Large Northwell master plan recommended to council after stormwater and phasing review
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Summary
Project team presented a revised master plan for the former State Hospital site showing 681 residential units (down from 724), retail and industrial/flex space, phased construction, and a stormwater strategy using basins and early discharge; the commission recommended forwarding the plan to council for a conditional‑use hearing.
Planning commissioners recommended that borough council consider the master plan for the former State Hospital (referred to in the hearing as the Northwell State Hospital site) after a detailed presentation of revisions addressing stormwater and phasing.
Tony Mowers led the presentation for the development team and identified project team members including Seth Shapiro (Bar and Partners), Zach Jordan (Langan), David Branching (Pinnacle), and partners from BSI. “My name is Tony Mowers for those of you who don't remember me,” he said, then summarized the plan’s evolution after stormwater testing.
Project scale and changes: Mowers said the original plan from the RFP showed about 724 residential units; the revised plan intended to comply with an enacted ordinance and shows 681 total units, roughly 69,000 square feet of retail, reduced industrial/flex building area and preserved open squares and boulevard elements. He described a mix of stacked and townhouse building types and said the team retained open space because of proximity to State Farm Park and Elmwood Park Zoo.
Stormwater and phasing: the team emphasized extensive stormwater testing and a strategy of distributed underground detention, surface basins and early discharge to the creek to avoid contributing to synchronized downstream flood peaks. Mowers cited a Bridgeport precedent and said the plan was designed to meet newly changed MRC rules. He explained phasing logic: each phase will include a mix of housing, commercial and industrial to prevent building only one use while deferring others.
Fiscal and next steps: Mowers stated the plan’s revised fiscal benefit is roughly $3.3–3.5 million annually (previously estimated near $4 million) and said the team will appear before borough council for a conditional‑use hearing on Nov. 18 with traffic studies and detailed land‑development filings to follow. Commissioners asked whether a data center use was plausible; Mowers said insufficient local power makes a data center infeasible and described likely employment and flex uses instead.
Outcome: the commission moved and seconded to recommend the plan proceed to council for the conditional‑use hearing; the transcript records the recommendation but not a roll‑call vote tally.