A second public hearing on the proposed Centro Development in Larchmont is scheduled for this evening, Monday, October 21 at 7:30pm.
This meeting will be held at the Village Center (behind the library) at 119 Larchmont Ave.
Several days ago, Larchmont Mayor Lorraine Walsh released the statement below.
Our coverage:
Centro Larchmont Developer Says Project Thoroughly Vetted by Village – October 11, 2019
Public Outcry Over Proposed Larchmont Condominium – September 17, 2019
Statement from the Mayor:
I believe the economic health of our downtown is the most critical issue our Village faces, and it has been my number one priority since becoming Mayor.
Over the last three years our retail vacancy rate has dropped from 12% to 6%, we have a committed owner who is renovating our movie theatre into an exciting art-house cinema, we completed a comprehensive parking study, we completed the Palmer Avenue Streetscape and made several other aesthetic improvements. While these are important achievements, we are not yet where we want or need to be.
The complex issues affecting our downtown revitalization require a multi-faceted solution. One such approach would be to judiciously upgrade and enhance mixed residential-retail use in our Village center as similar Westchester communities, like Bronxville and Pelham, are doing.
On April 15, Gary Hirsch of Elk Homes LLC presented a proposal for the development of Centro Larchmont on his Chatsworth Avenue property, which includes the long-vacant Food Horizon and florist shops.
The Centro property is a vital one for our Village’s commercial district, since it is situated at the main entrance to Larchmont. I believe this proposal presents the Village with an opportunity to take an eyesore that has been a drag on Larchmont’s economic life for years and create a vibrant, forward-looking, mixed-use building that reflects and enhances the character of our Village.
𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱:
• Elk Homes has proposed a 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲-𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 which would contain 23 high-end and 3 affordable condominium units, 5,000 square feet of retail space on Chatsworth Avenue, and condo-owner amenities. Parking for the project would be provided underground.
• In addition to building the underground parking for its own residential and commercial tenants, Elk Homes has proposed 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗸 above the existing Village-owned lot on Wendt Avenue for Village use for a potential net increase of 27 parking spaces. As proposed, the deck would be built by Elk at an estimated 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗳 $𝟮,𝟬𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 and 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲. Additionally, the 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴.
• Elk Homes has proposed including a 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘄𝗮𝘆 through their property to connect the municipal Wendt Avenue lot with Chatsworth Avenue. This passageway would be maintained by Elk Homes.
• The proposed zoning amendment 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗟𝗘𝗘𝗗 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, a green roof, electric vehicle charging stations, and bike racks.
• The Village assessor has reviewed the proposed building and has preliminarily estimated that Centro’s total property-tax burden would be approximately $𝟳𝟬𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝗮 𝟵𝟳𝟳% 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 over the current level.
𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱:
• Centro Larchmont is a 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 development which would require a Village Board zoning amendment and special permit and a Planning Board site-plan approval. 𝗡𝗼 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. (A step-by-step timetable of the process can be found at https://villageoflarchmont.org/…/Rezoning-Site-Plan-Review-…)
• To date, the Village Board, the Planning Board and the Architectural Review Board have conducted seven public meetings regarding the proposal:
o The Village Planning Board reviewed the proposed zoning amendment at several public meetings and has recommended adoption with some modifications.
o A Board of Trustees public hearing was held on September 16th to receive input from residents on the proposed zoning amendment. Another is scheduled for October 21st.
𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿:
• It is expected that the Village Board would make 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 to the proposed zoning amendment. The comments received from the Village and County Planning Boards and residents, along with the assistance of the Village’s independent planning consultant, will help guide our decision making.
• Approval of a zoning amendment 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴. There is still a Board of Trustees-issued 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱 that will consider circumstances and set conditions specific to the particular site and project. If the special permit is approved, then a 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲-𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 would begin, where modifications can and will be made in accordance with other applicable Village code.
• Throughout the entire process, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘀 who will represent our interests and not rely on the studies provided by Elk Homes for decision-making information.
I would like to add that my fellow Board members and I are volunteers, committed to doing what is in the best interests of the Village and its residents and welcome all points of view.
Thank you,
Mayor Lorraine Walsh
