Construction of a new apartment building at 8 Chester Ave. in downtown White Plains is underway and a groundbreaking ceremony afforded representatives of the developer and city officials the opportunity to join in lifting ceremonial shovels.
The development is by Keeler Markwood Group, a real estate development firm founded by Matthew Tritt, an Ardsley resident, and Sam Dickinson, a White Plains resident. The four-story building will have 74 units of workforce housing and 40 parking spaces. Nine units will be designated as affordable housing with rents at 80% of the local Average Median Income.
White Plains Mayor Tom Roach said that the project would add to the diverse mix of housing available in the city.
“The building will provide needed apartments … and offers sustainable features including 75 kilowatts of solar electric generation on the rooftop, installation of numerous electric vehicle charging stations, and a high efficiency electric heat pump system, which will be used to provide heating and cooling throughout the building,” Roach said.
When seeking financial incentives from Westchester’s Industrial Development Agency (IDA), the developer said the project’s estimated cost was $21,816,266. The developer said there would be 73 studio apartments ranging from 425 to 475 square feet and one two-bedroom unit for the building superintendent of about 920 square feet. The IDA said that the total estimated tax benefits came to $1,378,392.
In a description of the project the IDA said, “Applicant conceived the project as a value proposition for renters in a sea of luxury housing being built in White Plains currently. Through sensible yet attractive design combined with an incredibly efficient layout, the aim for the project is to offer a rental opportunity that is $500-$700 a month less than comparable newly constructed apartment units in the City of White Plains. While the project will contain desirable amenities such as a rooftop deck/lounge, bicycle storage room, and a laundry room, the focus is on offering a more attractive price point to renters who place more value on saving $6,000-$8,000 per year than having an expensive gym or pool that are often infrequently used.”
In January 2018, Keeler Markwood Group proposed constructing a 10,000-square-foot medical office building on the two lots at 6 and 8 Chester Ave. Two former homes on the lots had been converted for use as law offices and were demolished to clear the site for redevelopment. At the time of the proposal, Sam Dickinson said that the proximity of the property to White Plains Hospital made a health care use for the property quite desirable.
At the apartment building groundbreaking, Dickinson said, “With 8 Chester Ave. we are proud to be bringing high-quality, attractively-priced housing to the heart of the White Plains dining and entertainment district.”
Tritt added, “We want to express our appreciation to the City of White Plains and Westchester County for their support in bringing this project to life.”
