The New Rochelle Thimblerig — Part XX

Robert Cox

07 Jan 2025 — 5 min read

This article is part of a series: New Rochelle Thimblerig Table of Contents

DUBLIN, IRELAND (January 7, 2025) — There are plenty of ways to consider the contracts between Kingdom Community Consultants (“KCC”) and the New Rochelle Corporation for Local Development (“CLD”) — none of them good. They are all invalid, illegal and were routinely violated by both KCC and the CLD. The contracts should never have been allowed, and under the City’s Procurement Policies and New York State General Municipal Law the invoices should never have been paid.

Final Demand – Bid 5820 / The Young Companies Proposal (FOIL Requests of Oct. 30, Nov. 13, and Nov. 21, 2025)

This “last chance” email was sent to New Rochelle Deputy Counsel Jeffrey Briem with copies to City Manager Will Melendez, City Clerk Kim Jones, Mayor Yadira Ramos-Herbert and all six council members.

SMOKING GUN: New Rochelle City Manager’s Shifting Story on Flowers Park Bid Collapses Under Developer’s Own “Return Everything” Letter

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (December 5, 2025) — A November 20, 2025 letter from the attorney representing the sole bidder on New Rochelle’s withdrawn Flowers Park redevelopment project directly contradicts City Manager Will Melendez’s latest claim that the city never surrendered the original proposal. The letter, obtained through a

Administrative Appeal of Denial of FOIL Request for Records Related to Bid Number 5820 – Request for Master Redeveloper Proposal Submitted by The Young Companies LLC

Dear City Manager Melendez This letter constitutes my administrative appeal, pursuant to Public Officers Law (POL) § 89(4)(a), of the City of New Rochelle’s denial of my Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request dated October 30, 2025, and subsequent renewed and expanded requests dated November 13, 2025, and