Manhattan-based developer Charles S. Cohen is floating the idea of redeveloping the former Doral Arrowwood resort in Rye Brook, near the Westchester County Airport, into a combination luxury resort and housing project. Rye Brook’s Mayor Jason Klein tells the Business Journal that he has met with Cohen and looks forward to receiving a formal proposal.
In a May 12 interview with the Business Journal, Klein said that preliminary ideas and concepts were discussed and village officials would be reviewing whatever Cohen submits and also provide appropriate feedback to the developer during the review process. Klein said that he anticipates receiving a formal proposal in a matter of months. Klein also said that he welcomed a particular element of the concept that Cohen presented, which would have a large portion of the approximately 90-acre property remain as open space. He emphasized the importance of open space to the village. He also said when Doral Arrowwood was operating it had been a plus for the village in terms of attracting people and business activity and generating property tax, sales tax and hotel room occupancy tax revenue.
Just a few hours before the Business Journal spoke with Klein, Cohen Brothers Realty Corporation had revealed that it was working on a plan for the property that it will be submitting to the Village of Rye Brook for consideration.
“We are very excited to be moving forward with a proposal that we believe is well-suited for the property, the adjacent community, the Village of Rye Brook and Westchester County,” Cohen said. “This is a complete reimagination of an outdated use that is aligned with business and consumer trends of the 21st century.”
Cohen, president and CEO of Cohen Brothers Realty, grew up in Harrison.
The proposal is expected to call for a 146-room luxury boutique hotel, along with 36 dwelling units for permanent residents and 78 townhomes. There would be a spa, along with dining overseen by a celebrity chef and extensive indoor and outdoor recreation facilities. There would be restaurant, bar and lounge spaces along with fitness facilities and conference rooms.
The existing hotel will be demolished, and the golf course will be transformed into an open space with a trail network. The proposed project is described as creating “a new footprint that would define the aesthetic and environmental qualities of the site” and a project that “is expected to draw from the surrounding Westchester and southern Connecticut regions as well as New York City residents seeking a nearby luxury spa with signature amenities.”
Control of the Arrowwood property had been the subject of court cases and it is believed that it is the settlement of those cases that is allowing Cohen to proceed with the current redevelopment planning process.
Some years ago, Cohen Brothers redeveloped 333 Westchester Avenue in White Plains, which once was the headquarters of General Foods. They brought in famed architect Philip Johnson for that project.
