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PORT CHESTER, N.Y. The future of the United Hospital site in Port Chester remains unknown following Mondays public hearing on proposed zoning amendments to the villages comprehensive plan.
At the meeting, the board and public heard feedback from representatives of the site's ownership group, Starwood Capital, which requested flexibility with the villages proposed zoning amendments for the property.
"The need for flexibility in the comprehensive plan is absolutely crucial moving forward," said White Plains attorney and Starwood representative Tony Gioffre.
Maria Rigopoulos from Mill Creek Residential Trust also spoke on behalf of Starwood.
"We want to address some of the restrictive language that relates specifically to the United Hospital site and not other zones," Rigopoulos said.
Rigopoulos said that the comprehensive plan's floor area ratio limit caps the redevelopment on the site without the supporting evidence from major research studies. The proposed changes in the comprehensive plan also limit any residential building at five stories.
"None of this takes into account market demand factors, financing, construction factors and site planning. It makes it almost impossible to redevelop this site with the zoning today," Rigopoulos said. "As it stands today, this proposed zoning text would result in no redevelopment because the FAR allocations are impossible to achieve."
Veteran city planner and Port Chester resident Richard Hyman was critical of the proposal from Starwood Capital and spoke about the importance of the United Hospital site.
"The future of this village will depend on that site," Hyman said. "If the board and developer can't work together the developer will suffer and the village will suffer too."
Port Chester Mayor Dennis Pilla invited Rigopoulos and representatives from Starwood Capital to come back for a work session with the village.
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