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Dobbs Ferry Planning Board Grants 10‑Year Extension for Mercy University’s Hudson Hall Special Permit
Summary
The Planning Board approved a 10-year extension (01/07/2026–01/07/2036) of the special permit for Hudson Hall at Mercy University, noting no operational changes or increased bed counts and referencing prior traffic mitigations completed under earlier approvals.
The Dobbs Ferry Planning Board voted Dec. 4 to extend by 10 years the special permit for the Hudson Hall dormitory at Mercy University, setting the term to begin Jan. 7, 2026, and expire Jan. 7, 2036.
Seth Mandelbaum, an attorney with McCullough, Goldberger & Stout, said Mercy seeks renewal of the permit and prefers a 10‑year term for administrative efficiency. "No change is requested in the number of beds or anything operationally with the dormitory," Mandelbaum said. Tom Simmons, vice president of facilities at Mercy, described enrollment history and capacity on the Dobbs Ferry campus and said the university expects to return toward pre‑pandemic levels.
Board members and staff reviewed the project’s history, noting the original special permit followed an environmental review and that prior conditions — including traffic mitigation and a turning lane — had been addressed. Staff recommended, and several members supported, a longer term because the dorm has operated without problems since the earlier approvals.
Valerie Monastra (staff) recommended a technical correction to the draft resolution to reference the original 2014 approval rather than a 2020 date, and the resolution set the special permit term and reiterated that all previously adopted conditions remain in effect. A motion to grant the 10‑year extension was moved, seconded and approved.
The board emphasized that the special permit covers the dormitory use in the educational zoning district; any future additions or changes to buildings would require separate site‑plan review. The approval was conditioned on the resolution language and continued compliance with village, county and state regulations.
