Harrison REVIEW THE
February 24, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 8 | www.harrisonreview.com
Town may earmark hotel tax for capital improvements
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By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer
kids Avery LaBarbera drives to the hoop in Harrison’s first-round playoff matchup with Pearl River on Feb. 18. LaBarbera had 29 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in the Huskies’ 61-56 come-from-behind victory. For story, see page 15. Photo/Mike Smith
Harrison finalizes first in wave of Halstead TOD projects By COREY STOCKTON Staff Writer A recently approved project on Halstead Avenue will join a wave of redevelopment projects sweeping downtown Harrison, as one of the first in a string of transit-oriented development proposals to receive final approval. Transit oriented development, TOD, has been a prominent form of development in Harrison over the last several years, appealing to residents who commute to work via mass transit. Since 2012, developers have proposed at least four TOD projects along Halstead Avenue, including the centerpiece of the entire movement, The AvalonBay project
proposed on the site of the current Metro-North parking lot. “Transit oriented [development] is perfect for Harrison because [the downtown area is] so close to the train station,” said David Gross, the owner, developer and architect of 241247 Halstead Ave. “We think it’s an appropriate apartment for an empty nester or a young adult looking to start their life in Westchester that can’t afford a house.” The property at 241-247 Halstead Ave. is less than a quarter of a mile from Harrison’s Metro-North Railroad station; but a 19-unit TOD development could eventually have to compete with a much larger long-awaited project directly on the site of the cur-
rent Metro-North parking lot. The proposed AvalonBay development on Metro-Northowned property has been in the works since 2012, and is currently before the Planning Board, where developers are seeking a zoning change to allow the project to move forward in a business district. That development would be the cornerstone of Harrison’s TOD push, as it would feature three 4-story mixed-use buildings and two pedestrian plazas, totaling 143 luxury apartment units. Those units would include 76 one-bedrooms, 59 two-bedrooms and eight threebedrooms; a total of seven units would be set aside as affordable housing. That development
would also include the construction of a parking garage with 751 spaces, most of which would be reserved for commuters. Following a potential zoning change, AvalonBay would still require additional approvals from the town of Harrison, Westchester County and New York state as well as an approval from the MTA. While the project has not yet secured all of the necessary approvals, it has already attracted other developers and investors into the town, according to Councilman Steve Malfitano, a Republican. “The degree of confidence that prospective investors have in TOD continued on page 5
municipal budgets to remain below the tax cap in recent years. While the town has remained under the state-mandated tax cap for six consecutive years, most of Harrison’s funding put forward in its $59.2 million budget this fiscal year comes from property taxes—approximately 77 percent. For this fiscal year, the town recently approved a 1.5 percent tax increase. “Right now, we don’t have an earmark to help lower our taxes,” said Mayor Ron Belmont, a Republican. “Any amount of revenue would help us.” Other local municipalities that already impose the hotel tax include the village of Rye Brook, and the cities of New Rochelle, Yonkers, White Plains, and neighboring Rye— the first municipality in the county that was given the authority to levy the tax in 2006. Westchester County also implements a 3 percent occupancy tax of its own. The city of Rye generates approximately $80,000 in annual revenue from the tax on its only hotel within city boundaries, the Courtyard Rye Marriot, which is located at 631 Midland Ave. On Dec. 31, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, authorized the tax in the municipalities of Tuckahoe, North Castle, Mamaroneck, Port Chester, Dobbs Ferry, Greenburgh and Hastings-On-Hudson. According to state law, the hotel tax has a three-year sunset clause attached to it, meaning that it must be renewed by the state in the fiscal year 2020.
Town officials have secured a law that allows Harrison to implement an occupancy tax on hotel and motel occupants. Harrison—one of eight municipalities in Westchester County given the authority to levy the 3 percent occupancy tax on Dec. 31, 2016—is expected to generate more than $300,000 in annual revenue from the tax, according to Councilman Stephen Malfitano, a Republican. Malfitano said that money generated through the tax will be placed in an account set aside for capital improvements or will likely be used to maintain the town with basic services, which generally include public safety, education and utilities. “This is a big deal for us,” he said. “Anything we can do to fund municipal services is certainly welcome.” There are currently two hotels in the town/village of Harrison: the Renaissance Westchester Hotel, which is located at 80 West Red Oak Lane, and the Hyatt House on Westchester Avenue. However, the tax is also implemented on country clubs and will also impact Westchester Country Club on North Street. The desirability of the hotel tax for local governments is that it aids municipalities in generating revenue outside of the need to increase property taxes on local residents, since most patrons of hotels are from outside of the community. “It’s finally come to fruition in a time when it’s really much needed,” said Malfitano, who explained that it’s becoming increasingly difficult for communities’ CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com
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