North Castle Schedules Hearing on Possible New Town Hall for Feb. 12
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North Castle officials agreed to open a public hearing next month on acquiring the property and building that has housed a high-powered law firm in downtown Armonk to serve as the next Town Hall.
The hearing on buying the building that has been the home of the Boies Schiller Flexner law firm at 333 Main St. through eminent domain will open on Wednesday, Feb. 12, the North Castle Town Board’s next scheduled meeting.
The board’s scheduling of the hearing came last Wednesday as it was disclosed that a recent appraisal of the property by Beckman Appraisals, Inc. of Tappan, N.Y. pegged the value of the building and the 2.9 acres that it sits on at $7 million as of Nov. 18.
Supervisor Joseph Rende said given the condition and inadequate space of the current Town Hall and annex on Bedford Road, along with having the Water & Sewer Department housed in temporary trailers for about 30 years, makes it an easy decision to explore.
“There are serious needs and I think we’re blessed to have this opportunity available to us, where it’s a building that’s already constructed and it’s going to require outfitting…to accommodate our needs, but I think that’s minimal compared to what it would cost us if we had to construct something (new),” Rende said. “It’s a wise decision. I think the information that we gather will be overwhelming and I ask everyone to keep an open mind as we move forward and not rush to judgment one way or another.”
Rende said that he also supports putting the question of acquisition to a public referendum because of the importance of the issue. He said he is highly confident a majority of residents will support the effort.
It is not yet known how much it would cost to complete the interior work to the more than 44,000-square-foot building in order to convert into a municipal building. The owner of record for the property is listed as BSF&F, LLC.
The town is pursuing eminent domain proceedings to ensure the process plays out in a timely fashion, not because of a contentious battle for the property.
At last week’s Town Board meeting, Rende and other officials described the deteriorating conditions in the outdated 76-year-old Town Hall at 15 Bedford Rd. along with the annex. Most notably, the police department has cramped quarters with inadequate facilities for officers to change into and out of uniform and experiences periodic flooding in the basement.
“We recognize that there’s many deficiencies currently in this building and the building in the back,” Rende said of the current Town Hall and annex. “When we realized that there was a possibility that 333 Main St. might be available to us and may be available to house all of the town operations under one roof, we felt that it was a prudent idea to investigate it further.”
Board members agreed that it was the right decision to begin scrutinizing the potential purchase of the Boies Schiller building.
Councilman Jose Berra said in addition to cost, the town must also determine how much space is needed for its offices and what it might do if there is excess space at 333 Main St.
“It is an opportunity but we have to be very prudent in considering this and considering the long-term needs of the town, and I think we have good professionals involved in this,” Berra said.
Since a 2007 study was completed, the town has been aware that its operations have had inadequate space, which has been in deteriorating condition, said Councilman Matt Milim.
“We need to get a lot of public feedback, and I agree, but my personal opinion is this is a once-in-a-lifetime situation, no-brainer opportunity and we would be silly not to pursue it aggressively,” Milim said.
While Councilwoman Barbara DiGiacinto agreed that pursuing the Boies building is the correct decision, the town should proceed with caution. She called for her colleagues to also undertake a parallel study in which the board analyzes its current facilities as a means of comparison. The board also should establish what it needs as opposed to what it wants.
In November, the board approved retaining Arconics Architecture and moving ahead with a feasibility study of the Boies building.
Board members indicated that the public hearing would run for at least two sessions to ensure robust feedback from residents.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/