Residential Development Pitched for Armonk’s Mariani Gardens

The owner of an Armonk nursery is proposing to transform his property into a 43-unit residential development, the latest plan for the site where multiple commercial uses have been requested to augment the business.

Mark Mariani, owner of Mariani Gardens at 45 Bedford Rd., would discontinue operation of the nursery at the four-acre property and build high-end housing units ranging from one to four bedrooms each. The project would comply with the 10 percent affordable housing component as required by town law and include five affordable residences.

Mariani’s attorney, Anthony Veneziano, said while the nursery has been profitable, his client’s other ventures, including his homebuilding and landscaping businesses, have helped subsidize the operation since it opened a little more than 10 years ago.

“What we’re coming in here with is something that we feel has a lot of benefits – disposable income, walkable distances, limits traffic but it’s different from what you had envisioned at least from a couple of months ago, at least when you adopted the Master Plan,” Veneziano said.

The current nursery includes a café. Over the past five years, Mariani has requested other varied uses including a plan to host and cater events and most recently to use a portion of the interior as a SoulCycle spinning facility.

Earlier this year, the town adopted its updated Comprehensive Plan, which recommended potential additional commercial uses and limited residential development for the property.

For the project to advance, Mariani would need a zoning change from the Town Board to shift from the Nursery Business zone to a multifamily residential designation, said North Castle Director of Planning Adam Kaufman.

Veneziano said the residential market in North Castle and surrounding communities is very desirable, particularly for more luxurious units. This project would be in that category, he said, catering to empty-nesters and successful millennials.

“This is being targeted as sort of a successful group,” Veneziano said. “It’s a significant market, but when you look at the Ritz and everything, it’s a wonderful place to live if you like to live like this as opposed to being on the 19^th floor in White Plains. These buildings will be gorgeous.”

Under the conceptual plan, there will be 16 one-bedroom units averaging about 900 square feet each; six two-bedroom units with an average size of 1,450 square feet; the 16 three-bedroom units will be about 3,000 square feet each; and there will be five four-bedroom units at about 3,900 square feet.

Currently, the plan calls for the units to be rentals although that is not certain, Veneziano said. Projected monthly rents would range from $3,500 to $5,000 for the smaller units and about $7,500 and $10,000 a month for the three- and four-bedroom units, respectively.

The largest townhouse-style units would be situated closest to Bedford Road while the three-bedroom units would be built around the center of the property with an area of open space. The largest structure, housing the one- and two-bedroom units, would be built closest to Route 22.

There would be 132 parking spaces on the property, more than the required 109, said project planner Rob Aiello. Of those, 38 spaces would be in garages, another 38 would be in front of the garages, 23 spaces are slated to be under structures while the rest will be surface parking, Aiello said.

The project would generate up to an extra 30 cars per hour during the morning and afternoon peak hours and during the Saturday peak hour, he said.

The largest structure would be about 40 feet to the midpoint of the roof, Aiello said. The tallest building that stands now is about 30 feet to the roof while the cupola stands at 39 feet, 9 inches, he added.

“It’s located in the heart of the downtown, it’s walkable, it’s near the commercial center and services and amenities providing year-round activity,” Aiello said, “and the Comp Plan discusses potential residential development on this property.”

Councilwoman Barbara DiGiacinto said she is concerned because while the plan is impressive, the town expended much time and effort on examining the future of the Mariani property as part of the Comprehensive Plan update. Discussions did not include an all-residential proposal, she said.

“We really looked very carefully at this piece of property, realizing that there was a need to give more uses and different uses and we just never discussed total residential because it just never came from anyone on the committee,” DiGiacinto said.

“I just want to explain that we put a lot of thought into this property and never envisioned a plan such as this,” she added.

Veneziano said in the past several years the hamlet has been evolving.

“The hamlet’s grown up with a $25 to $30 million investment by Armonk Square with (The Bristal) across the street, with some of the things that you’ve presented in this hamlet,” Veneziano said. “So these properties have much higher and better uses right in the hamlet.”

Supervisor Michael Schiliro said key issues will have to be studied for this project, including the height of the structures and visual impact, traffic, downtown parking and sewer and water. Town officials will have to weigh whether they might want to go in a bit of a different direction than the updated Comprehensive Plan called for.

“It doesn’t mean we’re not going to consider it but these are the realities,” he said. “We spent a lot of time on that Comprehensive Plan. Basically, I think it’s a very interesting proposal for the property. I think it does address some of the things that we’re trying to do on that particular site.”

Veneziano said he soon to submit a formal application to the town.