The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Chappaqua

Playgrounds: Ready, Set, GO!

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The author’s twin boys’ tandem sliding at the smaller playground at Gedney Park.
The author’s twin boys’ tandem sliding at the smaller playground at Gedney Park. Photo by EJ Rose Photography

By Heather Skolnick

What is the one place where everyone has fun (besides Disney)? The playground! What could be better than good, old fashioned fun outside?

Playgrounds offer an opportunity for children to be children. Playgrounds are one of the few places left where batteries are not needed, and there is nary an IPad, IPhone, or Playstation in sight. Kids can run around to their hearts’ content and can use their imaginations galore.

Playgrounds offer more than a place to just play. For moms and caretakers, they are a place to meet others.

New Chappaqua resident Nikki Cosentino has been using playgrounds as one way to meet other moms within the community. She comes with her two daughters and lets them play in an enclosed environment while she socializes. Nikki says, “We have moved twice since I had my first daughter, and I always head to the local playground right away to connect with other moms. The park was our first stop here after move-in day in April. Sure enough, I was able to chat with a local mom and get some inside tips on our new town while our kids played together.” Nannies, too, enjoy the social benefits of the playground. When my nanny started, she used the playground as a place to meet people caring for kids in the same age range.

Playgrounds also serve as a place where children can develop and hone social skills. Special Educator Janet Weingarden works with children in many of our local schools. She often uses the playground as a forum for learning. She said, “The way we learn social skills is through practice and watching others. Being in a playground is a particularly effective place to do both of those things.”

She continued, the playground “offers opportunities for sharing, turn taking, collaborating, cooperating and a fantastic opportunity to build empathy. There’s also an opportunity to practice social scripts…as well as problem solving skills.” It’s no wonder Janet often goes there with her students!

From a physical standpoint, the playground offers all kinds of ways to strengthen gross motor and motor planning skills. Play structures are also filled with opportunities to improve some sensory and vestibular sensitivities. Swinging on a tire swing provides vestibular input to help increase the ability to process movement. Jumping is an example of “heavy work” which many teachers and therapists have found to improve attention and calmness for hours afterwards. Physical activity also increases arousal level which can help raise confidence. All in all, the learning opportunities on the playground could rival the classroom!

Now that we know all the benefits of playgrounds, where can we find them within our community? Specifically in New Castle, there are five playgrounds from which to choose. According to the 2010 census, the town has an approximate population of 23,000 people, 23% of whom are under the age of 18. With about 5,300 kids to keep busy, it’s no wonder that the town has a plethora of exciting playgrounds!

Gedney Park is the first playground that comes to mind for most. It includes baseball fields, soccer fields, hiking trails and the pond. Gedney offers two playground areas. The main playground area includes two distinct playground structures (one for the bigger kids, one scaled down for smaller children) with all the standard fixings–twisty slides, bouncy bridges, things to climb, etc. There are also monkey bars, swings and even a clubhouse complete with sandbox area. What else could a child want? Town Recreation Superintendent Bob Snyder said that a new play structure offers tons of fun in a safe, updated format for children.

Still at Gedney, a short walk leads to another, smaller play structure. This area is ideal for families who might have another child playing baseball at the adjacent fields Some children like this mini playground because it’s more subdued, having far fewer children playing at a time. Lastly, Gedney Park also has clean bathroom facilities just off the path from the main playground. This is an important feature for the potty training set.

Discover the “Train Park”

Formally listed as Recreation Field Park on the Town’s website, my kids call it the “Train Park.” If someone doesn’t tell you it’s there, you’d never know. Set back behind Recreation Fields and also adjacent to the train’s rear parking lot, it’s not readily visible from the road. With its proximity to the town Library, it makes for a great combination outing. The playground itself offers lot of unique features sure to entertain the pre-school kids as well as more sophisticated activities like the “zip line” for older kids. This playground is also budgeted for an overhaul soon.

Chappaqua mother of two Dayna Lord recently had a playdate at Recreation Field Park. After her first visit there, she said, “This is one of the most kid-friendly parks around that can easily be combined with a trip into town, the library, diner or ice cream. This is a perfect park for toddlers and those learning to walk, too!” It sounds like she will be back soon!

Another fun option is Smith Park in Mount Kisco. This is a lesser known park as it is really tucked away amid residential streets. It offers a fun play structure with a well mulched ground to protect from any skinned knees. There’s a basketball court for older kids and a large grassy area for a catch or for walking your dog.

