After opposition, plan for medical building is revised

The building at 118 North Bedford Road, Mount Kisco. The applicant ditched plans to build a medical building on an adjacent parcel in hopes of allowing for medical tenants to move into this existing structure. MARTIN WILBUR PHOTO

By MARTIN WILBUR

The applicant who proposed a controversial new medical building in Mount Kisco in late 2023 has revised plans that eliminate new construction and would limit the percentage of healthcare-related tenants in an existing structure.

Representatives for Buckingham Properties announced at Tuesday evening’s village planning board meeting that a new 6,196-square-foot medical facility has been scrapped for the nearly half-acre parcel at 126 Barker St., and instead will consider permitting health care tenants at its adjacent 35,000-square-foot building on 2.7 acres at 118 North Bedford Road.

Attorney Charles Martabano, representing the applicant, said an existing 3,800-square-foot structure would be demolished on the Barker Street parcel, making room for a net gain of 50 additional parking spaces for the site. Since medical office uses require a 20 percent increase in parking spaces compared to general office use for the same square footage, the additional parking is needed, Martabano said.

He estimated that under the current zoning, up to 85 percent of the building could be used for medical purposes and still comply with the village’s zoning code. Currently, there are 121 spaces at the property.

The attorney explained that while no changes in tenancy are planned for the 118 North Bedford Road building, it gives the owners greater flexibility when vacancies arise.

“This is a significant investment, there’s no doubt about it,” Martobano said. “The people are forward-thinking and they’re saying I can’t react to something in terms of a new tenancy like that. I have to prepare for that new tenancy, the potential for that in the future.”

Buckingham Properties submitted plans for the new medical facility for the Barker Street property in fall 2023, but faced intense community pushback. Residents argued that traffic from the two parcels would overwhelm local streets and degrade quality of life.

Project engineer Rich Williams of Insite Engineering said that the new parking structure at the Barker Street property would include 29 spaces of surface parking and 26 spaces below grade. To avoid generating greater congestion for residential streets, most of the vehicles will be directed toward the intersection of North Bedford Road and Barker Street where there is a traffic signal, he said.

Planning Board Co-chair Crystal Pickard said that during the course of any review for the revised project, the board would want to examine the traffic closely to make sure members are comfortable with the possibility of future added volume at the site with the possibility of medical uses.

“We’re going to want to do a traffic study that takes into account all of this new parking and the new intersection,” Pickard said.

Mount Kisco is in the midst of a complete streets study, where consultants are reviewing vehicular traffic patterns and pedestrian and biking safety, noted Planning Board Co-chair Michael McGuirk. He suggested Buckingham Properties representatives speak with the village’s consultants concerning the North Bedford Road and Barker Street intersection.

Buckingham Properties intends to submit the revised plans and the planning board is expected to schedule a public hearing at an upcoming meeting. It is unclear whether the updated plans will ignite similar opposition to the original proposal more than a year ago.