As The Latest Tower Nears Approval, Neighbors Will Rally To Fight

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — In the window of one of the city's most iconic small businesses, among the boxing memorabilia and historic black and white photographs of the Queen City on the Sound, is a poster-sized placard declaring, simply, "Enough is Enough."

Co-chair of "New Rochelle: Enough is Enough," Shaun Wayawotzki is making the rounds to let neighbors and small businesses in the community know about an upcoming rally and a planning commission meeting centered around highlighting a growing opposition to plans for new construction projects.

In particular, the group wants to bring attention to plans for a residential 28-story building that is soon to be green-lit in a historic section of the city near Main Street.

The owner of Champs Boxing Club, Ryan O'Leary, offers his support, but the boxing coach with a reputation for challenging those he expects the most from leans in with a tough question.

"Is this actually something we can stop, or has the decision already been made, and it's gonna happen, no matter what people want?" O'Leary asks.

The question is friendly, but Wayawotzki winces ever so slightly, and considers his answer.

"I honestly don't know what our chance of success is," he admits with a subtle shrug. "But I know that if we don't do everything we can right now, then that chance of success is zero percent."

The grassroots group will gather on the corner of Main Street and Centre Avenue at 5:30 p.m. on Monday to shine a light on plans for a new high-rise at that location. The organizers are also urging the community to attend the planning commission meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

While the group's immediate focus is on getting officials to consider the impact of the proposed tower at Centre Ave and Main Street, Wayawotzki warns that there are many other massive projects in the pipeline that deserve more consideration before being approved.

"The redevelopment plan has been in place for nearly 10 years, and it has not delivered on its promises to the citizens of downtown," Wayawotzki explained. "It's time to pivot to a more measured, community-centric plan, not add more buildings."

Wayawotzki said that he was initially very much in favor of plans to revitalize the downtown corridor, but as high-rise after high-rise changed the cityscape, promises of retail revitalization and plans for green space never materialized.

Jim Killoran, a member of the National Main Street Historical Trust, and the Co-Chair of "New Rochelle: Enough is Enough," said that there has been a shift in public sentiment as the striking gulf between the promises made when the ambitious development plan was unveiled and the actual results have become clear in the ensuing decade.

"We have seen the monstrous buildings come in like a giant Pac Man, eating up retail, like The Curtain Shop, and Talners," Killoran said. "There's empty stores, no green space, and quality of life going downhill. The construction is harrowing for residents and businesses. Enough is enough."

An earlier version of this article incorrectly listed the time of the planned "New Rochelle: Enough is Enough" rally on Monday as 5 p.m. The story has been updated to reflect that the rally is planned for 5:30 p.m. on Monday.