Developers of a Fostertown Road development that drew strong local opposition when it was announced nearly two years ago have requested use of the Newburgh Town Hall meeting room on July 27 for an informational meeting about the project.

Dominic Cordisco, of the law firm Drake, Loeb, Heller, Kennedy, Gogerty, Gaba & Rodd, PLLC, requested use of the meeting room in a letter to Town Clerk Andrew Zarutskie, dated July 16. Cordisco states in the letter that the meeting is to be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 27 at the request of the Town of Newburgh Planning Board.

The Conifer Co., a Rochester, N.Y.-based real estate developer, has sounded out town officials several times to see how they feel about a proposed eight-building, 64-unit apartment complex across the street from Fostertown School.

When Conifer first aired its proposal in the summer of 2008, it held an informational session at the Mount Carmel Church. According to Howard Picard, a neighbor who says he lives 25 feet from the proposed development, only five area residents said that they had received written notice of that meeting.

“The Newburgh Planning Board told Conifer representatives they had to do a lot better this time,” Picard told the Mid Hudson Times Monday afternoon.

“It was learned this morning by chance that Conifer Realty was holding a meeting on the 27th of July. It was learned this morning, too, that Conifer would only mail out about 20 letters to area residents noting the reason for the letter and time and place,” Picard noted in a letter to this newspaper.

Picard said he feared that the notices would go out too late to be effective. He also said the 5:30 timing of the meeting might make it impossible for some working people to make the meeting on time.

During a meeting before the Newburgh Town Board on Sept. 22, 2008, speaker after speaker rose during the public comments portion of the meeting to express their fears about the Conifer proposed development.

Although the initial Conifer proposal was for 64 one- and two-bedroom apartments in an 8-building complex, residents said they were worried about the remainder of the 7 ½-acre property.

“There is a potential for many more units in the development – possibly in excess of 200,” Picard suggested at that time.

“This community can’t handle the traffic that would be created by this proposal,” Picard said. He predicted that there could be a “Phase 2” and a “Phase 3” and even a “Phase 4” since the footprint of the plan could accommodate so much more.

At that meeting in 2008, Jack Arbolino questioned Supervisor Wayne Booth about a possible Conifer development.

“Can this go through without us knowing?” he asked.

Booth promised that there would be plenty of notice and even a public hearing should it reach that stage.

“It would have to go through the whole process,” Booth said.

That “process” apparently is beginning after nearly a two-year pause.

The Conifer development, as originally proposed, called for rental units for persons with incomes ranging from $37,000 a year (1-bedroom) to $47,000 (2-bedrooms).

At the 2008 Town Board meeting, Conifer representatives said the apartments would rent for about $890 to $1,065, including utilities. Conifer also has developments in Hyde Park, Yonkers and Peekskill, the Conifer spokesman said in 2008.

Neighbors of the proposed Town of Newburgh development were concerned about traffic, the impact on local schools (class sizes) and the impact of rentals on home values.

By ALLAN GAUL
agaul@tcnewspapers.com