New York’s public authority Empire State Development (ESD) is seeking proposals for the development of approximately 330 acres of state-owned land at 26 Center Circle in the Dutchess County community of Wassaic. ESD wants to see responses to its Request for Proposals by June 30 at 2 p.m. It is looking for proposals that would create housing on the site, including affordable housing, as well as mixed uses.
The site encompasses the remainder of the Taconic Developmental Center campus, which currently houses the Taconic Developmental Disabilities Services Office.
ESD says that it wants proposals to include affordable and market rate housing units and consider uses to support not only the site but the surrounding area’s residents as well. These uses could include retail, community facilities, and open space. It says that what happens at the site should provide well-paying job opportunities for residents of the surrounding area.
ESD describes the site as being approximately 2.5 miles west of the New York-Connecticut border, approximately two hours north of New York City, 1-1/2 hours south of Albany, and 45 minutes east of Poughkeepsie by car. It describes the rural landscapes surrounding the site as featuring rolling hills, farmland, streams and wetlands, and steep forested valleys and gorges.
According to ESD, Wassaic was developed as a small railroad village where the New York and Harlem Railroad company connected the area’s many small dairy farms to the rest of the region. Today, Wassaic as well as the Town of Amenia remain rural communities with a growing number of recreational, cultural, creative, and tech opportunities that serve the New York metropolitan area. Examples include the scenic Harlem Valley Rail Trail and the Wassaic Project’s artist-in-residence programs.
New York state owns the Taconic Campus through the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York. It is managed by the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD).
The site has 53 buildings and structures in varying condition that were formerly used as a state-operated long-term care center for disabled individuals. The site has been largely vacant since the end of 2013, OPWDD currently conducts administrative work and other control functions in 21 of the buildings at the site. . Vacant buildings include living spaces, facilities for athletics, and auditoriums. There is a sewage treatment plant, electrical transformer vault, water tower, and well pump stations. The existing structures were built between 1927 and 1950 and total approximately 740,000 square feet. ESD notes that at its peak, the site housed 5,500 residents.
The Tenmile River Metro-North Rail Station is located at the entrance to the facility, where the Tenmile River flows. The station is the next to last stop on Metro-North’s Harlem Line. ESD suggests that proximity to the train station makes the site well suited for a mixed-use, transit-oriented development. There is Dutchess County bus service that connects the site and the Metro-North station to the communities of Millbrook, Dover Plains, Pleasant Valley, and Poughkeepsie. The site is within 1,000 feet of Route 22 and is easily accessible from I-84 and I-90.
ESD says that it is likely that asbestos and lead are in existing buildings and remediation would be needed. It says that the existing buildings could be considered for conversion into new residences. ESD also says that the wastewater treatment plant does not currently function and would need to be replaced. It said that it expects current OPWDD operations at the site would continue after redevelopment.
ESD said that its Designated Developer for the project would be responsible for the full cost of planning, designing, implementing, and ongoing maintenance of appropriate safety improvements to each railroad grade crossing in the development area. Improvements may include installation of signals, crossing gates, and other warning devices that are tied into the Metro-North signal system.