Millwood Park is another local option. Set atop the baseball field and adjacent to the tennis courts, the playground offers a standalone twisty slide, a set of swings, and a seesaw. This playground is a convenient option for families trying to entertain children while a softball game is underway.

Lastly, Amsterdam Park in Ossining also has a playground to entertain kids while a sibling is playing soccer. With so many options, there’s always a good reason to get the kids outside.

As the weather warms up, have the kids put down the electronics, and head to the playground!!

Heather Skolnick, her husband and three children live in New Castle. Heather works for a major retailer where she designs systems and processes to support Omnichannel shopping.

Chappaqua Paint & Hardware

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hardware store frontOur store, located at 59 S. Greeley Avenue in Chappaqua, is an old fashioned hardware store… friendly, reliable, convenient, knowledgeable, and helpful. We are open seven days a week, during snow storms, hurricanes and power outages. Customers come to us at all hours for help with issues like replacing broken light bulbs, selecting paint colors, delivering BBQ grills, special ordering generators, and assisting with handyman projects. Chappaqua Paint & Hardware knows that a good hardware store is committed to helping our customers with all their household needs. Our #1 priority is to keep a happy home for every customer! chappaquapandh.com

My “Farm to Table” Table

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By Dana Y. Wu

In 2014, when my family and I moved to Kipp Street, two black walnut trees swayed precariously over the driveway and power lines of our farmhouse colonial built in the 1900s. Their roots were exposed in the shallow, allopathic soil and black walnuts the size of tennis balls rained down on us.

Reluctantly, we got the tree removal permit and called Bill Davies of Westchester Tree Life. He told us that the wood was valuable and offered to take the huge trunks to White Oak Farm in Yorktown for milling.

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Jason Ballard (My Minds Design, Grafton, Vermont), a talented woodworker, had made built-ins and an antique barn beam mantle for our former house on Birch Lane. We asked if he could create an eight-foot dining table for the new house and he was thrilled to work with wood from our homegrown trees.

Bri Hart at White Oak Farm selected the best pieces for the table top for milling into nine foot planks. The wood was sawn to Jason’s specified dimensions and kiln dried for two months. When it was ready, Bri declared this was some of the best walnut he had ever seen. Serendipitously, another of Bri’s custom timber cuts was ready to head north and we happily piggybacked onto that delivery to get our 900 linear feet of walnut to Grafton.

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Maggie Nielsen was helping us furnish our home, on land that was part of the extensive Kipp family holdings from the mid-1700s. She designed a casual dining room for daily homework, reading and meals by our busy family of six. It took several discussions and wood samples by mail to get the table’s vintage character, the stain and the finish figured out with Jason. Maggie had suggestions about the table’s base to match the tone we had set with the dining room’s new paint, windows and rug from Caravan Connection in Bedford Hills.

After hours of Jason’s expert craftsmanship, the finished table took up almost his entire workshop during the weeks to took to dry all 25 coats of his signature polish. He delivered it in January 2016, and we were so excited to see how its proportions, color and warm feel were all in perfect harmony with the 100 year old house.

The table had finally come home.

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Our “farm to table” table soon will be joined with a beautifully handcrafted mirror, a sideboard and chairs, all made from this wood harvested from our property. They will become true family heirlooms. The organic, creative collaboration between Bill, Bri, Maggie and Jason brought the walnut trees that were growing outside into the heart of our home.

Dana Y. Wu, a Chappaqua mom of four, is an author, visual storyteller and local volunteer. Her not-for-profit management career includes experience at the New York Public Library. A life-long New Yorker, she graduated from Stuyvesant High School and Columbia University. She pursues her writing with the vibrant, creative community at the Jacob Burns Media Arts Center.

Hunts Place: STILL a Poor Choice for Affordable Housing Here

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The Hunts Point Location
The Hunts Point Location

By Eileen Gallagher

In February of 2014, I wrote an editorial about affordable housing in New Castle, specifically the Conifer proposal for 54 Hunts Place, which had first been brought to the public’s attention in 2012. Four years later, this project is still under vehement discussion.

It is fair to ask why this project has been taking so long to get the required variances and permits. After all, in the span of about 16 months, two affordable housing units are already underway at 300 King Street in town, and 28 units are set to go at Chappaqua Crossing. Why has it taken more than four years for Conifer to get the go ahead?

The answer can be found in one word–safety. There are a myriad of safety issues, stemming from a plan to shoehorn 28 units into a tiny plot of contaminated land literally hemmed in by a bridge, highway, and railroad tracks, and at a current cost of $17.2 million and rising.

