Developer Frank Parlato Jr. on Wednesday gave the Hamburg Town Planning Board his vision of a senior citizens residence in a "spectacular natural setting where every room has a view."
He plans to submit a formal proposal for an approximately $ 8 million, 200-unit, three-story building at Route 20 and North Creek Road, with access onto North Creek.
The 90,000-square-foot structure would house senior citizens apartments, a recreation room, auditorium, store, doctor's office, pharmacy and adult day-care facility. More than 50 percent of the grounds would be devoted to green space, he said.
Parlato said he will soon submit an official proposal to the Planning
Board. He hopes to break ground for the project in the spring.
Members of the Planning Board listed several concerns, including whether the developer has expertise with health care facilities, the impact of the project on the environmentally sensitive 18-mile Creek area, and traffic safety on North Creek. The parcel owned by Parlato is zoned NC (neighborhood commercial).
Several residents of the area raised other issues. Marlene Belcher, whose house is across the street from the proposed development, said: "To look out my window and see a three-story nursing home is not my idea of a spectacle of nature."
She also questioned the wisdom of allowing senior citizens to take walks in an area adjacent to a cliff.
Parlato has offered to give the town some land near the cliff to be used as a public picnic area. The area along the cliff itself would be fenced, he said.
Linda Cooper, 1675 North Creek Road, said: "All of us are frustrated that the town Planning Board has not taken stronger action to protect the area (from development). The scope of this (proposal) is completely out of scale. Where do we draw the line between accommodating developers and preserving the character of Hamburg?" Parlato emphasized his desire to work with local residents and town officials.