What is the plan for RENAISSANCE BRIARCLIFF MANOR?
Rose Enterprises Group is under contract to purchase the 37-acre former Pace University campus, with the goal of transforming the long-vacant property into a new neighborhood of homes and bucolic open space within walking distance of downtown Briarcliff Manor. The proposal responds directly to the planning goals identified in the Village’s Downtown Adjacent Zoning Study (May 2025), which recommended creating a new Planned Unit Development district at this location.
The Study found that 235 Elm Road is uniquely suited for a neighborhood that can:
⬥ Expand housing diversity by offering townhomes and single-family homes that meet the needs of seniors, young families, and empty nesters.
⬥ Support downtown revitalization by locating new residents within walking distance (0.7 miles) of shops, restaurants, and community amenities.
⬥ Preserve open space by clustering homes and maintaining wooded buffers, landscaped setbacks, and a new public walking trail system.
⬥ Reduce impacts compared to prior uses since traffic, water, demand, and school enrollment would all be lower than the former campus operations and more dense alternatives.
Consistent with the Study’s preferred “PUD-2 scenario”, our plan would replace the ten deteriorated campus buildings with a carefully designed neighborhood, including approximately 110 townhomes and five single-family homes along Tuttle Road. The community will feature attractive architecture; thoughtful site planning; and 10 acres of open and wooden areas representing nearly 30% of the entire property.
What else does the plan entail?
The former campus offers a rare opportunity to create a thoughtfully planned neighborhood that balances new housing with meaningful open space. Consistent with the Downtown Adjacent Zoning Study, the plan preserves significant natural features, including steep slopes and wetlands, while clustering homes to maintain broad landscaped buffers along Elm and Tuttle Roads.
The design sets aside publicly accessible open space, including a 60,000-square-foot neighborhood green along Elm Road and a mile long walking trail that connects to Tuttle Road. In addition, Renaissance Briarcliff Manor will include shared amenities such as a pool and clubhouse for residents. Overall, roughly 30 percent of the site will remain open space, ensuring that the new homes are integrated with the Village’s existing landscape and community character.
Will Renaissance Briarcliff Manor increase traffic?
Any redevelopment of the site will undergo a full traffic and mobility impact analysis as part of the Village’s review process, including identification of mitigation measures where appropriate. The former campus previously accommodated a daily population of roughly 1,100 students and staff.
Importantly, the Downtown Adjacent Zoning Study shows that residential use of the property would generate far fewer trips than the prior campus operations, which produced more than 170 morning and 200 evening peak-hour trips when Pace was active.
By comparison, the proposed neighborhood is expected to generate approximately 56 morning and 67 evening peak-hour trips, less than half the traffic previously associated with the site. In addition, the plan provides an abundance of onsite parking and internal circulation to reduce external impacts on surrounding streets.
Is there adequate parking for residents and guests?
Parking demand counts (generated by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Parking Generation Manual) indicate that Renaissance Briarcliff Manor provides an abundance of on-site parking. Peak weekday parking demand is projected at 1.41 spaces per dwelling unit, totaling 156 spaces. Peak weekend demand is 1.31 spaces per dwelling unit, totaling 142 spaces.
Each unit provides 2 off-street parking spaces (one in the garage and one in the driveway). An additional 48 on-street parking spaces will be available for residents and guests. This results in a total of 268 parking spaces onsite, exceeding the projected demand. The analysis concludes there will be plenty of available parking for residents and guests.
What impact will Renaissance Briarcliff Manor have on the school district?
We have conducted a careful analysis of potential school impacts, using formulas from American Community Survey and PUMS data for Westchester County, consistent with the BFJ Downtown Adjacent Zoning Study. The analysis projects approximately 22 school-aged children (kindergarten through 12th grade) from the proposed 110 townhomes and 5 single-family homes.
The Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District anticipates a loss of approximately 23 students over the next five years, offsetting the projected addition. The project is expected to generate approximately $3,300,000 in school district tax revenue. Given the district's approximate $31,000 per student annual education cost, this revenue would adequately cover the impact of the 22 projected new students.
