CHAPTER 10 COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Chapter 10 Commercial Development
Planning Base Studies
Village of Rye Brook, New York
CHAPTER 10 COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT
10.1 Existing Conditions
Commercial development in Rye Brook is largely comprised of retail, office and hotel uses. As discussed in Chapter 3, retail uses
comprise approximately 21 acres, while office buildings, often in
campus settings, comprise 113 acres. Two large hotels comprise 68
acres. Map 10-1 shows the locations of these commercial, retail and
office land uses.
A. Retail Land Use
Commercial retail development in Rye Brook is largely focused at
the southern end of the village along the major thoroughfares of
Bowman Avenue, Westchester Avenue and South Ridge Street. The
intersection of Bowman Avenue and South Ridge Street is generally the intersection that marks the “downtown” of the village as it
is where the Rye Ridge Shopping Center is located, which is the
village’s largest retail center. Additional, smaller scale retail and
commercial uses line both sides of South Ridge Street south of
Bowman Avenue. Small scale commercial uses are also located
with semi-regular frequencies on Westchester Avenue and Bowman
Avenue east of South Ridge Street
.
Figure 10-1. Retail Development in Rye Brook
10-1
May 2012
Prepared by the Westchester County Department of Planning
Village of Rye Brook, NY

Planning Base Studies
KING
ST
Commercial Development
Westchester
County Airport
LN
E
AV
ER
D
ST
N
N
RD
FA IR
TIO
NA
ER
IN T
Office and Research
E
GR
OF
BLVD
E LN
Commercial and Retail
G
KIN
IO
UN
RE
BE LL E
PA R AD
Legend
W
TO
N
TO
ES
MIL
BELL EFAIR RD
CO
LIN
L
NA
Hotels and Conference Centers
DR
W
EN
H
IC
DORA L
GR EE NS
PIN
ET
RE
ED
R
DR W
O
RS
DE
AN
N
HI
R
LL
D
G
KIN
ST
DR
RID
GE
RD
HO
L
WH
IP
LY
PO
LN
OR
W
ILL
RD
CO
UN
TR
Y
ON HILL
ANDERS
Blind Brook
Country Club
FA
IRL
AW
N
GE
DR
PK
0
Y
0.25
Miles
1
0.5
PA
R
KW
OO
D
PL
BO
X
W
OO
D
PL
LA
WR
ID
S
30
27 S
S
OLD OAK RD
ROCK RIDGE DR
RD
HILL
A ND
A LE
DR
DL
AN
D
DR
ST
KING
KNOLLW OOD
TAMA RACK RD
WINDSOR RD
D
LV
EB
N
INDIA
RD
N
PUT
VE
AM A
ST E
HAL
AVE
AD

VE
DA
AN
DL
N
R
AV
RNE
OS BO
N ST
BA RBER
TC
HE
S
TE
PL
RY E RID
IN ST
FRANKL
GE PLZ
LE AV
ELL ENDA
CE NT
CRES
AV E
OK E AV
ROAN
VIEW
WE ST
PL
W WILLI
RA
VE
MILL
S
T
E
ADEE ST
AM ST
T
SP
ST
RD
AV
E
T
OS
ND
RID
GE
ST
BO
NP
STO
XPY
MI
DL
A
ST
RE
RIDG
E
S TE
T

HE
S TC
WE
ST
TS
EN
SS
CRO
HIGH
EG
SR
St.
