Developer Wants Neighbors' Input On Latest Armory Plans

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Development plans for the New Rochelle Naval Armory are starting to take shape, but the vision for a restored New Rochelle waterfront isn't without controversy.

The city's development partner of record for the New Rochelle Armory, Twining Properties, is hoping to bring all sides to the table in a just announced forum. The public meeting is part of a series the developer has hosted, including a number of public webinars in recent months .

"The Armory is a such a unique and special part of the city," Twining spokesperson Phil Wharton said in a statement announcing the forum. "We have said from the beginning that we intend for this to be very much a collaboration with neighbors and stakeholders, especially the veteran’s community. We want residents of New Rochelle to have a forum where they can speak about what they want to see at the Armory."

The in-person town hall-style meeting will take place in the New Rochelle YMCA, at 50 Weyman Ave. on December 9, at 6:00 p.m.

Leveraging a $1.1 million grant from New York State, Twining recently announced the completion of a $2.5 million project at the site in the summer of 2020. The stop-gap measures included the abatement of hazardous materials and replacement of the roof, to stabilize the building and ready it for its future redevelopment.

The Armory had fallen into disrepair and had not been available for public use or events since the mid-2000’s, according to the developers. The Armory is envisioned as a central part of Twining’s Pratt Landing waterfront project. The published proposal for the project includes more than 3.5 acres of public open space through a new series of parks, a waterfront promenade and green space.

The project will include retail and residential development as well.

Current plans also calls for several thousand square feet of space at the Armory for a veterans service organization.

"We hope the community will come and engage in a productive dialogue with us as we move closer to this very exciting project," Wharton said. "We encourage the public to attend this forum and present their ideas and any specific plans they may have for the Armory’s future."

Those who can't attend the public forum in-person can still make their voices heard. Twining has been recording feedback since June on its website. New Rochelle residents can visit the site and register for email updates, as well as answer a series of questions regarding the waterfront, programming and the Armory building.

SEE ALSO:

• Waterfront Plans Get A Boost With Armory Lawsuit Tossed
• Does New Rochelle Have Plans For the Armory?
• New Rochelle Gets $1M Grant To Rehab Armory

Those interested in attending the public session can RSVP via email at sgoldstein@marinopr.com.