COUNTY BOARD APPROVES FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN HISTORIC 19TH CENTURY OSSINING VILLAGE BUILDING
COMMITTEE NEWS RELEASE
July 10, 2007
Contact: Barbara Dodds, Committee Coordinator, Tel: (914) 995-4429
The County Board approved $867,000 in funding to purchase a nationally-registered landmark building at 135-139 Main Street in the Village of Ossining. The 4,312 square feet space will be developed into 12 one-and-two bedroom affordable condominium apartments. The units will offer homeownership opportunities to families at or below 80% of Westchester’s median income. The County Board approved an additional $476,000 to fund related infrastructure improvements to the property.
County Legislator Lois Bronz, Chair of the Board’s Housing Committee, described the project as a “creative package.” “Refurbishing this property achieves several goals,” Bronz said. “In one shot, we’re providing critically needed affordable housing and preserving an important part of the Village’s history.”
Bronz noted that the triangular building in the center of town has been hailed as key to revitalizing the downtown area both in terms of aesthetic and economic value. First erected in 1873 as a millinery, grocery and tea emporium, and vacant for the past several years, the building at 135 Main Street garnered community-wide and county attention.
County legislator and Ossining representative, Bill Burton, referred to the building at 135 Main St. as “iconic.” He also cited the tremendous nostalgia attached to the structure. “The community was eager to see the ornate Victorian structure preserved and the county was eager to promote affordable living and homeownership opportunities,” Burton said. “This project addresses both those concerns perfectly.”
The county’s funding for the Ossining Village development comes from the New Homes Land Acquisition Program (NHLA) and the Housing Implementation Fund (HIF), programs the county established to address the critical need for more affordable housing in the county.
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