Hotel Planned on Route 6 Near King Buffet in Cortlandt
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
News Article Article pages that do not meet specifications for other Trust Project Type of Work labels and also do not fit within the general news category.
A 91-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel is being proposed near King Buffet on Route 6 in Cortlandt. The project from applicant Bilal Ahmad was first presented last week to the Cortlandt Planning Board.
“We think we have a great project,” said David Steinmetz, attorney for Ahmad. “We think this can and will work.”
The 2.4-acre site, bound by Route 6, Jacob’s Hill Road and the Bear Mountain Parkway, is located across the street from where a new gas station and convenience store was approved by the Planning Board but has yet to be built.
Since the hotel is proposed to be four stories, it will need a height variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals, in addition to Planning Board approval.
“The single most important thing is the height of this structure,” Steinmetz said.
The hotel is slated to include an outdoor parking lot with 101 spaces, a courtyard deck, indoor swimming pool, fitness center, professional conference center and a full bar and grill.
In the application to the Planning Board, Steinmetz touted numerous benefits the project will provide the town.
“Due to the project’s location, a hotel is arguably the best and most efficient use of the property,” Steinmetz stated. “The property abuts a primary arterial roadway in East Main Street (Route 6) and is also adjacent to the Bear Mountain Parkway on and off ramp. As such, the property is an ideal location for a hotel as it is easily accessible to travelers while avoiding an increase in traffic through Cortlandt’s commercial corridor. In addition, the property’s close proximity to the town’s already developed commercial district along East Main Street will allow the town’s businesses to benefit from increased foot traffic.”
Planning Board member Steven Kessler said he wanted to see the new Gasland project across the street and the Sinclair gas station expansion nearby completed before reviewing the hotel, but Planning Director Chris Kehoe said Gasland representatives haven’t even applied for a building permit yet and Sinclair “isn’t even close” to getting a permit.
Steinmetz acknowledged residents who expressed concerns about the Gasland project would also likely have reservations with the hotel.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
