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Proposals For Redevelopment of Sain Building Include Affordable Housing, Commercial Units & Open Space
By Tina Traster
Two of three developers vying to redevelop the county’s derelict Sain building in New City presented preliminary plans to nearly 70 people on Monday night at the Legislative Chambers in the Allison-Parris building, while the third said he’d take his lead from the community on what they’d like to see.
The Westchester-based Regan Development Corp., in partnership with Rockland Housing Action Coalition (RHAC), is proposing a 37-unit affordable rental housing complex with 3,100 square feet of ground-floor retail. The Monsey-based Metrex Equities pitched a 50-unit mixed-use rental project with 75 percent affordable rental units and 7,000 square feet of ground retail.
And local developer/lender and Piermont resident Billy Procida has proposed a 41-unit project of townhouses and residential flats but has not provided any other specifics. Instead, in a rather unusual presentation, he told the crowd that he hoped the county would choose his firm because of its track record and because he has local roots.
“Nothing else matters,” said Billy Procida of Procida Funding. “Don’t concentrate on these pictures of townhouses. They mean nothing.”
Last October, the county declared the long-vacant and deteriorated Sain Building at 18 New Hempstead Road in New City, “surplus property,” which means it cleared the way for a sale and redevelopment into a mixed-use residential project. County officials have said the development must provide workforce housing, public green space, a buffer zone to protect neighbors, and fit with the character of the neighborhood. The Sain building sits on a 3.69-acre corner of New Hempstead Road and North Main Street, across from the Rockland County Courthouse and administration building.
There is a deficit of 4,230 affordable units for those making under $60,000 annually, according to the Rockland County Housing Needs Assessment, prepared by Pattern for Progress. The report says 57 percent of Rockland homes are single-family detached homes – unaffordable to the average resident. The single-family average sales price is $683,000. A median household income of nearly $100,000 can qualify for a $260,000 mortgage. And fewer than 2 percent of single-family homes sold are less than $300,000 according to the 2022 Multiple Listings Service.
The Regan/RHAC plan includes rental units from 30 percent to 80 percent AMI (area median income), ranging from $34,020 to $90,720 for a single person, with rents ranging from $911 monthly to $2,430. For a family of four, with AMI ranging from $46,600 to $129,000, rents for two-bedroom units will cost between $1,093 to $2,916.
Regan plans to pay $1 million for the property.
The Metrex proposal calls for 25 units for 55-plus and 25 non-age restricted units, with 75 percent of the project dedicated to affordable units ranging from 80 percent AMI to 100 percent AMI, with 12 market rate units. Estimated rents for one-bedroom units would be $2,950, and two-bedroom units would range from $2,900 to $3,200. Specifically, the development calls for 10 one-bedroom units at 100 percent AMI, 7 two-bedroom units at 80 percent AMI, 21 two-bedroom units at 90 percent AMI, and 12 unrestricted market rate units.
Metrex plans to take a 20-year ground lease, with annual payments to the county of $180,000.
Procida has bid $1.23 million for the site.
The county estimates the necessary demolition of the building will cost between $500,000 and $600,000, however the county does not have environmental studies and may be unaware of potential issues including asbestos, lead, and underground storage tanks.
All three developers emphasized their plans were preliminary and they were open to fielding community input. Community members who spoke emphasized the dire need for affordable housing for veterans, first responders, county workers, educators, nurses, and people with disabilities.
“Resources are scarce,” said Susan Branam, Vice President and Director of the Rockland County Veterans Agency, and a former Active Duty Army Captain. “Our veterans come back and cannot afford housing. This is a disgrace. We need workforce housing.”
Residents also raised concerns about the loss of mature trees, lighting, increased traffic due to the proposal of several residential projects that, if approved, will add several hundred residential units and expanded retail along the Main Street corridor.
At least a handful of residents from Eberling Drive raised concerns about plans for a subdivision off New Hempstead Road and Eberling Drive that will cluster homes on one of the last wooded residential parcels in that section of New City. The applicant for the project is Rockland Housing Action Committee, which is the group partnering with Regan on the Sain project. The seven-home Eberling Drive proposal calls for affordable housing for low to moderate income individuals and families on a 4.22 parcel, which sits to the west of the Sain building.
The Regan project situates the built portion of the development along New Hempstead Road, while preserving a large open space that borders the Eberling Drive area. In contrast, the Metrex project envisions a pocket park with a playground along New Hempstead Road, with the housing units spread over the remaining acreage. In both proposals, the entrance to the projects will remain on New Hempstead Road at the existing curb cut.
The Sain building is situated in Clarkstown’s new H3 Zone in the New City Hamlet, which allows 10 residential units per acre and has a 10 percent minimum set-aside requirement for affordable units. The RFP may specify more than the minimum zoning requirement.
The county estimates the redevelopment could provide up to $500,000 in new taxes, and that the selection of the developer and the details of the project would be hashed out in the “bright light of the day.”
The six story Sain Building was built in 1962 and purchased by the county in 1974. Original plans called for a restaurant on the top floor. A swimming pool in the basement was filled in with cement.
In a serious state of disrepair, with roof leaks, plasterboard failing, and major ventilation and electrical issues, the building is considered beyond repair. Piping in the building had asbestos wrapping. Earlier plans to sell the Sain Building, demolish the structure, and construct senior housing on the site were abandoned by the Massachusetts-based National Development Acquisition LLC when a commitment to sell the property stalled. The developer had offered $4.5 million for the property in 2018.
The property is situated in close proximity to supermarkets, shopping, transportation, parks and other local amenities.
With the unanimous support of the County Legislature, $13.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds have been allocated to provide direct loans for creating or preserving workforce housing. Demand for the program has been high, with application requests totaling over $29.7 million.
More information is available at: sainredevelopment.com
