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Developers propose new Lake Placid housing

This site plan, created for Dakota Partners by LaBella Associates, shows plans for a new housing complex on Hadjis Way in Lake Placid. (Photo provided)

LAKE PLACID — A Massachusetts-based developer is seeking approval to build a new housing complex on Hadjis Way in Lake Placid that would include 60 new apartments and 20 new townhouses.

The Lake Placid-North Elba Joint Review Board discussed a sketch plan for the project by developer Dakota Partners on Wednesday. The development would be built on an 8.7-acre lot behind Hannaford, located in the Cold Brook Plaza in Lake Placid.

“Peninsula Village,” as the proposed development is labeled on planning documents, would feature 60 affordable apartments — as of now, 34 one-bedroom, 15 two-bedroom and 11 three-bedroom — for those who make between roughly 30% and 80% of the area median income, which is currently $80,100 in Essex County. All apartments would operate on one-year leases. The complex would also have on-site management, several laundry rooms, a community room, a fitness center, a co-working space and a playground.

The apartment building would be constructed in phase one of the project, along with 90 parking spaces, an access road off Peninsula Way Road and other site improvements. This part of the project would all be funded through the New York state Division of Housing and Community Renewal’s Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program, the same program that helped fund the MacKenzie Overlook development on Wesvalley Road.

Phase two of the development would see the construction of 20 townhouses, which would not be classified as affordable housing. They would instead be sold at market rate. The developers said that it is possible they may create the lots for phase two and then sell them for another developer to build the townhouses.

Peninsula Village would have two access roads. One would be an extension of Hadjis Way, which leads to the Hannaford plaza. The other would branch off of Peninsula Way Road.

The APA would the the jurisdictional authority for the project, as the planned building exceeds the affordable housing height limit of 40 feet. The building will be around 50 feet tall — this is because it will have a gabled roof rather than a flat roof. This means that the project will need to be granted a height variance in order to proceed.

The Jack Rabbit Trail, which goes through the lot, would be rerouted by the construction. The developers said Wednesday that they have already spoken to the Barkeater Trails Alliance, who have signaled support for the housing development and agreed to the rerouting. The developers plan to preserve as much of the wooded area on the lot as possible.

The project is likely about two years away, according to the developers. The review board, which did not have any action to take at this point in the review process, took a straw poll in which all members signaled support for the project. The board asked that the developers next bring in some renderings of the buildings for review.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly said that the Adirondack Park Agency would be the jurisdictional authority for a proposed affordable housing development in Lake Placid because the building would exceed 45 feet in height. APA jurisdictional authority triggers at 40 feet, not 45 feet. The Enterprise regrets the error.

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