Tanski project clears another hurdle
By Brian Beckley |
PUBLISHED: October 17, 2002 at 10:00 p.m. | UPDATED: July 22, 2021 at 10:46 a.m.
HALFMOON – Engineers for a proposed medical/commercial/apartment complex made a few, minor changes to their proposal and gained a referral from the town board to the planning board this week.
The project, which is proposed for a 62-acre flag lot at the corner of Route 146 and Vosburgh Road includes 15,000 square feet of commercial buildings, which the developer sees being used for medical purposes, and 424 luxury apartment units.
The plan also includes 20 percent green space, which was blocked off in a single section, contiguous to a parcel of land identified in the generic environmental impact study (GEIS) as a potential park for passive recreation. The area would be dedicated to the town.
Developer Bruce Tanski said he was in negotiations with the CEO of St. Peter's hospital to possibly expand its operations into Halfmoon, though he said if that falls through, the buildings could be used by groups of other doctors, such as cardiologists.
Tanski also said the apartments would be the same as the Saratoga Heritage Apartments in Wilton. Tanski said each unit would be a two to three bedroom apartment with a fireplace and porch. Each apartment would also include a washer and dryer, microwave and dishwasher.
The units are targeted at professional, single people and are expected to cost approximately $1,200 per month. Tanski said that he has heard complaints that there are too many apartments in town already, but the is still a need for buildings like the ones he proposed.
"There seems to be a market for it because I'm getting calls for it all the time," he said.
According to Engineer Scott Lansing, the project was altered based on board recommendations from a conceptual plan presented in the summer. Two apartment buildings have been removed from the Vosburgh Road entrance which would be visible from Route 146 and replaced with commercial buildings. A boulevard and additional green space around the entrance were also added. and some units were removed to make way for a creek which runs through the property.
Lansing said the first phase of the project would include the commercial buildings while the second phase would include 80 units. Additional construction would take place as the market demanded.
Councilman Walter Polak commended Tanski and Lansing for working with the town.
"I think this is where we're trying to go with the master plan," he said, adding that the plan calls for removing some services from Route 9 to relieve congestion.
Councilman Jams Bold added that the plan also fits well with the GEIS, which labeled the Route 146 corridor as having potential for PDDs.
Community News Weekly
Brian Beckley