A recent article posted to a local newspaper about the Continuum project included some comments that prove to be factually incorrect. As that other news site's commenting system appears to be broken (which I have confirmed with them) I am posting my response to the article here.
The article notes that signs posted by the Protect Irvington NY community organization note that the size of the Continuum project has increased since it was originally submitted:
"The flyers leveled charges that the building proposed by Continuum has actually grown by 11% from its original configuration, that it will create a “traffic and parking nightmare,” that water runoff will add to existing draining problems along Station Road and that “the planned removal of 129 trees will irrevocably change the Aqueduct environment.”
Continuum's Aaron disputed that contention in the article:
"The project has not grown by 11%, Aaron later countered, but had been reduced from 132,000 sq. ft. to 115,000 sq. ft. in gross size, and in beds from 168 to 142. “These are very, very clear numbers,” he told The Hudson Independent, “and the board understands that.” and also added "Just because you say it doesn’t mean it’s true.”
Whether or not saying something makes it true, what we do know is what has been submitted by Continuum in their applications for this project. And that information backs Protect Irvington NY's claims clearly.
The original plan, as submitted in the DEIS by Continuum, stated that the project was 105,000 sf. The DEIS is still available on the Turner Miller site at http://turnermillergroup.com/dimages/file_35.pdf. If you go to page 1-3 and view the first item in table 1.2, you'll see the following text:
Adaptive reuse of existing building; and development of the site with 81 AL units plus 40 dementia care units (121 units total); 2, 3 and 4 story buildings with a total of 105,000 sf.
Meanwhile, the latest FEIS document, submitted in May, 2013, shows that the current project is 115,120 square feet. If you go to page 1.1 Introduction and skip to the second paragraph, you'll read:
The proposed assisted living community will contain 115 bedrooms, with 146 beds in a total gross floor area of 115,120 square feet.
(Note: the original 11% calculation was based on an earlier submission by Continuum in March, where the plan was 117,000 square feet).
This is exactly what the Protect Irvington NY organization has communicated - that the size of the project has increased from the initial proposal - to 115,000 square feet from 105,000 sf. The fact that Continuum had first increased its proposal from 105,000 to 132,000, and now has reduced it slightly to 115,000 sf, does not change the fact that it is now larger than was originally presented.
