Gerry Holmes, a spokesman for General Motors, tells GlobeSt.com, "We are going to make an announcement regarding future use of the former assembly plant property." He would not provide any further details. General Motors closed the assembly plant in 1996 and completed demolition of the existing buildings on the 99-acre site located on the Hudson River shoreline adjacent to the Tappan Zee Bridge in 1999.
The closure of the assembly plant meant the elimination of 1,500 jobs. Since then, the village has been attempting to stabilize its finances because of the enormous loss in property taxes and sales tax revenue caused by the GM closure.
Originally, the automaker had scheduled to release its redevelopment plan by October 1999. Since then GM has repeatedly offered new time schedules only to report that they required more time to work on the project.
The invitation sent to business and political leaders in the area, obtained by GlobeSt.com, reads, "General Motors and the Honorable Philip E. Zegarelli, mayor of the Village of Sleepy Hollow, invite you to the unveiling of an exciting new proposal for redeveloping the former GM Assembly Plant." The June 21 program will be held at the Sleepy Hollow Village Hall and will begin at 11:45 a.m.
GM's Holmes would not discuss what types of uses would be included in the redevelopment plan or if the automaker had decided to undertake a joint venture partner on the redevelopment plan. Sources in the real estate community have indicated that GM, at one time was considering the Trump Organization of New York City and Collins Enterprises of Greenwich, CT as possible designated developers or joint venture partners.
Mayor Zegarelli, who has stated previously that the Village of Sleepy Hollow would like to see some senior housing built on the property and waterfront-related uses, could not be reached for comment at press time. The village also has made it clear to GM that it would like to have some preservation of some of the property for parkland and recreational use.
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John Jordan
John Jordan is a veteran journalist with 36 years of print and digital media experience.
