FALLSBURG — Dr. Sean Wall-Carty returned to the Fallsburg Town Board, but this time not as the town’s former deputy supervisor or councilmember.

Wall-Carty came before the board on May 27 as a representative and advocate for a proposed project in Loch Sheldrake that would combine affordable workforce housing with a year-round indoor sports complex.

The project, called The Hub: Miracle Meadows Residences & Sullivan Sportsplex, is being proposed by Loch Sheldrake Property Management, LLC, and would be located near SUNY Sullivan on Leroy Road.

According to Wall-Carty, the project is still in the concept phase and would depend on infrastructure, water and sewer capacity, traffic, utilities, zoning and other required reviews before moving forward.

“This is just an initial concept phase,” Wall-Carty told the board, adding that the developers still need to determine what infrastructure is available and what improvements may be needed. He said the project would not move forward if the infrastructure could not support it.

The proposal includes two major components. The first, Miracle Meadows, would be an income-based housing development with up to 120 apartments. Wall-Carty said the housing would focus on veterans, seniors, students, staff and local residents, with what he described as a “Sullivan-first” approach.

“We want to focus on people who are really struggling in our area, who live locally,” Wall-Carty said.

The second part of the project would be the Sullivan Sportsplex, a proposed 150,000-square-foot indoor sports facility. Wall-Carty said the facility could include an indoor park, indoor track, basketball courts and space for other recreational activities, while also serving as a venue for tournaments and sports-related events.

The project’s slogan, Wall-Carty said, is “Play here. Live here. Thrive here.”

The idea of an indoor sports facility in Fallsburg is not entirely new.

In 2022, while serving on the Fallsburg Town Board, Wall-Carty presented the idea of an indoor sports dome as a way to promote healthy living and give residents a place to stay active during the colder months. At the time, he said a multi-use sports dome could include soccer, tennis, football and an indoor walking track, while also helping the county address health concerns and preventable diseases.

During the May 27 town board meeting, the prior idea of a sports complex near the college was also raised. Wall-Carty said that effort was not a town project, but one that had been pursued through the county and tied to the college budget. He said the money was never used and the project did not happen.

The proposed site is across from SUNY Sullivan, and Wall-Carty said a partnership with the college could be explored.

Fallsburg Town Supervisor Nathan Steingart asked whether the developers would consider using or partnering with the college’s existing field house instead of building a new sportsplex, and Wall-Carty said everything remains open at this early stage.

The project would also require zoning consideration. Wall-Carty said the parcel is currently zoned commercial, and the applicants may seek an overlay tied to low-income housing tax credits if the infrastructure can support the development.

Board members asked whether the sports complex could stand on its own without the housing component. Wall-Carty said it could, but added that the housing was included after discussions about local needs in Fallsburg. He said Raj Patel, who is financing the project, felt strongly that the development should give back to the community.

Wall-Carty also said preliminary discussions have taken place with the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council, which expressed excitement about the project’s long-term vision and potential regional economic impact.

He said the developers are looking at a grant opportunity expected later this summer and may return to the town seeking support as a municipal partner in name only, particularly for the housing component and event center.

For now, Wall-Carty said, the proposal remains only a concept.

No final approvals were granted, and the project would still need to go through the necessary planning, zoning, environmental, engineering and municipal review processes before any construction could begin. The executive summary submitted to the town lists a possible construction timeline of 2027 to 2028, contingent on approvals, infrastructure capacity, environmental review, financing and municipal coordination.

Wall-Carty said the larger goal is to create a project that would provide housing, recreation and economic development for Fallsburg and Sullivan County.

“This is something that is desperately needed,” Wall-Carty said of the sports facility. “These things kind of aligned up with what the town wants to do and what the town wants to get done in terms of having things to do and also having an affordable place to live.”