Tarrytown-based architect David Barbuti has filed an application with the Village of Port Chester seeking a change of occupancy and site plan approval for creating a sports training facility in a warehouse at 45 Ryan Ave. The entity The Swing Loft would operate an appointment-based training environment offering baseball development, strength training, and golf performance work in the 8,055-square-feet space.
Barbuti said that the facility would will contain three baseball batting cages, two golf simulators, a weight workout area, a reception and waiting area, a business office, lockers and showers along with men’s and women’s toilet rooms. He said that there would be no more than 20 athletes in the building at any one time, with training being done in groups of no more than five athletes.
“Training is organized by defined age groups and each training session lasts 60 minutes,” Barbuti said. “Training sessions are staggered to prevent overlapping of arrivals and departures with a 20-minute lag between sessions.”
Barbuti said that everything is done by appointment and that no walk-ins and no open gym activity is permitted.
Matt Perper, who is founder of The Swing Loft, said that the facility would be open at 8:00 a.m. for staff only and that athlete training occurs after school hours, typically beginning at or after 4:00 p.m. on weekdays. He said that training sessions can last until 9 p.m. He explained that the proposed use differs materially from a warehouse use and vehicle trips are mainly for dropping off or picking up trainees since many are young people who do not drive.
Barcuti said that there are 21 parking spaces at the warehouse with 16 dedicated to the training facility. Port Chester’s vehicular parking requirements for commercial indoor athletic facilities are one per 1,000 square feet of total usable floor area, so the application appears to comply with vehicular parking requirements. The village did determine that the existing parking lot currently encroaches significantly into the boundary of the Columbus Park and that the pavement and fence on village property must be removed.
“The Swing Loft is a place where athletes can train seriously, feel supported, and develop across multiple disciplines in a consistent, well-managed environment,” Barbuti said.
The application was due to be heard by the Port Chester Planning Commission at its Feb. 23 meeting, but that meeting was canceled because of the blizzard. The commission’s next meeting was scheduled for March 30.