Mary's
Cemetery
µ
R
RIVE
T
CT
AI N
ES
WYM AN ST
BROOKRIDGE
SM
NS
EAR
LS
DIX
O
PY
T
EX
AM
BYR
TE R
T
E
S
HASE
PURC
TC
HE
S
PL
RNE
N AV E
BOW MA
ID G
PY
WE
S
IO
DIV IS
EX
SW
ES
Port Chester
E
ST
R AV
Port
Chester
Middle
School
T
SR
R
TE
VE
BA
HE S
TE
E
S
HE
TC
B
WE
ES
IR
TH O
HAW
NC
O
WO
SW
AV O
IRENHYL AVE
TS
EN
G
E
AI N
E ST
MAYWOOD AVE
N RIDG
E
HIDDEN
POND DR
NEUTON AVE

US-1
Port Chester
High School
NM
R
RT120
A
LO
N
CI
WILTON
COLLEGE AVE
VALLEY TER
GL
ED
GE
DR
WILTON RD
RD
AVE
BEA CON LN
WO
O
LN
BO
B
BIE
E RD
R IDG
PIN E
UT
OW N
Y BR
HILLCREST AVE
YN
PK
ER
RIV
SO
N
HU
TC
HIN
LN
LE S
CH
AR
WA
Y
SID
E
BL
VD
IC
OK
D
AV E
CT
BE TS
LVD
RD
CH
WO
O
LY
COM
PL
GTON
B
HAINES
KEN
ILW
OR
TH
BE
E
E
NN
CO

LN
L EN
WG
CT
CR
OS
Map 10 - 1
Commercial Development
Page 10 - 2
LOC H
DR
ACKER DR
AR LIN
CANDY LN
G
RID
WE S
TC
10
LN
PL
Y LN
AV
LINCOLN
OS
CR
RT-120A
S
ING
ON
BOLT
KL E
TALC OTT RD
LEE LN
10
PL
JEA N LN
LN
PH YLL IS
BR OOK
0
-12
RT
SUNS ET RD

K RD
POLLY PAR
LE
D
Rich
Manor
Park
ELM HILL DR
BELL PL
MA
P
LE K
ARGYLE RD
Crawford Park
CT
TERRA CE
JENNIFER LN
LN
DR S
DR
BE R
D RD
JAME S WAY
BIRCH LN
EW
OO
LN
LINE
QUE
JAC
BONWIT RD
KEN DOLIN
BIS HOP
KING ST
ED
G
RED ROOF DR
DEE R RUN
N
DR
IA
NOL
MA G
K RD
DR
CH AR
IA R D
WINTHROP DR
MOHEGAN LN
CRA WF OR
D ST
AR BO
PAR
K
LN
GE
OL D OR
BERKLE Y DR
N
LATO
BR
O
RY
ER
YB
BA
P LN
RID
RD S
CARLTON LN
WEST
CHES
T ER A
WES
VE
TCH
EST
ER A
VE
EN
WA
YL
N
PL
W
HUNTER DR
HOP
BIS
LITT
MA RK DR
27
Blind Brook
School
TO
TREE
MEA DOW LAR
CROS
SWAY
WINDINGW
OOD
LL LN
LE
N
IV Y HI
IO
OR
P
W
EAGLE S BLF
R
NG
WINDI
R DR
RD
29
N
RD
VE
RI
KY
RD
OOD
MAP NOTE: Commercial properties were derived
from parcel-based land use inventory in which land
use categories were originally derived from 2009
town assessment data containing ORPS (Office of
Real Property Services) codes which define specific
land use as assigned by local assessors.
KY
RP
W
RIV
E
LO
HUT
CHIN
SON
HO
L
WA
Y
DR
TE
R
DO
RC
HE
S
Y
GR
E
PAD DOCK
8N
EP
29
RD
27
O
NS
HI
C
T
28 HU
HINS
2O
TR
L
RIVER
S
CHU RCH ILL
HUT
C
SL
E
RIDGE CIR
SE ST
HARRISON
OR
SE
COUN TRY
LINCOLN AVE
A
PURCH
RO
CK
ING
H
Westchester County
Department of Plannining
April 2012
Chapter 10 Commercial Development
Planning Base Studies
Village of Rye Brook, New York
B. Office Land Use
Larger scale commercial developments, mostly involving office
building and hotel uses are located along the periphery of the Village. The most notable of these is 800 Westchester Avenue, which
contains 532,680 square feet of “class A” office space and essentially serves as the gateway to the village when entering from the
west on any of the major roadways. While this office building was
originally constructed as the worldwide headquarters for General
Foods in 1983, it has since evolved into a multi-tenant facility. 800
Westchester Avenue is also connected to 760 Westchester Avenue
on the same site via underground tunnels. This secondary building
contains 62,000 square feet of office space.
Figure 10-2. Reckson
Executive Park
Source: Westchester County Department of
Planning
The Reckson Executive Park is another cluster of seven “class A”
office buildings located at the north end of the village along King
Street. This office park contains a total of 855,204 square feet. An
additional, multi-tenant office property is located on Arbor Drive at
the eastern edge of the village near the Village municipal complex.
