New Vision For Whole City Block In County Seat

WHITE PLAINS, NY — One of Westchester County's biggest builders has a plan to rebuild a whole city block in downtown White Plains. Ginsburg Development Companies presented its idea for City Square Monday to the White Plains Common Council.

The plan is to take the block anchored on the northwest by the former Westchester Financial Center and make it a new mixed-use 'transit-oriented' development including office space, restaurants and retail.

That would create more people-friendly sidewalks on evenings and weekends than the current unattractive block of office buildings dotted with a few entrances to a parking garage.

But one amazing highlight wouldn't be open to the public: an almost one-acre landscaped roof deck on top of the property’s parking garage to be called City Park, accessible to people who work or live in the complex.

The project would be located southeast of the White Plains Metro-North Station.

GDC principal Martin Ginsburg purchased the 571,000-square-foot property, comprised of the 50 Main Street and 1-11 Martine office buildings, along with the over 1,000-car garage, in April of this year for $83 million.

He had earlier purchased The Metro, a 122-unit residential building at 37 South Lexington Avenue, which completes the block which would be called City Square.

The transformation of Westchester Financial Center into City Square would be the first development project under the area’s new Transit District Development Zone, designed to make the neighborhood near the train station more pedestrian friendly with new retail and restaurant offerings.

The station is currently undergoing a $92 million renovation by Metro-North Railroad.

“We are excited to be at the forefront in initiating this gateway project to the downtown. City Square will become a real mixed-use location in Westchester County for people to live, work, play and dine – all just steps from the new train station,” said Ginsburg.

At the Common Council meeting, GDC unveiled renderings of the redevelopment that shows a dramatic new entrance for the 50 Main Street office building featuring a dramatic sculpture and new retail and restaurant buildings fronting Main Street, South Lexington Avenue and Martine Avenue.

GDC is proposing a total of 19,540 square feet of new retail/restaurant space.

Upgrades to 50 Main Street would include an entire new amenity floor featuring a completely renovated cafeteria with outdoor dining, a fitness center, various meeting rooms, yoga/motion rooms, conference/assembly rooms, art gallery, exhibit area and a golf simulator.

The proposed 1 Martine residential conversion would create 188 rental apartments offering studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. Amenities in the building would include a Club Lounge with setback roof terrace, a fitness center and 24/7 Concierge Service.

An amenity that the entire complex would be able to enjoy is “City Square Park,” an almost one-acre landscaped roof deck that would sit on top of the property’s 1,033-space parking garage and will be accessible from all buildings.

This Central Park would feature a dramatic fountain with plentiful seating, a putting green, a BBQ Pavilion and a 2,000-step, 4-level walking path with landscaping and sculpture features.

“City Square Park is a unique feature that will become a favored spot for all of those who live and/or work at this special place,” concluded Ginsburg.

Ginsburg Development Companies has built many of the region’s luxury developments, many with a Hudson River and/or transit-friendly focus, including Harbors at Haverstraw, Livingston Ridge in Dobbs Ferry, Ichabod’s Landing in Sleepy Hollow, Mystic Pointe in Ossining, Marbury Corners in Pelham and Christie Place in Scarsdale.

Images:

Rendering of City Square/ Ginsberg Development

Map: Google Maps