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ARMONK, N.Y. Brynwood Golf & Country Club, eager to have its redevelopment proposal approved by the town, held its second public meeting Sunday afternoon at the club.
Jeffery Mendell, a Brynwood partner, opened the meeting with general comments about the proposal, which he said would transform the club into a residential community where all residents would be members of the club.
The project plans include constructing the residential units, rebuilding the golf course, club house and other units.
The club withdrew a proposal for the condominium development to the town board last year due to public concerns about its size and traffic congestion from Windmill Road residents, according to John Cronin, a town board member.
Jim Timson, CEO of Hart Howerton, the architectural firm designing the project, spoke about the redesign of a plan that was developed last year, but not presented to the town board because of resident complaints about the size and traffic congestion it may cause. The number of residential units was cut in half and the heights of the buildings reduced, he said.
Mendell said, the plan was shrunk and up-scaled, noting that the residential units would be fewer in number but more spacious. According to the projects plans, the units would be priced from $1.2 million for a two-bedroom to $1.5 million for a three-bedroom.
John Saccardi, from Saccardi & Schiff, a planning and environmental services firm, spoke about plans to submit the project for town approval, noting there are many environmental, school and parking issues to consider.
Mendell said the project would be beneficial to the schools, which would receive $1.6 million in revenue from taxes that unit owners pay. He said this would more than offset the cost to schools of educating the few students who would live in the units, which are geared to empty nesters and retirees.
The alternative to Brynwoods residential plan is to build 49 single family homes, which would eliminate the golf course and provide more students to the schools, with less school financing, he said.
John and Marilyn Heimerdinger, Armonk residents who live near Brynwood and are considering purchasing a unit there, were upbeat about what they heard. It was very well thought out and we would consider moving there, Marilyn Heimerdinger said.
John Heimerdinger said the residential plan is favorable to the construction of single family homes. The homes are much less attractive for the town, because of the big impact on the schools, he said.
Saccardi said it would take about a year to get town approval for the project. Mandell said golf course rebuilding would take two years and the residential units would be built in phases. "It's three to five years for total development," he said.
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