Others are less sure that good architecture will result or that developers and lenders, keenly conscious of time equaling money, would voluntarily undertake a discretionary review procedure.

But now the new developers are undertaking a huge renovation.

Mr. Apicella - who noted that the Ossining project has been more contentious than others that the developer has undertaken - suggested a reason for some of the objections.

The plan also seeks to provide tax-exempt financing to help developers undertake reconstruction of buildings destroyed by the World Trade Center attack.

While office development accounts for just a small fraction of water usage, many developers and builders across the region have already undertaken comprehensive and sophisticated water conservation efforts.

Before the Manhattan Beach project, however, few developers had undertaken to build new sound stages.

Fifteen developers undertook 16 projects in Brooklyn and the Bronx, the housing agency says.

When that work was done, private developers and the authority would undertake a projected $600 million worth of construction, including a 40-story office building, a 400-room luxury hotel and 1,500 apartments.

No private developer could or would undertake that task.

The developer undertakes to give the archaeologist sufficient time to identify and record any archaeological finds and features; however, the arrangement is rarely satisfactory for either party.