Possible Deal Reached Between French-American School and White Plains

WHITE PLAINS, NY — A possible deal has been reached that will allow the French-American School of New York to build a new campus on the former Ridgeway Country Club in White Plains.

The school, which is currently in Larchmont, has said it will drop its lawsuit against White Plains if the city OKs a reduced version of its plan at a council meeting Tuesday, according to the Journal News.

David Kohl, speaking on behalf of White Plains Neighbors ACT, said the compromise is a “win-win” for the City of White Plains and the Gedney Farms neighborhood where he lives.

“It’s a plan that gives our city leadership the chance to represent thousands who have voiced their strong support for the creation of a publicly accessible park and top-notch school, while concurrently addressing the objections of the small minority of vocal opponents,” he wrote in an email.

Kohl said the new plan reduces by 42 percent the number of students, scales back the land that will be developed to 28 acres and opens up 51 acres for parkland and trails.

FASNY had submitted plans for a new school and the city had approved its environmental studies.

The city did not comply with a judge’s order to vote on the school’s special permit and site plan applications.

City officials said the issue was the closure of a road, a move that required a supermajority of the council.

The vote fell one short.

For more details, including comments from some of the Common Council members, read the complete article at the Journal News here.

Photo credit: Google Maps.