DOT Yard in Millwood to Get Overhaul

The New York State Department of Transportation's yard in Millwood will next a major overhaul next year, with changes including a tear down and replacement of its main facilities building.

The DOT yard, located off of Route 100 and south of the hamlet's business district, will get new garages, new landscaping, a repaved tarmac, a black chain-link fence and a decorative stone wall, according to Michael Stern, who co-chairs the Millwood Task Force and recently got a glimpse of the plans.

“It's going to be very nice," he said.

The new building will be constructed further back from the street and will be built into a slope. Bidding is expected to take place for the project next January, with construction to start in April or May of 2014.

The DOT site has been viewed by the task force, an advisory body for Millwood and West End issues, as an eye sore. As a result, the task force, as well as the Town of New Castle, expressed interest in getting screening plantings for it. According to Town Administrator Penny Paderewski, then-Assemblyman Robert Castelli got in touch with DOT Commissioner Joan McDonald last year about screening, who in turn expressed interest. David Buchwald, Castelli's successor, has been working on getting funds for screening. However, the approach that the town is taking now is to wait for the reconstruction first, with the funds still available.