Plans for Housing Reduced on Soundview Site in Yorktown

The number of housing units planned on the property of the former Soundview Preparatory School on Underhill Ave. in Yorktown has been reduced.

Representatives of Unicorn Contracting informed the Yorktown Town Board on Jan. 25 that the original proposal for 165 townhouses, condominiums and luxury apartments had been scaled down to 148, with 118 being considered “senior-friendly.”

“We’re putting in a wonderful mixed housing project,” said Mark Blanchard, legal counsel for Unicorn. “Underhill Farm will be an economic catalyst for Yorktown.”

The historic Underhill House on the property is slated to be transformed into a community resource and gathering spot, with 7,000 square feet of commercial space, while an additional 11,000 square feet of retail/office space will be part of the approximately $60 million project. In addition, the pond will be completely restored and complemented by walking trails, sitting areas and a new pedestrian gateway at the estate’s original entrance at the intersection of Rte. 118 and Underhill Avenue.

Beyond the environmental improvements to the property and the preservation of open space, Unicorn Contracting has vowed to incorporate green building practices into the project design.

Underhill Farms is projected to generate more than $1 million in annual tax revenue for the school district and local governments.

“The project looks fantastic. I know it’s going to be topnotch quality,” said Councilman Sergio Esposito. “It’s just what we need. We’re in need of this revitalization. I think this project is very worthy of the town. I think they have a long road ahead of them. They have to go through planning.”

“I love the project,” said Councilwoman Luciana Haughwout. “I know this board wants what is best for the town.”

The updated presentation from Unicorn was made just a few weeks after the Town Board voted to adopt overlay district zoning for the Yorktown Heights and Lake Osceola business hamlets. Town officials had been considering the creation of overlay districts for about 18 months with a goal of encouraging creative redevelopment approaches. The overlay zones will allow a greater diversity of permitted uses, including residential.

Since it is the first proposal under the overlay district zoning, Supervisor Matt Slater differed with the rest of the board when strongly implying a public hearing should be held before the board votes to forward the project to the Planning Board.

“It’s our first application. We need to go through the right process,” Slater remarked.

Yorktown Green Plans in Limbo

Meanwhile, the board was given some deflating news regarding the planned transformation of the nearby Yorktown Green Shopping Center.

Oster Properties, which has owned Yorktown Green for decades, is looking to tear down the former Kmart building and construct a four-story mixed-use complex with 150 residential units.

However, the 97,000-square-foot building is currently owned by Transformco and they have nine years left on their lease, which could handcuff Oster from proceeding with its project.

“The biggest obstacle is to get control,” Tim Huttleston, Oster Properties’ director of commercial leasing, told the board.

Board members expressed disappointment and frustration with the current circumstances.

“It seems like they’re holding Oster hostage,” Councilman Ed Lachterman remarked.

“It would be abusive to the Yorktown community for the Kmart building to remain vacant for the next nine years,” Slater said. “It’s unacceptable.”

Yorktown Town Attorney Adam Rodriguez said he would research if the town had any legal recourse to get involved in the stalemate.

Rick Pezzullo

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/