Details on Brewster's Urban Renewal Project Revealed

BREWSTER, NY — Brewster officials have unveiled details in the downtown redevelopment plan that will remake the center of the village and more.

The urban renewal area is based on the village's Blight Study and includes five areas: Main South, Main North, Mid Main, Main East and Garden Street School.

At a recent press conference, Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell, Brewster Mayor James Schoenig and developer Harold Lepler offered information on Phase I of the Transit Oriented Development project.

The first phase will remake the area bounded by Main Street, Railroad Avenue, Marvin Avenue and the Southeast Museum. Construction, which is expected to begin in late 2018, entails a shared subsurface parking structure for up to 550 cars, with mixed-use buildings above and built around a central open space plaza. The buildings will provide about 290 apartments and 32,000 square feet of retail and commercial space.

“This long-term revitalization initiative creates economic value for the entire Village and greater Brewster area, said Schoenig in a press release afterward. “The TOD is part of our plan to attract and retain millennials in Putnam County, giving them attractive live-work-play surroundings and easy access to Grand Central Station via commuter rail.”

The initial construction phase is supported in part by a recently awarded $2M Empire State Development Grant.

“The Empire State Development grant of $2 million dollars has been provided to support Putnam County and the Village of Brewster’s joint efforts over the past few years to revitalize downtown Brewster,” said Odell. “This is a priority economic growth initiative that will spur population growth and vitality in the community by attracting millennials, which will in turn attract businesses and jobs, ultimately bringing Brewster back to its 19th century distinction as the hub of the Harlem Valley.”

The funding will offset the costs for acquisition, demolition and to begin construction of multiple phases of reconstruction along the Village’s Main Street corridor.

According to Schoenig, the development is currently funded through grants and or private sources. “There will be no outlay of funds by the Village.”

According to Lepler, principal, Covington Development LLC, the master developer, Phase I of the TOD project is expected to revitalize an economically distressed community, create new jobs and a higher quality of life for village residents, improve tourism and improve regional economic opportunities by turning the Village of Brewster into a place where people want to live, work and play.

See these resources on the village website:

• Land Acquisition & Developer Agreement
• Resolution adopting LADA
• Redeveloper Requirements Designation Procedures
• Resolution adopting Redeveloper Requirement Designation Procedures