“We live at ground zero” said Sherwood Chorost an hour before tonight's hearing about the environmental impact statement on the Tappan Zee Hudson River Crossing Project. Chorost and his wife, Alice Goldberg, have lived in the since 1994. They moved here, like many, for the view.
It looks all but certain that their view, and much more, is about to change forever. “We are going to have an extraordinarily major impact,” said Goldberg, who serves as President of the Homeowners' Association for the 89 units occupied by mostly older citizens.
“We will hear an awful lot of pounding. If it's anything like it was in 1955, there will be major noise, dirt, pollution, and that's just during the construction phase,” Chorost said.
, which on paper might seem minor “in the grand scheme of things” compared to the wider swath of land that will be taken over on the , Goldberg said. But, “for the people who live here, it's major.”
For residents who may be interested in selling out, “it's too late,” Goldberg said. “Who knows what this will do to the retail value.” Those closer to South Broadway in the complex feel that they will be less impacted, but for those living on the southern end, the bridge will loom that much closer.
“The pool will be covered by the shadow from the bridge. The tennis, the clubhouse won't be the same,” said Goldberg. “We won't lose the amenities here, but it will be much less pleasant.”
The Homeowners' Association hired an engineer to help them wade through the massive impact statement. Chorost plans to read a letter at the hearing this evening. Greenburgh Town Supervisor plans to speak to the need for state officials to create an , as he posted on Patch today.
Meanwhile, as much as they will continue to voice their opinions, citizens like Goldberg and Chorost admit to feeling helpless in the path of what seems to be a massive engine that will move forward no matter what. “We are feeling very unsupported by anybody,” Goldberg said. “We don't feel like we get any real answers or that there's any real regard for people who will be impacted the most.”
Public Hearing Tonight
Thursday, March 1, 4 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Westchester Marriott
Grand Ballroom
670 White Plains Road, Tarrytown
