Willett Avenue Apartments LLC, an entity controlled by the major developer The NRP Group, has applied to build an 80-unit mixed-income workforce housing development at 229 Willett Ave. in Port Chester.
The NRP Group reports having developed more than 40,000 residential units in 16 states since its founding in 1996. It is headquartered in Cleveland and reports that it currently manages more than 140 properties in 11 states.
The NRP Group has been active in Westchester where its projects include building an apartment complex at RPW Group”™s office park at 1133 Westchester Ave. in White Plains.
The site for the proposed apartment building is in Port Chester”™s CD-5 District, which allows multifamily buildings. The building would be six stories tall, which is in compliance with the zoning code. There would be 10 studio apartments, 40 one-bedroom units, 20 two-bedroom units and 10 three-bedroom units.
Thirty-eight parking spaces would be provided with some covered parking on the first level of the building and the remainder of the spaces in an outdoor parking area. The developer points out that since the site is within a quarter of a mile of the train station in Port Chester and within 500 feet of a bus stop, the number of required on-site parking spaces is allowed to be reduced by up to 70%.
The developer expects that approximately 26 school-age children would be living in the building.
The parcel The NRP Group wants to use covers 0.64 acre. At present, there is a church building on the site along with two smaller residential buildings and garages.
Attorney David Cooper of the White Plains-based law firm Zarin & Steinmetz told the village that the main church building is no longer used by the Archdiocese of New York for religious services. He said that the interior is in poor condition with peeling paint, cracks in walls and significant mold and weather damage. He said that one of the residential buildings periodically is used by a provider of childcare.
Cooper explained that the developer does not yet own the property but is the contract-vendee for it. He emphasized that the neighborhood currently has a mix of multifamily and single-family residential structures including an eight-story and a five-story apartment building.
Cooper said that adding the proposed six-story building would continue to advance the high-density, mixed-use character for the district that had been envisioned by the village.
The apartments would be priced to be within reach of people earning from 30% to 80% of the area median income in Westchester. According to Cooper, the applicant plans to seek financing for the project through various programs offered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal as well as Westchester County.
The building would incorporate features related to energy efficiency and solar panels to generate electricity would be installed on the roof. Amenities for residents would include a fitness room, playroom for children, common area and lounge.
Cooper asked the village to initiate the appropriate review required by the State Environmental Quality Review Act, refer the project for comment to Westchester County’s planning department for comment, distribute the application for review by village agencies or committees and, if possible, schedule a public hearing on the project in October.
