Plan to restore Pelham church, add apartments

A plan has been created that would restore and enhance a 100-year-old church building and bring 30 apartments to property located at 448 Washington Ave. in Pelham. Soren R.E. LLC and the Community Church of the Pelhams are seeking to join in a project that would repair and upgrade the church building and develop currently underutilized parts of the 0.82-acre site.

Soren R.E. LLC gives its office address as c/o Michael Volpe, Venable LLP, 1270 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan. Volpe is a partner in Venable LLP, a law firm that is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has clients globally.

According to Attorney David Cooper of the White Plains-based law firm Zarin & Steinmetz who filed documents with Pelham, Soren R.E., LLC is the contract-vendee to purchase the church”™s property.

Soren and the church have filed a petition asking Pelham to adopt zoning text and map amendments that would permit their plan to move forward. They want to preserve and repair the existing church, which was built in 1922, as well as develop the remainder of the property with a five-story multifamily residential building that would have 30 apartments. Most of the apartments would be age-restricted and need to have at least one resident of age 55 or older.

“This partnership will ensure that the church can remain a vibrant community resource in the village for many years to come,” Cooper said. “The partnership will also introduce new and critical housing options for seniors looking to stay in the village. In addition, other beneficial uses for the community could be provided at the property, such as childcare and co-working spaces.”

Cooper pointed out that the church building contains chapel space for religious services, a community hall, Sunday school classroom areas and offices for church employees. The church has a long history of hosting groups and providing services to the community, including athletic and social clubs, Scout troops, LBGTQ support organizations, as well as offering the Junior Wonders Preschool program since the early 2000”™s.

Cooper said that a century of use has taken a significant toll on the church building. The roof should be replaced, the floor of the community hall has suffered irreparable storm damage, heating and cooling upgrades are needed and upgrades must be done to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

Cooper said that the church estimates that undertaking the maintenance and renovation projects would cost in the seven-figure range. The church”™s membership has been decreasing in recent years.

“The church does not have the resources to undertake a seven-figure renovation project,” Cooper said. “The partnership with Soren will ensure that the church can remain a vibrant resource in the village for many years to come.”

The petition asks that Pelham create a new Mixed-Use District (“MX District”), which would permit the intended mix of uses at the Washington Avenue site.

“The proposed MX District would allow parcels of 30,000 square feet or larger to be developed with houses of worship, offices, child day-care services and a limited number of multifamily units,” Cooper said. “To ensure that the multifamily housing units are targeted to the senior population, the proposed MX District would require at least 80% of the units to be occupied by at least one individual aged 55 or older. In addition, density would be limited by imposing a 1,000 square foot per unit lot area requirement.”

It”™s suggested that the church renovation could also create up to approximately 4,500 square feet of new co-working space for the public to rent. This area would include an open area of desks and seating, as well as small conference rooms.

The concept calls for two studio apartments, 11 one-bedroom units, 14 two-bedroom units and three three-bedroom apartments. Two of the apartments would be on the new building”™s first level, four on the second level, 10 on the third level, eight on the fourth level and six on the fifth level. There would be 60 parking spaces provided on two parking levels.

The petition says that the plan fits with objectives of Pelham”™s Comprehensive Plan, including providing a diverse range of housing options for a range of ages and income levels and preserving and enhancing the character of the village.