RyeCity REVIEW THE
December 16, 2016 | Vol. 4, Number 51 | www.ryecityreview.com
Purchase storefront demolition completed By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer
COST OVERRUN Facing unanticipated legal fees, the Rye City Council has authorized the transfer of $500,000 this year—in addition to an already budgeted $230,000—to cover expenses associated with 25 lawsuits. For story, see page 11. File photo
Old Post Road senior facility proposal delayed By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer The city Planning Commission postponed a vote on a proposal from the owners of a vacant, 3-story office building to construct an age-restricted senior living residence at 120 Old Post Road.
According to Andy Ball, a member of the Planning Commission, a resident stepped forward during the latest meeting on Dec. 13 with a number of concerns, and the board ultimately decided to delay the vote until Jan. 10, and after the holidays. Ball said the resident, Robert
Van Derwateren, inquired about whether there would be fencing up during the construction phase, and whether the applicant would be held to the same project duration standards for rock removal as are residential projects, after a rock chipping law was amended by the City Council in October 2015.
The law was altered to restrict mechanical rock excavation by mandating a permit in all circumstances regardless of the longevity of the project. Despite the concerns, Ball confirmed that the developer would have to abide by the FACILITY continued on page 8
The owner of the recently demolished vacant building at 2325 Purchase St., which is located in downtown Rye, currently has nothing planned for the property, according to the city manager. According to City Manager Marcus Serrano, the owner of the demolished property, Grove Park Realty Corp., a subdivision of the Joseph P. Daly Realty Corp., has not submitted a proposal to the city Planning Commission, as of press time. On Dec. 12, construction crews completed demolition of the property on Purchase Street, which is situated in between R&M Woodrow Jewelers and Poppy’s café. But without any official plans announced for the space, it is currently unclear what to expect of the property, which was most recently home to That Pottery Barn, a ceramic crafts supply store, and HomeMade Pizza, Serrano said. “The owner once expressed interest in constructing a 4-story building at the location, but we don’t know yet,” he said. The demolition and current eyesore has drawn concern from some worried about preserving Rye’s historic character.
“The Rye Historical Society is clearly disappointed that the building was torn down given that the downtown area was designated as a historic district,” said Jennifer Plick, the assistant director at the Rye Historical Society. “We hope any future building on the site will take into consideration the historic nature of downtown Rye.” However, according to Serrano, at the moment, the city’s zoning code currently restricts a 4-story building being constructed in the downtown business district anyway. Further, he said, the city Board of Architectural Review will examine the situation when something is eventually proposed. The demolition of the Purchase Street property comes in wake of Rye’s historic T.D.’s Smoke Shop closing its doors at the beginning of the year. In March, the owners of the smoke shop, which was also located on Purchase Street, were evicted after residing there for almost 70 years. After facing a potential rate increase from the property owner, Peggy and Tony D’Onofrio, the smoke shop owners, were forced to close doors as a result DEMO continued on page 7
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