The “sprawling natural beauty” of Woodland Pond at New Paltz is set for a significant upgrade, with representatives of the continuing care retirement community recently coming before the village planning board to discuss their proposal.
During a November 19 meeting of the planning board, Dave Roberts, capital projects manager for Woodland Pond said the ten proposed additions totaling 21,746 square feet were formulated in part following conversations with residents of the retirement community.
“In the interim 15 years since we opened (in 2009), the needs of our Woodland Pond community and market expectations have developed significantly,” Roberts said. “We have a very informed and engaged senior population, and the changes we’re proposing are in response to ongoing consultation with our residents to evaluate what works best and what they’d like to see increased.”
Among the additions are additional informal dining options, which will require upgrades to onsite primary and auxiliary kitchens; an expanded fitness center, wellness lounge, and enlarged salon, including a massage room and sauna; a larger exercise room with the capacity for an indoor pickleball court.
“Improvements in the health center include the addition of more centralized communal living and dining areas, the addition of kitchens that are more residential in nature, improved daylighting in common areas, and access to outdoor gardens and an elevated terrace,” said Roberts. “These improvements are in all areas of the health center, that means in assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care.”
Plans are also underway for an arts and crafts room with a dedicated kiln and ceramics area; and a 6,318 square foot 200-seat multipurpose performing arts center with a raised stage.
“The resident population is highly enthusiastic to showcase performances and functions in a space that can hold more people than the existing performing arts center,” reads an October 28 letter to planning board chair Zach Bialecki from LC Engineering & Surveying principal Kenneth Casamento. “The PAC (performing arts center) will be a multi-function space that will allow for performances on a stage with a full back of house area, speakers with presentation allowances, banquets, and holiday gatherings where guests and families can join.”
Woodland Pond’s patient and inpatient therapy center is set for upgrades and expansion, and the same is true of the administrative offices.
“It’s important to note that the proposal does not add any residential units and only requires a nominal increase in staffing to support the amenities,” Roberts said.
Critically, all of the proposed additions are intended as attachments to existing buildings, and none, including landscaping, will impact the natural vegetation buffer surrounding the campus or a conservation easement.
“Our resident population is very focused on sustainability and the new landscaped areas reflect this approach through the use of native species that are environmentally suitable for our region,” said Roberts. “Architectural features reflect the quality and character of the community as well as the surrounding neighborhood and village.”
Each of the ten additions are designed to be completed as separate phases, both to allow for a deliberate funding process, and to ensure residents’ lives aren’t disrupted.
“There’s a lot of things that where in normal construction, you can say this would be done in a year or two years,” Roberts said. “This is probably a three to five year, (project) if not a little longer…(Our residents) have got to be able to do all the activities that they normally do every day of the week throughout this construction process.”
The first phase, and approximately 2,712 square foot addition to the wellness and fitness center located at the south/southeast portion of the existing facility, can begin as soon as the project is approved.
At the November 19 planning board meeting, the project was classified as unlisted, with no significant environmental impact. The planning board also declared itself lead agency on the project, and referred it to the village’s engineer for review. It is likely to reappear for approval at the planning board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, December 17.
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