NEW ROCHELLE, NY (March 20, 2023) — The New Rochelle City Council on Tuesday approved an amendment to Downtown Overlay Zone 7 to allow the developer of a proposed waterfront development to build a total potential of 600 units provided 50 of them are veterans housing and 100 of them are condominiums.
“This is the first time veterans housing has been incorporated into a development project in New Rochelle,” saids New Rochelle Development Commissioner Adam Salgado.
Pratt Landing is intended to feature apartments, shops, restaurants and parks along Echo Bay on the site of the old City Yard on East Main Street and incorporate the New Rochelle Naval Armory.
Twining Properties has told City officials that to make Pratt Landing viable it needs to increase the project density from 450 units to 600 units. The City has agreed with the provision that the additional units include veterans housing and condominiums.
City Manager Kathleen Gill reported to the Council that she, along with Development Commissioner Adam Salgado and Council Member Al Tarantino have been meeting with the Sutton Manor Association to revise the proposed legislation to increase density, as well as clarify the language.
Before the Council vote, Tarantino noted that the increase in density from 45 units per acre to 50 units per acre would be restricted to veterans’ housing. He stressed the importance of including veterans’ housing in future developments and, in addition, referred to the request to the Planning Board to limit vehicular traffic on nearby buildings along the waterfront. Council Member Tarantino noted that clarification was also needed regarding the use of land under water.
A subsequent Public Hearing is not required.
“I think the balance that we’re getting here has made the residents in the neighborhoods very comfortable,” said Council Member Al Tarantino. “We’ve listened to what they’ve had to say, made some alterations and, while we were going through that process, came up with some great ideas of adding veterans housing.”
“I think we finally finally have a project,” he added.
Mayor Noam Bramson expressed appreciation to all those who participated in the development project.
Tarantino believes the addition of veterans housing could set a trend.
“I would like to see us as we go forward in other areas, and we look to more buildings in the downtown that we can convince the developers to consider because I know some of it is already in planning stage to consider some units for veterans,” he said.
The City Council voted unanimously to approve the change.
