Airport Campus Construction on Target After Series of Agreements
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
The developer of the former MBIA property in Armonk is moving closer to starting construction after the North Castle Town Board recently approved resolutions mainly relating to water and sewer connections and other aspects of the project.
Airport Campus is awaiting approvals from the Westchester County Health Department and the state Department of Transportation before its representatives can finish the process before the town Planning Board for the 175-unit development at the old 39-acre office park on King Street.
“Our timeline so you can get a sense of this, early first quarter, we’re looking to file the subdivision plat, and all of those items that are in front of you tonight are conditions of approval and requirements that we need to have achieved in order to get the chairman of the Planning Board to sign the plat,” said attorney Chris Fisher, representing Airport Campus at the Town Board’s Dec. 11 meeting.
Recently, the developer received approvals for its stormwater management plan from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, he said.
The development will feature construction of 125 fee simple townhomes on one part of the property that will be built by Toll Brothers. Redevelopment of the old office building at the site will have 50 apartments for adults 55 years old and up.
The applicant received site plan approval from the Planning Board last spring and the required zoning amendment from the Town Board in August 2023.
Fisher said his client has been working with the municipality’s personnel, including its engineers, planner and town attorney, to make sure all the conditions for the project are satisfied.
North Castle Director of Water & Sewer Sal Misiti said work is ongoing for the water service connections from New King Street to the site. Airport Campus has also been in regular contact with the county Department of Health to get approvals from that agency.
“They’re getting that done, they’re getting the meter pits in, they filed for the meters, they paid for the meters, I have the meters in stock, they’re ready to go,” Misiti said.
He is hopeful that the interconnection from New King Street to the project can soon be completed. Then the parties will discuss the design for the pump station.
Within the past year, the Town Board also approved the agreement between the developer and the municipality to connect water from the site into the town’s Water District #4, which will provide ample future supply to downtown Armonk.
All 10 resolutions on Dec. 11 were approved unanimously. Those documents included easements for the water and sewer mains, declarations for bedroom counts, a performance bond and various issues that were conditions of final approval.
Fisher said assuming that the outstanding approvals from the health department and DOT are granted as expected, work can possibly begin during the first half of 2025.
“We don’t have a hard timeline, but once we get the plat recorded the expectation is Airport Campus will close with Toll (Brothers) by the first quarter of the coming year and then we’ll move pretty quickly with construction after that,” Fisher said.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/