BREWSTER – Brewster’s Garden Street School, affectionally called the ‘school on the hill’ that educated children from the greater Brewster area for almost a century before closing in June 2012, will now become an affordable housing complex following action taken by the Brester Village Board.
By a 3-0 vote, the board approved a local law that changes the zoning code in the district where the building stands, allowing for the development of reasonably priced housing.
Covington Development and WBP Development, firms that own the property, made the request to the five-member board.
When approved, Trustee Mary Byrde was absent while Trustee Christine Piccini abstained since she objected to the change that increases the height limit allowed from two and a half stories to five stories and increases the number of bedrooms allowed per acre from 32 to 40.
The developers said the property would be able to accommodate no more than 396 bedrooms or 198 apartments.
Piccini, who also lives near the school, said the project was too large for both the site and the village.
Mayor James Schoenig said the plans were submitted by a reputable developer, calling the company “a proven developer in this community” based on its completed projects. “We are not dealing with someone who came in off the street,” he said.
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