The Hubris Syndrome By Hezi Aris

“Madness in great ones must not unwatch’d go,” Claudius tells Polonius in Hamlet. When leaders are consumed by a kind of madness, a lion tamer is likely to have as much success, as any other professional, in dealing with our elected officials from hell. And watched we did. Slogging through a Yonkers Real Estate Committee Meeting in which AKRF, consultants hired on behalf of the Yonkers City Council, revealed issues and possible concerns of incongruity in the DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact Statement) of the combined projects known as Palisades Point, Cacace Center, River Park Center, and Larkin Plaza, of the SFC Yonkers Phase I development program cited in the two-foot plus thick loose-leaf bound paper documentation. The information discussed was deciphered under seven contiguous issues which will be discussed another time. The “hubris syndrome” was revealed when discussing the daylighting of the Saw Mill River. Inferences were expressed; incredulity became the response.

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The New Main Street Land Development Corporation took center stage. This land development corporation, was created for the purpose of having $24 million in New York State funds specifically designated for initially “daylighting the Nepperhan River from the Hudson River shoreline along the Nepperhan River through Larkin Plaza and Chicken Island.” The concept for daylighting the Nepperhan River was the brainchild of former NYS Governor George Pataki whose concept was shepherded with accolades and support from Senator Joseph Bruno, and then Senator Nick Spano. When former Senator Nick Spano lost his incumbency to Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Senator Bruno bristled, putting the kibosh on the funding, as was first divulged in the Yonkers Tribune. Since that time, Joe Apicella, Executive Vice President of Cappelli Enterprises, and Project Director of SFC Yonkers, has repeatedly stated that the daylighting component is integral to Phase 1. It is a necessary financial aspect, without which SFC Yonkers has oftentimes threatened to depart the scene were it not acquisitioned, as it lends itself to the aesthetic demeanor of the project, as well as the tourist attraction it is meant to exude for all who visit it.

Yet the New Main Street Land Development Corporation, upon which sit a Board of Directors comprised of William Regan, Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the Board, Chuck Lesnick, President of the Yonkers City Council, Patricia McDow, Yonkers City Councilmember, Dennis Lynch, Esq., and Michael Spicer, President of St. Joseph’s Medical Center, has now revealed that its purpose is to purchase property about and within the Phase 1 footprint; strongly suggesting that it would incorporate the use of eminent domain law to get property toward the construction of the SFC Yonkers Project. In so doing, the New Main Street Land Development Corporation relieves all options to buy agreements among the developers and present owners of parcels of land within the SFC Yonkers Phase 1 development sites for other uses. The future prospect for conflict of interest in having both Lesnick and McDow sitting on the New Main Street Land Development Corporation and still having a right to vote over approval or disapproval of the SFC Yonkers Project caused both Councilmembers Dee Barbato and John Murtagh to rail.

After deliberations past 10:00 pm Tuesday evening, May 6, 2008, News 12 Westchester revealed that Bill Struever, of the development triumviate Struever, Fidelco, Cappelli is interested in the Glenwood Power Station, upon which Erik Kaiser, Chairman of REMI Companies, removed his firm from a four-year plus option to buy the property from owner Mr. Cappellino. When Kaiser relinquished his hold on developing the property, Robert MacFarlane, President and CEO of Homes for America Housing expressed interest in purchasing the property. During the Christmas 2007 time frame, Cappellino was asking $12 million for sale of the property. The evident animosity exacted upon Homes for America Housing by City Hall has become clear. Another circumstance first revealed in the virtual pages of Yonkers Tribune.

It seems that Kenneth Cappellino has been cited by John Meyer, Yonkers Building Commissioner for infractions regarding not securing the property from outsiders. The allegations for not securing the property came to light when Jim Bostick, of the Nepperhan Community Center advised Yonkers Councilmember Pat McDow of crowds of upwards of one-hundred young people having used the Glenwood Power Station property as a venue for gang initiation and other conduct that alarmed the community’s sensibilities. That revelation, among others, seemingly focused Commissioner Meyer's  attention toward the facility. After inspection, Cappellino was cited with infractions for which he must return to court mid May in response to those citations. Should remedy to the infractions not be completed to the court’s satisfaction, City Hall is at the ready to reduce the claimed precarious smokestack structures set upon the property to the ground with the use of bulldozers. Councilmember McDow, at a hearing among community members, YPD gang unit task force members, Police Commissioner Edmund Hartnett, Building Commissioner John Meyers, Councilmember Dee Barbato, Councilmember John Murtagh (who departed earlier to attend to other responsibilities), City Council President Chuck Lesnick, and Kenneth Cappellino, admonished Cappellino to conclude securing the building by his admitted time frame of two-weeks or come under the threat of the use of the eminent domain law. The very use of the term “eminent domain law” had Lesnick say that he would fast-track the property stalled in stasis before the Landmark Board  for over three-years time.

