Westcott East Neighborhood Association July 11, 2011 DRAFT Meeting minutes NEXT MEETING: Monday, Aug. 8, 2011 5:30-6:30: WENA board members met with UNPA and University Hill Realty representatives to learn more about their proposals for the former Jewish War Veterans building. Board members present: Starke Donnelly, Barbara Humphrey, Grace McNamara , Charles Tremper, Damian Vallelonga, Marilyn Zaleon. Guests: University Hill Realty: Norman Roth UNPA: David Michel, Eric Greenfeld Syracuse Common Council: Nader Maroun 5th district councilor Current status: the building is still owned by ENIP, which still has one board member. The property, which includes the structure and an adjacent vacant lot, has been vacant for 20+ years and is tax delinquent. The property is located wtihin the Syracuse Urban Renewal area and there is no process for vetting projects outside the area at this time. Therefore, the City’s standard procedures would apply for disposal of tax delinquent property: individuals may make a purchase offer, which triggers an appraisal, and the city can seize the property for back taxes after notifying the owner and the county. The Common Council must approval a sale before it is finalized, and would make a decision to sell the property after weighing the proposal(s). The city has a vested interest in making sure proposals are successful. All agree there should be an open process, but details are not in place. The University Neighborhood Preservation Association (UNPA) Proposal Dave Michel and Eric Greenfield presented the UNPA proposal. UNPA has deemed this a priority project because of the property’s prominence. UNPA is proposing redevelopment into four condominium units and preliminary plans were provided. The UNPA board approved $200,000 toward redevelopment ($50,000 per unit). UNPA recently submitted a purchase offer to the city to purchase the building and adjacent lot. UNPA has estimated a total development cost of $1.1 million. UNPA has received tentative approval for a $200,000 loan from the Preservation Association of New York toward redevelopment of the exterior and the agency is seeking to partner with a developer and to secure additional funding. Condominium sale prices range from $125,000 to $200,000. The agency will seek preservation tax credits to pass on to future buyers. UNPA will require that units must be owned occupied until their write-down of $50,000/unit is discharged (generally 10 years). UNPA estimated the redevelopment would take one year from start to finish. Parking was not discussed, but UNPA suggested splitting the empty lot between the two adjoining buildings to provide parking for both. The University Hill Realty (UHR) Proposal Norman Roth presented the UHR plan to convert the house into 9 apartments, a mix of 1- and 2-bedroom units, renting between $500 and $700 per month. The basement would house an apartment for an onsite building manager. No changes would be made to the exterior of the house and details concerning windows and other upgrades would need to be worked out with the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation’s State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). The empty lot would become a screened off parking lot for 20 cars with access from both East Genesee and Westcott Streets (there is a curb cut on E. Genesee at this time). A mortgage of $500,000 would be secured and historic tax credits would be sold to the lending institution holding the mortgage to reduce the mortgage. Development costs above $500,000 would be an inkind donation from UHR via its paid workers providing labor to the project. A 24-month timetable was estimated. UHR has a verbal commitment for financing, but has not yet submitted a purchase offer. At 6:30, Barbara called the regular WENA meeting to order. Persons registering as in attendance: WENA Board: Naomi Burt, Starke Donnelly, Barbara Humphrey, Alice Honig, Grace McNamara , Doug Roth, Charles Tremper, Damian Vallelonga, Paul Walsh, Marilyn Zaleon. WENA members and guests: Officer Bruno Daniele (SPD), Kate Hammer (SU), Marie Lang, Nader Maroun (5th District Councilor), Francesca Pignoni, Norman Roth, Lindsay Speicher, John A. Young (Commander, Dunbar Post American Legion) 1. Welcome and introductions (no news please) 2. Presentation of June 13, 2011 minutes for approval: Barbara Humphrey Starke moved and Damian seconded their approval; passed unanimously. 