Why We Are Concerned About Crossroads

Crossroads will be a burden rather than a benefit. Crossroads is a development proposed for the site on Route 299 by the New Paltz Thruway Exit.  It is a massive, urban-style retail-residential project that would include 250 residential units, a 120-room hotel, a gigantic restaurant, and acres of retail chain stores. The combined retail space is even larger than the Wal-Mart proposed for the same site, which was rejected in the 90's.  Currently, the Crossroads proposal does not meet its designated zoning.  The Town of New Paltz must first approve Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning, which may only be granted if a project would bring “significant public benefit.”  Crossroads will not benefit New Paltz.  Rather it threatens to destroy our community. 

Crossroads will encourage sprawl and destroy downtown. Unlike most small towns, New Paltz has maintained its historic walkable downtown.  It has served as the cultural and artistic center for unique local businesses and community life.  By constructing a massive chain retail establishment far from the center, New Paltz will lose its historical sense of place.  By skimming tourist dollars at the Thruway exit and shifting consumer attention eastward, Crossroads will harm local businesses and facilitate even more sprawl east on Route 299.  Thriving locally-owned downtown shops will become vacant storefronts. 

Crossroads will create more traffic congestion. Many Route 299 intersections are already stressed by local traffic.  A new development of this magnitude will cause traffic delays deemed unacceptable based on Department of Transportation standards.  There is no safe pedestrian or bicyclist access to the development, thus shoppers and residents would add to traffic congestion. 

Crossroads will not bring well-paying jobs. Most of the jobs generated at Crossroads will be low-wage, dead-end retail, hotel and food service jobs.  Any jobs the developer promises to create must also be weighed against jobs lost from businesses in the Town center. 

Crossroads will not bring significant new tax revenues.  The developer admits that the project will generate minimal per capita revenue gains and even these could vanish if the developer exploits tax reduction programs.  These tax breaks would give Crossroads an unfair advantage over existing businesses while increasing everyone’s tax burden because of new school and municipal services for the development.

Crossroads promises little in the way of affordable housing. Only 25 “affordable” housing units are planned.  These units will still be out of reach to those of modest income and these minimal cost controls would expire in just 15 years.  Most Crossroads employees would be unable to afford on-site units and would add to the local population already in need of truly affordable housing.

Crossroads poses environmental threats. Crossroads will drain valuable water resources that could be used to serve the existing community, and paving over acres of land will prevent important rainwater recharge.  The developer has also denied the presence of on-site soil contaminated by previous orchard pesticide use, toxins that could pose a health threat to new and existing residents.

There are better alternatives.  Rather than constructing 25 acres of concrete and buildings, with the property's current zoning, the landowner could develop businesses that truly benefit the community while maintaining New Paltz’s unique character. 

What You Can Do Now:

1. Write to the Town of New Paltz Planning Board expressing your opposition to the project: Town of New Paltz Planning Board, PO Box 550, New Paltz, NY 12561
2. Email the Town of New Paltz Planning Board expressing your opposition to the project: comments@stopcrossroads.org. Please include specific comments in your email as to why you oppose the project. See our Fact Sheet for more information. Your comments will be presented to the Planning Board at a later date.
3. Call Mr. Paul Brown, Chair of the Town of New Paltz Planning Board, expressing your opposition to the project: (845) 255-0103 x2
4. Email the New Paltz Town Board members individually. Again, include specific comments as to why you oppose the project. Express your concerns and suggest alternatives. Ask questions. Engage each member in a dialogue on this issue.
   

   supervisor@townofnewpaltz.org
   kristinbrown@townofnewpaltz.org
   davidalewis@townofnewpaltz.org
   janeannwilliams@townofnewpaltz.org
   jefflogan@townofnewpaltz.org
   

5. Sign Our Petition (Please remember to sign only ONE petition):
   
   New Paltz Residents, please sign this petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/NewPaltzDefenders/

   Friends and Visitors, please sign this petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/NewPaltzVisitors/

6. Email the New Paltz Times to help make others in the area aware of the project and it's consequences: newpaltztimes@ulsterpublishing.com
7. Donate to help support this effort.
8. Join our discussion listserv.
9. Email this site to ten friends.
10. Print this flyer and post it in a visible place.