The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Sarah Ellen Rindsberg

Stately Home Receives Landmark Designation

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Isaiah Williams House

Part of the charm of the hamlet is found in its old houses.  Located most frequently along major roads, these structures often undergo extensive renovations in keeping with the original design.

The mission of the Landmarks Advisory Committee in the Town of New Castle is to identify buildings and sites steeped in history.  This information is then utilized by the Board of Architectural Review, the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals, when considering applications by home and property owners.

When Gray Williams, Town Historian and Chair of the Landmarks Advisory Committee, toured the majestic blue grey home at 300 Quaker Road, he posed his usual question:  “Can I go to the basement?”  In his estimation, the best way to determine the age of a building is by examining the basement and the attic.  Here, he found a very shallow cellar and a very steep staircase on the upper level, definitive characteristics of old homes.  The committee asked the homeowner whether they would be interested in having the house added to the landmarks list.  When they responded in the affirmative, a letter was submitted to Town Supervisor Susan Carpenter and the house was subsequently accorded landmark status by the Town Board.

This Italianate home is steeped in the ancestry of the hamlet.  It has been owned by several families including the Reynolds and the Keelers.  Another owner was Isaiah Williams, Horace Greeley’s lawyer.

Homeowners are often interested in receiving this designation.  “They know it has been acknowledged and vetted by the town,”  Williams noted.  “That makes it more attractive.”

Jean Baker, the selling agent for the home at Houlihan Lawrence, concurred:  “It gives you a sense of character and roots.

Come On Down!

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To Chappaqua.  The town will be hopping on the next two Saturdays, November 24 and December 1, when the merchants will be ushering in the holiday season with tunes, food and entertainment.

Note the banners adorning the bridge into town, emblazoned with the slogan “Shop Small”.  This Saturday is Small Business Saturday, and the merchants are embracing it in a big way.

This day “is about the residents showing their appreciation for the merchants that do so much for the community,” founder and acting president of the Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce, Rob Greenstein said.  In the fall the merchants sponsored two widely attended events:  the taste of Chappaqua and fall festival; where free rides were offered to everyone.  This day – strategically positioned between Black Friday and Cyber Monday – is an extremely important one for local businesses.  Since shoppers do tend to work up an appetite, two food purveyors have stepped up to the plate  – Local will be serving a lunch special of soup and salad for $8 and a free ice cream or beverage to anyone presenting a receipt from a local store totally $25 or more and Le Jardin is offering 15% off lunch items.

On December 1, Desires by Mikolay will be sponsoring coffee and hot chocolate, right after the traditional concert by the Chappaqua Orchestra and the tree lighting at the New Castle Historical Society.  The community is then invited to stroll through the newly decorated town.  Candles will line the sidewalks and lighted snowflakes will soar.  An ice sculptor will be creating masterpieces in front of Desires, shops will stay open late and a singer will serenade.

Anticipation is high for both Saturday happenings.  “It’ll get people in the mood for the holiday spirit,” Alissa Harvey, proprietor of The King’s Scribe observed.  “I give a lot of credit to the chamber for making the town vibrant,” she continued.

Cleaning Up

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When Hurricane Sandy hit, the Department of Public Works leapt into action.  One of the first steps it took was to set up the Emergency Operations Center in town hall and a warming center at the senior center.  After that, the focus remained on the highest priority – keeping the roads open.

In describing the EOC, Anthony Vaccaro, Commissioner of Public Works noted that this was “the first time it was really used to its full extent.”  The center facilitated operations between town personnel and first responders.  “During the height of the storm, we were in constant communication,” Vaccaro said.

In addition, staff from the DPW worked closely with “cut and clear” crews from Con Edison.  The utility company was responsible for determining whether downed wires were alive or dead to insure the safety of all involved.

The highway department has been dealing with an extraordinary amount of debris and mulch.  The recycling center is overflowing.  Some mulch is being stockpiled at Warburg Park and excess may be sent to a private facility.  The town has employed the services of Almstead Tree and Shrub Care, a private contractor who has been working with the town for a couple of years to provide assistance when resources are stretched.

When asked how the water treatment plant fared, Vaccaro beamed.  “We’ve maintained running water throughout the entire event,” he said.

The building and maintenance department worked steadily to insure that the generators at town hall were operational.  The EOC was powered by generators which have been in place for about ten years.

The town’s mechanics played a critical role in maintaining vehicles.  When breakdowns occurred, repairs were completed as fast as possible.

During the first ten days after Sandy came to town, the department was staffed round the clock.  Tuesday, November 13 was the first day on which no overtime hours were recorded.

