Yorktown reports wave of new interest in development. Find out why – The Journal News

Yorktown Town Supervisor Matt Slater talks about pursuing the creation of zoning overlay districts in the town Sept. 16, 2020. Rockland/Westchester Journal News

YORKTOWN Interest in bringingnew development here has come alive, the town supervisorsaid, now that Yorktownis consideringa tool that's become atrend to revitalization in northern Westchester County.

Generally known asan overlay district, it provides flexibility fromsome zoning rules and processes, butin a targeted locationwithin, say, a downtown business area.

The former automotive repair building in the Shrub Oak section of Yorktown Sept. 16, 2020. Yorktown officials are pursuing the creation zoning overlay districts.(Photo: Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News)

Were getting some real, real interest in it I met today with two different groups who are looking to invest in (the) town, and they point right to the development districts," Town Supervisor Matt Slater said recently. In general, he added, in meetinginterested parties "we've had conversations from mixed-use to commercial, to recreational. So it really is running the gamut."

Town officials would not divulge who they're talking to, but Slater said the interestincludes the Lake Osceola area ofthe Jefferson Valley hamlet.

Were very excited about that, he said.

Town Board member Alice Roker said at a recent board meeting she knows ofsomeonewho has expressed interestin the Bear Mountain Triangle, an area bordered by Crompond Road, the Bear Mountain Parkway Extension and Taconic State Parkway.

He wants to get us to move this along so he can come and present something, she said.

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The town's proposed overlay district legislation is under review and will eventually go to a public hearing.

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Town officials announced the potential foroverlays in the business districts of various hamlets, such as Yorktown Heights, Jefferson Valley, Crompond, Mohegan Lake, and Shrub Oak.Coupled with a new Destination Y branding campaign Yorktown: Up where you belong! is the slogan the marketing effort seeks investment, from small businesses to mixed-use development. Potential goals include:

Around the region, others are looking to overlay districts.

In Mount Kisco, a longtime shopping and restaurant hub, village officials approved an overlay district forvillage-owned land that includes portions of parkingareas nearthe downtown train station. Theyve been exploring something sizable for the site, havinglined up developers Gotham Organization and Charter Realty Developmentas well as the architectural firm Beyer Blinder Bellewith conceptual renderings of what would be called Kirby Commons. It calls for:

A conceptual rendering of mixed-use, transit-oriented development that Mount Kisco is exploring(Photo: Thompson and Bender)

"We continue to move forward with the Kirby Commons project," said Mount Kisco Mayor Gina Picinich. "We are working on the contract."

At the recent village trustees meeting, a business owner said officials should consider how muchconstruction of the development, if it moves forward, would affect existing businesses and people coming to them,and she urged holding forums to give more information and hear comments.

A public hearing on the zoningproposal is set for Oct. 5.

In Ossining, village officials are working with a consultant on Ossining Tomorrow, which could include establishing overlay zonesdowntown and in the Croton Avenue corridor. Mayor Victoria Gearity said in her recent email message to residents the potential approach could create "a more walkable and inviting business district."

Yorktown Town Supervisor Matt Slater standing in front of the former K-Mart store in the Yorktown Green Shopping Center Sept. 16, 2020. Yorktown officials are pursuing the creation zoning overlay districts(Photo: Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News)

The reasons underlying northern Westchester'soverlay district trend:

The former Kmart in Yorktown Green Shopping Center in Yorktown Heights Dec. 18, 2019.(Photo: Tania Savayan/The Journal News)

The YorktownGreen Shopping Center is onesymbol of the change in fortunes: The plaza's former Food Emporium has sat dormant for more than a decade and the Kmart recently exited.

Meanwhile, amid COVID-19, there are reports that many people and perhaps corporationsare exiting New York Cityfor social distancing in the suburbs, bringing potential to Yorktown.

The Journal News/lohud contacted severaldevelopers who do northern Westchester projects to see if they'reamong those expressing interest in Yorktown. Two of them, Ginsburg Development Companies which has builtapartments and restaurants in rivertowns such as Ossining and Peekskill and New Jersey-based Ridgewood Real Estate Partners, which has a development proposalin Briarcliff Manor, said they have nothing in the works in Yorktown. Others didnt respond toJournal News/lohud inquiries.

Slater said he and John Tegeder, the town planning director, have beenfielding calls for potential projects.

And its clear that the overlay zones are very enticing, Slater said. We want to continue to move the conversation forward.

Michael McKinney covers northern Westchester.Follow him on Twitter@mikemckwrite.Visitoffers.lohud.comto sign up for a subscription.

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Yorktown reports wave of new interest in development. Find out why - The Journal News