Dover board responds to developer's threats

DOVER —  Last week, Benjamin Companies of Garden City, Long Island, withdrew its application to redevelop the Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center. The developers said they had been fighting an uphill battle with the town over reported adverse environmental impacts to the site and took issue with the board adopting a resolution to hire another town consultant to review the project without consulting the developers first.

The move took Town Board member Katie Palmer-House by surprise.

“We got a fax shortly after the press conference, then we got a letter that day,� House said. “It was a complete surprise to me because we reached out to them in hopes they would be thrilled and would participate in the project. I believe we are 70 percent there with the project, but we need to make a compromise on the remaining issues.�

The company purchased the property in 2003, and its plan was to redevelop the 961-acre site, a former hospital dating back to the 1920s.

House said the board last met with the company at a meeting in May, and there had been several back-and-forth correspondences with the company since that time.

Attempts to reach town Supervisor Jill Way for this article were unsuccessful.

However, she did issue a press release on Monday about the project.

She wrote in the press release that representatives for the town and the corporation attended an informational meeting in June announcing possible grant funding for case studies of progressive transit-oriented development sites.

“Up to that date, the lack of significant economic development for the hamlet center was of particular concern and it was our hope to use this unique opportunity to collaborate and resolve that issue,� Way wrote in the press release. “Unfortunately, our invitation to the [company] to collaborate on this project, that could have been subsidized with grant funding, was neglected. We never received a response from them.�

Way wrote that the town did submit applications for grant funds, “...with the glimmer of hope they might join us if awarded.�

Both sides, meanwhile, have accused each other of refusing to meet about the project.

House said that the board wrote a letter to residents in February that there are six major issues holding up the project. In the letter, the issues listed were: the current proposed plan contains too much residential and not enough commercial development; the current plan to build 1,400 homes is not based on a comprehensive needs assessment; the plan needs to be clearer with information about the types and dimensions of housing and their market prices; there was no “cohesive center� or recreational facilities listed in the plan; the developers need to reduce residential developments in biological corridors; and the plan does not re-use large historic buildings in order to reduce infrastructure costs.

House said that these issues have not been resolved.

“In my opinion, the environmental issues were among the most important to us,� she said. “My main concern is the economic development in the hamlet square.�

As for company representatives stating that they will start a campaign for an election of a new Town Board, House said that she is not worried.

“I am due to continue with the board for the next two years and beyond, so I know I will be there,� she said. “I am looking at the longer picture, and I still think we can work this out. This is not the end, this is the beginning.�

Benjamin Companies has described the Town Board as the main obstacle in its path. It has said, however, that it has no plans to walk away from the site or future projects there.

The next Town Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 22, at 6:30 p.m. in Town Hall.