C. Hotel Land Use
Hotel and conference center uses also comprise a significant portion of Rye Brook’s commercial development. The Hilton Westchester - Rye Brook (locally sometimes referred to as Rye Town
Hilton), located at 699 Westchester Avenue, contains 445 guest
rooms and flexible meeting/conference room space up to 9,520
square feet in size. While located at the western gateway to the Village, this hotel facility (along with 800 Westchester Avenue across
the street) serves as an anchor to the Westchester Avenue “platinum
mile” in Harrison and White Plains.
The Doral Arrowwood hotel and conference center is both a resort
and business-focused hotel containing 373 guest rooms, several
meeting spaces and a golf course. This facility is located on 114
acres at the north end of the Village on Anderson Hill Road. Pfizer
Corporation also has a 110,000 square foot training center on the
grounds of this facility.
D. Commercial Zoning
The existing commercial uses largely reflect existing zoning. Retail
uses can generally only be put in the C1 or C1-P districts, all of
which are located in the general vicinity of Bowman Avenue and
South Ridge Street. A few outlying retail properties east of Ridge
Street on Bowman Avenue or Westchester Avenue are pre-existing
non-conforming uses in residential districts.
The Village has four office zoning districts which relate to different
minimum acreages ranging from 3 to 15 acres. These districts are
generally mapped where the existing office uses are located.
10-3
May 2012
Prepared by the Westchester County Department of Planning
Chapter 10 Commercial Development
Planning Base Studies
Village of Rye Brook, New York
Figure 10-3. Major Employer List for Rye Brook
Number of Workers
Employer
Southern Westchester BOCES
1,080
Doral Arrowwood
500
MCI
400
Hilton
350
A&P Fresh
Blind Brook-Rye Union Free School
District
United Cerebral Palsy
250
Marriott
150
New York State Department of
Taxation and Finance
150
King Street Nursing Home
130
Compass Group USA
125
Hoenig & Co Inc.
108
D'Agostino’s
100
Pfizer
100
Market Data Corporation
100
204
200
Worldcom
90
Ben-Lee Distributors
90
Dental Study Club of New York
75
Village of Rye Brook
74
Port Chester-Rye Brook Ambulance
50
Parsons & Whittemore Inc.
50
Source: InfoUSA and the Westchester/ Putnam School Board Association, 2008
The Village has two hotels zoning districts. One is currently located
on the existing Hilton Westchester-Rye Brook property. The other
hotel district is at the corner of King Street and Anderson Hill Road,
where a housing development has been approved, but has not yet
been constructed. Doral Arrowwood is in a PUD-Planned Unit Development district. PUD districts can also include retail, residential
and office uses. For more information about zoning, go to Chapter
12.
10-4
May 2012
Prepared by the Westchester County Department of Planning
Chapter 10 Commercial Development
Planning Base Studies
Village of Rye Brook, New York
E. Major Employers
The majority of employers in Rye Book involve white-collar jobs
requiring at least some college education. According to U.S. Census
statistics, in 2009 at least 60% of the workers in the village had attained a level of education above the high school level. Most of the
jobs are in educational services (27%), public administration (15%),
health care (11%), professional, scientific and technical services
(5%) and finance and insurance (5%). Retail jobs account for 8%.
Because of the focus on professional white-collar jobs, most of the
employment tends to be in the multi-tenant office spaces in the periphery of the village. The most recent data on major employers is
from 2004 and may be substantially different currently due to the
flexible nature of these multi-tenant office environments. See Figure 10.3 for the major employer list as of 2004. The majority of the
employment is within the major office buildings as well as at the
village’s school complex. Retail jobs are clustered near the Rye
Ridge Shopping Center.
F. Spatial Relationship of Jobs to Residency
2010 Census data and 2009 Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) have allowed for a more recent snapshot of employment by industry and where people live in relationship to their
jobs. This data is included in tabular form in Appendix 10-1.
According to LEHD data, there are 5,820 jobs within the village.
There are 3,589 residents who have jobs, which represents a positive net inflow of jobs given that the number of jobs in the village is
higher than the number of residents who have jobs. However, of the
3,589 residents with jobs, only 314 (8.7%) live and work within the
village. The remaining 3,275 resident workers commute elsewhere.
This also means that 5,506 workers come in to the village from
elsewhere to work.
Figure 10-4. Inflow/Outflow Job
Counts in 2009
Source: 2009 LEHD Data
a. Out-Commutation
Of the 3,589 residents with jobs, only 314 (8.7%) live and work
within the village. The rest likely commute to other places for work.
