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Rockland County, New York, has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the redevelopment of the 3.69-acre Sain Building site at 18 New Hempstead Road in New City. The RFP will accept development proposals until the deadline on Sept. 17.
The six-story building was built in the early 1960s before it was purchased by the county in 1974. Original plans called for a restaurant on the top floor and a swimming pool in the basement that was eventually filled in with cement.
Plans to sell the Sain Building, tear it down and construct two-story senior housing on the site were ultimately abandoned by Massachusetts-based National Development Acquisition LLC, after the sale agreement fell through. In November, the County Legislature voted to designate the Sain property as surplus. The building has remained vacant for years and is deemed irreparable.
The county’s request requires companies to file development proposals by Sept. 17. The RFP requirements include:
- The developer must demolish existing buildings on the property;
- At least 75% of the residential units must be affordable for workforce and middle-income earners;
- A minimum of 10% of the site needs to be designated as public open space;
- Proposals must prioritize outdoor community areas such as picnic tables, benches, sustainable landscaping that incorporates native plantings, and stormwater management;
- The plans must include a 40-foot buffer of landscaped vegetation between any new building on the site and the residential properties on Eberling Drive and Clark Place;
- The building(s) must comply with Rockland County Green Building Standards and Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards;
- The proposal must comply with current Clarkstown zoning policies that allow for 10 units per acre for any age residential and 21 units per acre for senior housing.
The county said that there is not a set budget for the project and developers are welcome to submit proposals as long as it meets with the requirements listed.
Interested developers must be prepared to conduct at least two public engagement sessions, in person or hybrid, where public feedback can be given on the plans for redevelopment. One session must target the immediate residential and business neighbors, while the other must be geared to the community at large. The county expects public engagement sessions in late fall or winter.
Photo Courtesy of Rockland County
