The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Christine Pasqueralle

Banksville: A Quiet Hamlet Bordering Armonk, Bedford and Greenwich

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Banksville is a hamlet in the town of North Castle. Known as the Eastern District of North Castle, it lies on the Bedford side of Armonk and also borders backcountry Greenwich, CT. The hamlet was named for Samuel Banks, a farmer who settled there in 1695 and is buried in Middle Patent Rural Cemetery in Bedford.

Living in Banksville affords its residents the best of many towns including Bedford, Armonk and Greenwich. One family that calls Banksville home is the Katz family. Sara and Lewis both work in financial services and have three children – Natalie, age 10, Mercer, age 9 and Miles, age 6. The Katz family moved to Banksville from New York City in the summer of 2010. They figured if they were going to leave the city, they definitely wanted to move somewhere with lots of land and more space.

They soon found what they were looking for in Banksville. As Sara says, “We loved the land, the homes have a lot of property and our house sits on a preserve.” The family loves the country feel and natural beauty the neighborhood offers residents. Since there is so much open green space, there are more chances for the neighborhood kids to get together and play, whether it be bike-riding, soccer, football and more.

Living further from the Armonk town center gives Banksville residents the chance to frequent not only Armonk’s downtown, but also those of Bedford and Greenwich. This allows for more diverse interactions and the chance to meet a variety of people from different areas. Some favorite spots for the Katz family include Happiness Is, a fine foods market, The Study Fine Wines & Spirits, Greens Nails and Banksville Pizza, all situated along North Street, the small commercial hub of the hamlet.

The Katz family enjoys spending a lot of time outdoors around Banksville, whether it be going for a jog into backcountry Greenwich or playing at Memorial Park in Bedford Hills. The Banksville community is one that enjoys its natural surroundings as well as each other’s company. As Sara says, “Everyone is lovely and giving – people are always willing to carpool or watch each other’s kids.” A true testament to the neighborhood.

Yale Farms: Outdoor Living at Its Best

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Armonk’s Yale Farms sits on the border of Greenwich, CT and its historical roots lie in Connecticut as well. CT native and Yale graduate John W. Sterling once owned the land and upon his death in 1918, donated it to the university. Yale Farms is situated near Whippoorwill Ridge Park and Wampus Brook Park and residents can also enjoy a variety of outdoor activities such as tennis, walking trails, picnicking and more at nearby North Castle Community Park.

The Milim family has lived in Yale Farms since 2013. Rachel, Director of Brant Lake Sports Academy for Girls and Matthew, a small business owner, live with their children Ryan, age 10.5, Samuel, age 8.5 and Jack, age 5. The family was originally looking for a small town community close to the city but with more of a country feel. “We were looking for a place we can raise our family and that included great schools, great activities and a town with true character,” says Rachel.

Living in Yale Farms has given the Milim family a real sense of community. “We love living here because the town has become our family. There is always a sense of support – people go above and beyond to help each other out. Whether it’s a fundraiser, meal trains or just driving carpool, the saying ‘it takes a village’ is very real and it works in this town,” states Rachel.

There are always fun events going on in the neighborhood or in town. As Rachel says, “Community events are BIG in Armonk.” Some of the family’s favorites include the Chamber of Commerce Frosty Day Parade, Byram Hills Preschool Association’s Carnival, various 5K fundraisers and the Armonk Outdoor Art Show.

One favorite holiday of the Milim family is Halloween. “Halloween is a big deal here. The entire town trick-or-treats on Glendale and Wampus Avenues. Homes are decorated to the nines and filled with candy. Police monitor the area to make sure it’s a fun-filled and safe Halloween for kids of all ages!”

Living in Downtown Armonk: Just Close Enough to the Action

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Living in downtown Armonk affords its residents easy access to many points of interest including restaurants, shops and green spaces. The Kapur family calls the area home and has many reasons to love living there.

Leena, a stay-at-home-mom, Nick, who works in energy information and children Deven, age 8, Sareena, age 6 and Naya, age 4 enjoy all that their Armonk neighborhood has to offer. The family moved to the area 6.5 years ago after their second child was born. They were looking for more space than they had in their Manhattan apartment. “My family was in Long Island, Nick’s was in Connecticut, so Westchester was the perfect in-between for us. We had this idealistic view of living in a neighborhood where kids could ride their bikes and play with other kids in the neighborhood,” says Leena.