Will the plan require new infrastructure?
Yes. As part of the project, we will install new sidewalks along a portion of Elm Road and make improvements to stormwater management and utility systems. These upgrades advance the Village’s Comprehensive Plan goals for open space preservation and downtown revitalization. Just as importantly, they will enhance pedestrian connectivity, allowing residents to walk safely and directly to downtown shops, services, and community amenities.
What impact will the plan have on water and sanitary systems?
We are preparing detailed engineering plans for water, sanitary sewer, and stormwater systems to ensure full compliance with all Village standards. Preliminary studies indicate that the sanitary system is in generally good condition, with only minor repairs anticipated for certain stormwater drainage structures.
Based on the proposed unit count and bedroom mix, the project is expected to generate an average daily water demand of approximately 61,160 gallons. This is consistent with estimates in the Downtown Adjacent Zoning Study and significantly lower than both denser alternatives and the demand from the former Pace campus. All findings will be confirmed through the Village’s environmental review and approval process.
Will the buildings block neighbors’ views?
The new residences have been thoughtfully designed to fit within the existing landscape and improve upon what is currently visible from surrounding streets. From Tuttle and Hawthorne Roads, very little of the current campus buildings are visible today, and the view from Elm Road is largely defined by Howard Johnson Hall and other taller academic buildings such as Dow Hall.
In contrast, the proposed homes are of a lower height and smaller scale, with architecture and materials that are far more residential and visually appealing. Existing trees and new landscaping will further screen views and soften the edges of the site, including broad green/wooded buffers along Tuttle and Hawthorne Roads (75 to 200 feet), ensuring that what neighbors see blends naturally with the surrounding neighborhood character.
What about additional excess lighting?
All exterior lighting will comply with Village standards. Prior to the issuance of any building permits, we will prepare a detailed lighting plan, including a photometric study, to show fixture locations, types, and illumination levels. The plan will be developed by a qualified lighting design firm and will include performance measures to prevent glare or spillover into neighboring areas, ensuring all lighting remains safe, appropriate, and consistent with Village standards.
What is happening with Dow Hall?
Dow Hall (built 1905) was the original building for Mrs. Dow’s School for Girls, later Briarcliff College and Pace University. We have conducted a careful analysis of Dow Hall, including a Historic Building Assessment completed by Hudson Cultural Services in September 2024 and a recent structural engineering evaluation.
The building has been altered multiple times, including a 1925 natatorium, 1953 pool addition, 1960s maintenance wing, and full mechanical replacement. We have found it highly impractical to retain the building, based on the following factors: Vacant since 2016, inspections show a failing slate roof with delamination, water infiltration on all levels, mold throughout, peeling plaster and paint, and basement foundation bowing that impacts structural stability.
These conditions, resulting from extended vacancy, make adaptive reuse infeasible. Preliminary rehabilitation costs exceed $25 million, far outweighing practical preservation options while compromising much of the original fabric. We have submitted our application to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for clearance to proceed with demolition. Select historic elements, including the fountain, will be evaluated for salvage and possible reuse in the new community, with historic photos and signage placed along public walking trails to document the site’s history.
What makes 235 Elm such a good site for new homes?
The former Pace campus has been vacant and deteriorating for nearly a decade, generating no tax revenue and contributing little to the Village’s vitality. By contrast, it previously accommodated about 700 resident students and 400 commuters—demonstrating that the site’s infrastructure can readily support a new residential neighborhood.
The Downtown Adjacent Zoning Study identified 235 Elm as one of the few large, contiguous parcels within walking distance (0.7 miles) of the Village center, making it a prime candidate for redevelopment that strengthens the downtown while relieving pressure on traditional single-family neighborhoods elsewhere in Briarcliff Manor.
Our plan is a model of infill development – building in already developed and disturbed areas rather than expanding into greenfields. By clustering homes and preserving wooded buffers, wetlands, and new public trails, the project both respects local environmental conditions and advances the Village’s planning goal of balancing housing growth with open space preservation. This approach efficiently uses existing utilities—such as water and sewer—while reducing impacts compared to the former institutional use.
