Carvel Property Development: Durst updates Pine Plains board

PINE PLAINS — The reason why the Durst Organization has scarcely been seen in Pine Plains during the last five years has nothing to do with the state of the real estate market. So said Durst Organization Chief Development Officer (CDO) Alexander Durst, who attended a Town Board meeting on Thursday, June 15, to talk about the Carvel Property Development.

Getting up to speed on the Durst Organization

Though he did not delve deeply into details about the plan, Durst did share some of what his organization has been up to since 2012, when he last appeared before the town. He said the Durst Organization has done “significant” residential development, and, among other things, completed One World Trade Center in New York City. 

The Dursts’ focus is on “luxury upscale development,” according to its CDO, both in Manhattan and locally, in Pine Plains. 

The Durst Organization has been busy during its absence from local boards and committees. It’s more than doubled its real estate portfolio, said Durst, and looks to repeat that trend again in the near future.

Acknowledging its focus on midtown Manhattan, Durst said Pine Plains hasn’t been forgotten.

More about Pine Plains and Dutchess County

“We’re very fond of Dutchess County,” he said, before going into some of the things that have been done to the Carvel property since 2012, like brush-hogging. 

The site has also played host to events by the American Kennel Club.

The Durst Organization has also continued its investment in McEnroe Organic Farm, in the town of North East. It’s helped develop McEnroe’s cattle barn and pastures, its farmers market and its composting operation. 

Another initiative, said Durst, is the integration of sustainability into the company. The Organic Collection program collects enough compost among its New York City tenants to fill three subway cars, he noted. 

After bringing the Town Board and Pine Plains residents up to speed on how the Durst Organization has been doing these past five years, the CDO segued into more specific talk about the proposed development.

“I would like to dispel any rumor that we put this project on hold because of the market,” he said. “Nothing could be farther from the truth. We’ve just been very busy at what we do best.”

Project details

Online, at www.carvelpropertydevelopment.com, there was a synopsis of what the project entails.

“The proposed project is a golf and recreation-oriented, second-home vacation community on 2,376 acres in the towns of Pine Plains and Milan.  A portion of this community, 1,932 acres, is located in the town of Pine Plains and comprises a proposed New Neighborhood Development (NND).”

Back at Town Hall on June 15, Durst rattled off some of the benefits expected as a result. Protection of open space, creation of more amenities and “significant” economic development topped the list.

“More than 70 percent will be protected open space,” said Durst, adding that sensitive species will also be protected. “It will exceed the significant protections required by the state and federal government.” 

Also, the development will be the largest contiguous open space in the whole town, with a 4.3-mile public trail that the Durst Organization has agreed to maintain for 20 years.

He also spoke of the Spruce Farm Chautauqua, which according to the project’s website, “is envisioned as a center for agriculture, the arts, historic preservation, education and recreation.”

The Chautauqua will include an artists-in-residence program, “where visiting artists would work, exhibit and conduct educational and cultural art programs.” It will also access the Ham Brook Trail System.

The end result, said Durst, is that the Pine Plains project will attract people to the town and to its businesses. He said additional tax revenue and additional jobs (as a result of both construction and of needed additional goods and services) will be a boon to the local economy.

Durst also mentioned improvements to local infrastructure that will result from the project. A safer intersection at Woodward Hill Road and Route 199 was but one example. Improvements to the Taconic State Parkway exit are another. The undergrounding of utilities and certain power lines, the protection of the viewshed and storm water management were all mentioned as additional benefits. Water and sewer, also, “would not be a burden” to the town, said Durst. 

The architecture, he added, will “be consistent with the architecture of Dutchess County.”

According to its website, the project, once completed, will include the following:

A golf clubhouse and pro shop, a golf practice and putting green, a fitness and yoga center, a health spa, pools, tennis courts, a croquet lawn, dining facilities, a small sundries store, non-motorized boating facilities and an events lawn.

At last count, the project will result in the construction of roughly 500 units on the former Carvel Country Club property off Route 199, centered around Lake Carvel. 

Escrow agreements

All of that will be dependent on the successful completion of the NND application. The process was held up five years ago, due to discord over the escrow arrangement. The requested payment, said Durst, “was too big.”

According to documents filed with the town, the Durst Organization approved payment from its escrow account for services rendered from Aug. 16 to Aug. 31, 2012, for $1,638. It refused to pay for services from April 25 to April 20, 2012 for $2,281.50; services from May 1 to May 31, 2012, for $2,838.85; and services from June 6 to June 30, 2012, for $1,872.

Now, what Durst has proposed is to take things “one step at a time.” He added that his company is fine with funding an escrow account, as long as it can be agreed upon by all parties.

“If we’re all in agreement, we’ll fund that amount,” he said, “if not, we’ll continue to meet.”

Durst added that he’d like the Town Board to “provide feedback” so his team can then go to the Planning Board and conduct the required scoping procedure. 

“I am publicly confirming that we do want to move forward with the application,” Durst told the board, adding he understands that an escrow account will have to be re-established sooner rather than later.

Attorney to the Town Warren Replansky acknowledged the need for escrow, but said he’s comfortable conferring with Durst attorney Jennifer Van Tuyl first, to get his bearings. 

The goal is to “get more information on how we might want to proceed and review the application process,” Replansky said. “I’m hoping I can be brought up to speed.”

He added that it’s “premature” to open the process up to a public hearing, and, more importantly, to speculation. 

There was no word on when Durst might return before the Town Board, or when he hopes to begin working with the Planning Board once again.