Transit-oriented apartments, retail development opens at Harrison train station
HARRISON, N.Y. -- After 16 years of planning and construction, the ribbon was finally cut Monday on a "transit-oriented development" in suburban Westchester.
It's retail and residential attached to a commuter rail station. Gov. Kathy Hochul called it a template for the future.
It took some big scissors to mark completion of 143 new apartments, including seven reserved for residents who meet income guidelines, amenities for people and their dogs, retail space and garage parking.
The MTA made it happen by allowing construction on its former parking lot adjacent to the Harrison Metro-North Railroad station.
"Beautiful new housing close to transit, so people don't have to own as many cars and they don't have to use them as frequently," said MTA Chairman Janno Lieber.
"We no longer have to commute to a train station to get down to the city. So that was really appealing for us," said Charlie Burt, a new resident. "But aside from that, obviously the ritzy area of Harrison as well is incredible. So we absolutely love it here."
The median price for a single-family home in Harrison is $2 million. Hochul said bringing more reasonably-priced housing to an exclusive suburb is important on may levels.
"Young teachers, firefighters, police officers, people working in technology, people working in health care, they don't start out in life being able to afford luxury housing," said Hochul.
A similar project is planned on Long Island - 200 or so apartments, plus retail on an MTA parking lot in Westbury.
Metro-North said what it learned about transit-oriented development in Harrison will be applied as it prepares to build four new stations in the East Bronx.
One of the new stations is coming to Parkchester, where planning is underway to maximize the community benefits of a brand new commuting option.
The state wants to see a lot more housing adjacent to mass transit.