Mayor Proposes $17.5 Million Makeover for Lyons Place Garage

White Plains Mayor Tom Roach is looking to purchase and renovate the Lyons Place garage with a $17.5 million bond that the White Plains Common Council will vote on Monday.

The garage, currently owned by , has been shut down since June 2010 due to poor condition from lack of maintenance.

"The closure of the Lyon Place garage has been a hardship on the businesses in the area, most of which are small, mom and pop establishments whose businesses depend on the availability of parking,” said Roach, in a press release.

According to The Daily White Plains, storeowners whose establishments are near the parking lot say they have lost a significant amount of business since the lot closed, and are pleased the lot will open again. Click here to read The Daily White Plains’ story.

“One of my first priorities upon taking office was to address this issue in order to provide relief for these businesses so that they can continue to thrive in White Plains as well as to provide a clean, safe, and modern garage for shoppers and diners,” said Roach.

The 5-story parking garage, located at Lyon Place and Waller Avenue, is 45-year-old. The City has leased the first two floors of the lot for $0 since 1983, the lease expires in 2062. The garage has a total of 466 spaces.

The City is proposing to have the ownership transferred to the City for $0, so the City can demolish it and erect a new 7-8-story garage within its current footprint. The garage will have a total of 650 spaces. The Esplanade will be able to use 160 spaces in the new garage on two floors, and will share in the garage’s operating expenses. 

According to The Journal News, the new garage design will have an “edgier” more attractive look, that may include components like solar panels for lighting and charging stations for electric vehicles. The City would take out a $17.5 million bond for demolition and construction, to be voted on at the April 2 White Plains Common Council meeting. The bond would be paid off within 20 years, according to The Journal News.

“The construction of a new garage on the existing site will also be an important part of my efforts to revitalize our Post Road Corridor, an important gateway into the City and retail thoroughfare,” said Roach.

What do you think of the plans for a new Lyons Place garage? Take our poll and tell us in the comments.

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