Nature Uprooted

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Around 4:00 a.m. on Monday, October 29, Bill Davies’s phone started ringing. The co-owner of Westchester Tree Life was ready.  Thanks to accurate weather forecasts, he had already begun preparations for Hurricane Sandy and had taken precautions during the previous week to insure that his firm was well equipped to provide assistance to as many homeowners as possible.  The equipment was in excellent working condition and crews had been working feverishly; steeling up weak trees and pruning.

Increased profits were far from Davies’s mind as he began assigning workers and divvying up tasks.  “I hate seeing storms like this,” he noted.  “Our business is preservation.”   He spoke with reverence about the many trees his firm has planted and maintained for 27 years.  To this avid hiker, seeing so many of them destroyed was devastating.

The destruction left in Sandy’s wake, gave Davies pause.  As a veteran of his industry, he has definitely noticed a dramatic change in the severity of storms.  “The four or five worst storms have occurred in the past two and a half years,” Davies said.  The greatest number of sizable trees – in terms of diameter, were lost in this storm than ever before.

In Davies’s eyes, the character of the entire area has been altered by the storm, leaving a leafy suburb in need of reforestation.  “It changes the whole suburban woodlot,” Davies began.  “If I could suggest one thing to property owners, I’d say start to replace.”  He urges everyone to place a high priority on replanting at least one or two trees a year to reconstitute landscapes.

Instead of rushing to replant here and there, Davies prefers a measured approach.  As a certified arborist, he counsels people on choosing sturdy, disease resistant replacements and stresses the importance of “diversity.”  When blights strike, an entire species can be wiped out.  By choosing a variety of trees, the homeowner mitigates the chances of massive loss.  An optimal mix also includes trees of different ages.  While Davies cited oaks, maples and sycamores as being viable choices, he also stressed that different types will thrive on every site.

The process of deciding whether damaged trees can be saved is a delicate one.  In last year’s October storm, heavy snow took a toll on many branches.  This kind of destruction meant that many more trees could be saved.  In contrast, vast numbers of trees were toppled by gusts of 75 to 80 miles per hour during Hurricane Sandy.  “With enough wind, even healthy trees can fail,” Davies observed.  Large numbers of white pines and Norway spruce fell due to their shallow roots.

Topography also played a major role during Sandy.  Davies explained that many of the old oaks in Chappaqua are located on hillsides.  The strength of their root systems is hindered by growing in rocks, thus rendering them too weak to resist gale force winds.

Two weeks after the storm, activity changed to clean-up mode.  Due to the extraordinary amount of mulch generated from the fallen trees, it is first hauled away from individual sites and then picked up by a contractor.   For those looking ahead to preparing beds in the spring or cushioning playgrounds, mulch may be left on site.

The environmental impact of the storm was monumental.  The loss of so many trees means an increase in erosion.   This affects not only the individual homeowner but their neighbors as well.  “That’s why there’s a tree permit law,” Davies observed.  This regulation requires property owners to obtain a permit before removing any trees.

Tree companies were definitely not the only ones working tirelessly in the aftermath of the storm.  Workers from utility, cable, phone and heating companies flooded the area.  Davies noted that everyone cooperated and helped each other whenever possible.  His firm made sure that driveways were clear so that other workers could gain access to damaged properties.

On the subject of prevention, Davies mentioned the importance of having a solid maintenance program in place.  One of the techniques his workers used before the storm was cabling.  By securing elements of a tree together with cables, the entire structure is fortified.  Another tool is the resistograph; a device that checks for decay.  When significant weakness is detected, removal is recommended.

As the pace of his work slowed down a wee bit, Davies took a moment to reflect.  “Go see the Bedford Oak,” he exhorted.  This approximately 500 year old treasure still reigns at the intersection of Hook Road and Old Bedford Road.

Burglaries at the Chappaqua Train Station

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Picture this:  After a long day at work or play in the city, you get off the train at Chappaqua and head to the car.  Instead of hopping in the car and beginning the journey home, you are detained by the necessity of calling the police to report a broken window and missing GPS.  This unhappy scenario occurred twice on October 22.

The police department received calls from two people who had parked their cars at the train station that day.  The time of the actual burglaries is undetermined.  According to Detective Sergeant James Wilson the robberies probably occurred before 5 p.m.

Prevention is key.  Wilson offered these words of caution:  “Lock your car.  Don’t leave anything valuable that’s visible from outside.  Set the alarm.”  There was no report of alarms going off from the two vehicles

While incidents in the parking lot are relatively rare, there are a few every year.  Most of these are reported by owners of cars parked in the south lot.  The most recent crime before these two was the heist of tires and rims.  Thieves jacked the car up and made off with the loot.

Allan Maraynes has been parking at the train station for 25 years and always felt that the lot was safe.  “I’ve never heard of anybody getting broken into,” he said.  After learning about the two crimes, he vowed to take precautions.

The police are increasing patrols of both lots.  Reports of suspicious activity should be called in to 238-4422.