May Hearing Set for Pace University Master Plan

Residents will soon have the opportunity to weigh in publicly on 's multi-phase $100 million plan to sell off its and revamp the Pleasantville property, accessible via Route 117.

The university, which also has campuses in White Plains and Manhattan, formally submitted its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the master plan to the Town of Mount Pleasant on March 28.

The public hearing is scheduled for May 3.

The first phase of the proposal centers around replacing the commodities that will be lost once the Briarcliff Manor campus—which is currently for sale—is closed.

, there are several other planned changes for the Pleasantville campus, including the addition of athletic facilities and fields, adding three residence halls, expanding the Kessel Student Center and adding more pedestrian walkways.

Pace University William J. McGrath said in September he hopes construction can begin in 2013 and students can move in by fall 2015 or 2016.

Currently, approximately 690 students live at the Pleasantville campus, with an additional 590 in Briarcliff Manor, according to a press release.

School officials have said they are also interested in keeping the campus environmentally-friendly and combining the nearby campuses will eliminate the 3,000 or so bus trips made between the two annually.

"Approximately 60 percent of the 200-acre Pleasantville campus will remain green space," according to the statement.

The entire Pace Master Plan DEIS is available online and can be viewed here.