Hamlets Development Fails Due To Bankruptcy

HARRISON - The eight acre lot on 380 Mamaroneck Avenue is a well-known piece of land in Harrison, and the cause of one of the largest anti-development protests in town history. Long vacant, the land is owned by the Straitgate Church.

But recently the church filed for bancuptcy, leaving the future plans for the piece of land up in the air.

The property has been sought out by many developers over the years; proposals for the site have included office buildings, a supermarket and, most recently, town houses. Each of these proposals were defeated by strident resident opposition to any downgrading of the residential zoning of the site, and to high density development proposals in general.

The development proposals also received media attention for environmental reasons. The Mamaroneck River, which empties into Long Island Sound, runs through the site, and there is concern about polluting the water source from run off water. The site contains wetlands, and heavy rock areas, which could be negatively affected by blasting for  any cluster development. Furthermore, the lot is an odd shape with homes abutting three sides; one home literally in the middle of the site.

The town of Mamaroneck, has also been ardently opposed to development of the Harrison site, due to concerns about increased residential flooding for Mamaroneck residents bordering the river downstream.

Due to all of these commercial development restrictions, the Church decided last year to develop the land themself, within existing zoning. The Harrison Planning Board  subsequently approved a seven home development, called "Harrison Hamlets", which was to break ground this year. Those plans have now been abandoned as the church has filed bankruptcy.

With the many limitations on development on this site, it would appear likely that the land could sit vacant again for some time.

There is one offer in place for a parcel of the land, with the intention to keep the land in its natural state.

Arlene Gordon-Oliver, of the Harrison law firm Rattet, Pasternak & Gordon-Oliver, is bankruptcy counsel for the church. She said the church is more than open to such an offer.

"The church is working diligently to resolve this entire issue, and would happily entertain this offer, or any other reasonable offer," Gordon-Oliver said.

The holdup is now with the Hudson Valley Bank, who owns the mortgage on the land and is a party to the bankruptcy proceedings. Their preference is for a single buyer for the entire lot.

One would think such a buyer is unlikely.

Since the prior approval for the Harrison Hamlets development, there have been questions raised as to whether fire access roads were sufficient in the plans and increased environmental concerns over flooding. These issues, in addition to the strong resident opposition to any change in zoning, or high-density and cluster development in the area, would make it difficult for a commercial developer on the site.

The Winfield Area Preservation Association (WAPA), which is the local residents' association, would love to see the land remain vacant open space. If that is not possible, their next preference would be to see the land sold in single parcels for individual homes.

"This is a beautiful piece of land that is important to the local environment in many ways," said Cary Frankel, a WAPA member. "With the Harrison Hamlets proposal now gone, we hope the land will remain in its natural state for many years to come."