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Village Information Session Serves To Inform & Update Residents On Projects And Plans For Future Development
Staff Report
Haverstraw Forward, a community-focused effort by the Village of Haverstraw to keep residents and stakeholders informed, is holding an informational forum on April 10th at the Haverstraw Community Center, 50 West Broad Street, from 5:30-7:30pm.
The forum will focus on five transformative projects impacting the Village’s future – all involving proposed development, infrastructure improvements, and sustainable growth.
The five projects include: the Chair Factory and WestHab (two residential developments in the Village’s land use process); the BFJ Traffic & Parking Study; the O&R Thermal Energy Network; and NYMTC’s Transportation & Infrastructure project.
Chair Factory Project
The Haverstraw Chair Factory development is a mixed-use, mixed-income waterfront development at the end of Main Street designed with 450 residential units with 70% designated as workforce affordable housing; new retail and restaurant spaces; a publicly accessible 4-acre waterfront park system; housing options for seniors, veterans, young professionals, and families; and, a continuous walkway connecting downtown to the shoreline.
The project is working its way through the land use approval process, but has been stymied by the Town of Haverstraw’s unwillingness to negotiate a PILOT agreement with the developer that it says is necessary to secure its financing.
The developer has received a $3 million HALO (Housing Action Loan Opportunity) loan from Rockland County to support its project.
The WestHab Project
Westhab, a regional powerhouse in affordable and supportive housing projects, has plans to construct a 100% affordable housing development created through a public-private partnership with the Village contributing a village-owned parking lot for the project at 30 West Street.
The project will provide 81 units of affordable housing for households earning between 30% and 60% of area median income. The development will incorporate green building strategies with 100% electric and high-efficiency building systems and include a 100 kW solar PV array to offset on-site electrical use.
The developer has received a package of $12.1 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credits and other incentives from the state, as well as a $3 million HALO loan from Rockland County.
New York Metropolitan Transportation Council Project
The NYMTC initiative is aimed toward identifying and enhancing key routes linking the downtown business district and waterfront, and conducting studies with public input to determine optimal transit improvements.
The NYMTC will use its resources to support the village’s transit goals and development through improved transportation infrastructure.
The NYMTC is the federally mandated council of governments that directs the use federal transportation funds for New York City, Long Island, and the Lower Hudson Valley.
BFJ Traffic & Parking Study
BFJ Planning is conducting a comprehensive traffic and parking study to support improved transportation and accessibility in the village.
The study will occur in three phases: (1) a review of transportation and parking elements for the Chair Factory development; (2) a parking occupancy survey and recommendations; and (3) development of complete streets strategies for the Village.
This study will be used to guide Village efforts to optimize traffic flow, parking solutions, and pedestrian access throughout the village.
BFJ Planning is a consulting firm providing professional expertise in planning, urban design, environmental analysis, real estate, and transportation and has conducted traffic studies for other municipalities in Rockland County.
Orange & Rockland Thermal Energy Network
The Haverstraw Utility Thermal Energy Network Pilot represents a clean energy initiative in partnership with Orange and Rockland. This program allows eligible customers to enjoy energy efficiency upgrades, provides incentives for new heating and cooling equipment utilizing geothermal energy; supplies energy through a shared district network; supports New York’s clean energy goals by eliminating greenhouse gas emissions, and reduces fossil fuel dependence while demonstrating scalable technology for communities.
For more information contact the Village of Haverstraw at 845-429-0300, visit its offices at 40 New Main Street, or explore its website at www.vohny.com.