The overwhelming majority of Rye Brook working residents commute to other places in Westchester (39.8%), Manhattan (22.9%) or
Fairfield County (11.4%). All other New York Metro region counties receive approximately 2% or less of the Rye Brook resident
work force.
Within Westchester, the majority of the out-commutation is focused
on the southern half of the county in Port Chester (5.9%), White
Plains (5.8%), Harrison (4.7%), Rye (city) (3.6%), New Rochelle
(2.2%) and Yonkers (2.2%).
10-5
May 2012
Prepared by the Westchester County Department of Planning
Chapter 10 Commercial Development
Planning Base Studies
Village of Rye Brook, New York
b. In-Commutation
Of the 5,820 workers in Rye Brook, only 314 (5.4%) live in the village as well. The rest must commute from other places for work.
Just over half (50.9%) come from other places in Westchester. The
remainder are scattered amongst the various metro-area counties in
relatively low quantities: Fairfield (7.4%), the Bronx (5.2%), Putnam (3.8%), Manhattan (3.4%), Rockland (3.3%), Queens (2.8%),
Nassau (2.4%), Suffolk (2.3%), Dutchess (2.1%), Orange (1.7%),
Brooklyn (1.3%) and Bergen (1.2%). This scattering of employment residency is perhaps a function of the office park development
that is prevalent in the village, pulling more educated workers in
from a wide geographic catchment. Within Westchester, the majority of the in-commutation is focused on the southern half of the
county: Port Chester (9.4%), Yonkers (5.3%), White Plains (4.7%),
New Rochelle (3.1%), Mount Vernon (2.9%) and Harrison (2.6%).
10.2 Potential Future Conditions
A. Existing Commercial Zoning and Future Commercial
Growth
Future commercial growth is limited by two factors: the fact that a
majority of the village is not commercially zoned, and the fact that
most of the village is already built-out. According to Westchester
County land use data, only 75 acres (or 3%) of the Village is vacant
or undeveloped. (see Chapter 3, the Use of Land). Only a portion of
this undeveloped area is commercially zoned.
The most notable vacant commercially zoned area is immediately
east of the Reckson Executive Park. This area is where a “Phase
III” expansion of the Reckson Executive Park has been approved,
but has not yet been built. See Chapter 13, Zoning Build-out and
Analysis, for further discussion and analysis of future village-wide
development potential.
Other existing commercially zoned parcels could be developed further though changing the uses on them, or potentially subdividing
pieces off for future development.
B. Potential Commercial Development Scenarios Through Zoning Changes
Given the built-out nature of the village, and the relatively low
amount of vacant, commercially zoned land available, the village
will not experience a huge growth in commercial properties unless
there is a desire to change zoning regulations. The Village of Rye
Brook Vision Plan, written in 2000, articulated a number of strategies which could still be relevant today for increasing commercial
development:
10-6
May 2012
Prepared by the Westchester County Department of Planning
Chapter 10 Commercial Development
Planning Base Studies
Village of Rye Brook, New York
Undertake a study to help define and create a “village center”
through the establishment of new zoning regulations and design
standards, which could potentially lead to more downtown retail.
Create a Business Overlay District as a way to allow for more
mixed-use development.
Increase development densities, either through rezonings or
transfer of development rights from lesser developed areas to
established commercial areas.
C. Changes In Employment Levels
Given the fact that college-educated office jobs are the majority of
employment in the village, major employment levels will likely be
a function of office space occupancy within the village’s office
properties. Most recently, the trend in office space usage has been
away from large, single-tenant properties, in the direction of multitenant spaces. This situation has played out at 800 Westchester
Avenue, which was originally designed as a world headquarters for
General Foods, but has since changed into a multi-tenant building.
This type of trend may mean more total employers in the village,
but with fewer employees in each organization than if these properties remained as single tenants. Given that almost all of the office
space in the Village is “class A”, office tenants will tend to be more
established companies as opposed to start-up ventures, or backoffice operations which typically utilize non-class-A spaces.
Focusing attention on the creation of new regulations to define a
“village center” in Rye Brook, could offer an opportunity for more
retail, or mixed-use-with-retail, development, allowing for an expansion of retail employment.
10-7
May 2012
Prepared by the Westchester County Department of Planning