With the Rye City Council election around the corner on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, MyRye.com is publishing a series of issue focused articles highlighting the views of our candidates running for mayor and for city council.
Today we are highlighting the issue of development in Rye with a focus on the proposed expansion of The Osborn retirement home. The expansion plan will be discussed during a second public hearing being held by the Rye Planning Commission this Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
The the first public hearing on September 9, 2025, and in prior Planning Commission meetings, most concerns centered around a number of issues including tree and tree preservation (The Osborn campus is a recognized “Level-1 Arboretum” and CEO Matt Anderson discussed The Osborn’s commitment to maintaining this status back in 2022 during earlier stages of the planned expansion), viewshed issues (in particular how the planned building #5 at the interaction of the Boston Post Road and Old Post Road will appear), traffic issues (both during construction and afterwards) and flooding issues (nearby resident Mary Ann Haines showed a video of storm water coming over the wall along Theall Road) (see all videos below). The Planning Commission also asked The Osborn and its consultants to answer 83 comments raised by the City of Rye’s own consulting firm LaBella Associates detailed in an August 29, 2025 letter.
Now learn about the mayoral candidate views development in Rye with a focus on the proposed expansion of The Osborn retirement home:
What are your current views on the plan to redevelop The Osborn retirement community on the Boston Post Road? And what should the City be doing to represent its interests?
Henderson: The Osborn has been with us since 1908. It is the City’s biggest taxpayer and an extraordinarily important Rye institution. I want the Osborn to stay in Rye and continue to thrive. I have seen the new plans which involve development away from the neighborhood on Osborn Road. The plans seem to be consistent with the new zoning law passed a couple years ago. I will continue to follow this, but for now, I would leave the future development in the capable hands of the Planning Commission and BAR.
McCabe: The City (elected officials, commissions and professional staff) and neighbors and residents should remain engaged in all phases of the development project at The Osborn. It will impact several adjacent neighborhoods, Osborn School and Rye overall for years to come.
Nathan: The Osborn has submitted to the City’s Planning Commission designs that appear responsive to the desire to preserving an open space feel for the adjacent residential neighborhoods while meeting its needs to have more capacity for senior living, something we as a broader community should embrace. The refrain during the zoning text amendment hearings (which were tense and led to litigation) was that the concerned members of the community should trust the planning process, where they will get a chance to comment on specifics. To honor that refrain, the Commission’s hearings should be recorded and accessible online so that the process is as open and transparent as possible for the community to see what’s being considered and to submit comments. We have a very professional Planning Commission, people will have a chance to see how it looks out for Rye’s interests, which should create confidence in the final project.
VIDEO PLAYLIST BELOW (videos include planning commission meetings and the first public hearing):
Read all our candidate interviews:
GOP Slate – Henderson / All in for Rye
- Q&A with Mayoral Candidate Bill Henderson
- Q&A with City Council Candidate James Fee
- Q&A with City Council Candidate Robin Thrush Jovanovich
- Q&A with City Council Candidate Maria Tufvesson Shuck
Independent Rick McCabe / McCabe for Mayor:
Democratic Slate – Nathan, Anderson, Kesavan & Ward for Rye:
- Q&A with Mayoral Candidate Josh Nathan
- Q&A with City Council Candidate Marion Anderson
- Q&A with City Council Candidate Amy Kesavan
- Q&A with City Council Candidate James Ward
