Pleasantville’s Washington Ave. Epicenter for New Development
For many years, Washington Avenue had been an afterthought for developers in Pleasantville, but that appears to be changing with a handful of projects big and small taking shape.
The thoroughfare, which runs from New Castle Town Hall at South Greeley Avenue in Chappaqua to the Manville Road intersection in the heart of Pleasantville’s business district, will soon see a luxury townhouse courtesy of national development giant Toll Brothers, as well as several other projects.
At a Nov. 10 joint meeting of the village board and Pleasantville Board of Education, Mayor Peter Scherer told officials that the 68-unit development, which will have units believed to be priced between $600,000 and $700,000 apiece and with about $20,000 in net annual taxes, will be the biggest property tax infusion for the village in 30 years. The project will also be a huge boon to the village’s recreation fund, he added.
“That generated $340,000 for us, and we’re happily considering the options of how to spend it,” Scherer said.
Another project taking shape is a newly approved mixed-use building at 98 Washington Ave. that will feature first-floor retail and 10 one-bedroom apartments and four two-bedroom units on the upper floors. The three-story project was originally approved by the village in 2004 and a building permit was issued in 2005, but the project ground to a halt due to financing issues. The vacant building had been condemned.
The new plan, under developer York Funding, LLC, was approved by the village planning board at its Nov. 11 meeting and will retain the previously planned first-floor retail, but have apartments on the two upper levels. Scherer said the owner may turn around and sell the building after renovating it, a move that he’s okay with.
“I think that’s a good thing,” Scherer said. “There is a lot of demand for apartments downtown, and anything that would light a fire on that project to see that building turned around and fixed and completed would be a blessing to all of us.”
Also appearing before the planning commission last Wednesday was Trinity Associates, an Elmsford-based developer that has plans to build another mixed-use development across the street at 101-117 Washington Ave. at the intersection of Edgewood Avenue. The project will include the company’s business office on the first floor and 14 apartments on the second and third levels. There will also be ground-level parking. The property has already been cleared and a foundation laid.
The project had been delayed due to funding issues, but developer John Saraceno said the company had already obtained site plan approval from the village in June 2014 and was waiting for state approval for the modular construction.
“Once we get state approval, the units will go up really fast,” he said.
In addition, a house located next to the firehouse at 75 Washington Ave. has recently been demolished. Scherer said the property is owned by Warren Schloat, who also owns the adjacent building that houses Try & Buy Toy Store and TapeMeasure, as well as the Manville Road corner building which contains Chase Bank and Flour & Sun Bakery.
The space left by the demolished home will be used for parking by tenants over the next year and will be open to the public after 5 p.m. Scherer said the owner hopes to eventually construct a larger building on the property with retail on the first floor and apartments upstairs with on-site parking.
Examiner Media – Keeping you informed with professionally-reported local news, features, and sports coverage.