Orangetown Continues to Pursue Purchase of Former Rockland Children's Psychiatric Center Property

Orangetown Supervisor Paul Whalen reminded those in attendance at Tuesday's town board meeting that purchasing the former Rockland Children's Psychiatric Center property off Convent Road is a top priority.

"The only piece of paper that has been on my desk since I came into office are documents that would allow the town to purchase the property," Whalen said. "Every month, I'm on the phone with the real estate offices of the mental healthy association. (The document) will sit on my desk until the town closes on the property. It is my administration's number one goal and this board's number one goal."

Whalen has said that the property is extremely important to Orangetown's economic development. The state still has not set a price for the 50-acre property. Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee (D-Suffern) and Senator David Carlucci (D-New City) attended a meeting to discuss the matter last week. The Orangetown Town Board passed a resolution Tuesday asking for home rule legislation, allowing Carlucci and Jaffee to submit it to the state houses.

Orangetown already owns part of the Rockland Psychiatric Center property, but it remains undeveloped.