Jonathan D. Stein, operating partner with Roseland Property Co., gave a presentation on the firm's plans at a public session held on Feb. 27. The Lighthouse Landing at Sleepy Hollow project will be built on approximately 96.2 acres of land.

Lighthouse Landing will be built by Roseland/Sleepy Hollow, LLC, in partnership with General Motors. An equity partner in the project is Prudential Real Estate, Stein notes.

The project calls for the construction of 922 rental apartment units and 200 condominiums and 219 townhomes on the 66.2-acre West parcel. Also at the West parcel will be lion's share of the 185,000 sf of retail space and 95,000 sf of office space planned for the development. Stein notes that a 150-room hotel will also be built near the Hudson River shoreline.

On the East Parcel, which totals approximately 28 acres, Roseland proposes the construction of 200 senior housing units (100 earmarked as affordable) and 21 townhouse units that have been set aside for municipal workers. At the South Parcel, which totals about one and a half acres, Roseland hopes to build a 25,000-sf retail building for perhaps a bookseller or for a "Fine Arts Cinema," Stein says. The project also calls for another 25,000 sf building that could accommodate some supermarket/grocer type use.

The project also proposes that a new Metro North train station be built near the entrance to the development. Stein says that no formal talks have begun as yet with the railroad on the new station concept.

The tallest building at the project would be four stories and parking below ground and at grade would accommodate 4,107 vehicles.

While he was pleased with the initial reaction from village residents, Stein says that the proposal will no doubt change somewhat during the approval process.

"We've got an approval schedule that has us in approvals for 24 months to 30 months," he says. "Therefore it will be about two-and-a half to three years before we put a shovel in the ground."

Stein says a key component of the plan is that more than 20 percent of the site is devoted to open space, including a significant amount offering direct access to the riverfront. The open space at the site connects with nearby Kingsland Park, DeVries Park and Philipsburg Manor.

The Village of Sleepy Hollow has been attempting to have private interests redevelop the former GM site since it closed in 1996. The site had been an automobile manufacturing site since 1899 when The Mobile Company of America (Walker Steamer) and the Maxwell-Briscoe Company began operations there.