Changes Sought to Chappaqua Crossing Townhouse Plans

Chappaqua Crossing developer Summit/Greenfield is prepared to formally submit a petition to the Town of New Castle asking for a series of changes to its site plan for the 91 proposed townhomes for the campus.

Among the key requests the developer is making are to increase the size of each unit by an average of 300 square feet, which includes the addition of basements; making nine additional units three-bedroom townhomes, bringing that number to 70; shortening the driveways from 15 to 20 feet to eight to 13 feet to accommodate the larger units; and an additional 1.5 acres of disturbance to construct the project’s residential community referred to as the East Village.

Another major issue for the boards to consider is the developer’s request to now demolish an 1850s farmhouse and two ancillary structures near the Route 117 entrance. Summit/Greenfield had originally planned to re-purpose the structure, called the Thomas V. Wright House and previously used by Reader’s Digest, into a clubhouse or community building. Under its proposal it would build a new clubhouse and swimming pool for the residents of the townhomes.

It is the position of Toll Brothers, the luxury homebuilding company that Summit/Greenfield has retained to build the East Village, that the house has deteriorated to the point where it would cost millions to refurbish, if it can be saved at all.

Summit/Greenfield’s representatives appeared before joint meetings of the town and planning boards each of the past two weeks to hash out details of the applicant’s petition. The developer needs the Town Board to make changes to the Multi Family Planned Development Preliminary Development Concept Plan (MFPD PDCP) that it passed in 2015 in order for the Planning Board to vote on site plan approval for the residences.

Summit/Greenfield has already completed building and has opened the 120,000 square feet of retail at the site and re-purposed the interior of the old Reader’s Digest cupola building for more than 60 apartments.

“What is before you is a petition for the consideration of the Town Board that would be necessary in order for us to be able to get the approval to get to build this,” said attorney Mark Weingarten, representing Summit/Greenfield.

A more than two-hour discussion last Tuesday evening resulted in the boards being open to considering most of those changes as well as additional minor changes. However, there was strong opposition from Gray Williams, the town historian and ex-officio chair of the town’s Landmark Advisory Committee, giving officials pause regarding the request to demolish the Wright house.

Williams said the house is a “well-loved iconic landmark” in the community that is in much better condition than what Toll Brothers is stating. The only reason why it isn’t an official landmark is because its owners haven’t consented to it, he said.

“I maintain that it is sound and in far better shape than many old buildings its age, starting with one I know intimately – the Horace Greeley House,” Williams said. “If the current owners don’t wish to preserve the house for their own uses, we suggest that they allow someone else to do so.”

He said the house could be used for offices or a restaurant.

James Fitzpatrick, division president for Toll Brothers in New York, said a third-party engineer determined that there were too many problems with the structure. It would also need to comply with modern fire codes and be made handicapped accessible, including the installation of an elevator.

“While it may be well-cared for in relation to other houses of its age, it’s not a structure and a foundation that you would invest millions of dollars on top of in order to design and construct a community building that will ultimately become that Homeowners Association’s burden for maintenance,” Fitzpatrick said.

Although Summit/Greenfield agreed to preserve the house in 2009, Toll Brothers was contracted by the developer in 2017.

No decision was made last week regarding the future of the Wright house.

Town officials had extensive comments and questions relating to the proposed changes to the 91 fee-simple townhomes and driveways. There was concern from the boards that there wouldn’t be enough room for all residents’ vehicles if the units had shorter driveways. Each garage could house two cars.

The addition of the basements might cause unit owners to have someone living in that space, such as older children. Summit/Greenfield representatives had said the townhomes would attract more empty-nesters.

Councilman Jeremy Saland said he was skeptical that nine additional three-bedroom units would net only three more children in the complex. The remainder of the units would have two bedrooms.

Fitzpatrick said that although there is no age restriction, these types of residences have generally provided a 50-50 split between older adult and younger owners. He also said that the addition of basements into the 91 townhomes is essential.

“We are considered luxury homebuilders. We have been contracted to build a luxury product on this site,” Fitzpatrick said. “That’s what we do and that’s what we are. In order to construct the houses that we build, this is what we need to do to be successful.”

Weingarten added that the Chappaqua School District has had an 11 percent districtwide enrollment decline from 2007-08 to 2018-19 and a 19 percent decline at Grafflin Elementary School, which the younger children at the complex would attend.

Planning Board member Thomas Curley said the town either needs to allow the basements or not. If the basements would be allowed then the town should not check on whether anyone is living in the basements.

Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein said he would lean on the Planning Board for guidance on the key issues of contention because that has been the board working closely with Summit/Greenfield for two years on the East Village site plan.

Both boards gave the green light for Summit/Greenfield to submit a formal petition. Planning Board Chairman Robert Kirkwood said there was consensus among his board on the additional three-bedroom units and general agreement on the other issues.

“I think from our standpoint, the nine (three-bedroom units), per se, is not a problem and this is something we can support,” said Kirkwood.

Other changes sought included increasing the size of the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center parcel from .7 to 1.1 acres along with tweaks to the Office Park Retail Overlay District at the campus and the Business Retail Office zone.