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IRVINGTON, N.Y. A public hearing on the proposed Continuum assisted-living facility brought out several concerned residents before it was abruptly cut short by an alarm Wednesday night.
I think it would be a mistake for this village to permit this at this time, resident Patrick Nadarelli said.
The proposed 105,000-square-foot Continuum facility would be on about four acres at 30 S. Broadway, south of Main Street and across from the intersection of Broadway and Harriman Road.
The facility would include 81 assisted-living units, 40 memory-care units, a fitness center, a beauty salon, parking, walking paths and dining facilities. The proposal also includes actions to revise Irvington's zoning code to allow the facility within the village's multifamily zoning district.
The Irvington Planning Board will continue to discuss the project at its next meeting in May. Before construction can begin, developers will need to get approval from the Planning Board, the Architectural Review Board and the Board of Trustees.
During the meeting, Planning Board Chair Bill Hoffman read more than 30 pieces of correspondence the board had received on the Continuum proposal. He said residents had raised several issues with the development, including traffic, the size of the project and whether village emergency services could handle the additional population.
Hoffman also said he resented residents' implying that the Planning Board was not being transparent on the proposal.
I resent people accusing us of sneaking this project through, he said. We have been nothing but transparent throughout the process.
Residents who spoke at the meeting added additional concerns.
"I was wooed for a while by the promise of more business and tax revenue, but now I'm nervous, Barbara Scott said. I don't see this as a viable additive to the community. A condominium complex would be a better use of the facility.
Barry Graubart, the founder of Protect Irvington From Overdevelopment, said the proposed project is too large and it seems the Continuum project hits a gram slam when it comes to violating the spirit of Irvington's comprehensive plan.
Graubart noted that Route 9 serves as a detour for the Saw Mill River Parkway when it floods. He said the increased traffic from the assisted-living facility would only add to congestion.
Graubart's wife, Patty, questioned how the project would benefit the community. It's creating a village within a village, she said.
Nadarelli said the project destroys Irvington's small-town image, adding that the project is three times the size of the Main Street School. He argued that the site is an ideal location for multifamily housing, which is what it is currently zoned for.
We're getting development that's too large for the site, he said.
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