NY Thruway Authority Approves Land Sale To Rye Country Day

RYE, NY — Rye Country Day School announced on Monday that the New York State Thruway Authority has voted to approve the sale of a roughly 9-acre parcel of land to the school.

The school said it plans to develop the parcel, which is located across the Boston Post Road from campus, into athletic fields and facilities that will be available for use by both students and the public. Plans for the parcel have not been finalized, but proposals include a combination of indoor and outdoor facilities for soccer, lacrosse, track & field, basketball and other sports, according to the school. The plans also include open areas, walkways and parking for spectators.

"This is a win-win for RCDS and the surrounding community," Head of School Scott Nelson said in a statement announcing the deal. "We are excited to be creating additional and much-needed athletic facilities for use by RCDS, as well as youth in and around the Rye and Port Chester areas, especially fast-draining, artificial turf fields for use by local soccer, lacrosse and other sports leagues. RCDS has a long history of partnering successfully with youth athletic groups in our community, including Rye Youth Soccer, Rye Youth Lacrosse and Rye City Schools, and we believe the facilities envisioned will benefit families in and around Rye and Port Chester for generations to come."

The final development plan will be determined by the Rye Country Day School Board of Trustees. School officials hope to have the project completed and facilities ready for the start of the 2024-2025 school year. The purchase and development of the land will be funded completely by the school through a future capital campaign, school officials said.

"The transaction announced today represents a significant financial undertaking by RCDS, but one that we believe will bring long-term benefits to RCDS as well as our neighboring communities," Rye Country Day School Board of Trustees Chair Leigh Geller said. "Additional athletic facilities are a significant area of need for RCDS, the City of Rye, Port Chester, and other surrounding communities, and we are pleased to be able to support the creation of modern, state of the art fields and indoor playing areas that will serve the next generations of local athletes. We are also thrilled to extend our partnerships with local youth groups and to enable their use of these new facilities at nominal or no cost.”

The Thruway Authority approval means the school can now purchase the parcel for $5.16 million. The development cost for the property is currently estimated to be approximately $30 million. The new facilities will be made available by the school for public use approximately 30 percent of the time, according to a shared use agreement adopted by the New York State legislature.

SEE ALSO: State To Allow Sale Of Rye Thruway Property

Nelson said the move will help make the school whole after losing a portion of its campus when the nearby stretch of New England Thruway was constructed decades earlier.

"The construction of I-95 significantly reduced the size of the RCDS athletic fields over 60 years ago," Nelson said. "The transaction announced today will restore our ability to create much needed facilities to benefit both our students and families throughout the area."