Cappellino obstinately deflected any and all attempts by Councilmember Barbato to distill how and when the issues cited against the property owner would be relieved. Cappellino instead wanted to drive home his concept that there was no way in securing the abandoned property. He suggested the only solution was development to occur. Barbato shot back that his suggestion, while pragmatic, was too far off in the distance to relieve the community’s concerns today.

Cappellino admitted to having visible access points for intruders to enter the edifice that are as large and as wide as to allow a minivan to drive through, particularly on the side of the building abutting the Hudson River. Considering he could not tell the panel at the table that he could remedy the lack of security of the building within a specific timeframe, when News 12 Westchester claimed to have gone to the property that evening that showed the property secured with new padlocks, did that prove the property was truly secured or did he hoodwink News 12 Westchester. If he didn’t hoodwink News 12 Westchester was he toying with the panel at the Yonkers Ceremonial Courtroom earlier that night? What part of his behavior is believable? Why the obfuscated, disrespectful, and condescending tone taken by Mr. Cappellino? What’s his game plan?

Cappellino will come before the court mid-May. It will be up to the court to decide how to proceed.

What has become evident over these short months is that a former “friend” of City Hall’s “family and friends network” has been kicked out of the inner circle, harassed by Building Department citations, deadlines, community uproar, Yonkers City Council inquiry, Yonkers Police Department oversight, judicial review, time restrictions, and potential loss of property by the use of eminent domain law. A far cry from the alleged sweet deal of many decades in which taxes were relieved in his favor and detrimentally against the benefit of the City of Yonkers.

Such is the “madness” among leaders in name or reality. And so it was that revelations would unfurl in the telling by hubris syndrome sufferers, unique individuals, who exhibit a narcissistic propensity to see the world primarily as an arena in which they can exercise power and seek glory; a disproportionate concern with image and presentation; a messianic manner of talking about what they are doing and a tendency of exaltation; excessive confidence in their own judgment and contempt for the advise or criticism of others; unshakeable belief that in the court of history, or G_d, they will be vindicated; restlessness, recklessness and impulsiveness.

How unlike the meek and unassuming newspaper editorial writer… but, acid-tongued bloggers already know that.

Comments

Apparently Streuver had a Yonkers moment when he saw the PowerPlant on a cruise up the river. I wonder was the sewer main leak point shown to him???

This like every other story they tell is unbelievable. Streuver contemplating a huge development in Yonkers never saw the powerstation. Hey look out of any north facing windo at City Haul, and there they are the two stacks.

Theatre glasses not needed.

Good story Hezi.

“Madness in great ones must not unwatch’d go,” Claudius tells Polonius in Hamlet. Great quote....

Hezi, no posts today?

Is all of City Haul attending business week functions this week to make it look busy and full??????????

Ah! that's why. They are on what insiders call Business Week Vacation.

McDow reported a trespasser the other day to the YPD on that property.

Hezi and all,

If there's one thing the building commissioner can't stand it's unsecured buildings, since that's what led to the massive fires in 2003 where people died and over 500 people were homeless. I was in the core group (as a citizen activist) who helped the city get back on it's feet. He had been after these property owners to secure their buildings since he was afraid of just such a mishap. And he's always pushing that concern. Building owners just up and leave their property to be so derelict that these things can happen. So, that would be why there's "no love lost" between this power plant owner and city leaders who've seen the worst happen to innocent people when owners don't secure their property but continue to make deals. There's no excuse for them to leave it exposed and vulnerable like that, causing the taxpayers to foot the bill to lock it up against tresspass. We don't need anyone to die there to get a clue as to the owner's endangering negligence.

Quit with the fear mongering. If you are trespassing on somebody else's property it's not the owners fault. You are breaking the law.

This whole story has many more sides to the tale. And all of these sides will eventually trickle out.

Might as well get the names right in the story. It's John Meyer, not Meyers, and Bill Regan, not Reagan.

The $24 million for daylighting money. That's all still confusing. They must or better have a good explanation for why they're doing what they could be doing. If they're even doing it.

Cappellino is on News 12 tonight showing off all the new security and safety measures he says he has now taken.

More of a smoke screen. Who cares what is on SNOOZE. They are irrelevant.

Fixing typos...it is "Bill Struever" (not "Bob").

In Lesnick's e-blast he says: "...riding in the NY Water Taxi from Yonkers to lower Manhattan and back with a group of business leaders including Providence, Rhode Island Mayor David Cicilline and Bill Struever from Struever, Fidelco, Cappelli.

As we passed the abandoned Glenwood Power Station a conversation about adaptive re-use of the building ensued, with Bill expressing enthusiasm for this magical place.

Later, he repeated these comments on News 12 who had been running a story about the recent gang activity at the so- called "Gates of Hell."

