New Retail Planned Across Cortlandt Town Center
The owners of the Cortlandt Town Center are looking to build a two-story fitness center and several retail stores across Route 6 where a Walmart supercenter was once considered.
Representatives of Acadia Realty discussed their conceptual plans for the 36-acre property with the Cortlandt Town Board last week and indicated they were hoping for some synergy between their new project and the town center.
“That’s something that’s really positive,” said Cortlandt Supervisor Linda Puglisi, who opposed the 160,000-square-foot Walmart supercenter because of its size and the affect it would have on traffic in the area. “I told them it’s an opportunity to make it attractive and bring in new businesses to the community. The other one was a big box store, and that’s not what we needed.”
Acadia purchased the site from Westrock Development over the summer. Westrock had filed an application for a 95,000-square-foot commercial development and 10 homes but didn’t actively pursue that project, lobbying instead for the larger Walmart, which they later abandoned after the town board publicly stated they would not support it.
The property is split zoned, with 26.5 acres zoned residential and 9.5 acres zoned commercial. For Acadia to move forward on its plans for what would total between 130,000 and 160,000 square feet of retail, the town board would have to agree to rezone part of the site.
“This is the largest piece of commercial property left on the Route 6 corridor. We want them to make it special, make it unique,” said Puglisi.
Councilman Frank Farrell said he had a mixed reaction to Acadia’s vision for the property since the square footage was similar to the Walmart supercenter.
“In some quarters it’s a relief it’s not Walmart, but show me the differences,” Farrell remarked. “Some people objected to Walmart just because it’s Walmart. This is almost the same size. There’s nothing here that makes us excited, but there’s nothing bad either. We’re listening and waiting for more details.”
Acadia was receptive to the town board’s insistence that it contribute to a long sought after traffic signal at Baker Street and sewer line improvements. Puglisi said the development would also provide jobs and increased tax revenue.
“It’s more of a mixture, more of a variety of stores. It’s a concept,” Puglisi said.
David Steinmetz, attorney for Acadia, had no comment when contacted about the project. Steinmetz previously represented Westrock.
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/
