Rockland County Issues RFP to Convert Sain Office Building into Workforce Housing

NEW CITY—Rockland County government officials announced on June 5 that it had issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the redevelopment of the roughly 3.69-acre Sain Building site at 18 New Hempstead Road here. The RFP ends a long saga to find a suitable use for the shuttered former county government building.

The County Legislature voted unanimously to declare the Sain property surplus on Nov. 6, 2024. The county then held two Open House sessions in January to seek feedback from neighbors of the property.

Key requirements of the RFP include:

• At least 75% of units will be affordable for workforce and middle-income earners;
• Units can be either rental or homeownership or a mix;
• At least 10% of the site must be used for public open space;
• Prioritize outdoor community areas such as picnic tables, benches, sustainable landscaping incorporating native plantings, and stormwater management;
• A 40-foot buffer of landscaped vegetation between any new building on the site and the residential properties on Eberling Drive & Clark Place;
• No entrance/exit to Eberling Drive;
• Compliance with Rockland County Green Building Standards and Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards;
• Demolition of existing on-site buildings;
• Compliance with the Town of Clarkstown zoning regulations if the site is purchased or leased;
• Current zoning allows for 10 units per acre for any age residential, and 21 units per acre for senior housing;
• Each unit must be between 500 and 1,250 square feet and no more than two bedrooms;
• Buildings may not exceed 35 feet in height;
• Developers are encouraged to engage with the Town of Clarkstown regarding existing/potential zoning.

Developers responding to the RFP should be prepared to conduct at least two public engagement sessions, in person or hybrid, where public feedback can be given on the plans for redevelopment, one session targeting the immediate residential/business neighbors, and the other geared to the community at large.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day said, “Rockland’s housing challenges are well documented; rents have skyrocketed, older residents are being priced out, and our young people can’t afford to stay. But we are taking action; I am thrilled to be working with the County Legislature on the redevelopment of this derelict site into a mixed-use space that provides workforce housing for our cost-burdened residents and puts this property back on the tax rolls to the benefit of all our taxpayers.”

Rockland County Legislative Chair Jay Hood Jr. said, “It is crucial to address the shortage of workforce housing in Rockland for the well-being of our residents, our economy, and our overall quality of life. We want to improve workforce housing opportunities not only because it helps us to maintain a skilled workforce and retain younger generations, but also because it is the right thing to do. I look forward to collaborating with my legislative colleagues and the County Executive as we evaluate the proposals and identify those that can offer appropriate new workforce housing opportunities.”

Proposals must be submitted by Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. Public engagement sessions will be held in the late fall or winter of this year.