I suppose I should have blogged earlier about an article published last month, but when the subject property has been vacant since 1966 it seems only right. IN my experience, the most enigmatic downtown area in all of Westchester County is that of my own hometown of Ossining, NY. It has been punctuated by old, derelict and vacant buildings since before I was born, and no local administration has been able to make a difference.
However, this story in the Times gives me some hope. The old Ossining National Bank building, vacant since 1966, is being converted into condominiums and retail. Given the historic nature of the building and the restrictions on its renovation, it was problematic to complete work on. 43 years hard, I guess. One wonders how every single other downtown in affluent Westchester County is able to pull it off when Ossining could not.
Still, I welcome the development and hope that it is the start of more improvements to a once proud downtown in a village that is close to my heart.
- J. Philip Faranda, Broker-owner, J. Philip Real Estate, LLC. 2010 Vice President, Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.
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When this retail/condo is complete, maybe we come up to visit and shop a little!
By all means. But don't wait until the entire downtown is put together, it might be a long time.
When it takes THAT long, it's not for any lack of good plans, ideas, resources and manpower, but a lack of management & negotiation, and unwillingness to go beyond politics. Whoever the developers & governing officials were that have tried to tackle this small area for decades, an area which by the way is steeped in history, close to the Metro-North station & a great waterfront location by the Hudson -- an area truly ripe with potential!! -- they have just been unable to overcome whatever politics and logistics were in the way at the time and gotten mired in "the process", losing sight of the outcome.