Developer proposes enlarging proposed Eastchester apartment building

A developer has proposed expanding the previously-approved plan for an apartment building at 249 Main St. in Eastchester. Angelo Agovino and Eastchester Manor Developers LLC had previously planned to build a four-story 15-unit building on a 15,167 square foot lot. After the developer acquired an adjoining lot, an amended site plan application was filed calling for development of a six-story building with 25 units consisting of 15 one-bedroom units and 10 two-bedroom units supported by 36 parking spaces in both covered and surface parking configurations.

Proposed access to the development would be from both Main Street, which would have one way in and one way out and New Street, which would have one-way in.

According to the firm Planning & Development Advisors (PDA) based in Yonkers, the apartments would range in size from 708 to 998 square feet. All apartments are proposed to be rental units with projected average monthly rents of $2,000 for one-bedroom units and $2,500 for two-bedroom apartments.

Using data in a report from Rutgers University the developer estimated that the project would generate a maximum of two new children for the Eastchester school system. The Eastchester public school system has an enrollment of just over 3,000 students.

According to PDA, the project site is an approximately 0.49-acre parcel that has two existing single-family residences and garages. The new development is expected to attract single and young married professionals, as well as empty nesters and baby boomers who are downsizing from larger single-family homes and want to remain in the area to be near family and friends.

PDA said that the introduction of 25 new households within convenient walking district of Eastchester’s town center commercial area “will help support the local merchants and commercial interests while enhancing municipal tax revenue over existing conditions.”

The project is located within the Main Street commercial corridor and is approximately 0.6 mile from the Tuckahoe Metro-North train station.

Planning Board Chairman James Bonanno expressed concern that the proposed building would be out of character with existing structures in the neighborhood and expressed concern about the proposed building’s height. He noted that the building that was previously approved for the site was four stories rather than six stories as is now proposed. He suggested that the developer submit illustrations showing how it would blend with the rest of the neighborhood.