ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) -- Dozens of Elmira residents voiced their concerns over the proposal for a senior and assisted living facility at Tuesday night's City Council meeting. Currently, Maple Avenue Apartments is located to the east of the McNaught Field on Elmira's Southside and is the site where CDS Housing wants to build a second apartment complex.

CDS Housing is a company based out of Rochester and built the current complex on Maple Ave. back in 2017. Forty units are reserved for people 55 and older, and the remaining 10 units are reserved for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The residents receive supportive services from AIM, a local supportive service agency. 

"When we go to a local community that’s outside of our footprint, we partner with a strong service agency that has the connections," said Director for CDS Housing, Patrick Pinkerton.

When asked why a company from Upstate New York would invest in an apartment complex in the Southern Tier, Pinkerton said the city was great to work with and created a partnership with AIM.

"When exploring new opportunities, we look at how our current operations are," said Pinkerton. He added, "In addition to that, we’re a mission-based organization and there are some core groups that we try to serve. Homeless individuals, individuals in need of affordable housing are a core group, but veterans as well."

Not everyone favors the proposal for CDS Housing to expand its apartments. Resident Michael Hamilton has been living near the senior and assisted living facility since 2019. 

Hamilton recalls some of the things he's seen from the phase one project and how continuing with a new complex could hurt the neighboring areas even more.

"So, the problem is not necessarily just aesthetics, it started with construction. It started with the nightmare of dirt, dust, and roads and construction vehicles," said Hamilton. He added, "It's got the potential of ruining a walking area where people walk their dogs, they fish."

One gentleman who spoke against the proposal also mentioned the increase in people walking to the Field and how an increase in traffic in the area would be dangerous.

"I've also seen cars come down Parkway at an excessive amount of speed. It’s scary and the last thing I want to see is someone getting into an accident. I can see that possibility rising with extensions and more traffic," said a nearby neighbor of Maple Avenue Apartments.

Scott Drake, Chemung County Legislator for the 13th District voiced his concerns with the proposal. He asked the question "What's the difference between this and some of the other projects around?" He said, "Woodbrook, they’re right down the street. They have assisted living, it’s a little different. Some of those people drive, and they have developmental and intellectually disabled people."

Drake added, "The difference is at Woodbrook we have our friends, neighbors, and family members that are running that place. In this case [Maple Avenue Apartments], we have Rochester running it. They don’t care."

One woman said she invested thousands of dollars into her basement because of potential flooding from Miller Pond. 

"We asked for trees to give us lines to give us privacy. They put up trees 15 feet apart and they're three feet above our property line so from where we stand now, it used to be a field. We took pictures of the river running between our properties where it was missing grates to intake the water. There's just flooding around it and it's going into our land," said the woman.

Elmira Mayor Dan Mandell said CDS Housing proposed to build the new facility on McNaught Field a couple of months ago. He said when CDS first met with him and the City Manager, he said he told CDS to reach out and speak to the people in the neighborhood. Mandell said that didn't happen.

"[The] next thing you know I'm getting emails and calls because they’re out there doing surveys like they’re getting ready to start building... So, the neighbors got concerned and they started doing their own homework to find out what was going on," said Mandell.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were survey markers on McNaught Field. Placing the markers is one of the first steps in the development process and it doesn't mean the project got approved. It's just one of the initial steps.

Mandell said he supports the neighbors who are against the proposal for an additional complex.

"When you’ve got one or two people complaining about a project and the rest of the people are saying 'You know what, I don’t mind it,' that’s one thing. [But], when you have the entire neighborhood of 40-50 people, the countless emails I received against this. I have to support the constituents and taxpayers over there," said Mandell.

Currently, CDS Housing is seeking site plan approval from the city and will go back to the city planning board in July. If it's approved, the company will then go through the process of securing the necessary funding with the state funding agency.

"We always try to hear out the local residents and try to mitigate any concerns to address any inaccuracies, and we’ll do that here as well," said Pinkerton. "The ultimate mission still in mind is providing the affordable housing that we see is needed in the community."