Developers are showing plenty of interest in projects at the corner of Route 9W and Wemple Road in the Glenmont area. The question, though, is how to make it all possible.
Engineers working with Gordon Development, the company attempting to build 95 apartment units at the intersection, spoke about their plans at an Oct. 20 meeting of the Town of Bethlehem’s Development Planning Committee. The one, two, and three-bedroom apartments would be similar to the company’s residential units on Hague Boulevard. Initial plans call for a clubhouse structure to be built as part of the complex, and for two access roads to connect to Wemple Road.
The proposal is smaller than the Wemple Corners project, a development that as proposed would include 470 apartment units, 56 twin homes, and 145,000 square feet of commercial space. Developers for Wemple Corners have also proposed a one-lane roundabout at the intersection of Wemple Road and Route 9W. At a recent public hearing regarding the environmental review of the project, residents expressed concern over the number of apartment complexes in the town of Bethlehem.
Bethlehem Assistant Town Engineer Terry Ritz said there has been plenty of interest in building apartment complexes in the town in recent years.
“In the 2005 comprehensive plan, the town wanted diversity in housing. Lately, we’ve gotten a lot of projects before the Planning Board for apartments. I’m sure the town will be looking at the comprehensive plan to see if it needs to be adjusted,” said Ritz.
With two significant projects proposed at the same intersection, town officials are concerned about many factors. One raised at the DPC meeting by Michael Morelli, the town’s Director of Economic Development and Planning, was the timing of the projects, as well as the need for infrastructure improvements in the area.
Committee members discussed the need for a full depth re-build of Wemple Road due to an expected increase in traffic. That type of work would include reconstruction of the roadway, along with the installation of sidewalks, as the town attempts to follow its own Complete Streets policy adopted in 2009. The policy calls for bicyclists and pedestrians to be considered equally whenever the town undertakes street reconstruction or new construction.
Infrastructure improvements at the intersection would also include the extension of water and sewer lines, with the cost hopefully shared by all parties interested in development at the intersection. There was a brief conversation at the committee meeting about all parties involved picking up their fair share of the infrastructure costs, but no formal proposals have been made thus far.
“We try to have every department at these committee meetings, so that everyone knows what’s going on,” said Ritz.
A third player has also emerged at the intersection. Tom Lewis, a representative from Saratoga Springs-based Stewart’s Shops, told the committee that the company believes the area will continue to grow in the future. Lewis said he’s “fairly certain” that Stewart’s is going to submit a formal application to build a store at the corner of Wemple Road and Route 9W. He assured members that there is enough business for the store to also maintain its two other locations along Route 9W.
It’s unclear if all of the projects will gain approval, or which one would be developed first. Engineers for the Gordon Development said that they have been working with the State Department of Environmental Conservation, as well as the Army Corps of Engineers, on issues pertaining to wetlands conservation. A traffic study would also need to be completed before development moved forward.
Wemple Corners developers are about to undertake an environmental study that would include traffic impacts.
Ritz said it is likely that “all studies would be done by next spring.”
