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WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. - County Executive Rob Astorino's veto of a 10-year lease agreement for the operation of a Playland children's museum was overridden Wednesday night by a unanimous vote from the Westchester County Board of Legislators.
The vote took place at a special Board meeting with bi-partisan support. The bill was approved unanimously on Aug. 8.
“This lease reaffirms the continuing resurgence of Playland as both an important family destination and strong economic engine for the residents of Westchester,” Board Chairman Ken Jenkins (D-Yonkers) said. “Because it such a real 'win-win' situation for the people of Westchester. I am extremely glad that it has been passed by my colleagues on the Board, and now I strongly urge the County Executive to give it his approval.”
The lease allows the Westchester Children's Museum to occupy about 21,390 square feet of a space formerly dedicated to the men's bathhouse on the Playland boardwalk. It will make $6,441,300 in renovations in exchange for a yearly rent of one dollar.
“The reuse of a portion of the Playland bathhouse as a children's museum is consistent with the family- oriented concept and mission of this wonderful County resource,” Majority Whip Judy Myers (D-Larchmont) said, who sponsored the lease bill in the Budget & Appropriations Committee. “The museum will serve as another attraction at Playland during the summer months and will bring visitors out through the rest of the year as well.”
More than 870,000 children under 11 years of age live within a 15-mile driving radius of the future museum site at Playland Park in Rye, Myers said.
“This will be a great educational and recreational resource for kids and families in the region,” said Legislator William Ryan (D-White Plains), chairman of the Board's Committee on Public Works, Parks, Labor & Transportation. “The additional revenue the museum will bring to the County is an added benefit."
Under the lease agreement, the Westchester Children's Museum will be responsible for making capital improvements to the bathhouse, all of which will be subject to the approval of the Westchester Department of County Parks, Recreation and Conservation, along with the Department of Public Works because of the Playland's National Historic Landmark designation.
If the museum is not open a year after signing the lease, the property reverts back to Parkland.
All of the parking fees collected for visitors to the museum will go into the County's coffers.
To date, the Children's Museum has raised more than $8 million for the project. Tracy Kay from the museum said she expects to have 198,000 visitors per year and 50,000 cars over the course of a year.
What do you think of the decision? Let us know in the comments below.
E-mail reporter Phil Corso at PCorso@MainStreetConnect.us.
Comments (2)
Sometimes the politicians on Westchester County Board of Legislators are called upon to make a decision that may appear to be difficult. The vote regarding the Playland Children's Museum was one of those votes. Unfortunately too often we see politicians do the political thing and not make the difficult decision.
The Board of Legislators voted unanimously to grant a $1 a year lease for 10 years to the proponents of the Children's Museum in exchange for millions of repairs to the Playland Bathhouse. On the surface, it would be easy to say that Westchester County is getting a great deal. I, for one, typically like opportunities that will grow the economic base of Westchester.
My question however is how does this project fit into the future plans of the multi-million dollar losing Playland Amusement Park. There is a study underway which intends to make recommendations as to improving the long-term financial viability of the park’s operations. I find it hard to believe that a 10 year lease for this museum at this time without a master plan in hand does not limit the County's options.
It appears that the Children's Museum group is well-financed and influential, making it difficult for politicians to say no. Remember the Nonna-Spano affordable housing settlement that was supposed to be another no lose proposition for Westchester County with the costs capped at $52 million. Staring at a $95 million bill right now, that really hasn't quite panned out like they thought it would has it?
On this vote, I would have had to vote no, even if I was to be the only one. I am not a politician and I am going to vote what is best for the taxpayers of Westchester in the long run and not what's likely to get me reelected.
www.smithforlegislator.com
What I don't understand is the refusal of County Exec Astorino to elaborate on his decision to veto the lease in the first place. It appears purely political on his behalf to come out with a statement that this is not an efficient use of what is basically public property without backing up the statement with hard economic facts.