3. Financial Report: Starke Donnally Starke reported $1618.51 available in the WENA account after approved donations to Petit Reading Program and Westcott Fair were subtracted from the bank balance. 4. Police storefront update: Officer Daniele reported that, except for a fire set in a van near the former Jewish Community Center, things had been quiet in the area. Barbara mentioned a concern with unlicensed, motorized scooters on the sidewalk and road on Westcott Street, and will keep an eye on the people involved. It was agreed that the absence of crime to report was very good news for the neighborhood. 5. Program/Outreach initiatives a. Networking with Other Neighborhood Organizations and the City i. WCC Newsletter Insert: Barbara will prepare something for the August newsletter, highlighting the Sept. 10 garage sale, Westcott Business District and bike rack/public spaces updates, and more. She said she will do the layout but asked key people to get her copy. Deadline is 7/22. ii. Westcott Leadership Roundtable (WLR): next meeting is July 28. iii. UNPA housing plan: No report. b. Westcott Business Update: i. Taste of India will open with a party for the neighborhood once their kitchen is complete. ii. Leases will be signed for the former 7-Rays: no details. iii. A fee-based after school tutoring program will open in the former H&R Block office; fees based on family income; licensed NYS teachers will be involved. 6. Old/New Business a. CampusLifeNow.com: At the end of the meeting, Paul Walsh demonstrated the site intended to provide a vehicle for online neighborhood networking. Participation on the site is free for non-profits and individuals and for now, businesses as well. The site links to Facebook and can be browsed by non-members. Paul will send instructions, and urged everyone to join and “like” WENA. b. Garage sale: The date has been set as September 10, and a planning meeting will be scheduled. The sale will be held on A-OK weekend, and Barbara will register the sale with A-OK. A-OK is an initiative of Women Transcending Boundaries (WTB), a group formed by women after the 9/11 attacks to bring people of different cultures and religious together. The New York Times will be coming to Syracuse in a few weeks to interview WTB representatives and those representing selected projects from last year. This will be the second year of A-OK in Syracuse. c. UNSAAC update i. Merchant Association: $2,500. Doug Roth has been meeting with merchants and ideas on how to get started have been shared. Amount approved is half of what was requested. ii. Historic Walking Tours: $5,000. Barbara reported Sam Gruber has begun work. iii. Harvard Community Garden: $4,500. No report. d. Retreat follow up: No report e. Snow removal: Kate reported an RFP will go out to 6 contractors and that one would be selected by mid-August. Property owners on the blocks on the route will be notified by September. The program will cover parts of Westcott, Euclid, Broad, and Lancaster, providing routes to Ed Smith School and the SU campus. The will be no charge to the property owners on the street. f. Gifford Foundation “What if” mini grants: No report. g. Bike rack and public spaces projects: Bike rack to be installed near Mom’s/Recess. The “knoll” project has been slower moving. The 3-way stop sign at the S. Beech/Westcott intersection won’t be installed until 2012. h. Syracuse First: Damian strongly urged that WENA join; decision deferred until September when there will be a better sense of WENA’s finances and whether the garage sale produced any revenue. i. I-81 challenge: No report j. Syracuse Stories: July 30 in Everson Plaza. It is hoped that people will step forward with neighborhood stories, as well as tales of Lee Alexander’s time as mayor, which was a unique time in the life of the city. k. Remembrance Place: proposal to plant a type of shrub throughout the neighborhood (such of the rose of Sharon), or, to purchase bricks in a designated space at Petit, which helps the Library were discussed. WENA board members preferred purchasing bricks at the library and we will ask Marilyn Smith to show us the space she has in mind. 10. Announcements and good news a. Second meeting to solicit interest in a neighborhood watch will be held at Petit, July 14. b. Weeding Day in Thornden Park: meet at the Madison St. entrance, July 12, at 8:30 a.m. 11. Upcoming Events: a. Mayor in Barry Park/Erwin Church, Tuesday, Aug. 2, 6:30 pm b. Eastside TNT: Tuesday, Aug. 9, 6 pm, Nottingham High School c. TNT Citywide Neighborhood Summit, LeMoyne College, Oct. 22.