Mid Hudson Times Jul. 11 2018 | Page 3

3 Mid Hudson Times, Wednesday, July 11, 2018 Residents, city council at odds over Alembic project Continued from page 1 apartment units made up of studios, 1, 2, and 3-bedroom units, and almost 19,000 square feet of commercial space. The site is expected to include public green spaces, solar panels and rooftops gardens. “A bulk of those units we’re reserving for between 60 and 80 percent of the area median income,” she said. “That means roughly between $50,000 to $70,000 combined (income) annually,” per family, Mehta explained, with rents ranging from $972 to $1,347. “So, we’re really looking at 2 Montgomery Street as a family development,” she said. “We’re hoping this captures residents who work locally, families that are looking for stable housing, where rents are suddenly not going to increase, and people who work in local businesses, restaurants, schools, people who are looking for high-quality housing.” “We’ve also included a bracket for 100 to 130 percent (area median income),” she added, for 28 of the units. “These are for people earning between $95,000 and $123,000 annually…. Here we were really responding to a desire to see more people settling in Newburgh,” Mehta said, who want to live close to downtown, close to the train in Beacon and the Newburgh waterfront. Some council members expressed surprise over the higher income brackets. “You can get four, five people together and they won’t make this amount of money,” Councilwoman Hillary Rayford told Mehta. At a Newburgh City Council meeting on Monday night, Rayford made a motion to scrap the project altogether. But, the motion was rejected by the council’s majority. The Montgomery Street plan has been a sore point for residents who say the property is valuable and capable of generating more tax income for the city without affordable housing. The plan to include 56 units of supportive housing for people with physical and mental disabilities, seniors and veterans has also raised concerns. “Newburgh, historically, has been a dumping ground,” said Councilwoman Patty Sofokles, complaining that for years Orange County has placed the mentally ill and other people in need of social services in the City of Newburgh. A payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) for the project is another area of contention. Mehta explained that a proposed 30-year PILOT for 2 Montgomery Street would start out with a payment of more than $300,000 in the first year and increase by The Newburgh City Council meeting was crowded at the city activity center on Monday night. Many residents were there to speak their minds regarding the proposed Alembic project. two percent per year. “This is more than the sum of all our PILOTS out there,” said city Director of Planning and Development Deirdre Glenn. “If these numbers are accurate, we are potentially saying yes or no to the potential number-two taxpayer in the City of Newburgh,” said city Councilwoman Karen Mejia. Chrissy Amato expressed dismay at the pro posed PILOT on Monday night. “We are looking for tax payers that are net tax positive,” said Amato. “We’re going to have to foot the bill for this.” “We need tax revenue,” yelled Rich Fricasse into a microphone set up for public comment at the Newburgh Activity Center that night. Other residents expressed support of the project’s affordable housing. “Newburgh needs to take a look at the different housing opportunities,” said Phoenix Gayle. “Don’t just take the Alembic project and throw it away. Just tweak it.” Alembic expects the project to be financed through a combination of bonds from the New York State Housing Finance Agency, state tax credits and state financing through programs such as the Restore New York Communities Initiative, said Mehta. KEEPING YOU HEALTHY for life’s little moments ... since 1967 Trusted Family Medicine Practice NOW OPEN 24 Old Firehouse Road Plattekill, NY 12589 845-393-6015 Keeping You Healthy Since 1967 Orange County • Rockland County • Broome County • Ulster County • Pike County (845) 563-8000 • cornerstonefamilyhealthcare.org