Consultants to Help New Rochelle Make Development Decisions

New Rochelle will get an assist when developers approach with ideas for building in the city from a nonprofit development company.

Representatives from the National Development Council met with the City Council Tuesday to outline what they would be doing for New Rochelle.

Director Kevin Gremse said his organization provides a broad range of services and expertise to communities, all meant to help municipalities make the best decisions when it comes to development.

"Our mission is to increase the flow of capital in communities we serve," he said, "to encourage development in the communities we work for."

The National Development Council was founded in 1969. They provide technical assistance, training, affordable housing investment, small business financing and other services.

"Essentially when we come into a community like New Rochelle, we become an extension extension of the staff," Gremse said. "We look at proposals from the developers" and determine whether they are financially feasible.

The National Development Council's involvement with the city grew out of a request during budget talks in December.

The City Council asked Development Commissioner Michael Freimuth to explore adding a staff position in his department that could bring retail businesses to the city.

Freimuth told the council a better use of the money would be to engage consultants to do cost benefit analysis on potential projects.

He said the city would have to pay a fee, but the consultants would go out in the marketplace to find the best deals.

"They don't represent developers," Freimuth said. "They apply public resources in the most efficient and optimized way."

Director Dan Marsh III said one of the things his organization can do for municipalities is analyze what developers are promising and say whether they are financially viable.

"We can give real time assessments on what marketing sources were available," he said, and what could be assembled at any given time.

The National Development Council also has the ability to provide small business loans and help arrange financing.

"It is very often our role to go to the banks that are likely candidates for part of the financing," Marsh said.