The Yonkers Planning Board has for a second time given approval for the construction of a three-story building at 79-85 William St. that would have 15 one-bedroom apartments. The Planning Board originally gave approval for the project on April 16, 2024, and granted an extension of that approval on July 9, 2025. The latest request was for a reapproval of the April 16, 2024, submission.
The application to build was filed by architect Nicholas L. Faustini, based in Hartsdale. The owner was identified as Arron King and Ference Ferguson, who have an address in Mount Vernon.
The property covers 0.3-acre. The project is to include 20 on-site parking spaces.
“The proposed lot width is 91.4 feet with frontage along William Street and includes a lot depth of 146.0 feet,” Faustini said. He said the land previously had on it a seven unit building with an address of 79 William St., and a three unit building with an address of 85 William St.
“The building will be served by electric HVAC units in the form of PTAC units (packaged terminal air conditioning units) to provide heat and cooling,” Faustini said. “All residential units will be ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant and accessible.
Faustini explained that the existing downward sloping topography of the property from east to west allows for the design of a multi-level basement parking area served by a two-way driveway aisle situated at the lower, north side of the site.
The Westchester County Planning Board did not receive a request for its comments during the 2024 review of the proposal but did receive a referral during the reapproval process.
Bernard Thombs, chair of the Westchester County Planning Board, noted that the site is located in a multifamily residential neighborhood, on a dead-end spur of William Street. A staircase connects the end of the street with Van Buren Street at the bottom of a hill.
The basement of the building would be split into two sections, utilizing the slope of the site to provide two parking garages. An additional parking lot at the rear of the building would contribute to the total of 20 spaces on the site.
A driveway along the north side of the site would connect the three parking areas to William Street. A pathway would connect the building lobby to the street sidewalk, and additional stairways would provide pedestrian access to the rear of the building along the south side of the property. New landscaping would be installed around the site, and tiered retaining walls would be constructed at the rear of the property.
Underground retention basins would manage stormwater flow, and the site plans include reference to future solar arrays on the rooftop.
The Westchester Planning Board agreed that the proposed development would be appropriate as it would add new housing on a long-vacant lot near multiple Bee-Line bus routes and commercial services, and would be located adjacent to other medium-density residential buildings.
“We note that cycling could be a popular mode of transportation for residents, as the site is located within biking distance to downtown Yonkers and the Metro North train station, the Old Croton Aqueduct Trailway, and the South County Trailway,” Thombs said. “As such, a building of this size needs storage space for bicycles and e-mobility devices so that building tenants are not forced to store and charge these devices in their apartments.”
