Rockland County Approves Development Team for Redevelopment of Sain Building Property
NEW CITY—A nearly decade-long effort to have the county-owned Sain Building redeveloped may finally be at hand. However, while a key milestone was reached recently, a shovel in the ground is still likely several years away.
On May 8, Rockland County Executive Ed Day and outgoing Rockland County Director of Community Development Alexandra Obremski announced that Regan Development of Ardsley and Rockland Housing Action Coalition (RHAC) of New City were selected to redevelop the roughly 3.69-acre Sain Building site at 18 New Hempstead Road in New City. The Regan-RHAC proposal bested three other applications submitted to the county’s Request for Proposals issued in June of last year. The county awarded the Regan-RHAC team an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement. County officials stated that final proposal details were being negotiated.
“Today marks an important step forward in transforming a long‑vacant property into high‑quality, affordable housing for seniors, vulnerable residents, essential workers and volunteers,” said Rockland County Executive Day. “We are helping ensure that long‑time residents—and those who serve our community—can continue to live and thrive here.”
Rockland County Legislature Chairman Jay Hood Jr. said, “This property has long served the public and through this new effort, it will continue to do so by providing vital affordable housing for those most in need of it – our seniors, veterans, first responders and people with developmental disabilities. This project reflects what can happen when government, nonprofit organizations and responsible developers work together toward a common goal.”
At press time, a resolution awarding the Exclusive Negotiating Agreement is being processed for submission to the County Legislature and is on track to be voted on during its June 16th meeting.
However, the process will still take several years before construction might begin. If the agreement is approved by the Rockland County Legislature, final redevelopment details of the project will be negotiated by the county and the Regan/RHAC team. The proposal will then be reviewed by the Clarkstown Planning Board and the developers will seek federal, state and local funding support for the project. The final step will have the Rockland County Legislature vote on the final disposition of the property.
Obremski said the Regan-RHAC proposal stood out based on the team’s combined experience, which boasts 30 affordable rental developments in New York State, and for its alignment with community priorities.
The redevelopment proposal includes the demolition of the existing Sain building, and the construction of a three-story mixed-use space with 23 age restricted affordable senior rental units, 25 non-age restricted affordable rental units and 3,100 square feet of retail space.
The proposal calls for earmarking 10% of units for veterans, 5% for first responders/essential workers, and 10% for individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD). The plan also includes 40,000 square feet of recreation and park space. The plan features a mix of units affordable to those earning 30%, 50%, 60% and 80% AMI, or Area Median Income.
A public presentation of three redevelopment proposals took place in the County Legislative Chambers on Feb. 9, 2026. Survey responses from neighbors and the public after the presentations overwhelmingly preferred the Regan/RHAC proposals because of the amount of green space, sensitivity to local needs and more affordable rents, county officials stated.
The effort to redevelop the long-shuttered Sain Building has had its share of fits and starts. One of the first proposals came in 2018 when a plan to sell the property for $4.51 million to the Massachusetts-based firm National Development failed to gain support from the County Legislature. The firm’s offer was eventually withdrawn.
Rockland County, which had utilized the building for some county operations, closed the Sain Building in December 2017, and it has sat empty since then.
