Big changes are coming to downtown Briarcliff Manor.

Village officials announced the finalization of a Land Development Agreement for the downtown, specifically for 1050 Pleasantville Road and a portion of 1030 Pleasantville Road.

It will include a new police station and village court facility, public parking facilities, a mixed-use residential and commercial development, a public plaza, and new recreational trail connections. This new venture will extend our Central Business District by several hundred feet of frontage, potentially introducing up to half a dozen new retail stores.

A series of public information sessions started at a Joint Village Board & LDC Special Meeting on June 10. "We're overdue for a little rehab in Briarcliff," says Vincent Janniello, owner of Janniello's Specialty Foods. Village officials say this $55 million project is years in the making. "Our current facilities across the street at 1111 Pleasantville Road are very outdated and don't really meet today's standards and needs," says Steven Vescio, mayor of Briarcliff Manor. "It's going to help businesses drastically. They're going to get more foot traffic." Some business owners and residents are thrilled. "Anything that can bring more commerce and more traffic into the area would be a good thing," says Janniello. But some have concerns. "Traffic is a problem here to begin with so it's going to be more of a problem," says Ed Filardi, a Briarcliff Manor resident. Village officials say construction is expected to start sometime next year. They will have more chances for public comment, but those dates haven't been announced yet.