Via release from Town of New Castle
Summit Greenfield has announced that it plans to submit a formal application to the Town Board for using the iconic cupola building at Chappaqua Crossing for residential purposes. The application will propose relocating previously approved affordable housing units at Chappaqua Crossing to the upper floors of the cupola building, which has been vacant since 2010..
Summit Greenfield has been exploring the feasibility of adaptively reusing the cupola building for residential purposes for the past several months and now expects to submit its formal application to the Town Board within the next 60 days. At a public work session on May 12, 2015, Summit Greenfield told the Town Board that utilizing the cupola building will better integrate the approved residential and retail uses on the site, and will allow them to build affordable housing units at the property sooner than otherwise possible. Westchester County planning officials have expressed support for Summit Greenfield’s initiative.
The proposal expected from Summit Greenfield in the coming weeks will not increase previously approved residential density at Chappaqua Crossing. The total bedroom count for all residential development would remain the same as approved by the Town Board in 2011. With the reuse of the cupola building, Summit Greenfield intends to drop its plans to construct two new, multi-family residential buildings on the site, and instead to develop the remaining residential units as fee simple townhouses. Currently, only 60 of the 91 previously approved market rate residential units are required to be taxed on a fee simple basis.
New Castle Town Supervisor Rob Greenstein stated “I am excited about this proposal and look forward to learning more about it. Reusing the cupola building appears to be an excellent approach and presents an opportunity to facilitate the construction of affordable housing in our community that we all can be proud of.”