Q&A
Questions:
- In 10 years, when there is a hurricane and the train station floods – this floods, are you going to raise the buildings?
- You account for Floodplain – how about storm surges? Why won’t it flood the first floor?
- In regard to the long-term projection studies Columbia/Cornell – would like to get some clarification in terms of the design of the first floor – have you considered that in terms of those particular studies?
- By increasing the height of the Kill, isn’t that pushing the water/storm surge back into all the other businesses -- that would be increasing the negative impact by doing it?
Answers:
The buildings will not be raised in 10 years. The buildings will be designed and built to be sustainable for anticipated sea level rise and changes in flood plains. As the DPW site is already 12 feet higher than the mean water level of the Hudson River, and 6 feet higher than the Harbor Square property, the DPW property is in a good long-term position in terms of sea level rise and anticipated future flood plain levels anticipated to 2050 and beyond. This is substantiated by preliminary FEMA Floodplain Maps and a Columbia / Cornell study which demonstrates that there is minimal to no change to the floodplain upstream of Water Street, even at the projected 30 inch rise in sea level level (The “High” projection for 2050 in the New York City/Lower Hudson region https://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/102559.html).
In addition to local, county and NYS review of our building design, short- and long-term flood plain compliance, and appropriateness for anticipated sea level rise, Wilder Balter will also have to procure flood insurance-- that process will require them to demonstrate the long-term sustainability of improvements in terms of flooding from storm surge and sea level rise.
The development will not be increasing the mean water level of the Sing Sing Kill. The project engineer will prepare a flood map study to ensure that no work on our site has negative flooding impacts to the floodplain or on downstream properties, which will be rigorously reviewed by the Village Planning Board, Planning Department and Village Engineer, as well as outside expert consultants hired by the Village prior to obtaining local approval to redeveloping the site.
Question:
- Who will the building be marketed to?
Answer:
As required by Westchester County, we will broadly market the development and work closely with Housing Action Council and Ossining’s IFCA.
Question:
- Where are our residents likely to come from? How many people in Ossining might be here?
Answer:
Based on a marketing plan that complies with fair housing requirements, the developer will advertise in Westchester County and the surrounding counties. While the outreach will be wide and they anticipate that residents will come from many areas, based on their experience and the experience of Housing Action Council and IFCA, it is expected that a great deal of the tenants who live in the development will have a connection to Ossining-- they currently live in or around Ossining, they work in Ossining or the surrounding communities and / or they are a son, daughter, sibling, parent or other relation of a current Ossining resident.
Question:
- With the lottery, is there no set aside for local residents?
Answer:
Correct, there is no set aside. The lottery-based application process is a requirement for developments funded by Westchester County and New York State Homes and Community Renewal. The funding does not allow a set aside for local residents.
Questions:
- Will this project do anything to help us lower density of houses in this Village that are overcrowded?
Answer:
Adding multifamily affordable rental developments in Ossining and elsewhere will help to alleviate overcrowding. In the Hudson Valley and Long Island, Wilder Balter Partners (WBP) has completed about 2,000 workforce / affordable apartments. In Westchester, WBP has completed for-sale and rental affordable / workforce communities in:
- New Castle (Stone Creek and Chappaqua Crossing Apartments);
- Cortlandt (Jacobs Hill and Cross Creek);
- Montrose (Roundtop);
- North Salem (Bridleside);
- and has two under construction in:
- Peekskill (645 Main) and
- New Rochelle (14 LeCount);
- and is commencing construction on one in Lewisboro in the spring of 2021.
In Putnam County, WBP has completed three affordable rental communities totaling another 370 affordable rental apartments.
As with the proposed DPW development, all of WBP’s apartments (and other developers’ affordable and workforce apartments with a current regulatory agreement) are available to all Ossining and other residents. Collectively, these developments help to alleviate people living in substandard and overcrowded housing across the County, including in Ossining.
Questions:
- How many units are proposed?
Answer:
108 rental apartments plus 1 superintendent apartment.