Bill joins a list of four or five developers who have expressed interested in purchasing and reusing the building, making it less likely that the City would ever consider demolishing the site, as was proposed in the preliminary generic draft environmental impact statement for the Alexander St. corridor.

There will be a meeting on Wednesday, May 14 of the Community Services Committee at 5:30 pm to discuss recent security measures requested of the current owner of the Glenwood Power Station and his plan for the future."

Lesnick also states in his e-blast: "With the recent Council vote to landmark Philipse Manor Historic District while at the same time working toward allowing the Greyston Foundation to build workforce housing on the site that they own, it was appropriate that the NYS Association of Affordable Housing invited me to join a panel on Strengthening Communities: A Focus on Historic Preservation and Affordable Housing from 3:15-4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel, 1535 Broadway in New York City.

This is part of a full-day conference which will be attended by Governor David A. Paterson, NYS DHCR Commissioner Deborah VanAmerongen, NYS HFA/SONYMA President and CEO Priscilla Almodovar, NYC HPD Commissioner Shaun Donovan, NYC Housing Development Corporation President Marc Jahr and close to 1,200 others.

The panel will explore the challenges and opportunities associated with the rehabilitation of historic properties for affordable housing. We will showcase successful projects, explore the financial incentives available, and discuss other tools that encourage the development of affordable housing as part of historic renovations and strengthening communities.

Moderator: Lorrie Pizzola, Deputy Commissioner, NYS DHCR. Panelists: Hon. Chuck Lesnick, President, Yonkers City Council President; Richard Libbey, Atlantic Beach Associates & PKRML and Associates; Ruth Pierpont, Director of the Field Services Bureau, NYS Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation.

If anyone would like to attend, please call 718- 432- 2100."

Streuver did a great job with the power plant in the Baltimore Harbor, turning it into a Barnes and Nobl and a Golds gym.

11:40 and 11:42 is something from Lesnick's press secretary, Laura. I'm tired of tax payers money being used to promote Lesnick. It's always about Lesnick-goes-to-city-hall. Lesnick-was-here, Lesnick-was-there. And taxpayers have to foot that bill. Not worth it one bit. When there are other important issues or events that can be covered, they do a miserable job of it, if at all.

I would like to know how much his newsletters are costing the taxpayers.

This is the worst example of self promoting from someone who has hired more people than previous council presidents and he ran as a watchdog to the taxpayers money.

What a huge disappointment!

Looking for budget cuts? Don't forget Lesnick's office and spending.

[Penny]

so.. the press secretary should not be reporting on what the City Council Leader is up to? I think the folks in Yonkers like knowing what their Council President, their City Council is up to. At the same time, it highlights the local events and the community based organizations that are doing beneficial things in the city.
Its called being Proactive- not reactive, a full time Simpson job.
What a difference in Lesnick's work since he brought this new woman, Laura on.
From the last post, what should a press secretary do? sit back, smoke cigarettes, and talk about politics? Or maybe they should just blog all day?

Its important to note, that I don't read all of Lesnick's Email Blasts but at least I know what is going on in the city as opposed to the Amicone's recycled and tired Business Week Extravaganza...and the air of secrecy of information and hack government politics.

[Penny]

so.. the press secretary should not be reporting on what the City Council Leader is up to? I think the folks in Yonkers like knowing what their Council President, their City Council is up to. At the same time, it highlights the local events and the community based organizations that are doing beneficial things in the city.
Its called being Proactive- not reactive, a full time Simpson job.
What a difference in Lesnick's work since he brought this new woman, Laura on.
From the last post, what should a press secretary do? sit back, smoke cigarettes, and talk about politics? Or maybe they should just blog all day?

Its important to note, that I don't read all of Lesnick's Email Blasts but at least I know what is going on in the city as opposed to the Amicone's recycled and tired Business Week Extravaganza...and the air of secrecy of information and hack government politics.

Excuse me, but maybe you haven't noticed that his email blasts don't come from his city email ID - translation, it is from a private domain and not an official email. The question is, why is someone on his staff developing the content on city time and on the city payroll?????

OOPs..sorry, but they do come from city ID. He must have changed since they never did before.

I am not talking about his email blasts though someone above emntioned a good point about using city hall staff to produce it on city taxpayer time.

I am talking about his newsletter that he mailed out -- how much did this cost the taxpayers?

Almost everyone who pays attention knows Lesnick is 90% about promoting Lesnick. The other 10% covers the useful information he sends out.

Misspelled names, hubris
I start to understand Hezi's humor

And don't forget that the mayor is the silent partner owner of about 40% of the downtown property being developed.

Prove your accusations about the Mayor owning 40% of the property downtown

Your people are ridiculous -- you think it is fact just because you say it.

How about you prove it. That old saying "put up or shut up" should be applied
to you--