The village of Port Chester is set to break ground on a multimillion dollar pedestrian access project hoping to make its waterfront and downtown corridor more walkable and inviting to consumers.
The LOOP, as it’ll be known, is a 1,600-foot sidewalk that will encircle the downtown core between Broad Street and the waterfront, bordered by Westchester and Willet avenues.
The first phase of construction involves clearing existing structures, landscaping the Byram River waterfront, and installing outdoor lighting. The project also marks the last phase of the village’s waterfront revitalization that began in 2021, according to Port Chester Village Manager Stuart Rabin.
“It’s an incredible move forward toward improving the quality of life and the atmosphere of our downtown business district,” Rabin said.
His hope is that businesses will be able to self-identify as being on or near The LOOP and attract those visiting the Capitol Theatre or interested in patronizing the various outdoor dining options in Port Chester.
The LOOP’s total cost is estimated around $6 million, though Rabin noted that figure is only reflective of current market rates. Village officials opened sealed bids on Thursday from contractors vying for the waterfront phase of the project.
Phase one is expected to be completed by this time next year, Rabin said, while the entire project’s completion date is several years out.
The project’s initial work is largely funded by the Westchester County BLA Capital Fund, Empire State Development Grant, and Climate Smart Communities Grant, topped off by other grant funding and local sources.
Photo courtesy village of Port Chester
“That doesn’t necessarily mean that the village is going to be spending that money,” Rabin said.
This is because new developments in the area will be responsible for contributing to necessary sidewalk restoration costs, which is commonly needed as a result of prior demolition.
The project even caught the attention of Iona University. The school’s Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation used the waterfront enhancement plans as the subject of a design thinking and innovation course last year. The students, directed by Aakash Sapru, then presented their findings and ideas to Rabin, his team, and the Business Council of Westchester last December.
“Everything that we are proposing in real life, there’s going to be a cost attached to its implementation,” Sapru recalled telling students.
Throughout the semester, Sapru said he reminded students that the function of a prototype is twofold: to communicate your idea with an external audience, and to seek feedback.
Prospective costs of ideas were factored into the students’ proposal, which synthesized dozens of resident interviews and surveys to design small rooms with heating stations for winter use, wi-fi kiosks near the waterfront, and a designated bicycle path.
It is too soon to tell if the village will implement any of those ideas, though Business Council of Westchester CEO Marsha Gordon and Rabin both gave positive feedback after the students’ formal proposal, according to the university.
For more on The LOOP project, click here.
