Developer Unveils Plan for 175 Senior Units in Pleasantville

Developers for Brightview Senior Living have entered into an  agreement with the Jewish Child Care Association (JCCA) to lease a seven-acre parcel for an assisted and independent living facility.

Representatives from the Baltimore-based company first appeared before the Pleasantville Village Board in October and returned Monday night to present their preliminary plans. Plans call for a four-story, 180,000-square-foot facility featuring 100 independent living units and 75 assisted living units, about 25 of which would be dedicated to residents with memory deficiencies.

Project architect Eric Anderson said that no exterior design has been chosen, as Brightview hopes to take inspiration from nearby construction and incorporate suggestions from village residents. The height of the building would vary depending on architecture style.

Displaying a preliminary footprint for the building, which will sit on top of a hill, Anderson said that one of the challenges is the parcel’s grading. He explained that deeper into the property the land begins to slope. In order to work with the topography of the parcel, located off Broadway between County Club Lane and Seneca Lane and to the left of the driveway for the Cottage School, the back of the building would be one story shorter than the front, Anderson said.

Although the site is heavily wooded, Brightview plans to retain as many trees as possible and hopes to incorporate the foliage into the design of the facility, he said. Anderson envisioned a final product that would be similar to the Usonia Homes in Mount Pleasant and would “blur the line between inside and outside.”

“Usonia obviously was built in the 1930s, but we think that concept could work very well on this site and this property,” he said.

The developer also aims to have an environmentally friendly and energy efficient facility, Anderson said. It will use passive solar, meaning the building would be designed to bring in as much natural light as possible. In addition, all Brightview facilities utilize low-flow plumbing fixtures to save water, he said.

David Steinmetz, the attorney for Brightview who also represented Benchmark Senior Living in its failed attempt last year to gain approval for a facility on Bedford Road near Maple Hill, explained to officials that demographics dictate a pressing need for this type of facility in Pleasantville. He noted that the project would generate much needed commercial tax revenue for the village. The facility’s residents and employees and those who visit would likely spend money in Pleasantville.

Similar to the Benchmark proposal, Brightview Senior Living would need to be approved for a rezoning. Currently, the land is zoned residential, but Steinmetz explained that Brightview would like to work with the board and residents to find the most appropriate zoning.

Brightview representatives have yet to submit a formal application, but trustees and residents raised concerns about the project during Monday night’s work session.

Trustee Mindy Berard acknowledged that the village needs housing options for seniors, but that the inclusion of 100 independent living units makes it a much more intense use than the Benchmark proposal. She also expressed fear the project would be too dense for the location.

“There is no guarantee that you can give me that 100 seniors are not going to be active seniors,” she said. “I know a lot of seniors in their eighties…and they are extremely active people.”

Steinmetz responded that the facility is not for “active adult housing.” The average age of residents in Brightview’s independent living units is 83 to 85 while the average age for its assisted living residents is 85 to 87.

Steinmetz said that based on other Brightview facilities, very few residents drive or own cars. There is no minimum age requirement for the facility, he said.

Berard and residents still voiced traffic concerns in an area that already sees heavy traffic.

One resident noted that when the Saw Mill Parkway floods, traffic is diverted onto Broadway resulting in gridlock. She feared that adding more cars might worsen the problem.

Pleasantville County Club residents were also concerned about traffic, noting that congestion is already so bad on Broadway that many residents refuse to make left turns when exiting Country Club Lane for safety reasons. Berard said the board may have to consider a traffic light at that location if the project moves forward.

Steinmetz said that Brightview, which would schedule three daily employee shifts and a maximum of 40 employees, will work with the Pleasantville School District and other parties to schedule shift changes that avoid peak traffic times.

According to Steinmetz, Brightview representatives will eventually conduct a traffic study as part of the SEQRA process following the submission of a formal application to the village. Afterwards, representatives will have a better indication of what implications any increased traffic would have.

Brightview is expected to submit a formal application to rezone in the coming weeks.

“This will be an extended process and it will be extremely open and extremely collaborative,” said Mayor Peter Scherer.