Southeast Station Proposals Offer Parking, Plus Bridge Fix or Revenue [POLL]

Two separate proposals are before the Town Board, and each calls for the addition of about 500 parking spaces at the Southeast Train Station.

Trustees heard the second plan during a work session last week. At the heart of the pitch are 535 spots to be developed on a portion of roughly 30.5 undeveloped acres of land. The pie-slice shaped parcel is located at the northwest side of the station—between the Highlands Shopping center, Independent Way and the existing lot and train tracks—and it's currently owned by WB New York, LLC, according to consultant Richard Levien of Hudson Valley Transit Oriented Developers.

The proposal is for a public-private partnership, he said, in which the firm develops the parking spaces on part of the land and donates all of the property to the Town. It currently garners $14,000 in annual property taxes. The parking is to take up about 6.7 acres of the 30.5.

"As part of the partnership, WB, the current owner, intends to donate the entire 30.5 acres to the Town," the presentation reads. "The development of the 6.7 acres will require a re-zoning, as well as wetland mitigation. It is hopeful that the Town can assist in a prudent implementation of this requirement and all the requirements of the approval process. The partnership will also create a park preserve within the excess land, if desired and feasible."

Revenues from the lot, which would offer reserved spots as well as room for the "occasional commuter," would be shared with the Town. The slideshow Levien presented included the following chart, named "Payments to Southeast."

The first offer for additional parking spaces came from Metro-North. That plan features the replacement of the , which went offline in December 2008, and the addition of 500 spots.

A resolution concerning the Town's entering into a memorandum of understanding with Metro-North appeared on a meeting agenda in late April. It did not pass. Officials, who were unclear as to whether the MTA's plan includes revenue-sharing, said they would continue looking into the matter.

At last week's meeting, Cullen said that the MTA has sunk money into a design plan for their proposal.

He and other trustees provided Levien with feedback, which dealt with everything from lighting to wetlands mitigation. Hay said the Board now has some additional "food for thought." The body has yet to make any decision on either proposal.

WB's facility would include bathrooms and indoor vending machines for parkers. Levien said the package also includes jitney service from the lot to the station, plus 24-hour security.

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