The question of what citizens would like to see open at the former Key Bank building at 131 Central Avenue – from drive-through fast food to after-school activity hall for teens. The good news from the Village is that this site is zoned as General Business (GB) which leaves it open to almost anything.
“There’s a million options as to what could go in there,” said Kathy D’Eufemia of Tarrytown’s Planning and Zoning Department. “With General Business, almost anything goes.”
But, D’Eufemia could not speak further on what the Village would prefer. “Just because we want X, Y and Z doesn’t mean Z, Y, Z will be interested. We might get A, B, and C,” she said. “Let’s say we don’t want a nail salon; they have every right to open it. And just because we may want a meat market that doesn’t mean someone is going to want to open a meat market.”
The question seems to be up to the market and to , which is listed as owner in the latest documents associated with the site, correspondences addressed to “131 Central Avenue Inc. c/o Stiloski’s on 155 Wildey Ave.” The space is currently up for lease and it remains to be seen whether John Stiloski (of giant trucks and ) will open something up here himself or take a tenant.
According to the building department, the space has the option of building up to three stories or 35 feet, and would obviously have to get approval for whatever expansion may be required of this small structure. What the space has going for it, really, is a parking lot, a rare gem in this town.
Older folks wax nostalgic about the bustling once abutting this property, including Cartoon’s furniture store, a full-size grocery store, even a hat shop.
Lifelong resident Stew Schectman wrote, “Some local old-timers say it was Tarrytown’s commercial heyday, never to be rivaled here again. Orchard Street was the region’s major shopping area through the first half of the 20th century.”
Schectman voted for a nod to the past here. “The Key Bank location might be a perfect spot to have a tangible tie to the area’s past. A big mural plus a modest, functional historically-designed, business place – maybe a small book/music/electronic-media store (subsidized?)."
"Sarcastically speaking,” he added, “there’s not must better you can do with the little, street-bound, triangle.”
According to Village Zoning code, here are the things a GB space can be:
A. One-family detached dwellings.
B. Churches, synagogues, parish houses or buildings for Sunday school or for religious education.
C. Municipal uses.
D. Private or cooperative limited-membership community centers, recreation centers or clubhouses.
E. Two-family dwellings.
F. Fully enclosed structures for offices, stores, shops or establishments.
G. Business, professional or banking offices, public buildings and offices, YMCA, YWCA, YMHA or YWHA.
H. Restaurants or other places serving food or beverages.
I. Dwelling space above a permitted use.
J. Storage warehouses or newspaper- or job-printing plants using electric or steam power.
K. Steam- or electric-power laundry, dry-cleaning and dyeing shops.
L. Bakeries, beverage mixing, bottling, coffee roasting, packing and shipping of goods,jobbing machine shops, manufacturer of ice cream, candy and confections, provided that only electric or steam power is employed.
M. Clubs, lodges or fraternal quarters, mortuaries or animal hospitals.
N. Motor vehicle sales agencies, garages, filling stations, repair shops, including body and fender work, painting, spraying and vulcanizing, provided that all such work is done within an enclosed, properly ventilated structure.
O. Radio or television broadcasting studios, or telephone exchanges.
P. Railroad or bus stations.
Q. A garment contractor engaged in the business of sewing, assembling and finishing garments, the component parts of which are owned and supplied by a garment manufacturer not located on the premises.
Any other ideas? Weigh in the comments. We'll be moving on to another location for next time so stay tuned for upcoming Vacant Spaces!
