A proposal to bring a golf simulator center to Central Park Avenue in Greenburgh received a generally warm reception at a meeting of the town”™s Planning Board on Sept. 7.
Planning Board Chairman Hugh Schwartz said, “I think it”™s a great project, I really do. I”™m really looking forward to hearing what the public has to say. These are the kinds of things I think we need on Central Avenue. We”™ve been looking for a magnet, something that”™s a magnet to Central Avenue and I think this could be one of those magnets, which I think is terrific.”
The Planning Board set a Sept. 21 public hearing on the proposal by Golfzon Social LLC, an entity involving golf simulator company Golfzon and golf course management company Troon. It has applied to set up an indoor golf simulator center in what is now a vacant single-story building at 691 Central Park Ave., which has a Scarsdale mailing address. The building formerly was occupied by a furniture company.
The 1.33-acre property is in the CA Central Avenue Mixed-Use Impact District. The property is owned by 691 Central Park Ave LLC attn: Bill Weinberg.
Golfzon Social is asking for a special permit to open the center. There would be 16 golf simulators available for use. The simulator center also would offer food and beverages. Operating hours are expected to be 9 a.m. to midnight. Greenburgh”™s building inspector has determined that no zoning variances would be required for the project.
The applicant notes that fully-enclosed commercial recreation facilities, including bowling alleys, heath spas and clubs, tennis, paddle tennis, handball and squash facilities are permitted uses requiring special permits in the zoning district.
Matt Fauerbach, representing Golfzon Social, said, “Our charge is to provide an alternate source of recreation for people that either feel that they don”™t have the time or the access to outdoor golf and certainly provide ”¦ an alternative place to come to either work on their game or play courses that they otherwise wouldn”™t be able to play because of access.”
Golfzon is a South Korean company that reports having 34,000 golf simulators in operation globally. Golfzon is presently in 63 countries with 7,300 sites where a total of 65 million rounds of golf are played annually on its simulators.
Troon is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, and bills itself as the world”™s largest golf management company providing services at more than 590 locations. It operates in more than 45 states and over 30 countries. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and hospitality venues including food and beverage operations at golf facilities.
Golfzon says that no changes are proposed to the footprint of the building or to the site. The proposed use requires 74 off-street parking spaces and 86 parking spaces already exist on the site.
In its application, Golfzon points out that the property is located in a well-established commercial corridor and that the proposal is not anticipated to impair the character or quality of the surrounding community. It also says that there would be no adverse change in the existing level of traffic or effect on existing infrastructure for mass transit, biking or walking.
“I know that many residents of Greenburgh and Westchester County will be very excited with this new business,” Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner previously said after learning about the proposal. “It’s exactly the kind of new business we want in Greenburgh. Let’s make Central Ave. a fun and exciting place for shoppers and residents.”
