Mt. Pleasant Against Rezoning for Valhalla Retail, Housing Plan

Mount Pleasant officials are opposed to a developer’s mixed-use residential and retail plan on a portion of a 80-acre parcel adjacent to Westchester Medical Center and New York Medical College in Valhalla.

Developer John Fareri unveiled his concept at the town board’s April 16 work session that would include 150 rental apartments for medical center staff and 100,000 square feet of retail space.

Since the five-acre area is zoned half-acre residential (R-20), the town board would need to rezone the property to allow for the mixed-use project. If Fareri can convince the town board to change the zoning, the project would require site plan approval from the planning board.

The retail portion of the development which would include restaurants, a national chain pharmacy, a day care center and a grocery store, Fareri said. The 150 rental units would be exclusively for the medical center’s resident physicians, fellows and other staff. The apartments, all studio and one-bedroom units, would be located on the second and third floor of the building above the retail establishments.

Westchester Medical Center has been considering building its own 350 units of housing for hospital staff on the land it leases from the county, but Fareri said if his proposal was approved the medical center would abandon its housing plan.

Project executive Bruce Komiske said the hospital’s 350-unit plan would generate about 40 school-age children. But Fareri told the town board his rental units would not increase the number of school-age children in town because the housing would be studios and one-bedroom apartments.

Town board members, however, displayed no enthusiasm for Fareri’s latest plans.

He previously proposed a “living science center,” a science museum that would be part of the research and learning village elsewhere on the property. The science center could have features such as a “colonoscopy pill,” which would be a ride through the body to emphasize healthy living; accident scene driving simulators; a CPR simulator; and a health professions exhibit, which would provide visitors with opportunities to meet professionals who work in the medical field.

Fareri is also seeking to build a hotel and conference center.

Supervisor Joan Maybury said she had no knowledge of Fareri’s latest plan for the retail and residential component before last week’s work session.

“This is not what you said before,” said Maybury, who made clear that she supported the science center and hotel and conference center.

Maybury was also skeptical about the placement of the apartments.

“I don’t know how you can do that on top of retail,” Maybury said. The medical center already has 78 housing units on the land it leases from the county, she noted.

Councilman Mark Rubeo told Fareri that he failed to provide officials enough information, suggesting he submit a detailed layout of the project along with projected rents.

Fareri responded that if town officials didn’t want to work with him and his team, he wouldn’t pursue the project any further.

Councilman Peter DeMilio questioned whether the housing was needed, but Fareri responded that the housing would make the project more economically viable.

DeMilio also said the retail portion of the project was too large. He noted that there is only 12,000 square feet of retail currently in Valhalla.

Councilman Carl Fulgenzi said he wanted to know how the retail and housing aspects of the project would affect neighbors.

Maybury said she would not support the housing being proposed by Fareri, and if there was retail included as part of the project, it must be much smaller than what the developer is now seeking.

Future public discussion of the proposal was not scheduled.