Fortunately for the family, that view became a reality when they found their Armonk home.  As Leena says, “We instantly fell in love when we pulled into our street and saw all the neighborhood kids riding their bikes together – it was an unscheduled playdate which is so unheard of these days.” The easy access to downtown make the Kapurs neighborhood ideal for the family. “It’s an easy 8-minute walk from our house – and super friendly neighbors,” says Leena.

The neighborhood is also a hot-spot for Halloween celebrations. Each year, close to 2,000   trick-or-treaters and their families come for Halloween. Neighbors decorate their lawns and create a special atmosphere for all involved. And it’s not just the kids that get into the spirit, many of the adults wear costumes and the event has grown with each passing year. In addition, during the holiday season, families stroll throughout the neighborhood singing carols.

Living in downtown Armonk, there’s always something to do. Says Leena, “We have many impromptu play dates for the kids at the playground and usually plan neighborhood drinks with our neighbors every couple of weeks.” Luckily there are many local restaurant options within short walking distance.

Returning to Raise a Family in the Tree Streets of Briarcliff Manor

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Briarcliff natives and high school sweethearts, Cari DeRose, an auditor and Cesare DeRose, owner of Tegra, a building maintenance supply company, live in the Tree Streets section of Briarcliff Manor with daughters Sabrina, age 9 and Juliana, age 5. Having both grown up in the area, settling there with their young family was a no-brainer. “When we got married in 2008 we did not consider any other towns when looking for our first place together. The sense of community and positive experience we had growing up in Briarcliff is exactly what we wished for our own children,” said Cari.

The Tree Streets were named by Walter W. Law, who founded Briarcliff Manor in the 1890’s. He wanted to name the streets after the species of trees planted in the surrounding areas such as Elm, Pine, Oak and Linden. Cari grew up in the Tree Streets and her parents still live in her childhood home. The DeRoses purchased their home three years ago and love their neighborhood. The area is very safe for kids to go out and play. As Cari says, “Since there are only two access points into the Tree Streets (Ash and Larch), there is not a lot of “thru traffic.” This allows the kids to bike and walk around a little bit more freely.”

Living in the Tree Streets provides many opportunities for neighbors to gather. On Halloween, the DeRoses saw over 400 trick-or-treaters come to their home. There’s also an annual adults-only block party held each fall.

As Cari says, “We love being a part of the Briarcliff community.” The family enjoys many local events including Family Fun Night, Santa Express, which is hosted by the Briarcliff Manor Fire Department, the Chamber of Commerce Summer Concert Series and the Halloween window painting, which takes place in town each year.

Pleasantville: A Close-Knit Community with Walkability

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It can be said that residents of Pleasantville “bleed green” (the school district’s official color). Many in the community don’t just consider themselves residents, but members of a tight-knit community that is always there to help one another. The Gorsuch family has called Pleasantville home since 2008. Abe, a private financial advisor for a large bank, Jenn, co-owner of Go Take a Hike Dog Walking with fellow Pleasantville mom, Beth D’Alessandro, Elizabeth, age 15 and Jack, age 12 love living in Pleasantville.

The family moved from the Upper West Side citing the great schools and quick city commute and soon embraced everything Pleasantville had to offer. It was hard to adjust with both parents working full-time in Manhattan, but as Jenn said, the community made it so much easier. “I met so many wonderful families just because we don’t have any buses. This is a walking community, we were forced to make new friends at school pick-up, the library, the playground. Lifelong friendships were made and I then knew we had the ideal community to raise a family in.”

The Pleasantville community comes together both in happy times and times of tragedy. After a recent loss in the community, Jack said to Jenn, “Mom, we did not have to know the family to be sad, this is Pleasantville, we are family.”  Jenn continues, “We don’t just support each other during a tragedy, we are there to celebrate each other, coach each other, parent together.” One event the family participates in each year is Break the Hold’s Into the Light Walk, which aims to break the stigma on mental illness and honor the memory of Pleasantville’s own Brian T. Halloran.

The Gorsuch family enjoys walking to most places in town. Some favorite spots include the farmers market, Jacob Burns Film Center, Arc Stages and countless restaurants such as Bistro 146. There are many community events throughout the year such as the Halloween Ragamuffin Parade, Pleasantville Day, and the fire department parade.

As Jenn says, “There is nothing like this village. I am truly blessed and so lucky to be part of it and my family is too. You can see as people come back to raise their own families here after growing up here. We are a special mix of people.”