackey. Ana, et al. Filed by Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $151,450 affecting property located at 716 Loomis Ave., Peekskill 10566. Filed Feb. 6.
Campos, Roberto Jr., et al. Filed by Nationstar Mortgage L.L.C. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $311,837 affecting property located at 84 Colgate Ave., Yonkers 10703. Filed Feb. 6. Francis, Gloria, et al. Filed by Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $335,383 affecting property located at 617 S. Fifth Ave., Mount Vernon 10550. Filed Feb. 6. Cannavo, Leonardo Sr., et al. Filed by Federal National Mortgage Association. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $323,681 affecting property located at 449 Willett Ave., Port Chester 10573. Filed Feb. 6. Ellis, Floyd, et al. Filed by U.S. Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $375,000 affecting property located at 33 Dell Ave., Mount Vernon. Filed Feb. 6.
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Brown, Kenneth, et al. Filed by Nationstar Mortgage L.L.C. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $750,000 affecting property located at 40 Calhoun Ave., New Rochelle 10801. Filed Feb. 6. Sherwood, Carol A., et al. Filed by Bank of America N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $891,971 affecting property located at 93 Cross Pond Road, Pound Ridge 10576. Filed Feb. 6. Ali, Babar, et al. Filed by Green Tree Servicing L.L.C. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $352,000 affecting property located at 188 Chase Ave., Yonkers 10703. Filed Feb. 6. Soloff, Leonard, et al. Filed by Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $207,600 affecting property located at 1 Joyce Road, Hartsdale 10530. Filed Feb. 6.
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Molina, Patricio, et al. Filed by Nationstar Mortgage L.L.C. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $175,000 affecting property located at 153 Valentine Lane, Yonkers 10705. Filed Feb. 6.
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WCBJ • September 15, 2014
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FACTS & FIGURES Espinoza, Aurora, et al. Filed by U.S. Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $417,000 affecting property located at 30 Fairmont St., Elmsford 10523. Filed Feb. 7.
Kakish, Ruba E., et al. Filed by Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $375,200 affecting property located at 324 Sommerville Place, Yonkers 10703. Filed Feb. 7.
McLaren, Gordon R., et al. Filed by Bank of America N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $160,000 affecting property located at 4 Gina Lane, Bedford 10506. Filed Feb. 7.
Tenen, Angel, et al. Filed by PNC Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $359,360 affecting property located at 249 Ringgold St., Peekskill 10566. Filed Feb. 7.
Zavala, Kilian C., et al. Filed by U.S. Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $340,000 affecting property located at 148 Washington St., Peekskill 10566. Filed Feb. 7.
Geraghty, Paul, et al. Filed by Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $320,000 affecting property located at 73 Hill View Ave., Yonkers 10704. Filed Feb. 7.
Nosworthy, Allan P., et al. Filed by Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $251,750 affecting property located at 342 Westchester Ave., Unit 16E, Port Chester 10573. Filed Feb. 7.
Kepple, Timothy P., et al. Filed by Beneficial Homeowner Service Corp. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $200,000 affecting property located at 697 Pleasantview Court, Yorktown Heights 10598. Filed Feb. 7.
Vozzi, Jaimi, individually and on behalf of the estate of the late Antoinette Vozzi, et al. Filed by JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $417,000 affecting property located at 50 Wilner Road, Somers 10589. Filed Feb. 7.
Lundquist, Gary L., as owner. $912 as claimed by Landscaping and Lawn Care Inc., Mahopac. Property: in Mahopac. Filed Sept. 5.
Cushen, Christine M., et al. Filed by Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure an unspecified amount affecting property located at 7 Country Place, Mohegan Lake 10547. Filed Feb. 7.
This paper is not responsible for typographical errors contained in the original filings.
Marie J. Tessler, 720 Quaker Road, Chappaqua 10514, c/o Marie J. Tessler. Filed May 16.
Partnerships
Mary Style Beauty Salon, 11 N. Broad St., Peekskill 10566, c/o Maria Y. Melendez. Filed May 17.
