VALATIE — A new 32-unit senior living housing project is planned for Route 203 in the village. Bruce Levine of 3D Development Group, LLC, of Amherst, NY, is the developer on the project.
The new project will be built on two acres across Route 203, also known as Chatham Street, from the Little Falls development. All 32 units will be placed in one building and will be for rent for people 55 or old. The project is currently being called the Valatie Senior Housing and the total cost estimate of the project is $7 million.
In a phone interview Tuesday, Mr. Levine said the project has all the local approvals but they are waiting for $1 million in funds from the New York State Housing Trust to move forward with construction. He said they should hear about those funds this summer. If the funding is approved he hopes to start construction at the end of year. The project already has $357,000 from the state Department of Agriculture.
Mr. Levine was the developer of the Valatie Woods senior apartments on River Street in the village, as well as projects in Chatham and Hudson. He said the new project will much like Valatie Woods, and that it will service the same population.
The main difference between the two projects is the new Valatie Senior Housing will be a “green” project, constructed with environmentally friendly materials and technology. He said the plan calls for installing solar panels on the roof and for the building to meet LEED certified standards. LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, an internationally recognized green building certification system.
“It’s been a long time coming for Valatie,” Mr. Levine said of the project.
Mayor Gary Strevell responded by email questions from the Columbia Paper about the project, writing, “I am glad to see it is finally moving forward. I know many people who are anxiously waiting for it to open. This project is a great addition to our village.”
Kinderhook town Supervisor Pat Grattan commented on the project at the meeting of the county Board of Supervisors’ committee on economic development and tourism Monday, April 25, saying of Mr. Levine, “He runs a very good operation; his projects fill up before the paint is dry.”
The village is currently looking into issues with its waste treatment plant, with the board seeking $2 million in funding for upgrades. The board will now have to decide whether the village faces any issues related to sewage anticipated from the new project. Mr. Levine said this project started well before the sewer system became an issue for the village and the projected was grandfathered in.
To contact reporter Emilia Teasdale email eteasdale@columbiapaper.com.
