Hebrew Home plans affect all

To the editor:

(re: “Hebrew Home overreaching on planned development,” Oct. 12)

As a practicing architect and resident of Riverdale since 1947, and as an individual who has been proactive in protecting the natural assets and historical character of Riverdale, it is necessary for me to clarify one extremely important point that readers of The Riverdale Press, residents of the community, and members of Community Board 8, and our elected representatives must be made cognizant of.

Mr. Chait clearly identifies the critical issues and the potential danger to Riverdale should RiverSpring Health Senior Living (aka Hebrew Home) be able to manipulate the existing R1-1 and SNAD zoning district in order to construct totally out-of-character and out-of-scale high-rise apartment buildings. These buildings would clearly be incompatible with the surrounding R1-1 residential area.

I support each and every one of the arguments that Mr. Chait sets forth: An adverse and irreversible impact on Riverdale, lack of an adequate buffer, lack of compatibility, and most importantly, “it would also set a precedent … that all zoning laws are negotiable, creating a domino effect that would destroy the integrity” of existing zoning laws.

But having said this and agreeing with Mr. Chait, what he has failed to point out — and this is critical — this precedent would also apply to R2 zoning districts throughout all Riverdale and the city. A careful review of the new regulations indicate clearly that they would severely impact almost all of south Riverdale and Spuyten Duyvil, and other portions of Riverdale.

Not only would those “dominoes” fall along the entire SNAD protected “west bank” of Riverdale from the New York City line to the Henry Hudson Bridge, but east of the Henry Hudson Parkway as well.

Oh yes, the Fieldston Property Owners Association should understand that, if not for Fieldston having been declared an historic district offering it another level of protection, the character of its neighborhood would be ripe for continuing care retirement communities development and high-rise apartment houses.

Martin A. Zelnik