Revised Plans for Cortlandt MOD Projects Unveiled
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Town officials and residents who live in the neighborhood near New York-Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital on Route 202 in Cortlandt were presented last week with different alternatives for two projects in the proposed Medical Oriented District, or MOD.
Representatives for Evergreen Manor and Gyrodyne appeared at a work session at Linda Puglisi Town Hall Oct. 24 for the first time since May after ongoing discussions throughout the summer with Town Board members and town staff.
Evergreen Manor, headed by local developer Val Santucci, took center stage with two separate proposals for Town Board members and the public to review.
One concept unveiled for three parcels totaling 28 acres was 114 assisted living units, 90 townhouses (75 two-bedroom, 15 three-bedroom), 100 rental apartments (70 two-bedroom, 30 one-bedroom) and 7,000 square feet of retail.
A second concept eliminated rental apartments, had the same amount of retail space, 120 assisted living units and 130 townhouses.
“We’re here tonight to talk to all of you on what we feel is a critical point in this process,” Evergreen attorney David Steinmetz explained, noting his clients had first come forward with plans in 2018.
Steinmetz stressed the need for rental units in the town and the region.
“The market has demanded this product and you don’t have it,” he remarked. “Residential rentals in the Town of Cortlandt is not a bad thing. We think it’s attractive. We think it’s marketable. We think it would do quite well.”
Steinmetz said if approved, Evergreen Manor would be built in multiple phases. He estimated it would take at least five years to complete everything.
Less time was given to Gyrodyne’s project, which originally featured 184,600 square feet of medical office with 4,000 square feet of café/commercial space to service the employees and visitors of the medical office buildings and 593 structured parking spaces
Gyrodyne is now looking at a 135,000-square-foot building, although town officials have expressed allowing a maximum of 100,000 square feet.
“We are trying to make it a viable project,” said Gyrodyne representative Taylor Palmer.
The proposed development would replace the existing 30,000 square feet of existing medical offices.
Before either project could be considered, the Town Board would have to officially establish the MOD,
which has been reduced from approximately 105 acres and 34 parcels to 69 acres and 13 parcels in recently filed FGEIS/FEIS documents.
Cortlandt Supervisor Dr. Richard Becker said the board would be reviewing the latest proposals from Evergreen Manor and Gyrodyne at an upcoming work session.
“We need to make sure we’re acting in everyone’s interest,” Becker said. “There’s no reason to delay. To delay is cowardly.”
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/
