Rockland Officials Question NY Funding for Supermarket, Poultry Packaging Operation in New Square

NEW CITY, NY — A $6 million supermarket, poultry packaging and office complex in New Square will receive close to $3 million in state funding, and Rockland officials who've been tracking the village's original slaughterhouse proposal are leery of the state's move.

“The announcement that Empire State Development (ESD) has approved the project in New Square is disappointing," said State Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski Monday in a written statement. "I have been working to stop the proposed poultry slaughterhouse since 2009; citing its inappropriate location in a residential neighborhood. Unfortunately, ESD approved revisions to the project in August but kept me in the dark regarding the changes. While I am pleased that ESD rejected the slaughterhouse proposal, I have not yet received any details on the new project. This lack of information before the approval has deprived my office and the public with the opportunity to review the proposal and provide constructive comments.”

Empire State Development spokesman Jonah Bruno told The Journal News the agency voted Aug. 18 to approve the application. The paper reported that the village approved the project at a meeting Sept. 13.

The project is a supermarket, packaging and distribution operation with office space on the second floor to be leased to a not-for-profit, to be called the Heritage Park Industrial Complex and to be built at 20 Mezritch Road.

Asked where the poultry to be packaged would come from, Rockland County Executive Ed Day noted Monday that the applicant stated for the record that there is no slaughterhouse as part of this application.

“We find the lack of communication from state agencies regarding funding very troubling," Day said. "As with all applications, our County Planning department will look at this in a concise, comprehensive manner to make sure the residents both inside and outside the village are not compromised.”

The money is to come from the Restore New York Communities program, Empire State Development's Regional Council Capital Fund and a community development block grant. It still needs approval from the state Public Authorities Control Board, TJN reported.

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