After a Decade, Families Will Finally Move in to New Port Chester Development

Thirty-five new Port Chester homeowners were welcomed at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new affordable housing development late Monday morning, a project almost a decade in the works.

The development, located off of Fox Island Road, includes 35 condominiums, each with a kitchen, living room, dining room, three bedrooms and two full bathrooms. Each condo also features central air and parking for three cars. Owners are required to have families of three, four, or five members, and have an annual income between $55,000 and $90,000. All 35 units have already been sold, after more than 1,000 families were put on a wait-list during constructions.

It goes without saying that the 35 families selected to live in the development are very excited about the place they'll soon call home.

"We can't wait to actually move in," said condo owner Debra Harris. "My children and I started packing already. As soon as we get the keys we're going in. The complex is just beautiful and I think it's a great improvement to the community."

For all of those involved in the building of the development, Monday was the culmination of a long period of negotiations and planning that began in 2000. Seven years later, with the project finally approved, developer and builder Lou Larizza took his vision of a modern affordable housing development to reality.

"I really love to build affordable housing," Larizza said. "This is what Westchester County expects. This is not the projects of the 1960s. You purchase the house, you pay taxes, you contribute to the community."

A number of state, county, and local officials attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, including Assemblyman George Lotto, Senator Suzi Oppenheimer and County Executive Rob Astorino. Representatives of USA Bank, which offered funding for the development, were also in attendance. All commended Larizza on his perseverance in fulfilling his vision, and accomplishing something that for many years did not seem possible.  

"This is how it's supposed to work, where government, the state, the county, the village, help on this kind of affordable housing and put in some money," said Astorino. "This took a long time for [Lou Larizza] to see this dream fulfilled. Now we have 35 new homes, where 35 new families are going to get a chance to start out owning a home, which is a great thing"

Astorino said he's looking forward to seeing welcome mats, lawn mowers and kids playing outside.

"They'll pay taxes, take pride in where they live; the children are going to have a nice stable place to grow up in a school district they can be proud of," he said. "When you think of affordable housing developments, this is really how it should be. I can't wait for the first block party."

Tucked into a near-hidden section of town, the new condos will help improve an area of Port Chester in need of more development -- and attention.

"I think the village forgot it owned it, to be honest," said Nora Drummonds, the planning department's deputy commissioner. "What's exciting about this parcel is that it neighbors the Edgewood Park where we've now just put in a brand new soccer field. This is really going to bring the area to life and bring affordable housing to village people who work so hard."