The numbers are staggering, as are the issues. Equally distressing is the fact that this location defies just about every stipulation of the 2009 affordable housing settlement, which called for seamless integration into the neighborhood and the avoidance of isolation or stigmatizing the units as affordable housing. Clever interpretations of wording can help to steer this project forward, but cannot overcome the known safety issues.

Conifer’s visual rendering of the proposed a ordable housing
Conifer’s visual rendering of the proposed a ordable housing

At Conifer’s most recent appearance before the town board on February 9, several residents, myself included, appealed to the town board to carefully consider the latest decision by the NYS Department of Transportation to not allow the construction of a fence along both sides of the bridge, which the board of 2013 had required as part of the special permit. The DOT cited dangers of such a fence in case of a car accident, for example, which would pin a car to the fence and not allow for removal of an occupant of the vehicle. With the fence out of the question, there is nothing currently in the proposal to ensure the safety of the residents of the building who would be tempted to cross in the middle of the bridge to get into town, especially children on their way to the park, to school, to the library, etc.

Nor is there a plan for an emergency generator for the building. One reason might be the lack of space (other than on the already-crowded roof) due to the plan to build lot-line to lot-line. When asked about the lack of a generator and what the contingency is during a power outage for the 14 apartments steps from the tracks that will be built with inoperable windows, an architect hired by Conifer replied, “As far as I am aware, emergency generator operation is not required for the mechanical ventilation of those units.” Their attorney’s comment during that same Board of Architectural Review meeting, “I hate to deal with hypotheticals,” speaks volumes.

Unfortunately, this has been a pattern throughout the years Conifer has come before the town board. Minimum requirements take precedence over safety and comfort. Loopholes in the wording of permits and variances give rise to victories for them, but not for our community.

Both our police and fire chiefs have conveyed to the board that this project continues to be dangerously located with major safety flaws. Fire Chief Russell Maitland characterized his department as having been “waving the flag,” describing his writing letters, appearing before the state Board of Review, meeting with the developer and the town board, and asserting that “not a lot has changed from our perspective.” At the town board meeting on Feb 9, he reminded the board, and all who were watching, that the fire department has no political agenda. “We’re not elected. We’re not paid.” Maitland ended with a plea to the board to do the right thing to ensure the safety of all.

The sad truth is that this misguided, misplaced project with its skyrocketing costs and ever-mounting obstacles will cost us way more than the monetary price tag. Fortunately, we are in the process of building two lovely, safe, and welcoming affordable homes at 300 King Street with Habitat for Humanity of Westchester.

Additionally, 28 affordable housing units will be built in the cupola building at Chappaqua Crossing. Both of these projects are being designed with the comfort and safety of all involved. They speak to the warmth, care, and generosity of time and talent within our community. But 54 Hunts Place would tell a different story.

Conifer continues to pursue 54 Hunts Place for their building, despite being offered an alternative site with the potential for even more units. Their claim is that they have already spent too much money on plans at the current site.

A commenter on Facebook said she feared if we put the brakes on Conifer, a potential lawsuit would cost our town too much money. My question to Conifer, and to everyone, is this: how much money is a life worth? The lives of families, of volunteer emergency responders, of the community?

When you take a step back, clear away the social media frenzy, and consider the lives that are at stake, can you truly believe that 54 Hunts Place should be the home for 28 families?

Eileen Gallagher is a 13-year resident of Chappaqua with her husband and two sons. A member of CFRAH, Chappaqua for Responsible Affordable Housing, she has been working diligently for the safety of future residents of our town. Her latest volunteer efforts include working with her husband at 300 King Street–the site of two Habitat for Humanity affordable housing condominiums.

Save the Date

Conifer promises to return to town on March 29, when they will continue their efforts to obtain the necessary permits. Please consider attending the meeting that evening and/or writing to the town board at the addresses below to add your voice to this important issue.

townboard@mynewcastle.org

Rob Greenstein

RGreenstein@MyNewCastle.org

Adam Brodsky

ABrodsky@MyNewCastle.org

Lisa Katz

LKatz@MyNewCastle.org

Hala Makowska

HMakowska@MyNewCastle.org

Jeremy M. Saland

JSaland@MyNewCastle.org

Chappaqua Crossing Groundbreaking: “‘Super’ for Us”

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By Matt Smith

“It takes a village,” Summit Development President Felix Charney began his speech on the morning of Super Tuesday, to kick off the official Groundbreaking ceremony for the new retail complex at Chappaqua Crossing Headquarters. “Given your presence here in this room, this is a village. And given the contribution that each of you in this room has made in one form or another, over the course of [the review of] this project, we all now have something today we can celebrate, and hopefully be very proud of… It’s Super Tuesday [in the political world], but it’s super for us, ‘cause it’s been a hell of a long ride, and we finally made it through.”