MECHANIC’S LIENS Goldstein Group Holding Inc., as owner. $4,240 as claimed by Ken Martin Inc., Maryknoll. Property: in Ossining. Filed Sept. 5. Horizon Owners Corp., as owner. $7,578 as claimed by Errico Landscaping Corp., Hartsdale. Property: in Yonkers. Filed Aug. 29.
NEW BUSINESSES
The Hair Palace, 405 Riverdale Ave., Yonkers 10705, c/o Hilton R. Mota and Deivid Fernandez. Filed May 20.
Sole Proprietorships A.B.E. Dynamic Painters, 252 Edwards Place, Yonkers 10703, c/o Brenda Santiago. Filed May 20. Alecs Renovations, 472 Hawthorne Ave., Yonkers 10705, c/o Alecsandro Adao Roque. Filed May 16. American Homekeepers Registry, 388 Croton Ave., Cortlandt Manor 10567, c/o Geneive Brown Metzger. Filed May 16. Artur Home Improvement, 112 Perry Ave., Port Chester 10573, c/o Mateusz Gurdak. Filed May 20. Associacion De Veteranos De La FAA Y La PN De La Rep Dom Residente en Los Estados Unidos De America Club, 90 Locust Hill Ave., Yonkers 10701, c/o Luis M. Marte. Filed May 20. Cats of White Plains, Tarrytown Courtyard, 475 White Plains Road, Tarrytown 10591, c/o Priscilla Osborn. Filed May 16. Centerwork Pilates, 17 Holly St., Yonkers 10704, c/o Melissa Giudice. Filed May 17. Cormon Enterprise, 238 S. Fulton Ave., Mount Vernon 10553, c/o Corey Henry. Filed May 20. Gus Williams Consultants, 229 S. Seventh Ave., Mount Vernon 10550, c/o Gus Williams. Filed May 20.
38 September 15, 2014 • WCBJ
Infrared Security and Network, 786 Bronx River Road, No. B53, Bronxville 10708, c/o Robert Minier. Filed May 16. Ivy Hill Group, 2005 Pamer Ave., Suite 216, Larchmont 10538, c/o Sheldon R. Flamm. Filed May 16.
Merry Maids 707, 2153 Albany Post Road, Montrose 10548, c/o Ronald P. Ferraro Jr. Filed May 17. Philip Lu Media, 2 Windsor Terrace, Apt. 3H, White Plains 10601, c/o Philip Lu. Filed May 16. Sanford and Sons Salvage, 16 Annadale St., Armonk 10504, c/o Robert A. Brown. Filed May 16. Wooaalam Photos, 156 Weyman Ave., New Rochelle 10805, c/o Rolando Garrido. Filed May 17.
PATENTS The following patents were issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Washington, D.C. Cloud provisioning accelerator. Patent no. 8,826,277 issued to Rong N. Chang, Pleasantville; Mihwa Choi, Cambridge, Mass.; Yexi Jiang, Miami, Fla.; Meir Laker, Hawthorne; ChangShing Perng, Goldens Bridge; Hidayatullah H. Shaikh, Shrub Oak; Edward C. So, Flushing; and Tao Tao, Hawthorne. Assigned to International Business Machines Corp., Armonk. Dynamic account provisions for service desk personnel. Patent no. 8,826,420 issued to Gregory Jensen Boss, American Fork, Utah; Andrew R. Jones, Round Rock, Texas; Kevin C. McConnell, Austin, Texas; and Ori Pomerantz, Austin, Texas. Assigned to International Business Machines Corp., Armonk. Guiding correction of semantic errors in code using collaboration records. Patent no. 8,826,237 issued to Swaminathan Balasubramanian, Troy, Mich. Assigned to International Business Machines Corp., Armonk.
