Cortlandt Officials Briefed on Revised Plans for MOD Projects
The Cortlandt Town Board last week was given updated presentations from the development teams of two mixed-use projects near New York-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital on Route 202 in Cortlandt.
Representatives of Evergreen Manor and Gyrodyne explained their revised conceptual plans via Zoom for separate sites in a so called Medical Oriented District (MOD), a zoning district created to encourage economic revitalization in the area surrounding the hospital and implement the goals and recommendations outlined in the town’s 2016 Sustainable Comprehensive Plan.
Residents and Town Board members have raised concerns about the additional traffic the developments will bring to an already overburdened roadway and the magnitude of the projects. As a result, the masterminds and builders behind the projects went back to the drawing board and made some changes.
“We’re excited about this project. We heard the concerns of the community very loud and very clear,” said Phil DiGennaro of Sound Development Corp., one of the principles with the Gyrodyne development. “We think it fits. From our standpoint we just think it makes a lot of sense.”
The major change made to the 13.8-acre Gyrodyne parcel is the elimination of a 200-unit, multifamily residential building. In addition, a two-phase approach is now planned over a five-year period.
Phase one includes a three-story, 100,00 square-foot medical office building and a 303-car structured parking facility. The existing 30,000 square feet medical office that is on the property now will remain operational during the construction of phase one.
In phase two, the existing medical office will be replaced with an 84,600, three-story medical office with an integrated 290-car structured parking garage in the area where the 200-unit, five-story residential apartment was originally proposed.
“We see phase one and two as an integrated medical office campus,” said Kevin McAndrew of Cameron Engineering.
Meanwhile, changes have also been made to the Evergreen Manor project proposed by Val and Armando Santucci of VS Construction.
Gone from the project is a five-story, 100-room hotel, 7,000-square-foot restaurant and a 30,000-square-foot mixed-use retail/office building. Added are 100 senior age-restricted condominiums in two buildings. Also planned on the 28 acres is a 120- unit assisted living facility and 166 residential rental units (152 studio and one-bedroom units and 12 two-bedroom).
“I still believe it’s a big project,” Cortlandt Supervisor Linda Puglisi said.
However, councilmen Richard Becker and James Creighton said the developments, which include $3 million for studies and traffic improvements, have the potential of significantly enhancing traffic flow along Route 202.
“We need the improvements on these roads,” Creighton said.
If approved, both projects are projected to generate more than $4.5 million annually in tax revenue, along with 780 construction jobs and 195 permanent on-site jobs. Currently five new traffic signals in the area are planned and turning lanes, along with sidewalks and other enhancements.
Town Attorney Thomas Wood said final Environmental Impact Studies (EIS) on both projects are expected to be submitted to town officials by the end of the year or early 2021. A public hearing is likely to be held in March.
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