Harrison transit-oriented development
- Client Name
- AvalonBay Communities, Inc.
- Location
- Harrison, New York, USA
Challenge
Located at the intersection of Halstead Avenue and Harrison Avenue, AvalonBay Communities, Inc. engaged SLR to assist in the planning and design of a transit-oriented, mixed-use development on a property that was formerly an at-grade parking lot.
The project included:
- 143 apartments in three residential buildings
- 5,000 square feet of interior amenities for the residential community
- 27,000 square feet of street-level retail/commercial space
- Two landscaped public plazas with connections to the Metro-North Harrison Station platform
- 758 total parking spaces (more than the initial parking lot held at-grade)
Solution
As this project was directly connected to the Harrison train station, it was vital that SLR worked in coordination with MetroNorth to ensure that the function of the design met the needs of both commuters and residents.
SLR provided complete site design services for civil engineering and landscape architecture. SLR also assisted in the regulatory process for local, county, and state approvals. This included participation in the preparation of both the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) in accordance with requirements of the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). SLR maintained close coordination with Westchester County Department of Highways and the town of Harrison during construction.
Impact
This project is a perfect example of what is meant when the phrase TOD, Transit Oriented Development, is used. We’ve got housing, beautiful new housing, close to transit so people don't have to own as many cars and they don't have to use them as frequently. As the governor said, these are the units that are custom designed for seniors who want to get out of that big house that's now too big for them, but want to stay close to their friends in the community they've cultivated their whole lives.
Janno Lieber – Metropolitan Transit Authority Chair and CEO
The development, now known as Avalon Harrison, opened to the public on August 7, 2023. State governor Kathy Hochul, leaders from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and officials from AvalonBay Communities, Inc attended the ribbon cutting of this project, which is the first of many transit-oriented developments to be built in New York state.
