AMHERST, NY – The owners of Westwood Country Club on Sheridan Drive announced a $238 million redevelopment plan for the property.
Mensch Capital Partners, LLC are planning to create a residential neighborhood with a mix of retail and office space and recreational open space, company officials said on Thursday.
"This is smart development using traditional neighborhood design, which includes residential, recreation, neighborhood shops, hospitality and professional office space elements," said Andrew J. Shaevel, managing partner for Mensch in a prepared statement. He cited the Town of Amherst Bicentennial Comprehensive Plan, "which envisioned this very scenario, 'when continued operation (of a golf course) becomes difficult due to changing demographic, economic or social trends.'"
The conceptual master plan released by Mensch Capital Partners includes: 46 single-family lots; 90 condominium and town house units; 108 patio homes; 56 rental homes and townhouses; 200 assisted living and 100 independent living units for seniors; a neighborhood center featuring 280 residential units over shops and restaurants, 37 lakeside apartments or townhouses, a 130-room hotel and 200,000 square feet of office space; a banquet facility utilizing the existing Westwood clubhouse; and 64 acres of public open space, pedestrian and bike trails and lake access. Mensch says the open space represents about 38 percent of the site.
"We're really quite proud of what we think this can be in terms of a model for new traditional neighborhood development right here in the heart of Amherst," says Shaevel.
The clubhouse, built in 1928, will remain on the site.
"To sustain that more historic building, we feel that the hotel is an important add-on," he says.
Developers say the project will generate $58 million in property tax revenue, and as many as 2300 construction jobs. They will not break ground on the project until the spring of 2016 at the earliest.
Members of the group Protect Amherst Life just found out about the proposal, and they plan on being involved in community meetings.
"It's another example of tax dollars over quality of life for Amherst residents," says John Biondolillo of Protect Amherst Life.
The group's concerns about all kinds of development in Amherst range from traffic congestion to changing property values.
"I would rather have Amherst be more exclusive than be inclusive. I mean, I would much rather have people want to be here and have trouble finding a place to live than have too many places to live and start dropping the values of the rents and the properties," says Mike Martha of Protect Amherst Life.
Developers have already spoken with some neighbors and plan on having informational meetings this month. They are open to suggestions.
"I think the neighbors rightly so are concerned about what is going to be in their backyards. And I think we've taken great care to make sure that what we're placing here is very consistent with the existing neighborhoods that surround this property. You know, we're not looking at light industrial. We're not looking at a mega mall," says Shaevel.
Developers think the patio homes will likely cost anywhere from $250,000 to $300,000. The condos would be a little less and in the $200,000 to $225,000 range. They say those prices could change depending on what the market does.
Mensch Capital Partners has launched a website with more information about the project, including filing documents it has lodged with the Town of Amherst and Town Board and Planning Board.
