After negotiations, the Rockland County Legislature has decided to seek bids from all parties interested in purchasing the county-owned Sain Building at 18 New Hempstead Road in New City. County Executive Ed Day had wished to proceed with the current deal on the table for $4.5 million, $500,000 over the projected $4 million sale of the building Day had anticipated in his 2016 budget.
Legislator Michael Grant, the Budget & Finance Committee Chairman, said the issue was debated at length last week. The approved resolution authorizes the Clerk to the Legislature to advertise for bids for the purchase of the Sain property.
“The Budget & Finance Committee considered two options,” Grant said. “One to authorize the bid for the Sain Building, and another to authorize the bid for Building A. The Committee disposed of any consideration for Building A and reached a bipartisan consensus to move forward with the sale of the Sain Building by authorizing the Clerk to advertise for bids.”
Without direction from the Legislature, a request for proposals was previously issued by the Purchasing Department for the sale of the property, with one viable offer for $4.5 million. Purchasing is only authorized to procure, or buy, products and services.
It has been widely reported that the sole bidder for the property intends to build 64 units of senior housing, with the project publicly supported by The town of Clarkstown – the municipality in sole control of the zoning of the property.
Full disclosure will be made regarding the possible uses of the property, which could bring additional and higher bids, via the competitive sealed bidding process.
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