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Five takeaways on plans and public response
The development of the last substantial piece of real estate in Cold Spring took a significant step forward in public sessions held April 27 to 30 at the Chapel Restoration and the St. Mary's Church rectory.
The urban planning firm Speck-Dempsey presented initial concept plans for a mixed-use development on the Kemble Avenue parcel, while residents voiced concerns and shared ideas regarding the 12-acre tract. There were standing-room-only crowds at each of the two charrettes that included presentations; the other two were open houses.
The Marathon Battery factory operated on the site from 1952 to 1979, discharging cadmium and other toxins into the soil and the adjacent Foundry Cove and the Hudson River. The Environmental Protection Agency ordered that the cove be dredged in 1972 and, in 1987, began a nine-year cleanup of the property that included demolition of the factory. (For a detailed history, see highlandscurrent.org/marathon.)
Kearney Realty Group purchased the property in 2003. In 2023, Cold Spring amended the zoning from light industrial to planned mixed-use.
Residents want smaller homes
Informal votes among the residents who attended the charrette at St Mary's included a few unrealistic suggestions, such as "nothing" and "a parking lot," but housing received the most attention. Residents advocated for reasonable rents, 12 homes, tiny houses, 55-plus housing, a ban on short-term rentals and a shared, central green space ("cottage courts"). The architecture will echo Cold Spring's historic buildings in style and scale, according to Speck-Dempsey.
Sustainability also scored well, with requests for low light pollution, solar power, energy-efficient buildings, trees, green space and preservation of the forest buffer. Community-oriented ideas included an aquatic center, ballfield, skate park, pavilion, safe walking and community-oriented retail. Some people wanted to see a bodega or restaurants that serve Thai and Indian food.
The site is larger than it looks
Speck-Dempsey drafted 12 concept plans and recommended two, which it dubbed The Amble and The Angle. Each contains 100 to 150 units, which raised some concern. Office uses, live-work spaces, upstairs apartments, small apartment villas and a few medium-size houses were also part of the mix. Restaurants or cafes could be added, but would require a zoning change.
To illustrate capacity, Jeff Speck of Speck-Dempsey said two Forge Gate condominium complexes, or 136 units, could fit on the Marathon site with substantial open space. Public spaces would include a playground, the protection and enhancement of the wooded bluff at the south end, paths and viewing areas. Speck stressed the proposed neighborhood's "walkability" and noted that traffic calming devices, such as narrow lanes, are incorporated in the plans.
The site is safe, says EPA
While some residents have lingering concerns about the polluted past, Chris Dempsey of Speck-Dempsey said the EPA determined that the site was safe for development more than a decade ago. Excavation for construction "won't get close" to the 15-foot limit set by the EPA, environmental monitoring will be carried out throughout construction, and all plans require approval by the EPA and state regulators.
Dempsey said the village has indicated it has the capacity to handle water and sewer for the development, although he reserved the right to reassess once detailed plans are ready. Because the site's groundwater is contaminated, the units cannot use wells for drinking water.
Traffic flow seems tight
Speck-Dempsey say that, even within the narrow confines of Rock Street, Kemble Avenue and Wall Street, traffic will not be a problem, including safe pickup and drop-off at the adjacent Montessori school. It plans to commission a traffic study and will look at access from Lunn Terrace via Forge Gate or by connecting Kemble with Chestnut Street, although those options seem unlikely. Changing Kemble ...
The development of the last substantial piece of real estate in Cold Spring took a significant step forward in public sessions held April 27 to 30 at the Chapel Restoration and the St. Mary's Church rectory.
The urban planning firm Speck-Dempsey presented initial concept plans for a mixed-use development on the Kemble Avenue parcel, while residents voiced concerns and shared ideas regarding the 12-acre tract. There were standing-room-only crowds at each of the two charrettes that included presentations; the other two were open houses.
The Marathon Battery factory operated on the site from 1952 to 1979, discharging cadmium and other toxins into the soil and the adjacent Foundry Cove and the Hudson River. The Environmental Protection Agency ordered that the cove be dredged in 1972 and, in 1987, began a nine-year cleanup of the property that included demolition of the factory. (For a detailed history, see highlandscurrent.org/marathon.)
Kearney Realty Group purchased the property in 2003. In 2023, Cold Spring amended the zoning from light industrial to planned mixed-use.
Residents want smaller homes
Informal votes among the residents who attended the charrette at St Mary's included a few unrealistic suggestions, such as "nothing" and "a parking lot," but housing received the most attention. Residents advocated for reasonable rents, 12 homes, tiny houses, 55-plus housing, a ban on short-term rentals and a shared, central green space ("cottage courts"). The architecture will echo Cold Spring's historic buildings in style and scale, according to Speck-Dempsey.
Sustainability also scored well, with requests for low light pollution, solar power, energy-efficient buildings, trees, green space and preservation of the forest buffer. Community-oriented ideas included an aquatic center, ballfield, skate park, pavilion, safe walking and community-oriented retail. Some people wanted to see a bodega or restaurants that serve Thai and Indian food.
The site is larger than it looks
Speck-Dempsey drafted 12 concept plans and recommended two, which it dubbed The Amble and The Angle. Each contains 100 to 150 units, which raised some concern. Office uses, live-work spaces, upstairs apartments, small apartment villas and a few medium-size houses were also part of the mix. Restaurants or cafes could be added, but would require a zoning change.
To illustrate capacity, Jeff Speck of Speck-Dempsey said two Forge Gate condominium complexes, or 136 units, could fit on the Marathon site with substantial open space. Public spaces would include a playground, the protection and enhancement of the wooded bluff at the south end, paths and viewing areas. Speck stressed the proposed neighborhood's "walkability" and noted that traffic calming devices, such as narrow lanes, are incorporated in the plans.
The site is safe, says EPA
While some residents have lingering concerns about the polluted past, Chris Dempsey of Speck-Dempsey said the EPA determined that the site was safe for development more than a decade ago. Excavation for construction "won't get close" to the 15-foot limit set by the EPA, environmental monitoring will be carried out throughout construction, and all plans require approval by the EPA and state regulators.
Dempsey said the village has indicated it has the capacity to handle water and sewer for the development, although he reserved the right to reassess once detailed plans are ready. Because the site's groundwater is contaminated, the units cannot use wells for drinking water.
Traffic flow seems tight
Speck-Dempsey say that, even within the narrow confines of Rock Street, Kemble Avenue and Wall Street, traffic will not be a problem, including safe pickup and drop-off at the adjacent Montessori school. It plans to commission a traffic study and will look at access from Lunn Terrace via Forge Gate or by connecting Kemble with Chestnut Street, although those options seem unlikely. Changing Kemble ...