Method, system and program product for optimizing emulation of a suspected malware. Patent no. 8,826,245 issued to Ji Yan Wu, Athens, Ga. Assigned to International Business Machines Corp., Armonk. Shared versioned workload partitions. Patent no. 8,826,305 issued to Khalid Filali-Adib, Austin, Texas; John M. McConaughy, Austin, Texas; David W. Sheffield, Austin, Texas; and Marc J. Stephenson, Austin, Texas. Assigned to International Business Machines Corp., Armonk. Spawned message state determination. Patent no. 8,826,299 issued to Jon K. Kriegel, Rochester, Minn.; Mark Gary Kupferschmidt, Rochester, Minn.; and Paul Emery Schardt, Rochester, Minn. Assigned to International Business Machines Corp., Armonk. System and method for automatically discovering security classification of hosts. Patent no. 8,826,425 issued to Birgit Monika Pfitzmann, Hawthorne; Harigovind Venkatraj Ramasamy, Hawthorne; and Cheng-Lin Tsao, Atlanta, Ga. Assigned to International Business Machines Corp., Armonk. System, method and computer program product for error code injection. Patent no. 8,826,243 issued to Gerard M. Dearing, San Jose, Calif.; and Terri A. Menendez, Morgan Hill, Calif. Assigned to International Business Machines Corp., Armonk. Trust retention. Patent no. 8,826,418 issued to Kobina Kweenu Inkumsah, Lansing, Mich.; Adrian X. Rodriguez, Durham, N.C.; Eric Woods, Durham, N.C.; and Ping Zhou, Poughkeepsie. Assigned to International Business Machines Corp., Armonk. Visualization-centric performance-based volume allocation in a data storage system. Patent no. 8,826,293 issued to Stefan Jaquet, Morgan Hill, Calif.; and Madhukar R. Korupolu, Sunnyvale, Calif. Assigned to International Business Machines Corp., Armonk.
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LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (ìLLCî) RSFG CONSULTING GROUP LLC Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of the State of New York (SSNY) on 7/31/14 Office Location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, 113 Beekman Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY 10553. Purpose: any lawful activity #59578 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (LLC). NAME: Old New House, LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 07/16/2014. Office location: Westchester County. The post office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against it served is to the principal business location at c/o United States Corporation Agents, Inc., 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn NY 11228. Purpose of business of LLC is any lawful act or activity. #59579 Notice of Formation of Havoc Hoops, LLC. Art. Of Org. filed with SSNY on July 14th, 2014. Office Location: Westchester County, NY. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Christopher Rohle, 1571 Paine Street Yorktown, NY 10598. Purpose: Any lawful act or activity. #59580 Notice of Formation of Trend Point, LLC filed with SSNY on 7/22/14. Office Location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 51 Old Stone Hill Rd. Pound Ridge, NY 10576. LLC may engage in any lawful act or activity for which a limited liability company may be formed #59581 Notice of formation of Killcode, LLC, a domestic Limited Liability Company (LLC). Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY on July 30, 2014. The office of this LLC is located in Westchester County. Secretary of State is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. Secretary of State shall mail a copy of process against the LLC to 1333A North Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10804. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity. #59582 Notice of formation of Be Kind Living LLC. Articles of Organization filed with SSNY on 6/17/14. Office: Westchester Cty. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. The address to which SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC is the Principal business address: 2395 Maple Avenue, Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567. Purpose: E-retail. #59583 Raasas Restaurant LLC Art of Org filed SSNY 10/21/13. Westchester County. SSNY Designated as agt. upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process: 1452 E. Main Street Elmsford, NY 10523. Purpose: any lawful purpose. #59584
JTL CONSULTING LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/06/2014. Office loc: Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 122 Eagle Court, White PLains, NY 10605. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. #59586 NUTRICIOUS TROPICAL DELIGHTS, LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/14/2014, name changed to NUTRITIOUS TROPICAL DELIGHTS, LLC on 08/22/2014. Office loc: Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Everard Rhoden, 180 Pearsall Dr., Apt. 3C, Mt. Vernon, NY 10552. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. #59587 1969 CENTRAL PARK AVE LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 8/22/2014 . Office loc: Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 1955 Central Park Ave., Yonkers, NY 10710. Reg. Agent: Mark Fonte CO, 1955 Central Park Ave., Yonkers, NY 10710. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. #59588 45 SUN VALLEY PARTNERS LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/21/2014. Office loc: Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 45 Old Post Rd., Bedford Corners, NY 10549. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. #59589 Notice of Formation of MG GROUP EQUITIES, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 7/30/14. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC whom process against may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o THE LLC, 7 Van Cortlandt Pl., Croton On Hudson, NY 10520. Purpose: all lawful activities. #59555 Notice of Formation of 227 E 67TH STREET ASSOCIATES LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 7/3/14. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC whom process against may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o THE LLC, 12 Water St., Ste. 204, White Plains, NY 10601. Purpose: all lawful activities. #59556 Notice of Formation of 59TH BRIDGE VIEW ASSOCIATES, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 7/14/14. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC whom process against may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o THE LLC, 12 Water St., Ste. 204, White Plains, NY 10601. Purpose: all lawful activities. #59557 Notice of Formation of TRADITIONS OF THE SPORTING LIFE, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 7/21/14. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC whom process against may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: THE LLC, c/o Horn, 295 Salem Rd., Pound Ridge, NY 10576. Purpose: all lawful activities. #59558
TST PARTNERS LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/30/2014. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Anthony Roffi, 19 North Broadway, Ste 5, Tarrytown, NY 10591. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose #59559 F.A.K.A. CONSULTING LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/29/2014. Office loc: Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 9 Hunting Ridge Road, White Plains, NY 10605. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. #59560 Notice of formation of 590 H LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 6/17/2014. Office loc: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to:875 Mamaroneck Avenue, Ste.401, Mamaroneck, NY 10543. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. #59561 Notice of Formation of Tiber Management LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/22/14. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process may be served and SSNY shall mail process to The LLC, 26 Hillside Avenue, Goldens Bridge, NY 10526. Purpose: Any lawful activity #59562 Notice of formation of APA SELECT. COM, LLC. Art. Of Org. filed with the Sectíy of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/30/14. Office in Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 1 Byram Brook Pl Armonk, NY 10504. Purpose: Any Lawful purpose #59563 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (LLC). NAME: BRODHEAD PRODUCTIONS, LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 2/26/2014. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: 72 Harmon Avenue, Pelham, New York 10803, principal business location of the LLC. Purpose: any lawful business activity. #59564 Cumbria Custom Closets, LLC Arts of Org. filed NY Secy of State ( SSNY) 6/4/14. Office: Westchester Co. SSNY design. agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy to Roy Chapman 25 Wells Avenue. Croton on Hudson, NY 10520. Purpose: any lawful activity. #59565
Notice of formation of Dobbs Ferry Road Acquisitions, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 7/23/14. Offc. loc: Westchester CTY. SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o Marc Samwick, 3 Barker Ave., 6th Fl.,White Plains, NY 10601. Purpose: any lawful purpose. #59567 Notice of formation of Economic Value Advisors LLC Art. of Org. filed with SSNY on 6/30/14. Offc. Loc: Westchester Cty. SSNY desig as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, United States Corporation Agents, Inc. 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Purpose: any lawful purpose. #59568 Formation of OTAF (MVSM) LLC filed with the Secy. of State of NY(SSNY) on 7/17/14. Office loc.: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The principal business loc. and address SSNY shall mail process to is Alan S. MacKenzie, Jr., 40 Marlborough Rd., Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510. Mgmt. shall be by one or more members. Purpose: Any lawful activity. #59569 Formation of INTELLIPARK US, LLC filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/30/14. Office loc.: Westchester County. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The address SSNY shall mail copy of process to is Gregg Reuben, 1745 Broadway, 17th Fl., New York, NY 10019. Mgmt. shall be by one or more members. Purpose: Any lawful activity. #59570 Notice of formation of Chris Fox Music, LLC Art of Org. filed with SSNY on 5/27/14. Offc. Loc.; Westchester Cty. SSNY design as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC c/o Iron Fox Capital, 633 Old Post Road, Suite 3-6, Bedford, NY 10506. Purpose: any lawful purpose. #59571 Notice of formation of Chris Fox Productions, LLC Art of Org. filed with SSNY on 5/27/14. Offc. Loc.; Westchester Cty. SSNY design as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC c/o Iron Fox Capital, 633 Old Post Road, Suite 3-6, Bedford, NY 10506. Purpose: any lawful purpose. #59572 909 MUSIC LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/14/2014. Office loc: Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Michael Goodman, 17 East Mountain Road, Katonah, NY 10536. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. #59573
Casale Affitare, LLC Arts of Org. filed NY Secy of State (SSNY) 7/14/14. Office: Westchester Co. SSNY design. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy to Bobbie Anne FlowerCox 34 Palmer Ave. Bronxville, NY 10708. Purpose: any lawful activity. #59574 Casale Noleggiare, LLC Arts of Org. filed NY Secy of State (SSNY) 7/14/14. Office: Westchester Co. SSNY design. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy to Bobbie Anne Flower-Cox 34 Palmer Ave. Bronxville, NY 10708. Purpose: any lawful activity. #59575 Notice of formation of HighPoint Electric, LLC Arts. Of Org. filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on July 8, 2014. Office location: Westchester County. The street address is: 180 East Prospect Avenue,#217, Mamaroneck, NY 10543. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process served to: Wade Langdon, 180 East Prospect Avenue,#217, Mamaroneck, NY 10543. Purpose: any lawful act. #59592 Notice of formation of Doctor House Inspections LLC. Arts. of Org. Filed with SSNY on 07/18/14. Offc. Loc: Westchester Cty. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 2249 Mohansic Av., Yorktown Hts., NY 10598. Purpose: any lawful purpose. #59593 EVENTS BY JESSE, LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/22/2014. Office loc: Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Jesse Reing, 1360 Sunny Ridge Rd, Mohegan Lake, NY 10547. Reg Agent: Jesse Reing, 1360 Sunny Ridge Rd, Mohegan Lake, NY 10547. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. Ad # 59594 #59594 ANGENEHM LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/03/2014. Office loc: Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 717 Fifth Ave., NY, NY 10022. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. Ad # 59595 571B HERITAGE HILLS, LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/28/2014. Office loc: Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: C/O Steinvurzel & Levy Law Group, 34 South Broadway, White Plains, NY 10601. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. Ad # 59596 Etchell Consulting LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/27/2014. Office loc: Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 24 Oscaleta Rd., South Salem, NY 10590. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. Ad # 59597
Notice of formation of Limited Liability Company (ìLLCî). Name: Cornell Pace Development Partners LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of the State of New York (ìSSNYî) on August 25, 2014. N.Y. office location: Westchester County. The SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to Cornell Pace Development Partners LLC, Leonard Shendell, 542 Main Street, New Rochelle, New York 10801. Purpose/character of LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity. Ad # 59598 Notice of formation of Limited Liability Company (ìLLCî). Name: MacQuesten 22 South LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of the State of New York (ìSSNYî) on August 26, 2014. N.Y. office location: Westchester County. The SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to MacQuesten 22 South LLC, c/o The MacQuesten Companies, 438 Fifth Avenue, Suite 100, Pelham, New York 10803. Purpose/character of LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity. Ad # 59599 Notice of Formation of WOO BROTHERS LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 6/30/14. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o Moses & Singer LLP, Attn: Daniel S. Rubin, Esq., 405 Lexington Ave., NY, NY 10174-1299. Purpose. Any lawful act or activity. Ad # 59600 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (LLC). NAME: Unicorp International, LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 08/19/14. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: Unicorp International, 128 Fuller Road, Briarcliff Manor, New York 10510, principal business location of the LLC. Purpose: any lawful business activity. #59601
