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Sale of Ridgeway Country Club to the French School
Letter from Terence Guerriere, President of the Gedney Association,
A letter (sent via emai1 12/16/2010) to our Members from the President of the Gedney Association, Terence Guerriere:
As you are undoubtedly aware, the French American School of New York has contracted to purchase Ridgeway Country Club. Representatives of the School contacted me earlier this week and asked for an initial, informal meeting to discuss the school's plans for the Ridgeway Country Club property. A small group from the Gedney Association Board met Wednesday night with an attorney for the School, the Head of the School and the Chair of the School's Board of Trustees. The meeting was courteous and professional. Our goal for the meeting was to listen to the School's representatives, to learn as much as possible about their plans and to open a line of communication for what we expect will be a long process concerning their potential use of the property.
They described their plans for the property and for the School. This is what they told us:
The Process:
• The School plans to close on the sale of the property on January 20, 2011.
• The sale of the property is not contingent on the securing of any approvals from the City.
They will own the property whether or not they obtain permission to operate a school there.
• They plan to hold an open house in late January (probably at the Ridgeway property) to introduce the School and their plans to the public.
• The School expects the process seeking approval for their plans will take two years, at least, to complete. _
• They expect to make their initial applications to the City in March or April 2011.
The School:
• The current student population of the school is approximately 850 allocated among three campuses located in Larchmont, Mamaroneck and Scarsdale. They hope to raise the num'-)Pr of total students to a maximum of 1,200.
• They lease their current facilities which were formerly the sites of three Catholic elementary schools: St, Augustine's, St. Vito's and St. Pius.
• The School is organized as four schools: an upper school, middle school, lower school and early childhood education.
• The School was founded in 1980.
The Property_
• Their plans include keeping the present clubhouse buildings and modifying them for use as school administration and upper school facilities.
• They plan to build three additional buildings on the property: one for the upper school, one for the middle school and one to be used by the lower school and early childhood education.
• Their preliminary plans call for the construction of the upper and middle school buildings adjacent to the existing clubhouse. A lower school/early childhood education building is planned to be constructed at the other end of the property near Bryant Avenue adjacent to the Burke Hospital property and Bryant Gardens. This building would be accessed from Bryant Avenue.
• Athletic facilities are also a part of the School's plans. They told us that a running track surrounding a soccer field is planned. They told us that they do not have a football team or a need for any athletic field lights.
• They are not sure where the athletic fields would be located and will allow their environmental review of the property to guide them. They did indicate that the preliminary location of the athletic fields is in the area immediately north of the present caddy building off of Hathaway Lane-
• The remaining land, at least 60 acres according to the School, would be reserved as open space in perpetuity. The School representatives said that they would work with the City and other expert parties such as the Westchester Land Trust to find the best way to preserve these remaining lands.
We raised many issues including environmental concerns, traffic concerns, the size, scope and placement of the additional buildings, among others. The School representatives listened and left the meeting with the knowledge that there we are, and will remain, very interested and active in the process that is ahead. The School is well aware of the Gedney Association's opposition to any changes to the property that would adversely affect the character of the Gedney Farms neighborhood and the surrounding neighborhoods. The School also plans to speak with other neighborhood associations and interested organizations and to meet with the City as soon as practicable.
I know that there are many questions yet to be answered. As we have maintained since the Club was first put up for sale, the process for any prospective buyer or subsequent owner will take years to complete. We will seek to keep you informed as the process unfolds. As more information is revealed about the potential changes to the Ridgeway CC property, we will send additional emails and hold forums and general meetings, when needed.
Thank you.
Terence
Terence Guerriere
President, Gedney Association
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Sale of Ridgeway C. C,
FASNY plans for RCC
The two site plans
Objections to school
FASNY rebuttal
Area photo album
W.P. Government
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