By Lauren Young

Staff Writer 

Manlius residents offered mixed reactions last week to the proposed Willowbrook Crossing commercial/retail development project to be located in the heart of the village, with residents generally offering support of the plan but many having concerns about traffic congestion the new buildings could create.

The project to be fronted along Fayette Street includes 22 apartments, 20,000 square feet of retail space, 18,000 square feet of office space and a 40-space parking garage with two stories of housing on top. The three proposed buildings will be pushed up to the curb with one residential component in the back.

The Manlius Village Board held a public hearing on Feb. 13 to discuss the zone change application by developer RHS Holdings, LLC, from Commercial (C) to a Planned urban Development (PUD) on the 6.3-acre lot.

According to Richard Sykes, vice president of RHS Holdings, two traffic studies have been performed by two separate traffic engineers and have found a “consistency” in an increase in traffic, but the developer assured the board that the state Department of Transportation [DOT] has accepted the studies, and “the intersection can handle the additional traffic without any problems.” The DOT, however, will prohibit left turns from Route 92 into the development, although a left turn will be permitted from Route 257 in, he said.

The studies were said to have been performed three or four blocks beyond the intersection to study traffic coming from the east and west. There will additionally be no access onto Eureka Drive from the development.

“The whole idea of this is not to develop a massive, singular-looking project,” said Sykes. “The idea is to develop retail off the parking lot as well as off the streets, so we can get pedestrian traffic up and down Fayette Street, which will promote not only this facility, but the retail components across the street.”

A proposed coffee shop and 8,000-square foot restaurant are close to being “locked up” for tenants, he added, and plans are being discussed to potentially develop a pavilion and walkway onto the fish hatchery to connect the nature trail. The existing creek will not be touched.

Resident Bridget Mooney, who lives on Fayette Street, said she was “very excited” by the plans, especially the increased walkability in Manlius from the front part of Fayetteville Manlius Road to Fayette Street and back into Perry Springs. Her first concern was about the proposed nature trail, which is shown in the site plan to run through her property, although she had not spoken to the developers about their plans to do so.

“This is just preliminary phase, this still has to go through planning,” said the developer. “This is just a concept.”

Another resident discussed his concerns with the restriction on left-hand turns coming off Route 92, adding that drivers will more than likely ignore the law. Mayor Paul Whorrall said he has discussed these issues with the DOT and police department, and will continue to work with them on the problem.

Martha Dygert, the village clerk, noted that a plan is currently being discussed with the DOT regarding a left turn signal onto Elmbrook Drive. Currently, there is a left turn signal from Route 92 onto Arkie Albanese Avenue. The plan is to make a left turn arrow going onto Elmbrook Drive, as studies have shown more traffic coming onto Elmbrook than going into Arkie Albanese.

“So that may alleviate some of [the traffic],” Dygert said. The developer also noted that it would relieve the traffic stacking between the Stickley Drive intersection and Elmbrook Drive.

“I think if it’s approved [the developer] will do a nice job,” said Andy Devorsetz of Liverpool Apartments LLC and owner of Upstate Management. Devorseetz spoke of a personal experience with a development project that was constructed near one of his properties in Syracuse.

Devorsetz, whose has owned a three-story Manlius property adjacent to the proposed development for over 10 years, currently has tenants living in the home. Devorsetz also owns a similar house in Syracuse, adjacent to a similar development that started demolition and construction last summer.

“I can speak from experience because I am going through this in real-time,” said Devorsetz. “I am in favor of the development, generally, I think it’ll be really good for the Village of Manlius.” However, he said there are some concerns that need to be addressed, especially for construction. “Construction should be allowable during reasonable times so it doesn’t affect the tenants,” he said. He additionally added that his Syracuse home has sustained damage from the construction due to borings being performed too close to his property. The damage to the roof and foundation, he said, is “severe.”

Despite construction concerns, Devorsetz said that times for the restaurants and retail businesses should follow appropriate opening and closing times, and that noise from the drive-thru “squawk box” could be a potential annoyance. “I’m nervous about the potential noise generated, not only from the drive-thru, but from the extra traffic,” echoed Mooney.

Resident Christine Stevens, who lives on Palmer Road, said, “I think a lot of us in the village are overall supportive of positive development in this village, but the traffic is a bit of a concern,” especially regarding traffic heading westward during the morning and stacking. “Stacking during that stretch in the morning commute is a problem,” she said, and added that there appears to be a “missed opportunity” for the developers to create an outdoor space in the plan. “Residents crave any opportunity to sit outside and have a coffee or beer,” she said.

Regarding the residential component of the project, resident Steve Delante said, “I would like to see it all gone.” Delante, who lives on Elmbrook Drive, which is directly across from Eureka Drive, occupies the corner of the proposed apartment building. “I think everything in front is in keeping of the nature of the village. This rather large, described as screening, is 25 feet back from Eureka Drive and my home is probably 15 feet from Eureka Drive. So, I’m going to have a two and a half story, 22-unit building, 35 feet from my house?” said Delante. “That seems like a very dramatic change in the nature of the property and the nature of the neighborhood I purchased a home in.”

Delante added that when it comes to construction, workers tend to regularly break the rules and guidelines, citing the construction of CVS for framework. “They make more noise than you’d think,” he said. “The police came two or three times [during CVS construction], especially on Sunday mornings, but the enforcement of it being a civil matter is completely inadequate,” said Delante.

The village board did not make a motion to approve the development, and decided to discuss concerns with the developer before taking further action. The next village board meeting will be held Feb. 27.