Sound Shore

New Rochelle has a new planning director in its Department of Development. Eleanor Sharpe, who begins the job July 6, will oversee and conduct studies related to urban planning, planning review and land use and development issues.

Sharpe was hired at an annual salary of $102,357. She has 10 years of design and management experience with an emphasis on community planning and revitalization, according to he city. She worked for the Netter Center for Community Partnerships at the University of Pennsylvania in operations and external affairs. She was also commissioner on the Philadelphia Zoning Code Reform Commission, which oversaw the update and rewrite of the city’s zoning code.  Before that, Ms. Sharpe worked on master-plan development. urban design, and public outreach projects as a project manager for Gannett Fleming in Philadelphia.

According to her bio, Sharpe got her bachelor’s degree from Howard University in Washington D.C. and a master’s degree in city planning from University of Pennsylvania. She is certified as an accredited professional by the United States Green Building Council as a Leader in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED, AP). Sharpe succeeds Ed Lynch, who retired in May.

The Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble kicked off a summer-long exhibit with a benefit performance Saturday at the Museum of Arts & Culture in New Rochelle. The exhibit, “Harlem? Harlem! Dance Theatre of Harlem 1969-2010,” will be open to the public from June 21st through October 3rd.

New Rochelle resident Michael Armstrong, senior vice president and general manager of BET International, and his wife Lori Hall Armstrong hosted the opening event, which included a preview of the exhibit followed by a dance performance at the Linda Kelly Theatre. MAC describes the exhibit as a colorful mix of costumes, posters, programs, intimate photographs and video recordings to trace the history of the company, its renowned productions and cast of legendary dancers, fans and supporters.

The exhibit will be accompanied by a free film festival (offered in collaboration with the New Rochelle Public Library) of dance-themed movies Thursday nights in July and August at the Linda Kelly Theatre. All films will begin at 7:30 pm in the theater, which is located in the new wing of New Rochelle High School, at North Avenue and Braemar.  For more information visit the Museum of Arts & Culture on the web at www.dbmac.org.

Caption: Hosts Lori Hall Armstrong and Michael Armstrong with opera star Jessye Norman, a Dance Theatre of Harlem board member, at the Dance Theatre of Harlem benefit in New Rochelle.

Pelham’s Brick Park will get new decorative benches and lighting, plaza tables, new curbs and landscape improvements thanks to a $40,000 grant earmarked by the county Board of Legislators. The grant was announced by county Legislator Jim Maisano last week and funding comes from The Community Development Block Grant Program. Brick Park is slated to be re-dedicated to former Town Supervisor Joseph Trotta.

Westchester County developer Louis Cappelli and investment partner Entertainment Properties Trust have agreed to a complex land-swapping deal that shuffles ownership of two local retail and entertainment centers and a planned upstate resort and casino. As part of the deal, Cappelli hands over ownership of New Roc City in New Rochelle and takes over full ownership of City Center in White Plains. The partners also divided up property at a planned upstate resort and casino. The deal was part of a legal settlement announced Friday. For details, read the story here: Louis Cappelli and business partner announce land swap, loan-forgiveness deal

A Pelham dance studio is asking for community help to get the votes it needs to secure a $250,000 Pepsi Refresh grant. Ballet Arts and Centre Stage wants to use the grant to launch POP! The Performing Arts Outreach Project, a summer dance program for 100 at-risk youth. The six-week summer program would take place at Isaac Young Middle School in New Rochelle and feature mentoring, dance instruction and guidance.

The Purchase-based PepsiCo has picked a pool of applications for monthly grants and posted the ideas online. Ballet Arts is seeking one of two $250,000 grants. The public can vote once a day for the program, every day in June, by visiting the Pepsi Refresh Project page.

New Rochelle welcomed two Scouts to the rank of Eagle, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America. Frank DiCola and Peter Orphanides, both recent graduates of Iona Preparatory School and Xavier High School, respectively, received their awards Friday at an Eagle Court of Honor at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Troop 11’s chartering organization.

Westchester County Legislator Jim Maisano Maisano presented the Eagle Scouts with proclamations from the Westchester County Legislature congratulating them and declaring June 11th to be “Frank DiCola Day ” and “Peter Orphanides Day.”

To achieve Eagle Scout rank, Frank (pictured on the left) and Peter (on the right) earned 31 and 27 merit badges respectively by being leaders and community volunteers. Frank supervised the collection, packing and shipping of over 200 care packages for United States military service men and women stationed primarily in Iraq. Peter’s project involved painting and refurbishing parts of the St. Irene Daycare and Pre-school in Astoria, New York.  Both boys directed adults and Scouts of Troop 11 to complete the projects.

A statue, a cemetery, garden apartments and a middle school are three of the seven historic properties to be recognized today at 6 pm at the City of New Rochelle’s third annual Heritage Awards presentation, to be held at City Hall, Rotunda, 515 North Avenue. All were selected for their marks on the city’s historical and cultural heritage. Included this year are the Old Flandreau Cemetery, Cornell House, the Howard Ware House, the Jacob Leisler Statue,  Mahlstedt Lumber Company Building, Beauchamp Garden Apartments, and Isaac E. Young Junior High School.

The New Rochelle Farmers Market opens for the season at its new location on Friday. The market will be held every Friday through Nov. 19 at the Library Green Park at the corner of Huguenot and Lawton Streets from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. In addition to last years vendors, this season’s market will feature more fresh fruits and vegetables from Gajeski Produce of Riverhead, organic locally roasted nuts and nut butters from Tierra Farm from Valatie, and orchard fruit, herbs and potted plants from Wright Farm of Gardiner. Returning from last season will be Dagele Brothers Produce, Alex’s Tomato Farm and Bread Alone Bakery. For more information, visit www.communitymarkets.biz.

Daniel Grosso, a lifelong New Rochelle resident and devoted volunteer, died Sunday at age 95. Grosso was a retired New Haven Railroad employee who served in the Army during World War II.

He was known in the community for his tireless volunteerism with young people. One place where he left his mark was the Boys and Girls Club of New Rochelle, where he started volunteering in 1935. Grosso was also one of the founding fathers of New Rochelle’s Little League program, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2002. He attended St. Joseph’s Church and the Hugh Doyle Center for seniors.

For all his decades of hard work and dedication, Grosso told a reporter in 2004 that he was most proud of the memorial garden in front of the Feeney Park Boys and Girls Club – it was dedicated to his late wife Grace, who he said was his greatest inspiration. “My wife meant everything to me,” he said at a volunteer party in his honor in 2004. “She was my greatest.”

His wife, Grace Dunn, died in 2000. He is survived by his two sons: Dominic G. Grosso and Daniel J. Grosso Jr.; two grandchildren Lisa Marsico and Timothy Grosso NRPD; three great grandchildren Elizabeth, Benjamin and Laura.

Visiting hours are Tuesday 2-4 &  7-9PM at Lloyd Maxcy & Sons Beauchamp Chapel, 16 Shea Pl, New Rochelle. A Mass takes place Wednesday at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Church Church, with burial at Beechwoods Cemetery.

This Wednesday, hundreds of Pelham students will wear orange T-shirts and orange bracelets that read “Supporting Sammy” and will dance for Sammy Zweig, a kindergartner who was diagnosed with cancer in the fall. The dance festival begins at 1:30 pm and runs for approximately 40 minutes. After the celebration, the school district will present the Zweig family with donations from group totaling approximately $20,000.

Sammy has been adopted by the Danny Fund, a non-for-profit organization that emotionally and financially supports families who have a child with cancer. They are working hand in hand with our school community to support and assist Sammy and his family. EndFragment->