Awards 2017

FOUNDERS AWARD

Frank S. McCullough, Jr., Esq.

Frank S. McCullough, Jr. is a senior partner in the firm.

He is admitted to the New York State Bar; U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York; U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. McCullough received his J.D. from Albany Law School of Union University and a B.A. from St. Lawrence University.

Mr. McCullough has for many years been involved in major zoning and land use developments and is currently participating in an effort to repurpose and reposition commercial real estate projects along the I-287 corridor in Westchester. He has served as the attorney for many major real estate projects throughout Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties. He and the firm have worked on zoning matters for a diverse group of prestigious clients, including PepsiCo, Inc., The Osborn Home, Fordham University, Manhattanville College, Heritage Hills, Hudson National Golf Club, Normandy Real Estate and Life Time Fitness, for which they are legal counsel in relation to all real estate and zoning matters in Westchester County.

Mr. McCullough has served as Chairman of the New York Power Authority and as a Trustee of the Authority. He is also a past President of the Economic Power Allocation Board of the State of New York and served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and as a member of the Conservation Coordination Task Force of New York State. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Westchester County Bar Association, and served as a Director of the Westchester County Bar Association and as Vice President. He is also a past member of the Joint Grievance Committee of the Ninth Judicial District and has been a member of the Committee on Character and Fitness, Ninth Judicial District for many years. Mr. McCullough has also been a member of the Board of Visitors of Pace University School of Law. He also serves as Chairman of the Greenwood Union Cemetery Board and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Westchester County Association.

Mr. McCullough is a resident of Rye, NY

The Theodore W. Kheel Center on the Resolution of Environmental Interest Disputes was launched in April 2008 to train lawyers and local leaders in environmental and land use dispute resolution. Located at the Land Use Law Center on the Pace Law School campus in White Plains, New York, the Kheel Center aims to promote the use of non-traditional forums to resolve environmental and land disputes. To further this mission, the Kheel Center bestows an annual Founder’s Award upon an individual or municipality that has worked collaboratively with a community and reinvented democracy to make change happen.

 

GROUNDBREAKERS AWARD

Supervisor Dana Levenberg & Mayor Victoria Gearity, Town and Village of Ossining

The Land Use Law Center is happy to announce that this year’s recipients of the Groundbreaker’s Award are Supervisor Dana Levenberg and Mayor Victoria Gearity from the Town and Village of Ossining. The Groundbreaker's Award is given to a graduate or group of graduates of the Center's  Land Use Leadership Alliance (LULA) Training Program that have done exemplary work in the region using the types of land use and decision-making tools and techniques taught in the LULA program. Supervisor Levenberg and Mayor Gearity were selected from a prestigious group of other past LULA graduates nominated for this award. Both leaders were selected to be the recipients of this year's award given their service and continued collaborative work in the Village and Town. A few of the past collaborations between the Village and Town have included work together on an Urban Circulator project and Millwood-Ossining Go plan for bike/pedestrian/open space connectivity between the Village Downtown and the North County Trailway.  Both leaders have collaborated on grant applications, including the Mayors Challenge, CFA for Urban Circulator, and the Downtown Revitalization Initiative.  And finally, both communities have been supportive of creative uses of open and public space in their own jurisdictions, including the Sing-Sing Kill Greenway in the Village and an investigation of an Open Space Corridor connecting up Ryder Park in the Town with Teatown.  All of these initiatives are clearly laying the groundwork for exciting future collaboration between these municipalities.

Throughout their service, Supervisor Levenberg* & Mayor Gearity have exemplified their dedication to their communities and been true leaders in the region.

Supervisor Dana Levenberg: Since moving to Ossining 20 years ago, Dana has been an advocate for education, the environment and healthy living. In 2015 she was elected Town Supervisor of the Town of Ossining after serving as Chief of Staff for Assemblywoman Sandy Galef for 8 years concurrently with her 9 years on the Ossining Board of Education. A hallmark of Dana’s tenure as a public servant has been collaborating with municipalities and organizations to better serve communities, seeking innovative approaches to community planning, and crafting regional solutions to local problems.

Mayor Gearity: Mayor Victoria Gearity has transformed the way Village residents engage with their local government. Her path to elected office was as an environmentalist, serving on the NWEAC Board and then the steering committee to establish Sustainable Westchester. Transportation is key to Ossining’s economic development goals, and partnering with the Town to explore innovative solutions is essential for connecting business and cultural hubs. Given her appreciation for a collaborative engaging local government, it’s no surprise Mayor Gearity is a two-time LULA graduate!