The groundbreaking official first dig. (L-R) Westchester Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett; Summit Development President Felix Charney; New Castle Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein; Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Michael Kaplowitz; Jeff Melby, Senior Vice President Life Time Real Estate and Development; Jake Grossman, co-President Grossman Companies. Photo by Matt Smith.
The groundbreaking official first dig.
(L-R) Westchester Deputy County Executive Kevin Plunkett;
Summit Development President Felix Charney; New Castle Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein; Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Michael Kaplowitz;
Jeff Melby, Senior Vice President Life Time Real Estate and Development;
Jake Grossman, co-President Grossman Companies. Photo by Matt Smith.

The plan, which Charney noted was 11 years in review and spanned the terms of four different town supervisors — Janet Wells, Barbara Gerrard, Susan Carpenter, and Rob Greenstein, all of whom were in attendance — will add a Whole Foods Market, LifeTime Fitness, and 28 affordable housing units to the former Reader’s Digest campus off Bedford and Roaring Brook Roads.

“This is a unique project — there is nothing like it in Westchester,” Charney continues. “The fact is, this is a magnificent town with phenomenal schools — it deserves amenities [whose standards are held] at the same bar.”

To that end, the development also includes plans for 91 luxury townhomes, a completely decked-out 500,000-square-foot cultural center, and a shuttle connecting to the Metro-North train station in the center of town, all of which are underway.

To say the 75 community members in attendance were in high spirits during the ceremony would be an understatement. “The truth is, a lot of people didn’t know if they would ever see it happen, and it’s happening,” says New Castle Town Supervisor Rob Greenstein. Despite the arduous process, he notes that “together, we made sure we ended up with a project that would benefit our entire community. We ensured the residents of New Castle the best possible outcome, amenities and aesthetics, as well as the commercial tax dollars we desperately need.” In short, as he states, “What started out as the longest and most controversial land use application in our town’s history, ended up as the perfect example of the benefits of working together.”

During the ceremony, representatives from both of the “retail village” companies expanded upon how their respective companies would specifically contribute to the well-being of the community.

“To be able to be part of a project that brings Whole Foods Market to Northern Westchester County and the great town of Chappaqua is something we’re so excited about,” says Whole Foods representative Michael Sinatra, adding that the opening of the store will satisfy customers who, through social media, expressed a need for such a venue in Northern Westchester. “One thing we really hang our hat on is our ability to partner with local non-profits, our local schools, [and] local food banks, and that’s also something we’ll look to extend when we open this property next year.”

Comments Brian Smith, area director of LifeTime Fitness, of their specific plans: “This [facility] destination will be unique [as opposed to others in Westchester]. It will have a broad array of highly personalized programs and services, that will allow our members to really go after the things they are most passionate about. If we can do [here] what we’ve done in our other facilities in Westchester, which is [to] really create a third home for folks in the community, I think we’ll have succeeded. We are honored and privileged to be here with you all today, and we are so excited about bringing this thing to life next year.”

The morning was capped off by an official groundbreaking, complete with a first dig and initial bulldozing — “‘Cause who doesn’t want to toss some dirt?” jokes Charney — and a lunch, catered (quite appropriately) by Whole Foods.

The first blow. Photo by Matt Smith
The first blow. Photo by Matt Smith.
Overview of the Village. Photo by John Vecchiolla.
Overview of the Village. Photo by John Vecchiolla.

Despite the grueling process and the long road ahead to completion, Greenstein, who, in fact, was once opposed to the project, now admits he can see the light at the end of the tunnel. “I personally think when this project is completed — maybe… four to five years down the road — there’s going to be some people that are going to say, “I can’t even believe that there was ever opposition to it,” because that’s how great I think the project is going to end up.”

Echoes Deputy Westchester County Executive Kevin Plunkett: “It shows that if we all work together, even over a long period of time, good things [can] happen and we can make a difference in Westchester County.” That we can, Mr. Plunkett, and we look forward to seeing what you, Charney, and Greenstein, can create with the rest of your team, and see how “this iconic piece of Westchester” can be repurposed for the next generation.

Chappaqua Crossing is located at 480 Bedford Road, just off of RT-117. CNB Builders will be in charge of construction. Whole Foods Market, the first building within the retail village to be constructed, is currently set to open in January 2017. For more information, please visit www.chappaquacrossing.com.