News Item
"The Journal News" featured Pace University in "North 60 $1.2B bioscience center: More details of mixed-use project for Valhalla"
One of Westchester County’s most anticipated projects, a $1.2 billion biotech center with medical offices, restaurants, shops and a hotel, is beginning the town regulatory review process – and has launched a website with more details of the project.
Residents likely will have their first chance to comment on the proposed North 60 project at a May 2 Mount Pleasant Planning Board meeting that's expected to set the environmental review timetable for the project. The first public hearing held by the board would likely come in June, according to the town Planning Department.
The county owns 60 of the acres, and in January Westchester County Executive George Latimer signed a 99-year lease with Fareri Associates. Planned are nearly 3 million square feet of lab, medical and retail space and a 100-room hotel. The project, which also will use 20 acres owned by Fareri, would be completed in phases.
The mixed-use development, proposed for 80 undeveloped acres north of Westchester Medical Center in the Valhalla hamlet, could generate $7 million in rent paid to the county and $9 million in new taxes for local governments and schools, according to developer Fareri Associates, based in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Fareri Associates and its consultants made presentations to the Town Board in February and the Planning Board in March. It also has debuted a North 60 website.
Plans are for the North 60 to be more of a community, open to people who work there, residents and people who are going to the nearby Westchester Medical Center. It would have a main street with shops, restaurants with outdoor seating and plazas where people gather. Multi-use paths, pedestrian bridges and bikeways are also part of it.
And there would be a Children's Living Science Center that would provide programming meant to "spark a passion" in young people for study of STEAM — science, technology, engineering, art and math. It would be a resource for school districts and could offer contests and awards to promote STEAM, according to the North 60 website.
“What does Westchester need to succeed in the future? We think three things come to mind: Smart growth, job creation for a diverse workforce and sustainable development,” Neil DeLuca, Fareri’s project leader, told the planning board. “So we thought we’d build on Westchester’s strengths, and I think they’re clear: Westchester has a highly educated and skilled workforce. There’s a fast-growing bioscience and high-tech center. And equally important is excellent transportation system in a central location.”
And there would be a Children's Living Science Center that would provide programming meant to "spark a passion" in young people for study of STEAM — science, technology, engineering, art and math. It would be a resource for school districts and could offer contests and awards to promote STEAM, according to the North 60 website.
DeLuca said plans also include creating partnerships with institutions such as Westchester Community College, Pace University and New York Medical College for students in the bioscience field.
Under its agreement with the county, the developer’s first phase is to construct 220,000 square feet for biotech and medical use, 100,000 square feet for medical offices, 80,000 square feet of retail and the hotel. Buildings will range from 3 to 5 stories. Several will have ground-floor retail with offices above.
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