Planning board hears detailed presentation on 350‑unit Mount Vernon East TOD; public raises parking, safety and notice concerns

Developers seeking to build a 21‑story, 350‑unit market‑rate transit‑oriented development at 140 East Prospect Avenue presented detailed plans and a traffic analysis to the Mount Vernon Planning Board on April 2. The board held a public hearing, heard extensive public comment, and continued the matter to its May 7 meeting after requesting additional materials on parking, traffic, safety and community benefits.

Nicholas Alexander of Alexander Development Group introduced the project team and said the proposal conforms to the city’s recently adopted downtown vision plan and the Mount Vernon East TOD zoning text amendment the City Council approved last year. “This is a 100%, market rate, transit oriented development located one half block north of the Mount Vernon East Train Station,” Alexander said. The project team presented plans showing a 21‑story building with about 350 residential units, approximately 6,380 square feet of ground‑floor retail, an FAR of 8 and a height of up to 250 feet under the zoning bonus. The design includes stepbacks at…