PELHAM — Two days before Christmas, Pelham village employees were at the new village hall. Firefighters, who now have their headquarters next door, went out to respond to an emergency call. Downstairs, a space reserved for the police station is still under construction, which is expected to be completed in March.
For the first time in the 50 years since Pelham was merged into the current village, all three wards are under the same roof, thanks to a new residential development across the street.
An agreement reached in 2019 allowed a developer to build the 127-unit mixed-use development on former city property. In return, the developer agreed to cover all costs, estimated at approximately $20 million, for the construction of a community center with a village hall, police and fire brigade.
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Mayor Chance Mullen said the community is excited to see the new community center in the heart of the village. The site will also serve as a meeting place for both residents and community groups.
“I think everyone involved in this project takes great pride knowing that this building will be here for generations and used by so many residents and staff,” Mullen said.
What does the accommodation at Pelham House include?
Pelham’s new municipal center, under construction on Fifth Ave. in Pelham, photographed on December 23, 2024. The new municipal center will consist of a new village hall, police station and fire station. Construction began in early 2023 and is expected to be completed in early 2024. The village council and fire brigade have already moved to the new space.
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The $115 million Pelham House includes a 27,000-square-foot community center at 200 Fifth Ave. and a 127-unit apartment building with 5,300 square feet of retail space.
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The two-story community center will have space for approximately 50 village employees, firefighters and police officers. The village hall includes a historic room, a patio and a meeting room.
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While the future of the former village hall – a house on Sparks Ave. 195 – is still up in the air, the plan is being drawn up to demolish the former fire station and move the police from the town hall.
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Across the street, the residential development will include 127 apartments, including four studios, 53 one-bedrooms, 64 two-bedrooms and six three-bedrooms. Six affordable units are reserved for households earning 80% of the area median income, and 60 spaces are open to the public. Amenities include a gym, rooftop terrace, courtyard, co-working space and fitness center. Construction is expected to be completed in 2027.
An apartment building and first floor storefronts under construction on Fifth Ave. in Pelham, Dec. 23, 2024. The developer who built the building received the property from the village in exchange for building a new community village center across the street. The new community center will consist of a new village hall, police station and fire station. Construction began in early 2023 and is expected to be completed in early 2024. The village council and fire brigade have already moved to the new space.
A new look should increase pedestrian traffic in Pelham
“The municipal center is located in the middle of the village. A major advantage are two beautiful new buildings in the middle of our city center. We know it will generate foot traffic,” Mullen said.
Developer Joe Kohl Riggs, president of the Hudson Companies, said they are inspired by the village’s initiative to revitalize downtown and think creatively about solving the housing crisis. With a 203-unit residential project under construction in Port Chester, the company has built 8,000 residential units throughout New York.
The project has received a tax credit of approximately $15.8 million through a 20-year Payment in Lieu of Tax (PILOT) agreement from the Westchester Industrial Development Agency. This will generate $600,000 in tax revenue annually. Once the PILOT agreement expires, the developer will pay taxes based on an assessed value, equivalent to one-seventh of the current total downtown value.
Pelham Village has an area of 0.8 square kilometers and a population of approximately 7,300. The approved budget for 2023-2024 was approximately $17 million.
Helu Wang covers real estate, economic growth and development for The Journal News/lohud and USA Today Network. Reach her at hwang@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared in Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Pelham NY Municipal Center opens as apartments loom across the street
