Public hearing opened for proposed 86-unit senior "tiny-home" PDD at former Leonard Hospital site; ordinance pulled

A public hearing opened March 6 on a proposal to create a planned development district at 74 New Turnpike Road, the former Leonard Hospital site, to allow an 86-unit "tiny home" rental community targeted to older adults. The applicants attorney, Andy Brick of the Brick Law Firm, told the Troy City Council the project would occupy about 6.8 acres and include individual small homes and shared common areas.

The council hearing served as the first of two required public hearings on Ordinance 11 of 2025. "This is a quite an exciting project ... it's the first of its kind in the Capital District," Andy Brick said during his presentation, describing the concept as a deconstructed apartment plan with individual front-porch homes rather than a single large building.

The project team said the development would be rental-only and age-restricted to seniors (the applicant said at least one occupant would generally need to be 55 in a unit under fair-housing rules). Brick and Karen Majowski of Bowler Engineering said units would range roughly from 500 to 800 square feet and that rents were still being determined; the applicant estimated a rent band "probably between $1,300 to $1,800" but did not commit to a final number. The team said they plan to provide on-site maintenance staff and shared outdoor space.

Engineers told council members they expect to reuse portions of the existing water and sewer connections from the former hospital where feasible, tie in new mains and provide additional fire hydrants and access that meet the fire department's requirements. Majowski said the smaller homes should produce less water and sewer demand than the former hospital use, but that final infrastructure approvals and turning-radius sign-offs remain part of forthcoming planning-board and City review.

Council members asked about potential for purchase versus rental, whether younger household members could be housed under fair-housing exceptions, maintenance arrangements and lead-service-line cleanup. Brick confirmed the developer intends the project to be rental-only and age-restricted; maintenance of common outdoor areas would be handled by the management company.

Before voting or further consideration, the council pulled Ordinance 11 from this evenings agenda. The applicant said the planning board had already declared lead agency under SEQRA and issued a positive recommendation; the applicant expects the planning board to consider a SEQRA negative declaration on March 18, after which the project may return to council for formal PDD consideration.

What happens next: Planning-board SEQRA review and a final site-plan review are the next steps; the applicant said they plan to return to council after a planning-board negative declaration. No council vote on Ordinance 11 occurred March 6.