TOWN OF WALLKILL – A proposed 250-unit apartment complex on land adjacent to the Galleria at Crystal Run and a Metro-North railroad station has caught the attention of the Town of Wallkill Planning Board.
Members are excited about the possibilities of having a project of this magnitude and are eager to move it forward for Town Board approval. However, that excitement comes with caveats, which is why further action was tabled until the board’s next meeting in two weeks.
During public comment Wednesday night, it was clear that an infusion of residents into that corridor of the town could be a boon to the mall and surrounding businesses. Connor Eckert, president and CEO of Orange County Partnership, was joined by Steve Gross, director of Orange County Economic Development, and Alan Sorensen, commissioner of the Orange County Department of Planning. All three touted the project, citing the benefits of having residents living, working, and contributing to the local economy.
Sorensen also noted that it has been a longtime goal of Orange County to have a transit-oriented development in that area. The proposed development would provide access to numerous amenities while offering up to 20 percent green space.
That 20 percent is one concern for Planning Board members, as it does not come close to the performance standard in Wallkill’s current zoning code. Members also voiced concerns about traffic mitigation, the need for expanded sidewalks to the Metro-North station, resident parking and how school busing would be handled at such a development.
Members concluded by asking the project’s engineers to revise the proposal with those key points in mind. However, board members said they understand the benefits of additional housing in the town and would support the project moving forward.
Sterling Properties is heading the development and has similar multifamily housing developments throughout the Northeast, including the City of Middletown’s Southgate Community. One- and two-bedroom apartments at the Middletown location range from $2,500 to $3,000 per month.
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