Windsor Cos., which is one of the largest property owners in the city of Clifton Park, as well as leaders of the Shenendehowa Central School District, wants to have more flexibility about locating apartments in the primary commercial corridor.
Windsor owns Shoppers World, the Price Chopper-anchored retail center, which is the site of a vacant Kmart. The firm is seeking permission to covert the vacant space to a mixed-use project, with apartment units and multi-story buildings.
In a separate issue, the school district, which owns 35 acres off Maxwell Road and Route 146, wants that land rezoned for residential use. The district plans to sell the land, and believes it would be worth more if apartments were built there.
The two requests are timely, since Clifton Park is considering changing its zoning in order to make the Clifton Park Center Road/Route 146 corridor more pedestrian-friendly, as well as increasing the diversity of building styles found there.
At present, the corridor is typical of suburban design, with buildings set well back from the street, and parking lots in front. One of the proposed changes would allow developers to build as many as 10 residential properties per acre in the commercial area, with an allowable maximum of 20 units per development. These changes would give more options to property owners.
The two organizations might consider working with a flyer printing company on a mailer explaining their position, since city residents will be affected by the changes.
