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While working on the Future Green/NR is there any room in the concept of dealing with the present New Rochelle, you know the New Rochelle that needs a bit of a spruce up a bit of care. This is another view of North off Lockwood, same place different garbage. May 1, 2010- Is this the Green future compost pile plan. I get it every home owner and business has a compost pile right in front of the entrance. Right out in the open for everyone to enjoy?
I am having trouble understanding why so much time is spent on the future of New Rochelle and why so little time is spent on the present New Rochelle. Who actually wants to live here? Develop here Green or no Green when the place is so neglected.
You would think you guys up @ City Hall would just get away from your computers and your Sustainable plans and put a bit of energy into what the City looks like down on the ground, before you are dealing with what might be or what should be in our future.

This is what I see on my way from the Boulevard to the Transit Center walking along the South Side of North Avenue between the Memorial Highway overpass and the Transit Center. These shots are off Lockwood on North, and everyday there is new garbage and filth to look at. On my way to the NYC to earn the kind of income needed to pay my mortgage and City taxes this is what I navigate. Seems to me in order for the City of New Rochelle to begin to come out of the Dark Ages the City Manager and the Mayor would need to correct these day to day issues. Why would anyone want to live downtown and navigate this kind of disgust. Hello Noam should we draw you a map?

At a recent City Council Meeting Cappelli's lead person Joseph Apicella claims they have spent 17 million dollars on the Le Count Place project.
I wonder about that math. Seems a bit Fuzzy as usual.
When you contract to purchase property you don't actually spend that money completely unless you have closed on the property. Knowing that some of these real estate transactions have yet to close you can see that the statement by Apicella should have been that we are going to be purchasing and investing 17 million dollars gathering the real estate needed some day....Maybe if the IDA sweetens up the PILOT Money???
LeCount is a now self blighted area as most of the property associated with this is now either boarded up or vacant. This is now going on for almost 4 years as they are looking for extention # 13....
In traveling across the street you see more vacancy as Apicella now admits Shop and Stop is closing.
I say Show us your deal in writing with Target and supply the City Council with the phone # of the person @ Kohls who your lawyers are negotiating with.

The Journal News reports a 8.9% Tax Increase for 2010 being touted as the only solution to the economic woes New Rochelle is experiencing. Frankly there are many tax payers who feel that the City has yet to cut enough before coming for us once again.
I guess all those developer give aways and PILOTS doled out by Bramsons pals on the IDA are coming home to roost.
Strome is playing us all as he speaks of the large percentage and then the Council can wrangle it down to a mear 5% which is just a sham.
And the New Rochelle Democrats will still reElect these idiots. Lets Remember the Mayor and the Council voted themselves a heafty pay raise a couple of years back. They just voted around the hiring freeze to give their cronie Benny Giles 90K for a clerks position that could be done 2 days per week. The waste in New Rochelle is huge and it never occurs to start some major cutting. I hope the voters finally wake up in 2010 and vote Bramson and the rest of the Democratic hacks out. Nah won't happen open up the check books here it comes.

So its the Wife's Birthday and the kids want to mark the occasion with a dinner out.... Its a school night but a birthday is a birthday and we must celebrate.... Where to go? Same old places or add a bit of Special Quality to the celebration.

Since its my call and me picking up the check as usual I decide to retry "POSTO 22" on Division Street. Heading from the North I turn onto Division and there are no meter spots, and no valet parking as it is Thursday Evening. It should be noted Friday and Saturday they do have valet Park..
Okay a quick left into the Avalon 2 parking lot which would never be my first choice but what the heck how can this be a problem.

The dinner was great, the food was delicious and the service could not have been better. No pretention just good quality in decent surrounding all making me feel like I need to do this more often.( Venturing Downtown that is)
The bill comes its just shy of 200.00 and for a family of 5 that is not bad by today's standards and with the smile on the wife's face what could be bad.