Talk of the Sound has determined that City of New Rochelle building officials improperly approved Certificates of Occupancy for the mixed-use development built at 179 East Main Street by Bob Young Companies in 2006. The development, Huguenot Hills, is located between Main Street and Old Boston Post Road across the street from the road that leads to Five Islands Park. The development appears to violate local, County and State building codes related to plumbing and drainage as well as requirements that no modifications are made to previously approved building plans without written approval.






The developer failed to install a required system of gutters and leaders or downspouts on Building A, Building B and much of Building C as required under the plan approved by the City of New Rochelle.

Who is in charge of the maintenance of the Trinity Elementary School fields? Is it the city of New Rochelle or the New Rochelle School District Buildings and Grounds? City Council? BOE?

Who can a person call? Email? Write a letter? Ask? To fix these fields?

Con Edison, aware that the wires in front of Huguenot Hills were becoming an issue based on reports on Talk of the Sound, arrived this morning to move a transformer that may have been just a bit too close to the building. Not wanting to risk the fallout if the transformer exploded so close to the Huguenot Hills building.

Talk of the Sound had not one but three contributors who came upon the seen today and made a report or took photos. You know who you are. Thanks folks and remember if you see something, say something...or at least pull out your cellphone and take some pictures.

In dueling press releases, the Republican and Democratic Parties of New Rochelle yesterday offered two very different ideas on how to best serve the needs of District 3. The Republicans have called for a Special Meeting of the City Council to appoint former County Legislator and Board of Education President Pearl Quarles to immediately fill the seat with the understanding that Quarles will not run in any elections in 2010 or 2011. The Democrats have proposed waiting until after a winner is declared in the District 3 Special Election scheduled for November 2nd and then appointing the winner to immediately fill the seat.

The City Charter gives the City Council the authority to immediately appoint a successor in the event a seat on the Council is vacated.

Democratic Party Press Release

NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The Democrats on the New Rochelle City Council – Mayor Noam Bramson, Council Member Barry Fertel and Council Member Marianne Sussman – today issued the following joint statement concerning the vacancy in Council District Three:

Jim Stowe’ s sudden and tragic passing has set in motion a process defined under both the New Rochelle City Charter and New York State Public Officers Law for choosing a new Council representative in District Three.

We believe strongly that this critical choice should be made directly by the people of the Third District through their votes in a special election on November 2nd, and that the Council should not impose its will on District Three residents by making any appointment prior to the election.