What Will Avalon Development Mean for Surrounding Business Climate?

The huge Avalon development is about to hit the market in February with its 168 units going for upwards of $1,400 (affordable rate for a one-bedroom), which can only mean some effects for surrounding businesses.

One resident asked Patch:

Right now, it’s all gas stations, closed diners, 7-11s and bad pizza places. None of that really serves the neighborhood at all very well for those of us who are here. But with the new residences, can we get some look into what’s planned for that strip of Route 9 around there?

Citizens, like Louie Lou on Patch's Facebook page predict that the 7-Eleven and the pizzeria on the end of North Highland in Ossining will have more customers with new stores arriving to reflect the new clientele. 

It "will be great for 7-11 and the pizza place. Ossining really needs more stores that aren't beauty salons," Lou writes, concluding with a question, "$1,775 is cheap for two people?

The first resident continued:

I keep wondering why that Diner isn’t being bought up and re-done – it’s a shoe-in for locals and for delivery. And some good service places as well. Right now, the place looks so run down. I don’t know if the car places will ever move, but I’ve lived in Yonkers and White Plains, and an Avalon has gone up both in Bronxville and White Plains. It changes the look and feel of a place.

Village planner Valerie Monastra says while the village itself has no plans for the area, capitalism surely does.

“We have no particular plans of changing anything but I’m sure new business will come,” Monastra said.

There are a few commercial vacancies along that stretch with some already snapped up – the former Art Barn is getting refitted as a Laundromat next to new neighbor Laur-Lee Sports; the former Singer sewing shop has a tenant. 

Monastra noted there is an application before the Planning Board now for rehab work to the Brandan Furniture building at 173 North Highland, to open it up for a “number of different uses,” all retail.

Several Patch users lamented what seemed like a high price for the “affordable” units, comprising 10 percent of the Avalon housing stock by law. Monastra said this is based on 80 percent of the average median income. 

“You can find older housing stock for that rate or less, but new housing stock enters the market for $1,600 or $1,700 or upwards,” Monastra said. 

Make that new housing stock with a great river view on one side and on the other: well, that's up for grabs.