A razed Saw Mill River Parkway landmark in Elmsford, Antun’s of Westchester Catering, could be replaced by an apartment and retail building proposed by the Robert Martin Co. in a $22 million mixed-use development.
The Westchester County Industrial Development Agency on Thursday gave its preliminary support for the project and incentives that include a $229,000 mortgage recording tax exemption and sales tax exemptions totaling approximately $583,000.
Tim Jones, managing member of the Elmsford-based Robert Martin Co., said the company 18 months ago signed a purchase option on the vacant property at 35 Valley Ave., where Antun’s of Westchester closed its doors in 2012 after 27 years of operation. The developer plans to build a 110,000-square-foot building on the site with 96 market-rate workforce apartments and 11,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space.
Elmsford Village Administrator Michael C. Mills said the village last year created a neighborhood business district in the proposed development area off the Saw Mil River Parkway and Route 119. Village officials are expected to do a final review of project plans in July, he said.
“I think having the retail here, it’s great for that whole little section of Elmsford,” Jones told IDA directors.
The developer said the project will create 100 construction jobs and an estimated 25 full-time jobs.
County IDA member Nicholas V. Longo voted against the board’s resolution of support for the project after Jones said the developer will not sign a project labor agreement with union locals. “We have to be open shop because we have to be competitive,” Jones said when Longo asked whether the company would employ union labor.
“While I’m an admirer of Robert Martin, I’m disappointed in the attitude toward organized labor,” Longo said.
