New details of an $11 million proposed county project at the Marshlands Conservancy drew strong objections from the neighboring Jay Heritage Center.
The county’s proposal includes an expansion to the nature center building, a covered pavilion, and additional parking.
“We see an opportunity here … to pause and discuss readily available, existing sustainable alternatives to the County’s $10.845 million proposal for demolition, dewatering, underground trenching, construction, paving and building of a sewage field in a nature sanctuary and next to a residential neighborhood,” Jay Center President Suzanne Clary told The Record.
In its fiscal year 2026 budget, the county allocated more than $6.6 million for renovations to the 900-square-foot nature center, and another $4.2 million for the accompanying site work.
Westchester Parks Department Deputy Commissioner Peter Tartaglia said in a video released by the county on March 13 that the nature center might provide additional programming and office space. He said the plans are preliminary, and the county will allow for ample public input if officials move forward.
The county refused to release details of the proposal despite requests from both The Rye Record and the Jay Heritage Center.
The county did release those details themselves after The Record secured the plans under the state’s Freedom of Information Law.
The Jay Heritage Center — a nonprofit that stewards the Jay Estate adjacent to the 147-acre Marshlands — sued the county last year for withholding its plans.
Rye city Mayor Josh Nathan told The Record he and County Executive Ken Jenkins are planning to meet about the nature center proposal “as soon as reasonably possible.”
“I very much appreciate that he contacted me right away and it speaks well of the productive and thoughtful relationship to which he and I are committed,” Nathan said.
He added that any project in the Marshlands should take environmental impact into account.
“The Marshlands is one a very few places here where people can readily visit and enjoy the purity of nature undistracted,” Nathan said. “I hope any ideas or plans the county has for the Marshlands are fully respectful of this rare quality.”
After receiving the plans, lawyers for the Jay Heritage Center and officials with the Preservation League of New York responded on March 11 with a strongly worded letter of objection.
“Westchester County is currently in breach of various laws, policies, and contractual agreements as a result of the work it has undertaken with respect to Marshlands Conservancy,” wrote The Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic, which represented the Jay Center in its lawsuit, as well as the law firm Sidley Austin LLP. “And should Westchester County continue to move forward with its intended plans for the Marshlands, will be in further breach thereof and risks causing irreparable damage to the ecosystem of significant importance to a cultural, environmental, and historical site.”
Jay Center officials dropped their lawsuit after receiving the plans.
“We are grateful that the county eventually released some of the information we requested,” Clary said. “It was a shame we had to litigate over what should have been simply provided to us.”
Clary said Jay Center officials have requested meetings with the county to share their concerns about the potential adverse ecological and archaeological impacts of the plans.
“Despite our request, stakeholders and neighbors have still not been contacted about a meeting,” she said.
This story was updated on March 18 to include comments from Mayor Nathan and clarify that the letter of objection was also signed by the Preservation League of New York.
