After more than a decade of contentious debate, ground was broken Monday on the old Reader's Digest property that will be transformed into an upscale, mixed-use development called Chappaqua Crossing.

New Castle Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein was among dozens of local elected officials praising the project at the groundbreaking ceremony. Greenstein was initially against the project, participating in a bitter legal battle with the developers over zoning issues.

All parties finally saw eye to eye, and now the $50 million phase one of the project is underway.

Officials say the completed first phase will be 120,000 square feet of retail space anchored by a Whole Foods, Lifetime Fitness and about 12 other tenants. The next phase involves building 28 affordable-housing units and nearly 100 luxury townhouses.