Trident Professional Services, LLC Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/21/14. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. The Post Office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her is: 233 S. Highland Ave, Ossining, NY 10562. The principal business address of the LLC is: 233 S. Highland Ave, Ossining, NY 10562. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. #59605
Mudsizer, LLC Arts of Org. filed NY Secy of State (SSNY) 8/18/14. Office: Westchester Co. SSNY design. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy to 1843 Palmer Ave. Larchmont, NY 10538. Purpose: any lawful activity. #59607 Notice of Formation of 175 Croton Avenue LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/4/2014. Office location: Westchester Co. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 8 Katrina Avenue, Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591 , Purpose: any lawful act or activity #59608 Notice of Formation of Hudson Riley, LLC Art. Of Org. filed with SSNY on 8/5/14. Offc. Loc: Westchester Cty. SSNY desig. as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 700 Old Post Rd. Bedford, NY 10549. Purpose: any lawful purpose. #59609 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF umo LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) 08/25/14. Office location: WESTCHESTER County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to principal business address: 746 Mamaroneck Ave; #1315, Mamaroneck NY 10543. Purpose: any lawful act. #59610 Notice of Formation of Gilrose Pharmaceuticals, LLC. Art. Of Org. filed with New York Secy of State (SSNY) on 8/11/2014. Office located in Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against it served upon him/her to 125 S. Broadway, White Plains, NY 10605. Purpose: any lawful activity. #59611 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Danchin Art LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) 8/13/14. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to principal business address: 35 Church Lane, Scarsdale, NY 10583. Purpose: any lawful act. #59612 NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Saturday Art LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) 8/14/14. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to principal business address: 180 Gaylor Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583. Purpose: any lawful act. #59613
Notice of Formation of Lamartine Properties LLC. Principal office Westchester County. Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) designated as agent for service of process. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process served against the LLC to Kilmartin & Kilmartin, 876 McLean Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10704. Articles of Organization of the LLC filed with the SSNY on 8/19/2014. Purpose: Any lawful act(s). #59606
WCBJ • September 15, 2014
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LEGAL NOTICES SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER ------------------------------------------------------------x IN THE MATTER OF FORECLOSURE ON TAX LIENS PURSUANT TO ARTICLE ELEVEN OF THE REAL PROPERTY TAX LAW BY THE TOWN OF RYE FORECLOSURE OF PETITION AND NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE TOWN OF RYE BY ------------------------------------------------------------x
INDEX NO. 3079/14 PETITION OF FORECLOSURE AND NOTICE OF TAX LIENS BY THE ACTION IN REM 2014 PROCEEDING
NICHOLAS C. MECCA, being duly sworn, affirms as true, deposes and says under the penalties of perjury as follows:The above-captioned proceeding is hereby commenced to enforce the payment of delinquent taxes or other lawful charges which have accumulated and become liens against certain property. The parcels to which this proceeding applies are attached hereto and made a part hereof, identified as ASchedule A@. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on the 28th of AUGUST, 2014, the Receiver of Taxes, hereinafter the Enforcing Officer of the Town of Rye, pursuant to law, filed with the Clerk of Westchester County, a Petition of Foreclosure against various parcels of real property for unpaid tax liens. Such Petition and Notice of Foreclosure pertains to the parcels on the list attached hereto and made a part hereof. All persons having or claiming to have an interest in the real property described in such list of delinquent taxes are hereby notified that the filing of such list constitutes the commencement by the Town of Rye of an action and proceeding in the Supreme Court, Westchester County to foreclose each of the tax liens therein described by a foreclosure proceeding in rem. Such action and proceeding is brought against the real property only, and is to foreclose the tax liens described in such list. No personal judgment will be entered herein for such taxes or other legal charges or any part thereof. This notice is directed to all persons owning or having or claiming to have an interest in the real property described in such list of delinquent taxes. Such persons are hereby notified further that a duplicate of such list of delinquent taxes has been filed in the Office of the Enforcing Officer, the Receiver of Taxes of the Town of Rye, and