By Paul Post
A Niskayuna developer hopes to purchase 32 acres just west of Northway Exit 10 with plans for 20 new single-family homes on 1.5-acre, heavily wooded lots.
Each new house, in the $600,000 to $700,000 price range, would have a professional office with a dedicated entrance and parking, although this could be just for the owner’s use.
“It doesn’t have to be where someone is bringing in outside clients or customers for business,” said Chris Myers of Concord Development Company LLC. “It’s literally 90 seconds off the Northway, which I think is going to appeal to a lot of people working not only the Albany area, but the Saratoga area as well.”
People such as real estate agents, insurance agents and attorneys work from home quite often, but the COVID-19 pandemic brought about a major shift in the way many firms conduct business, allowing employees to work from home, which can be much cheaper than maintaining a “brick-and-mortar” office setting.
“I’m not sure we’re marketing to any specific group,” Myers said of the project.
The forested property is on Van Patten Drive, south of Ushers Road, across from the large Country Knolls West development. Plans call for 10 separate driveways off Van Patten Drive, each one shared by two homes.
In addition to easy Northway access, the site is near the Dwaas Kill Nature Preserve, a 240-acre site popular with area residents for its hiking trails and fishing spots in addition to providing habitat for a variety of plants and animals.
The Van Patten and Eagle Crest golf clubs are also just a few minutes’ drive away, and a recreational path for walking and biking runs along the side of the road where Myers wants to build.
Myers made application to the town of Clifton Park in early autumn and hopes to begin work this spring or early summer, pending necessary approvals.
He’s under contract to buy the property from the Van Patten family, whom he’s known for many years, but the sale won’t be finalized until all permits are in place.
The site is already serviced by municipal water and sewer.
“I’ve had an eye on it for quite some time,” Myers said. “It’s hard to tell with supply issues these days, but I’d love to have a model up long before this time next year.”
As a land developer, his primary business is locating property, getting approvals in place and then selling it to a builder. This could either be as raw land with approvals, or in some cases he’ll put the roads in, too, depending on what the developer wants to do.
But this project is so unique, Myers said, both in terms of location and with professional office space added in, that he might build the homes himself.
“I haven’t decided yet,” he said. “It isn’t listed with home builders. It’s been a long time since I’ve built homes. But this one could be a very fun one. It could be a good project.”