Housing Developments Build Controversy Along Post Rd

by Judy Silberstein

(November 10, 2005) Living near or on the Boston Post Road has always had its pros (convenience to shops, schools and government services) and cons (traffic and noise) In what later became the Village of Larchmont, Edward Knight Collins reoriented the front door of his Manor House to face away from the Post Road and planted the area’s first larch trees in an attempt to shield himself from the hustle and bustle. (See: Major Slice of Larchmont History for Sale: The Manor House) Now, after a period of relative dormancy, interest in residential development along the Post Road has picked up, which has generated controversy from one end of the community to the other.

In the Village of Mamaroneck, neighbors are uniting in opposition to a pair of multi-story condominiums along the Post Road across from Harbor Island Park. One would cover three lots, including ASAP postal service and McGuire’s Restaurant near the corner of Delancey Avenue. The other would fill in what had been a used car lot further down the block. In the past month, there have been two standing-room-only meetings on the topic at the Mamaroneck Women’s Club in the adjacent Heathcote Hill neighborhood where some houses fear having their backyard views of the harbor cut off by the top floors of the condos. (See Letters to the Editor: Post Road Development Could Harm Historic Neighborhood.) Homeowners from Orienta and other less proximate areas attended to protest this and similar development in other parts of the village. They cited concerns for congestion at the nearby intersection that they said is already backed up and dangerous.

“In the current economic climate it’s become feasible to scoop up commercial properties and convert them to high end condominiums,” said Philip Spector, the new head of the Heathcote Hill Association. He and other neighbors will be attending tonight’s Planning Board meeting where Ofer Attia, the developer, is on the agenda to present his plans. “It’s up to the zoning and planning boards to narrowly interpret the current codes so that whatever gets developed is compatible with the surrounding neighborhoods and the waterfront,” stressed Mr. Spector. Further, he’s looking for the Board of Trustees to consider a change in zoning that would prevent “this kind of overdevelopment.”

At the October 26 meeting, Trustee Tom Murphy (who lives a few blocks away from the Post Road) said he would propose a moratorium on this type of residential construction in the commercial districts in order to study changes to the zoning code, and Mayor Phil Trifiletti agreed to second it. At the subsequent meeting on November 2, Trustees Tony Vozza and Bill Paonessa were also asked to consider the moratorium.

Ironically, changes to the Village of Mamaroneck zoning code in an earlier era loosened restrictions to allow taller buildings ( as high as 4 stories or 50 feet) in commercial areas, partly to promote the development of affordable housing.

Housing or Banks in Town of Mamaroneck?

Also ironically, officials in the Town of Mamaroneck recently considered changes to their zoning laws that would have promoted residential development along the Post Road near Weaver Street, less than a mile from the proposed Village of Mamaroneck condos. Town Councilwoman Nancy Seligson, who favored a new look at zoning, said the Town Board struggled with ways to make the stretch more “pedestrian friendly” and to create more of a “town center” by encouraging buildings with stores at ground level and two or three levels of apartments above. However, for various economic and logistical reasons – including concerns for adjacent communities – the board adopted new design guidelines but left the zoning unchanged. “We were definitely concerned about the height of buildings,” Councilwoman Seligson said, “When we looked at the topography, some areas could accommodate four stories and others only two.”

Town Supervisor Valerie O’Keeffe said she’s been watching the condos over stores now almost completed on the Post Road across from Salesian High School in New Rochelle and is relieved that the Town didn’t pursue zone changes. “I’m not ready to increase the density of residential development on the Post Road or to start parking cars along the road or to block the light,” she said.

Commenting on what eventually got built along the stretch in question – three banks and a pharmacy – she said, “It could be much worse.” There was concentrated protest by neighbors, which did not stop the construction but did lead to alternate designs for screening, landscaping, and tops of the buildings. (See: Town of Mamaroneck Zoning Hears Melron Proposal:The Case of the 10-Foot Buffer)

Condos or Gas Stations in Village of Larchmont

Are condos worse than the status quo – a gas station? That’s the question for Larchmont residents near and farther away from the corner of Post Road and Winans Street where a developer has proposed constructing nine, 2 1/2-story townhouses to replace a Gulf gas station. (See: Townhouses to Replace Gas Station on Post Road)

Artist's rendering of proposed townhouse project courtesy of Sullivan Architectural Group.

In this case, the neighbors have expresed a preference for the townhouses, but other Larchmont patrons of Rob’s Auto Care would be happier if it remained. Ralph Engel, vice-president of the Pine Brook Neighborhood Association, has further concerns for constructing “a solid wall 200-foot long where we now have a gas station that is mostly open space.” He finds this sort of development, “which is not in the central business district, [to be] out of character with the surrounding community.”

Trustee Anne McAndrews was also worried about residential development crowding out services, even gas stations. “What makes this such a terrific place to live is that it is truly a village – not just high-end housing, like in other suburbs where you have to hop in a car for everything. We can get everything from milk to eyeglasses to shoe repairs. If we start losing these services, we will be much less of a village,” she said.