Cortlandt Train Station, Boat Launch, DSW: Development Update

Cortlandt residents will see the completion of several larger projects throughout the town this year as well as the start of some new ones. The is opening within the next few weeks. The construction on Route 202 should be complete by the end of the year. A new boat launch, basketball court, and sidewalks are planned in different parts of town as well. While these projects complete and move forward, others are still alive but seem to have stagnated over the last year.

This month, Cortlandt Town Supervisor Linda Puglisi released her goals for her 11^th two-year term. Among them are plans to make aesthetic and safety improvements on Route 6 and Route 9A, develop Annsville circle, and complete other projects already in progress. She separated the goals into seven categories: Town Finances, Community Forums, Veterans, Capital Projects and Road Improvements, Other Projects, Communication and Public Relations, and Other. (Read more about non-development related goals at the bottom of this article.)

Here is a list of the Capital Projects and Road Improvements and Other Projects discussed in the supervisor’s goals (click on the links to read more about the projects which we have covered on Peekskill-Cortlandt Patch):

Turn lanes and traffic lights added in this area should be to be completed this year. The project is paid for by the state DOT.

• Cortlandt Train Station:

 The expanded Cortlandt Train Station by the MTA/Metro North is expected to open at the end of January or beginning of Feburary. New amenities include pedestrian walkway over the railroad tracks. Read more about the changes .

• Cortlandt Boulevard (Rte. 6):

Aesthetic improvements are planned for safety and aesthetic purposes. Decorative street lamps will be placed on the corridor in early 2012. The project is funded by private project applicants or by grant money.

• Annsville Circle:

 The town will use $1.5 million of New York State grant money to make safety improvement and implement beautification projects. They plan to add pedestrian walkways in the area by the river and encourage small businesses in the area to make it a small-scale economic center in the town.

• Bridges:

The town plans to remove two closed and deteriorating bridges along with Metro North over the railroad tracks. The Town is responsible for a portion of the bridges.

• Route 9A:

Complete a crosswalk in Montrose, suggested at the Montrose Enhancement Project meetings. Also, additional sidewalks will be added along Rte. 9A. The town will continue to lobby the state DOT for an interchange onto Rte. 9 by the Cortlandt train station.

Waterline replacement projects in various areas of town will be gin and the town will construct another water storage tank in the central part of Cortlandt.

• Waterspray Park:

The Town will continue to design and plan for a waterspray park for the former Sprout Lake land but its completion may depend on the state of economy.

• Parkland at Furnace Dock Lake:

The town will begin planning for passive parkland use at the Furnace Dock Lake purchased from Con Edison in 2011. They will also begin working to repair the dam.

• Half Court Basketball Court:

The Town plans to complete this project, which was proposed by two local students last year. The court will be in the northern part of town.

• Former Martin Property:

The town will construct a new boat ramp for residential use, an aviation themed-playground and park in memory of Jim Martin.

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While plans are set in motion for these public projects, Cortlandt Planning Director Chris Kehoe said that some private projects will move forward this year, while others may still be “live,” but have not been back to the planning board for  or started construction in several months. See the list of updates below.

Private Development Updates:

• Circuit City:

Because Circuit City is bankrupt and there other complications with the local ownership and leasing of the Circuit City building on Route 6, this building will most likely remain vacant for months to come or longer. 

A DSW is currently being built in the space next to Barnes and Noble at the Cortlandt Town Center. Calls to the management company have not been returned, but it seems the store will be open by mid-2012.

• Westrock:

There is a proposal to build a large shopping center across from the Cortlandt Town Center, where Puppies, Puppies, Puppies, a car alarm dealer and an unfinished wood furniture store are currently located –those businesses would have to relocate or shut down. The environmental impact statement has been completed but the public hearing on the project has not been held. The case was first brought to the Planning Board in 2006. While it has not made much progress, the project is certainly not dead, said Kehoe.

The new cancer center is completed and opened in November, 2011.

• A new and improved car dealership:

Renovations of the existing on Route 6, across from the vacant Toyota dealership, and the construction of additional 26,000 square foot building are in progress, Kehoe said.

The new building you see from Route 6, right on the road, is the new Hyundai building. The construction is almost finished. The back building renovations will be the Toyota dealership.

• Construction of a 30,000 square foot development:

 While Kehoe says these plans are not dead, nothing has changed since last March. Here is where the project stands with the town: A proposal to knock down an old house near off of Route 6 and replace it with a 30,000 square foot retail and office space gained initial approval. The environmental impact study is complete and went through a public hearing, where residents and the board asked the developer to consider building one large building, rather than two, said Keyhoe.

“Road improvements are being requested of this developer,” Town of Cortlandt Supervisor Linda Puglisi said. “You can't just have a shopping center coming in without improvements to the area.”

“I have no idea what the timeline is for this, especially with this economy,” Keyhoe said.

The Pond View developer has submitted an application to the Planning Board to knock down its apartments behind Marshals on Route 6, which is about 56 units and a few old cottages, and redevelop the area with modern townhouses. Environmental studies and a site evaluation have been completed. Keyhoe expects the public hearing to be scheduled for some time in April.

The Cortlandt Town Board has issued the Pond View Developer a Residential Reuse Permit, which permits him to finalize his site plan. The planning board will still have to approve the final site plan, which is now required to include the construction of a road connecting Pond View site to the Cortlandt Town Center. This requirement satisfies the board’s concerns that the development could cause safety and traffic issues because a left-turn onto Route 6 is so difficult to make out of that area.

The Planning Board has approved a large expansion of this Furnace Dock Road development, but the developers have not started the construction yet. Last March, Keyhoe speculated that the economy and perhaps a lack of prospective tenants may have stalled the project. This could still be the case.

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Additional Town Goals:

In the Town Supervisor's 2012-2013 goals, she mentioned many other plans other than development. She noted the town’s efforts to continue to lobby New York State’s Department of Transportation for a median/barrier on the Bear Mountain Parkway for safety purposes. She also explained the town will continue “Renew Cortlandt,” a website on sustainability and greening issues. Puglisi will continue her commitment to open spaces and to finding ways to share services and cut costs.

Puglisi noted the under 1 percent tax increase on average for the last 20-years and her commitment to control spending. She also explained that she hopes to hold Realtor’s and Economic forums with the public and property owners and to hold Montrose and Verplanck Enhancement plan meetings with community members.

The supervisor is also very dedicated to fighting for the V.A. facility in Montrose, supporting veterans and building the Veteran’s Park in Verplanck. 

Read more about the goals by clicking on the supervisor’s seven-page PDF attached to this article.

What do you think of the plans? Take our poll and tell us in the comments.

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