Question:
- What does the choke point mean?
Answer:
“Choke point” refers to the point at which the open channel of the Sing Sing Kill goes into a walled channel leading to a culvert and continues below Water Street.
Question:
- How long will they stay affordable?
Answer:
This development is required to remain affordable for a minimum of 99 years.
Question:
- Do you maintain the building?
Answer:
WBP is a fully integrated company with development, construction and management divisions. They own and manage over 3,000 apartments, more than 2,000 of which are affordable / workforce. Their management company, WB Residential, will employ a live-in superintendent and staff an on-site rental office.
Question:
- Private/Public investment – does the public also reap some of the rewards – some of the profit?
Answer:
The DPW site will not only create a much needed affordable residential opportunity for the village, but in doing so will remediate a contaminated and blighted site that is currently underutilized, create a public amenity that facilitates a pedestrian connection between upper Main Street and Station Plaza, create space for retail opportunities, and create over 3,500 square feet of state-of-the-art space for use by the local community groups, including the school district.
Question:
- Is there a formula that includes a minimum number of people that have to live in the units?
Answer:
Yes, Westchester County and NYS Homes and Community Renewal regulate the minimum number of residents in each apartment type: one-bedroom minimum is one person; two-bedroom minimum is two persons and the three-bedroom is three persons.
Questions:
- How will you work with what is already here in the area – the rocks and building?
- Will the building be attached to the cliff?
Answer:
All existing buildings and structures onsite will be demolished and removed from the site. The entire site will then be remediated to deal with existing contaminated soil from previous historical uses of the site. Surrounding rock outcroppings will, for the most part, be left in place.
The development will be set back from the surrounding ledge to allow room for an accessible fire lane in the rear of the building. This will allow for 360-degree fire company access to the building in the event of an emergency. The construction that is to be tied into the bedrock cliff will be at the sixth floor, where the developer will build an access to Main Street that connects to the sixth story of the building to allow (and encourage) residents to walk to the downtown.
Question:
- To the extent Public Access is encouraged – what about security measures for the residents in the apartments – is there any provision being made for that?
Answer:
Similar to WBP’s other developments, they plan to incorporate numerous security measures into the public and private areas of the development-- this includes security cameras, resident key card control on all entrances, and an onsite super who will live in the building.
Question:
- What are some of the features/characteristics of the design to reach LEED Gold?
Answer:
Reaching LEED requires completion of a LEED checklist to ensure that a building meets the goals of the program. Items on the checklist include design, construction and management elements of a building that create sustainability and livability, and reduce the carbon footprint and water usage. The building is being designed to LEED Gold standards and among other measures will include: creation of a very tight building envelope (high levels of insulation, high performing windows, air-sealing and testing of the following to ensure performance); energy recovery ventilation system; high efficiency heating and cooling; water efficient (low flow) fixtures; Energy Star Appliances; LED lighting; low VOC and no VOC materials to minimize and eliminate off-gassing; native plantings; on-site solar; and many other features. Location is also critical and in this case we would be remediating a blighted brownfield site that is centrally located close (and walkable) to shopping and transportation.
Question:
- In regard to recycled/green materials – what is the percentage?
Answer:
Material selection will be part of completing the LEED checklist.
Question:
- Are there going to be amenities in the building?
Answer:
Yes, the building will have 2,000 to 3,000 SF of indoor amenity space on the ground floor of the building, outdoor terraces on the fifth and seventh floor, and the park and greenway extension that the developer will build on the property. Off-street parking is also provided at no charge to the tenants. All residents living in the building will have access to these amenities. The indoor amenity spaces will include a gym and a community lounge.
Question:
- What about temperature in the units – will residents have the ability to control heat and cooling?
Answer:
Yes, all units will have climate-controlled heating and cooling that can be controlled by the resident.
Question:
- In unit washers and dryers?
Answer:
All apartments will have washer dryer hookups and there will be centralized laundry facilities in the building.
