New Castle to Start Legionaries Overhaul Review; Neighbors Worried

New Castle will begin the environmental review process for the proposed redevelopment of the Legionaries of Christ site after the town board voted Tuesday to start the process.

The unanimous vote includes the town board's intent to declare itself the lead agency for the review, a referral of the application to the town's planning board and Westchester County Planning Board, and establishing an escrow account of $15,000 that the developer will need to replenish as the review progresses.

The town board voted to declare the project - it includes 50 condos, 34 hotel rooms, a spa, pool and other amenities - as a Type I action, which is a category that is most likely to lead to an environmental impact statement being required. Criteria used for declaring the type stem from the site's size and developer's desire to change the zoning, which is currently for 2-acre, single-family usage. The proposal calls for the roughly 97-acre site, located at 773 Armonk Road, to get a new floating zone that would enable a "Resort Lifestyle Complex." Criteria for applying the new zone would include having properties larger than 75 acres and at least 300 feet of frontage along state or county roads.

The proposal comes from Soder Real Estate Equities, LLC, which has a contract to buy the property from the Legionaries of Christ and would take it over if the town approves the overhaul. Soder has dubbed the proposal The Spa at New Castle.

The proposal calls for rehabilitating the site's 1920s-era mansion and using it for four hotel rooms, the spa, restaurant and fitness space. Existing wings constructed in the 1950s would be demolished and replaced with new ones to house the condos, while a new structure to the south would be built for 30 of the hotel rooms. The condos will each be 2-bedroom units of 2,500 square feet, while the hotels rooms will range from 650 to 750 square feet.

Before the board voted, several residents from nearby streets, including Tripp Street and Roseholm Place, spoke out against the proposal, with concerns including fear that the rezoning will be out of character for the area and about whether a septic system can support the large project.

Sharon Greene said that the “scope and size of this project is just totally inappropriate.”

Greene, who compared the project to an earlier proposed expansion of use on the site by the religious order, worried that a heavy storm could lead to septic system overflow impacting neighbors.

“It's going to have a major impact on the septic of properties that are next door to it.”

One man who lives near the site, who declined to give his name, noted that the area has a high water table and that the project should not be considered unless a sewer line is part of it. 

Some residents, noting the bucolic character of the area, questioned why the zoning should be changed.

“This is not a property that the neighborhood is going to enjoy," said Jodi Buren, who cited concerns ranging from noise to lighting.

Randy Faust told Patch that she feels the impact of the proposal could be further out, affecting the section of Lawrence Farms East that is close to Armonk Road (Route 128).

Bonnie Haymson was concerned about what could happen if the zoning change is granted but the developer leaves.

David Steinmetz, Soder's attorney, said that his client is "extremely pleased" with the town board's vote. He also said that residents' concerns will not be ignored, and explained that the review process will be used to address issues. Steinmetz also noted that a septic study was done for Soder showing that there will be enough on-site capacity, but added that the issue will be looked at again during the environmental review.

At the meeting, Councilman Robin Stout explained that the review process is designed to give answers to questions that people have raised. He described the matter as background so “we can make an informed decision.”

Supervisor Susan Carpenter felt that files from the zoning board of appeals, which reviewed the religious order's old expansion proposal, should be made available.