Senior housing next to Ridge complex
Local developer Keith Libolt is considering answering the call to help address the housing crisis in the county by building some affordable units for senior citizens across South Manheim Boulevard in New Paltz across from the college campus. The 33 units would be in a single building just north of the Ridge apartment complex, where an additional building just for senior citizens was constructed in 2017. A house that’s been converted into offices would be demolished if the plans that are approved are similar to the sketch that village Planning Board members looked at during a pre-application review.
Three lots in total would be used for this project, including the office-house at 52, an adjacent lot on South Manheim Boulevard and another parcel on Hasbrouck Place. That house would be left intact, albeit with a slightly smaller lot, as part of it would be used to access the new living units by car. A two-story building that is expected to achieve a LEED energy efficiency rating of gold or better would have 33 apartments. The units on the second floor will be accessed by stairs or elevator, ensuring that all of the apartments are accessible. Village ordinance mandates that for a project of this size, at least ten percent must be deemed “affordable,” which means that rent is based in part on income and that tenants are selected from among people on the village’s affordable housing registry. In this case, Libolt intends on 100 percent of the apartments being affordable.
A walking path will encircle the structure and gardens will be planted in front. Existing woods will be retained at the back of the lot. Illustrations shown by architect Mario Salpepi show a building with several roof peaks and height variations to break up the visual mass. The 33 units comes out to about 17,000 square feet on each floor, after stairwells and other common spaces are factored in. The roof peaks at each end are also at 90 degrees to the rest, enhancing the sense that this is multiple structures. The end caps were also designed to be a “tribute” to the 1930s house that will have to be torn down for this particular vision to come into focus.
Libolt has a track record in energy-efficient buildings, having erected the Christ the King Church near Lenape Elementary School and also being an investor in Zero Place. The developer intends on including solar panels in this project, too.
Board member Rachel Lagodka wondered how much demolishing an existing building would impact Libolt’s environmental record. There’s also still some hope among Historic Preservation Commission members that it be adapted for reuse in some way. The developer explained the process that led to a plan without that old house still standing. On the inside, none of the historic structure remains, as it’s been completely rebuilt to maximize space for office rentals. With experience in adaptive reuse, Libolt explained that options such as using it for a common space or to house the onsite property manager were considered, but for this to be a senior citizen housing project, it would have to be made accessible, and that is “cost-prohibitive.”
There will be some kind of tax breaks sought for this project, Libolt said. Village mayor Tim Rogers is frequently and publicly critical of payments in lieu of taxes, but the developer said that the mayor appreciates that this project addresses an urgent need in the community. Rogers will have a chance to speak to that directly when this project is brought before the Village Board, which Libolt said would be the next step.
First New Paltz Apartments public hearing set
The first of what will be a number of public hearings on the New Paltz Apartments project has been scheduled for July 20. New Paltz Apartments is a proposal to build “cottage-style” housing for 650 on about 60 acres of former farmland on the west side of Route 32, south of the college campus. The land would have to be annexed into the village, where the water, sewer and zoning make that population density possible. However, the annexation can’t even be considered until the state-mandated environmental review is undertaken. The hearing on July 20 is part of the review under the State Environmental Quality Review act.
Due to the size of the project, a detailed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is to be prepared. The applicant, attorney Michael Moriello, has had consultants prepare a draft scope for the EIS, and this public hearing will be about that proposed scope specifically. Members of the public are given opportunity to speak about what should be in the scope, because if it’s not in the scope, then it won’t be studied for the EIS at all. The scoping document is the roadmap the developer must follow to demonstrate that each and every environmental impact is mitigated in some way.
Already, board attorney Rick Golden has asked for considerably more detail in the draft scope, and Moriello’s team has provided it. Next, a team of consultants just hired at this meeting after a marathon two-hour executive session, will each give their opinions. Professionals were named to review planning, community character, archaeology, natural environment and traffic impacts of this project and their first task will be to weigh in on that important scope. Board members will use that feedback to finalize the document that will be the subject of that July 20 hearing. It may be modified again based on what members of the public have to say.
This will not be the last opportunity to weigh in, but each hearing will have a slightly different focus. Once the EIS is filed, there will be a hearing on the draft, before it’s finalized. Another hearing might crop up once the findings statement is released, laying out why the mitigation proposed is sufficient. Town and village officials will have to hold hearings on the question of annexation once the environmental review is complete. If the project is still being considered at that point, it will then be a Planning Board application that will entail yet another hearing on the details of the site plan. If there’s any need for zoning variances, then a hearing would also be held on that application at the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Serdah plan to be reviewed in August
Village of New Paltz Planning Board members are being asked to look at quite a few projects right now, and Radi Serdah’s plans for 85 North Chestnut Street are again among these. This is the lot directly south of Zero Place, and Serdah would like to knock down the old building which is currently used for Main Street Auto and replace it with precisely what’s encouraged in the current code: a three-story structure that will have commercial space at ground level and apartments above. Serdah’s engineer, Andy Willingham, has addressed questions raised by the engineer and attorney working with the Planning Board and now the review can begin in earnest. Board members assumed lead agency status for purposes of the environmental review, referred the project to the Zoning Board of Appeals because the peaked roofs will exceed the lower height limit that was put into place after the furor that arose in the wake of the Zero Place application, and agreed to take a closer look at the environmental assessment form on August 3.
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