Questions:
- How do you go through the selection process for retail space?
- Would you consider partnering with existing businesses for satellite locations?
Answer:
The goal of the retail space is to create a space / spaces that will be utilized by both building residents and by the public who will be walking through the linear park and greenway or otherwise going onto or past the development. Ideally, WBP hopes to find a current Ossining business owner(s) that wishes to either relocate to this building or open a second location.
Question:
- With integrating with Main Street – would hate to see redundancy with the businesses – would you accept input from the businesses?
Answer:
Yes. WBP seeks a collaborative process involving the surrounding community, as their goal is to complement and integrate Main Street.
WBP is open to any opportunity that will best utilize the available retail space while providing the most benefit to the surrounding community.
Question:
- Will there be free parking for the public?
Answer:
Parking will be at no cost to building residents. If public parking is included in the final proposed development, the Village will determine parking rates.
Question:
- Is there any infrastructure improvements planned during construction as far as fire, water mains?
Answer:
This will be studied during the design and local approval process.
Question:
- When do you see this project being done?
Answer:
Once site plan approval is obtained, 22 - 24 months for construction is to be expected, followed by two to three months of lease up. The Village and agency approval process is expected to be completed in 6-12 months.
Question:
- In regard to fire – consideration given to people who are disabled – can’t get down stairs (safe zone)?
Answer:
The development will be designed to meet all ADA and Fire Code requirements further minimizing the risk of injury to all residents. At this point in design, WBP has not studied, nor determined, if the building will require an Area of Refuge.
Question:
- The level for retail – is that first floor, above the Floodplain – or that the ground floor in the Floodplain?
Answer:
The retail component will be located on the ground floor. The building will be designed so that each use will be located above the floodplain as required by local law.
Question:
- Does affordable housing have a negative impact on schools?
Answer:
Affordable housing creates housing opportunities that allows people to live in decent, quality housing. Many of the residents in affordable housing developments work in or near their communities. School district employees and employees of companies that serve the school district need affordable housing. In this sense, affordable housing helps the local community, including the school district. From a fiscal impact standpoint, any affordable housing development has lower taxable values than market rate housing and therefore reduces the net fiscal benefit.
Question:
- What are different levels of Brownfield Remediation?
Answer:
When remediating a brownfield site, there are different levels of remediation the applicant can receive (Track 1, 2, 3 or 4).The track assigned to the site is based on the characteristics and nature of the site, the proposed use (residential, commercial) and the extent of contamination.
Question:
- Are you going to buy the property from the Village – does the Village get money?
Answer:
The Village is getting value for the property, comprised of the cost of the brownfield remediation; greenway extension; necessary work on the Sing Sing Kill, creation of a linear park, parking construction and ongoing maintenance of publicly available facilities. Additional purchase price beyond the aforementioned benefits will be negotiated between the Village and WBP based on appraisals conducted for the Village and WBP.
Question:
- In the rendering, does that include parking for the public?
Answer:
Yes, the plan is for the parking garage to include parking for both the public and private residents.
Question:
- How many for the public and how many private?
Answer:
The proposed parking garage will include approximately 138 private parking spaces for building residents. If the Village decides it wishes for WBP to build a public parking level on the proposed garage, it will have approximately 48 spaces for the public.
Question:
- Mixed income housing functions differently depending on the community and the market rate in that area. How is it going to function at this specific development?
Answer:
The proposed development is projected to have a range of affordability, with all units paying between 30% and 80% of the Westchester County Area Median Income (“AMI”). This will be enforced by a deed restriction that keeps the housing affordable for 99 years. The current projected rents, including heat and hot water, are reflected below (approximate figures).
The housing will be advertised as per a Marketing Plan approved by Westchester County Department of Planning and New York State Homes and Community Renewal.
Question:
- How many of the 109 units will include affordable housing? Will there be strategic planning in terms of which housing will be affordable based on value (i.e. will the more expensive housing have a better view etc.)?
