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Working Together, The County Legislature & County Executive Enable Sale & Development Of Affordable Housing At County-Owned Sain Building Property
During a wind-blown press conference on Wednesday, County Executive Ed Day, flanked by legislators from both sides of the aisle, announced that the county has declared the long-vacant and deteoriated Sain Building at 18 New Hempstead Road in New City, “surplus property,” which means that it has cleared the way for a sale and redevelopment into a mixed-use residential project.
County legislators at the press conference billed the declaration as a “triumph of bipartisanship.”
Details of the Request For Proposal (RFP) are in progress, but the county is seeking a preferred developer to engage in a long-term lease or purchase of the 3.69 acre site and construct much needed “workforce” housing, Day said.
Sketching the county’s vision for the property, Day 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 the corner of New Hempstead Road and North Main Street, across from the Rockland County Courthouse and administration building.
The 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 shortage of housing affects everyone in the county one way or another,” Day said referring to the County Housing Needs Assessment prepared earlier this year by the Hudson Valley Pattern For Progress. “The Needs Assessment provided a playbook to help municipal governments fill the dire need in the County.”
Day estimated 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.”
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 six story Sain Building, which sits on 3.69 acres, 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.
To address this crisis, the County has launched several key initiatives, including:
Housing Action Loan Opportunity: 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.
Countywide Housing Education Campaign: A new marketing and education campaign will be launched soon to inform residents about the county’s housing needs and dispel common myths about affordable housing.
Redevelopment of the Sain Building: The county is moving forward with plans to redevelop the Sain Building property at 18 New Hempstead Road in New City. This project will create new workforce housing for essential workers, generate nearly half a million dollars in property taxes annually, and enhance the local community.
