James G. Houlihan, a real estate industry veteran of 69 years, who served as president of the Bronx Board of Realtors and the New York State Association of Realtors, passed away at the age of 95 on March 2. Houlihan, a longtime resident of Bronxville, NY and Palm Beach, FL, started his first job in…
Read MoreNEW YORK—The Regional Plan Association released a report on Tuesday that put a hefty price tag—$16 billion—if the controversial Gateway Rail Tunnel project fails to secure the necessary financing to move forward. The RPA in its report entitled “A Preventable Crisis: The Economic and Human Costs of a Hudson River Rail Tunnel Shutdown” calculated that…
Read MoreNEW YORK—Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who have historically been at odds on a host of issues, agree on one thing—the Metropolitan Transportation Agency needs to be reformed. On Feb. 26, Cuomo and de Blasio released a 10-point plan to reform the MTA and to create sustained funding streams…
Read MoreNANUET—Nyack College has announced it will postpone the planned relocation of its undergraduate programs from its campus in Rockland County to Lower Manhattan until early 2020. In an announcement to students on the college’s website, Nyack College President Michael G. Scales stated that the college had delayed the planned relocation of its undergraduate program to…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—Simone Healthcare Development recently secured a resolution of intent from the Westchester County Industrial Development Agency to provide nearly $1.75 million in incentives for its $61-million plan to redevelop a vacant office building in Harrison into a pediatric care ambulatory facility for Montefiore Medical Center. Simone Healthcare, an affiliate of Simone Development Companies, plans…
Read MoreEditor’s Note: The following was the testimony given by John Ravitz, executive vice president and chief operating officer of The Business Council of Westchester, at a hearing of the New York State Public Service Commission at a hearing at the White Plains Library on Feb. 13. Good evening. My name is John Ravitz. I am…
Read More2018 was a solid year for real estate in the lower Hudson Valley. However, as the year progressed, we did experience slowly declining sales numbers. Whether this had to do with prospective purchasers having concerns about the SALT deduction limits is probably too early to tell, and we should have a better feel when we…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—In two separate hearings on Wednesday, county, city and business leaders bemoaned the potential economic impact of Con Edison’s moratorium on new natural gas connections for most of Westchester County scheduled to begin on March 15. Some described the current situation as “a full-blown crisis” with the potential to bring new commercial, multifamily and…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—ERA Insite Realty Services, a full service, family owned and operated residential real estate firm with offices in White Plains, Bronxville, Yonkers and Pleasantville, has reported that Meet the Sellers of the Bronx has merged with the White Plains based firm. Meet the Sellers was founded and owned by broker Irene Guanill Elukowich. Louis…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—GHP Office Realty, LLC, a division of Houlihan-Parnes Realtors, LLC, announced recently it has successfully completed the installation of 375 kW / 940 kWh of battery energy storage at its headquarters at 4 West Red Oak Lane here. This project represents one of the largest energy storage installations in a commercial building in New…
Read MorePORT CHESTER—Robison Energy, LLC is relocating its corporate headquarters from Elmsford to the Gateway Plaza office building in Port Chester. The long-term lease deal for approximately 11,000 square feet of space at Gateway Plaza (55 South Main St.) in Port Chester was announced by Jamie Schwartz, executive vice president of GHP Office Realty, LLC, an…
Read MoreNEW CITY—Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann announced on Feb. 4 the creation of the Clarkstown Business and Economic Development Advisory Committee that is now charged with developing a strategic, pro-growth plan for the town. The committee will focus initially on studying continued shifts occurring in the town’s vitally important retail sector and ways the town can…
Read MoreRYE BROOK—The Business Council of Westchester announced on Feb. 5 the winners of its prestigious Business Hall of Fame Awards, which recognizes Westchester’s top corporate leaders. The winners will be honored at the 2019 Business Hall of Fame Awards Dinner on Tuesday, April 30 at the Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle. The winners…
Read MoreRYE BROOK—Strong economic fundamentals in the U.S., the greater New York City area, and in Westchester County continue to drive a healthy commercial real estate market, according to a new fourth quarter report released recently by Houlihan Lawrence’s Commercial Group. “Widespread fears about the health of the economy have proven unfounded in the face of…
Read MoreGOSHEN—The developer who earlier this month signed a contract with Westchester County to build a more than $1-billion bioscience park in Valhalla, has proposed a$60-million plan to rid the Village of Goshen of a mostly vacant and blighted property. Fareri Associates of Greenwich, CT presented the Goshen Planning Board on Jan.22 a plan to redevelop…
Read MoreOn Jan. 15, Tappan Zee Constructors, the contractor for the new Tappan Zee Bridge (Mario M. Cuomo Bridge), lowered the 672-foot section of steel, using charges to deliberately fail vertical members supporting the span. Portions of the old east anchor span, currently above the water line, will remain visible as it is removed from the…
Read MoreWHITE PLAINS—The Hudson Valley residential sales market remained strong in 2018, despite lower sales due mainly to a lack of available inventory. In a report released earlier this month by the Hudson Gateway Multiple Listing Service, Inc., the overall five-county market serviced by HGMLS (Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam and Sullivan counties) saw a 2.6% decline…
Read MoreCENTRAL VALLEY—More than 250 Realtors, Affiliates, friends and family were on hand on Jan. 17 to celebrate the installation of former OCAR President and Realtor Ron Garafalo as 2019 President of the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors. In addition to Garafalo, sales manager with John J. Lease Realtors in Middletown, Renee Zurlo, regional manager with…
Read MoreOn Dec. 21, 2018, the federal government partially shutdown all non-essential services. At press time, this is now the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. As a result, some federal loan programs have been affected. The shutdown is also affecting conventional loans, causing delays and even cancellations of transactions. Real estate professionals should understand how…
Read MoreNYACK--- Hudson United Mortgage Services, LLC reported on Jan. 8 the firm is now accepting appointments for its Second Look Program, back by popular demand. Any prospective homebuyer is encouraged to meet with a Hudson United Mortgage loan officer once they have received a mortgage estimate from another lender to receive competitive rates and discuss…
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