Letter To The Editor: Does New Rochelle Have Plans For the Armory?

An open letter to New Rochelle City Manager Charles Strome III:

Just checking in with you because I hear a lot of rumors going around and I'm getting a bunch of phone calls about the Armory. Going back a while, I heard the city was going to have a Press Conference and condemn the building. I was told they (The City) was going to put a fence around it and was just waiting for the "No Trespassing" signs to be made. I called (Councilman) Lou Trangucci on this and I was told that wasn't true.

Then I heard, and we also see, that the building is being stripped of its metal and copper strips going around the outside and inside of the building. My sources say "They (the city) are selling it for scrap." Who's doing this? Where is the money going? Who's keeping track? Why is this being done? What's the plan moving forward?

Now, I just heard there's a BIG meeting on the Armory this coming Tuesday (Oct. 10)? Is that true? With who and for what? Where? At the monthly City Council meeting? A few months back, I was contacted and told that the city of New Rochelle was applying for a grant to help get the Armory back in shape. Is that true? (Hope so.) The latest rumor is that the city and Twinning has come to an agreement to rehab the Armory? What plan is this?

We the Veterans of New Rochelle, have ALWAYS been hopeful that the Armory can be put back in service to the Community. We are very willing to work TOGETHER with the city as a common interest for historical and moral purposes. You know where we stand. Never once have the doors of City Hall opened and the Veterans invited in to discuss and come to some happy medium for both parties. It's always been a divisive discussion with heated exchange at a council meeting or some other forum. We both would benefit from a mutual respect and a honest relationship. We have jumped through hoops to keep up with all the asinine competitions and regulations on ideas for what to do with the building and property. Truthfully I feel the Vets have been stabbed in the back over and over again.I do not hold you personally responsible for that, but that is the way we feel.

We have met with many pertinent people to discuss our displeasure with the city's administrations for over 20 years now — 1997-2017. Albany is well aware of our discontent and your desecration of public property. We do have some other options, but believe it or not, we would rather not resort to legal action against the city. But we will if it leads to that...

I always felt personally, that you, Chuck Strome, are a standup gentleman, even when we don't see eye to eye. But we need to do something immediately. We can not let that building go through another winter. I hope it doesn't end up like Ward Acres, Hudson Park Green House and Bath House, Division Street Parking lot and so on and so on. There seems to be a pattern here. Please do not underestimate what us old Veterans can do or accomplish. I hope to hear back from you soon. Please forward this to all who are interested and needs to be in the loop

— Peter Parente
President, United Veterans Memorial and Patriotic Association of New Rochelle

Patch file photo.