Cuomo Approves Senior Center For Purchase College Campus

A proposal to build an on-campus senior living center at - just across the state line, off King Street - has been approved by the New York state legislature and now appears more likely than ever to become a reality.

The bill allows for Purchase to lease a 40-acre lot for a senior living center that would be operated by the Purchase College Advancement Corporation, a not-for-profit corporation. According to the bill, 75 percent of revenue generated from the center would go toward financial aid for eligible students with the other 25 percent going toward full-time faculty positions.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the bill last week after it was for the second time by both the State Senate and Assembly. Similar bills have been circulating since 2004, reaching former Gov. David Paterson's desk in 2008 only to be vetoed.

Supporters say the public-private sector partnership would be a win-win for the Purchase campus, providing revenue while also adding a built-in audience to cultural and artistic events held on the campus.

"We live in the shadow of New York City and its world-class entertainment, so it's important for us to attract an audience for our students," Purchase President Tom Schwarz told Patch in June. "You can't be an actor without an audience."

New York state Sen. Suzi Oppenheimer (D-Mamaroneck) sponsored the bill in the senate, Amy Paulin (D-Scarsdale) carried the bill in the Assembly.

“This legislation is long overdue," Oppenheimer said in a statement. "Students of all ages will benefit from the multigenerational perspective that this unique learning community will foster.”

The plan calls for 20 percent of the on-campus units to be reserved for low-income tenants. Of those units, half will be reserved for Westchester County residents.

Schwarz estimated in June the cost of the project to be somewhere between $100 million and $300 million. At this point, the school has not provided a detailed plan for the housing center or where on campus it would be built.

 contributed to this report.