New Apartments Proposed for Pearl River

The evening of May 19th saw the people of Orangetown descend on the town board to bear witness to a proposal from the representatives of Sidetrack Properties LLC. The concept? 109 housing units for Pearl River, on West Jefferson Ave, in walking distance to the Pearl River Metro North train station and the downtown area.

The proposal itself was in essence a question; How would Orangetown feel about building something like this? Nothing in the presentation, which can be found at this link https://www.orangetown.com/may-19-2026-town-board-presentation/, is truly set in stone. It is merely the concept of a plan. While not a mixed use development as of the May 19th proposal, it would offer commuter accessible housing – something Orangetown, and Rockland in general, is in desperate need of. 

The phrase “Transit Oriented Development” was thrown around a few times by both residents speaking during public comments and those proposing the project. The concept of TOD is already making its way through the halls of Rockland’s local government, with plans to develop more housing accommodations being talked about in Clarkstown, catering to the Nanuet Metro North station. Conversations about TOD eventually lend themselves to questions about affordable housing. The mean rental price of these units is not yet known as the project is still in early stages of development, though the number $3,000 was thrown out as a guesstimate and then quickly retracted. Members of the board and public spoke on the need for affordable housing in Orangetown. Many young people hailing from all corners of Rockland are finding themselves priced out of living in the place where they were raised. Instead, they find themselves flung across the country searching for a place to live that won’t eat up all their savings. Even many older people, looking to downsize after their kids have moved out, cannot find affordable rentals or condos. 

What Rockland shows when it invests in these kinds of projects is a willingness to grow, to support its residents, and a commitment to the future. The West Shore Feasibility Study has made its rounds across many municipalities in Orange and Rockland County, including the Orangetown Town Board. Creating TODs now sends a message of willingness to support new public transit initiatives, like the West Shore Line, or WSL, in the future. Commuter rail investment is a necessity on our side of the Hudson River. Rockland has five total commuter rail stations compared to Westchester’s over 40. If we want attention and commitment from the MTA so we can finally close that value gap, this is the way we do it. It starts small, and ends big. 

Some members of the community criticized the project for not fitting in well with the community. Some pointed to real concerns about flooding, traffic, and density, while other critiques were more conceptual, bemoaning the character of the community as being under threat. However, what makes up the character of any community if not the people who live there? How will the character of any community maintain itself if no one can afford to remain living there? 

Also on the agenda that night was a street naming dedication for Captain Frederick S. Simms. Simms was a first responder on 9/11 who helped save countless lives. He put his own health at risk to do so and tragically passed away in June 2025 due to 9/11 related cancer. There will be a memorial mass held on June 6th with a dedication to follow. The part of Lombardi Road between Van Wormer Road and Lang Terrace will now be known as Cpt. Frederick Simms Way.