Answer:
100% of the housing will be income-restricted and affordable per the criteria above. Generally speaking, the housing is evenly distributed throughout the building. There is an even distribution on one-, two- and three-bedroom units, and unit distribution is similar among the varying income levels. For example, there are an equal number of three-bedroom units at every income level.
Question:
- What will the highest paying tenants pay for rent (including tenants who are paying 100% of the market rate)? What will the lowest paying tenants pay for rent? At Saturday's forum, the developers mentioned a maximum income but not a minimum income amount.
Answer:
There are no market rate units. The most expensive three bedroom unit, based on the federally mandated HUD affordable rent guidelines for 2020 AMI, is $2,503, including heat and hot water.
Question:
- Do market fluctuations impact the tenants paying rent at this development? If so, how is Ossining going to ensure that as housing markets fluctuate, tenants who are lower income are not pushed out due to rent increases?
Answer:
No. The rent is restricted by HUD guidelines-- the rent cannot go up unless the AMI goes up.
Question:
- Why does this housing development require the application process to be lottery based? Does this have to do with where the funding is coming from for the development? Does it have to do with the developers chosen?
Answer:
The lottery-based application process is a requirement through Westchester County for all affordable developments in which the County has an interest. Additionally, since the units will be renting at below market rents, there will always be more interested renters than apartments; a lottery can help to ensure a fair approach.
Question:
- This neighborhood is a potential flood zone in 20- 25 years and this development will be built on raised land to avoid this issue. How is Ossining planning to protect current residents in this area not living in this development? How will raising the land impact current residents?
Answer:
The buildings will be designed and built to be sustainable for anticipated sea level rise and changes in flood plains. As the DPW site is already 12 feet higher than the mean water level of the Hudson River, and 6 feet higher than the Harbor Square property, the DPW property is in a good long-term position in terms of sea level rise and anticipated future flood plain levels anticipated to 2050 and beyond. This is substantiated by preliminary FEMA Floodplain Maps and a Columbia / Cornell study which demonstrates that there is minimal to no change to the floodplain upstream of Water Street, even at the projected 30 inch rise in sea level (The “High” projection for 2050 in the New York City/Lower Hudson region https://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/102559.html).
In addition to local, county and NYS review of the building design, short-and long-term flood plain compliance, and appropriateness for anticipated sea level rise, Wilder Balter will also have to procure flood insurance-- that process will require them to demonstrate the long-term sustainability of improvements in terms of flooding from storm surge and sea level rise.
The development will not be increasing the mean water level of the Sing Sing Kill. The project engineer will prepare a flood map study to ensure that no work on the site has negative flooding impacts to the floodplain or to downstream properties, which will be rigorously reviewed by the Village Planning Board, Planning Department and Village Engineer, as well as outside expert consultants hired by the Village prior to obtaining local approval to redeveloping the site.
Question:
- Are board of trustee members and other folks supervising this development aware that in 2011 Wilder Balter Partners (the developers on this housing development) were involved in an illegal attempt to buy an apartment building, with elderly and disabled tenants who receive federal assistance, in Newburgh, NY?
Answer:
There is nothing to support the allegation that Wilder Balter was involved in an illegal scheme. The records regarding this particular development have been reviewed, including contemporaneous news articles and, in the opinion of the Village’s Corporation Counsel, the allegation is without substance.
Question:
- Will the developers also be the folks managing the building?
Answer:
Wilder Balter Partners’ management company, WB Residential, will manage the building. WBP owns and manages over 3,000 apartments, a great deal of which are affordable.
Question:
- Do you believe this housing development contributes to the gentrification of Ossining?
Answer:
No.
Question:
- Aside from the above questions overall we all had a concern about how & when the community was being engaged. Please let us know how everyone involved in the development will be ensuring the full community is not only heard, but has all their ideas implemented in a development that will directly impact their lives.
Answer:
Both the Village of Ossining and Wilder Balter recognize the importance of engaging the community. This process leads to a better development that creates a win-win for WBP, the community and the future residents who will live here.