will remain open for public inspection up to and including the date specified below as the last day for redemption. Any person having or claiming to have an interest in any such real property and the legal right thereto may, on or before said date, redeem the same by paying the amount of all such unpaid tax liens and unpaid taxes thereon including all interest and penalties and other legal charges included in the lien which are against such real property, computed to and including the date of redemption. Such payments shall be made to NICHOLAS C. MECCA, Receiver of Taxes, Town of Rye, 10 Pearl Street, Port Chester, New York 10573. In the event that such taxes are paid by a person other than the record owner of such real property, the person so paying shall be entitled to have the tax liens affected thereby satisfied of record. The last day for redemption is hereby fixed as DECEMBER 15, 2014. Every person having any right, title or interest in or lien upon any parcel of real property described in such list of delinquent taxes may serve a duly verified answer upon the attorney for the Town of Rye setting forth in detail the nature and amount of his or her interest and any defense or objection to the foreclosure. Such answer must be filed in the office of the County Clerk and served upon the attorney for the Town of Rye on or before the date above mentioned as the last day for redemption. In the event of failure to redeem or answer by any person having the right to redeem or answer, such person(s) shall be forever barred and foreclosed of all his or her right, title and interest and equity of redemption in and to the parcel described in such list of delinquent taxes and a Judgment of Foreclosure may be taken by default. Dated: Mamaroneck, New York AUGUST 5th, 2014 NICHOLAS C. MECCA Receiver of Taxes Enforcing Officer TOWN OF RYE 10 Pearl Street Port Chester, New York 10573 914-939-3558 PAUL J. NOTO, PLLC Attorney for the Town of Rye 650 Halstead Avenue - Suite 105 Mamaroneck, New York 10543 914-698-9331 STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER
: ss:
On the 5th day of AUGUST, 2014 before me personally appeared NICHOLAS C. MECCA, the Receiver of Taxes and Enforcing Officer for the Town of Rye to me known to be the individual described herein and who executed the foregoing instrument and acknowledged to me that he executed the same.
NOTARY PUBLIC
#59602
42 September 15, 2014 • WCBJ
LIGHT THE NIGHT The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Connecticut Westchester Hudson Valley Chapter (LLS) began its Light The Night Walk fall campaign Aug. 20 with a party at Manhattanville College’s Reid Castle. Light The Night is a fundraising campaign that brings together families and communities to honor blood cancer survivors, as well as those lost to the disease. Participants carry illuminated lanterns — white for survivors, red for supporters and gold in memory of loved ones lost to cancer to shine a light on the importance of finding cures and providing access to treatments for blood cancer patients. This year’s walk will be held Nov. 1 at Playland Amusement Park in Rye. For more in formation, call 914-821-8362 or visit www.lightthenight.org/ctwhv. Photos by Deborah J. Karson
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1. Liza Munson, senior vice president of campaign development, LLS; Chris Meyers, Light The Night Corporate Walk chairman and managing principal, Houlihan Lawrence; Barbara Gallagher, senior campaign director, Light The Night; and Liz Nunan, vice president of global business development, Houlihan Lawrence. 2. Lisa and Richard Dutra of Mahopac, Team Lisa’s Warriors. 3. Mary and David Kmetz Jr. of Rye, LLS board member.
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4. Christina Rae, president, Buzz Creators, and Daniella DiMartino and Lara Sullivan, also of Buzz Creators. 5. David Gruber, northeast regional vice president, LLS and Dennis Chillemi, executive director, LLS. 6. Alex Cohen of New Rochelle and Antonella Leone, campaign manager, Light The Night. 7. Light The Night Honoree Savanna DiFatta of New Rochelle.
All photograph identifications are from left unless otherwise noted.
WCBJ • September 15, 2014
43
GAMECHANGERS HOW
DID THEY CHANGE THE REAL ESTATE LANDSCAPE?
WHAT WERE THE OBSTACLES?
WHAT’S PLANNED FOR THE FUTURE?
COME MEET THE EXPERTS WHERE
JIM COLEMAN
JOE COTTER
Wainwright House
Westchester County Industrial Development Agency
PRESIDENT, National Resources Group
WHEN
RELLA FOGLIANO
MARTIN GINSBURG
260 Stuyvesant Ave. Rye
Wednesday,
September 17
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
PRESIDENT, MacQuesten Development L.L.C.
11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. EMCEE Paul Senecal President, United Services of America
SPONSORS TO DATE:
PRINCIPAL, Ginsburg Development Companies L.L.C.
MODERATOR Elizabeth Bracken-Thompson Partner, Thompson & Bender
TO RSVP OR BECOME A SPONSOR,
contact Holly DeBartolo at hdebartolo@westfairinc.com or 914-358-0743
PRESENTED BY WESTCHESTER COUNTY
WCBJ BUSINESS JOURNAL