The development team pitching the Veterans Memorial Center for the Performing Arts plan for the former armory on Echo Bay will be available to explain their idea to residents tonight.
The meeting will be in City Hall, 515 North Ave., but it is not an official city function.
It is a meeting of several neighborhood associations, which have invited the committee to make the presentation.
The Veterans Memorial plan is one of two rival proposals that the City Council is considering. The other, from a team called Good Profit, makes food its centerpiece, with a market selling local produce and other foods.
City Manager Charles Strome III had said it would not be fair for the city to allow one team to use the City Council chambers to pitch their plan. But the Veterans Memorial team is allowed because the members are being asked as guests of the neighborhood associations.
The Veterans Memorial team, made up of many of the same people who lobbied to save the 1931 brick building on E. Main Street when it might have been torn down for new development, has made a more aggressive pitch to court public opinion.
Leaders of the Good Profit team have said they have answered all the city officials’ questions about their plan, and that their proposal, which is available to the public, speaks for itself. (Although their plan has set the foodie scene abuzz because of its association with celebrity chef Jeremiah Tower.)
The two proposals have similar elements—restaurants, performance space, components for veterans’ services. The differences are in the focus and use of the main space under the building’s barrel-vaulted ceiling.
You can find both proposals on Mayor Noam Bramson’s website here.
And here’s the press release for tonight’s meeting:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Civic Associations to Discuss United Veterans/NR Opera/ Save Our Armory (SOA) Plan for New Rochelle Armory
NEW ROCHELLE, NY SEPTEMBER 18, 2012
Multiple local Civic/Neighborhood Associations will be conducting a Town Hall Meeting to discuss our Armory options. This month will be the NR United Veterans/NR Opera/SOA organization with a informational Power Point Presentation by members of the development team and the architectural firm. Q & A session to follow.
Local associations have requested and received the use of City Hall to view the presentation of the UVMPA/ NR Opera/ SOA proposal to the city issued RFP about the New Rochelle Armory. This is not a City Council meeting.
The meeting will take place in the City Hall Council Chambers at 7:30 This coming Tuesday September 18th 2012
The NR Veterans have answered the RFP with a Adaptive Reuse of OUR Armory on East Main Street. The Veterans along with Save Our Armory Group have teamed up with NR Opera and are purposing OUR Armory be used for The NR Veterans Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. Included in the proposal is a Veterans Memorial for the 300 War Dead, NR Citizens who were Killed In Action over the years in all conflicts and Wars and the New Rochelle 9/11 Memorial . The Armory will also have a revolving gallery to include,but not limited to Norman Rockwell,celebrated New Rochelle Illustrators, NR History and of course NR Military History. There will be restaurants over looking the sound and the main attraction, The Veterans Memorial Performing Arts Theatre,Studio and Schools. The arts will include performance,Dance,Visual and Instrumental.
This proposal is in full compliance with the State Mandated Covenants assigned to the land deed transfer when the City aquired the property from New York State for the price of 1 (one) Dollar.
John D’Alois
Save Our Armory Committee
