Main Street Redevelopment Hopes To Lure NYC Commuters to Village of Brewster

Cloey Callahan reports on the Village of Brewster's plan to redevelop its Main Street in an effort to attract New York City commuters.

The village, about 60 miles from Manhattan, "has all of the ingredients to become the next Hudson Valley hotspot, particularly for urban dwellers seeking greener pastures," Callahan quotes Mayor James Schoenig as saying. Residents can reach Manhattan in 80 to 90 minutes, and local officials hope to capitalize on this proximity in a region with increasingly high housing costs.

Called 'Brewster Crossing,' the project shared on the village website reflects an ambitious mixed-use development designed to attract residents as well as businesses to the Main Street corridor. Plans include 408 rental units and artist lofts fanned across three new 5- to 6-story buildings, as well as a brewery, retail and dining businesses, a 500-car parking garage, and public spaces like a resident lodge and public garden.

The estimated cost of $60 to $100 million will be paid, according to the plan, by developers. Community members largely support the redevelopment proposal, but some express concern about the future of historic buildings and legacy businesses. The village will also have to consider the additional infrastructure–such as fire, police, and school capacity–that a growth in population will require.