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Borough manager previews Westchester University master plan; highlights parking, stormwater and housing questions
Summary
Borough Manager Sean briefed council on a draft Westchester University campus master plan that proposes phased additional university housing beds, circulation and parking changes and possible property acquisitions; he said a conditional‑use hearing is expected this summer.
The borough manager on May 22 reviewed the Westchester University campus master plan that the university has submitted and flagged several issues the borough will evaluate, including enrollment and housing projections, parking and circulation, stormwater and potential property acquisitions by the university.
Manager Sean told council the university’s plan projects stable overall enrollment in the 17,000–17,500 range and describes an increase in university‑owned and affiliated beds from about 5,300 to about 6,200 over the plan horizon — an increase the manager said totals roughly 800 beds but that the bulk of those beds are phased into later years. He noted that much of the extra capacity is linked to a possible demolition and reconstruction of Lawrence Hall as a residential tower.
On parking, the plan’s authors contend a modest reduction in total parking supply (from about 3,700 to roughly 3,500 spaces) can be absorbed because more students would live on campus and not commute. Manager Sean said the borough will seek technical review from the borough engineer and traffic consultants and emphasized the need to scrutinize parking calculations, utilization assumptions and circulation impacts.
The draft master plan contemplates changes to campus circulation and specifically shows South Church Street as a possible pedestrianized zone (admitting emergency vehicles). The manager reminded council that the street has a long local history and that prior discussions included a one‑time offer to transfer ownership of that block; any change would have revenue impacts for parking and require council consideration.
On stormwater, the manager said the plan’s stormwater approach is schematic at this stage: soil tests and final impervious‑area calculations are needed before engineering designs can be sized. He said the borough’s engineer will review the plan’s preliminary stormwater concepts once more detailed designs are available.
The manager also noted the plan identifies parcels north of the university’s existing holdings that the university has indicated it may acquire; he reminded council that land purchases by the university would remove property from the borough tax rolls and that the borough can only influence, not block, private real‑estate transactions.
The manager said the university has extended the review timeline and that a conditional‑use hearing is expected to open in August; staff will coordinate comments with neighboring municipalities and the borough planning commission prior to the hearing. He recommended council and the planning commission focus on enrollment projections, housing phasing, parking/circulation analysis and stormwater capacity in their reviews.
Council members asked clarifying questions during the briefing; the manager said staff and the planning commission will prepare a coordinated response and that more technical detail will be requested from the university as the review continues.
