Thomas makes offer
Senior center for zone change


and Jo E. Prout

GUILDERLAND — Jeff Thomas has plans to build two senior-housing complexes and has now proposed a third. He asked the town board on Tuesday for a re-zone at the former Bavarian Chalet site on Western Avenue.

During his presentation to the board, Thomas offered to create a public senior-citizen community center for the town’s use if he is allowed to go forward with the project.

A public hearing on the project was unanimously approved by the board and is scheduled for June 6.
"I would recommend that the town board consider a conditional re-zone," said Jan Weston, the town’s planner, in a memo sent to board members. Weston’s memo also stated, "I do have some reservations regarding the density and the site plan."
"A larger density will allow us to dedicate a portion of the property as a town community center," Thomas told the board.
"We need to keep an open mind on the density issue in exchange for the benefit we will receive," Supervisor Kenneth Runion responded.
"The applicant is proposing 6.65 units per total acreage," Weston said on her memo. "We calculate density based on usable acres, which would bring the average density to 7-8 units per acre, plus the community center.
"Recent town board re-zones have only allowed a maximum of 6 units per buildable acre so this proposal is pushing that envelope. However, the fact that these units will be restricted to senior housing will help mitigate some of the density concerns."
She went on to say she had reservations about traffic issues and wrote, "Also, the design of the access, stormwater management areas, buffering, etc. require a closer look that may reduce the overall density."
Runion, citing a great need in Guilderland for senior housing, called the proposed community center in Thomas’s site plan a "substantial benefit." Runion did add that the housing would need to be affordable.
"We’re looking for housing for the common senior citizens," said Runion.
Thomas’s project calls for 86 units. The apartments will have two bedrooms or two bedrooms and a den. "Seniors like two bedrooms in case they have a guest over," Thomas told The Enterprise.

The Western Avenue entrance to the senior-housing project at 5060 Western Turnpike will be rerouted to Frenchs Mill Road, said Thomas at Tuesday’s meeting.
His clientele will be "local seniors — Really, any seniors at all, 55 [years] or up," he said. The units, which will be only for sale and not for rent, will be priced at the market rate, Thomas said, and aimed at those with a "middle income." He hopes to have solid prices by the hearing in June.

The town board asked Thomas what the current market rate is, but Thomas said he did not have solid figures with him at the presentation. The market rate is in constant fluctuation because of unstable material costs resulting from natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, he said.

Runion told Thomas that he would need solid prices when he returns for the June 6 public hearing.
"They seemed to have some good input," Thomas told The Enterprise about the board members after Tuesday’s meeting. "There’s a great need for senior living facilities, especially in the west end."
"The Bavarian Chalet site is perfect for that," Thomas said. The 13-acre site includes "a beautiful pond, a hollow, a picturesque view of the Helderberg escarpment, and the Bavarian Chalet building," he said. The site is zoned for local business. The chalet was a 300-seat banquet facility, Thomas said.
"This is pretty neat," he said. His plans for the project include walking paths, a pool, a bocci court, and various gathering centers. The site will have "its own community, its own village feel," he said.

Thomas, the owner and founder of Weatherguard Roofing, lives just above the village of Altamont on the escarpment in Knox. He is planning to build a senior-housing complex in the Hilltowns, in the hamlet of Berne.

Over a year ago, Thomas proposed a 72-unit senior-housing project, located on Brandle Road, just outside the Altamont Village line. The Guilderland Town Board quickly approved a re-zone for that project in the same meeting in which it adopted a building moratorium for western Guilderland. The Brandle Road project, however, had been stalled by litigation over village water.
"What I’ve found, being involved [with seniors] the last five years is that they want to downsize, not deal with lawn mowing, shoveling, or painting the hallway," Thomas said.
"We have renderings already. We’re playing off the stone of the chalet. It’s got a Queen Anne flair with stone and wood," Thomas said.
Asked if he expects the units to be sold out soon, Thomas said, "I do. There’s a large demand for this. There’s not a lot of senior living centers in the area."
"Most towns have senior centers. Ours doesn’t," Thomas said of Guilderland. Other centers are "institutional — very sterile," Thomas said. He described the chalet site as "one of the most peaceful, calming, soothing" places.
"We’re hoping it’ll be a six-month approval process. We’re at the mercy of the town of Guilderland. That might be optimistic," Thomas said.

Board member Paul Pastore, reiterated that the town board is not the planning board or the zoning board, but that certain structural aspects would have to be cleared through those boards before the project could commence.
"Once appropriate density is determined by examining the environmental and site restraints, a final rezone could be recommended based on that approved site plan," said Weston in her memo.

Other business

In other business, the town board unanimously:

— Applauded Rosemary Centi for her certification from the New York State Town’s Clerk Association, making her a certified registered municipal clerk.

In order to receive certification, she had to attend various courses and be a town clerk for at least five years. Centi was presented her certification and a bouquet of flowers from the deputy town clerks and was congratulated by the board.

— Considered a presentation by New Visions on plans of a group home at 2 Maynes Ave., converting a building on the site now into a residence for three women with disabilities.

The home would have 24-hour supervision with little traffic impact, according to New Visions. New Visions, based at 334 Krumkill Rd. in Slingerlands, serves adults, 21 years old and up, with disabilities, helping them find employment, teaching them various life skills, and assisting in providing them permanent housing;
— Adopted a resolution authorizing the supervisor to submit three grant applications for funds from the New York State Department of Parks. The grants applications are for a $293,000 renovation of the bath house and pool apron at Tawasentha Park, $97,450 for the creation of a passive park surrounding the former McKownville Reservoir property, and $105,100 for the purchase of the "Battle of Normanskill" property.
"These are three projects we’ve been contemplating for a couple of years," Runion told The Enterprise. "We’ve been applying for the Normanskill property since the mid-1980’s." According to Runion, the town wants the property, which is adjacent to Tawasentha Park, to keep as a natural preserve, and the Mohawk-Hudson Land Conservancy is also interested in the property;

— Approved various transfers and releases of escrow funds pursuant to the request of the Department of Water and Wastewater Management;

— Appointed election machine custodians and representatives for the 2006 primary and general elections. Those named were evenly distributed between the Democratic and Republican parties;

— Approved the order and stipulation of settlement for two tax proceedings at 4770 Western Ave. and 3905 Carman Road; and

— Appointed Collin Gallup to the position of town park foreman. Runion applied to the Albany County Department of Civil Service to have the position approved, and it was classified as non-competitive by the county, meaning no Civil Service exam is required.