New plan moves senior citizen center and post office to Lahey Pavilion
By Michael Turton
The Cold Spring Planning Board is once again reviewing the Butterfield project. Butterfield Realty Ltd., headed by developer Paul Guillaro, has submitted revised plans for the redevelopment of the former hospital site that include a change in use for the Lahey Pavilion, triggering the planning board review. Board members got their first look at the revisions at their Feb 11 meeting.
In the previously approved plan, the Lahey building was unchanged and would have continued as Cold Spring’s medical office center. The senior-citizen center was to be created adjacent to it, along with condominiums, offices, retail space and three single-family houses. Correspondence from Butterfield Realty did not include an explanation for the proposed change.
The new proposal calls for the Lahey building to be converted to a 6,200 square foot senior citizen center, with a 1,350 square foot U.S. Post Office to be located at the rear of the building. Planning Board Chair Matt Francisco said the post office would provide retail services only, with sorting and distribution continuing to be handled at the U.S. Post Office in Garrison. Medical offices and facilities currently located in the Lahey building would shift to Building No. 2 of the new development.
Most of Thursday’s discussion centered on how the proposed changes would affect parking at Butterfield, as required by village zoning. Using the Lahey building as a senior-citizen center would require more parking than its current use. Likewise, shifting medical facilities from Lahey to Building No. 2 would mean an adjustment in the amount of parking provided there.
Representatives of Butterfield Realty notified Francisco that they were not able to attended Thursday’s meeting. They are expected to make a formal presentation of the proposed changes at the Feb. 25 meeting of the planning board.
I wish the Lahey Medical Pavillion could remain as is.
Let the Games begin anew. Meanwhile, we are still using a tin can for a U.S. Post Office and no senior center. Sit by and watch Cold Spring die a slow death while Beacon prospers.
Has anyone asked the question, “After all the work and effort spent thus far, why change the plan?” Was this an original intention by developers? How will the change effect the senior center and post office – is it a plus or negative impact on what we (the community) are going to end up with? Also, if it is a negative or unfavorable result, can we hold to original plan? Just a few thoughts. I am not opposed to changes in plans but to leave the community short changed possibly is wrong.
Why can’t the Lahey Pavillion remain as it is? Surely one of the new structures could be a senior center along with a post office. Whose idea was it to put the seniors into Lahey? Makes no sense to me.
One benefit is that the senior center will have its own building, rather than having to share with other tenants in a much larger building. The change is probably because they were concerned about disturbances from loud music and noise from wild senior parties. They’ve heard about us boomers.