The White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations is giving its early stamp of approval on a proposal that went public on Thursday to redevelop the former Galleria Mall in downtown White Plains.

"This is going to become the corridor and something to connect the transportation hub to the main downtown area and for us we think that's a critical part of the layout of White Plains," said Zack H. Salino, White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations president.

The council represents all of the active neighborhood associations in the city and is very active in development proposals.

Salino said this project is an opportunity for the city to take a major step forward for the people who live, work and visit here.

"This ups the ante for the city of White Plains. If I was the developer, I would want as much as I'm putting into this new development - I'd want to see the city match it in the surrounding area," said Salino.

People have always had strong opinions about what should replace the former mall.

"Something that can help young people," said White Plains resident Paulene Warren.

"All these buildings are going up, but our children don't have an outlet to go," added White Plains' Melissa Briggs.

The concept has only been presented to the city of White Plains, not formally submitted. It would still require rezoning, public hearings and numerous studies ranging from traffic to school impacts.

That part of the process, which is required to be completed before any work can begin, could range from eight months to more than a year depending on many factors, according to White Plains Planning Commissioner Christopher Gomez. He didn't commit to an exact timeline at Wednesday night's common council meeting.