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My Dad’s Most Impactful Contributions to New Castle As Town Supervisor

December 1, 2019 by Jessie Greenstein

Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein and Jessie

Last month right before Election Day, I was asked to interview and write about our Town’s Supervisor (aka my dad) Rob Greenstein, and hear what he thinks were his ten most impactful contributions to the New Castle community. Luckily, I have direct access to him so scheduling time with him wasn’t an issue. Here is what my dad believes are his ten most significant accomplishments, besides surviving Chappaqua Moms!

1. He helped to start the eNewsletter.  He tells me that the eNewsletter and his Supervisor reports inform residents on town updates and events. Does anyone really read them?

2. He planned and completed the infamous infrastructure & streetscape project. He tells me the project includes new sewers, drainage to stop downtown from flooding, and hopes to improve the appearance of downtown Chappaqua. It will also make it safer to walk around. Are you kidding Dad? The construction hazards were also treacherous. And what about all those cones?!?!

He worked on updating the zoning in downtown Chappaqua to encourage more housing. He even helped to plan our first all-inclusive playground. The new basketball court in the back corner of town hall parking lot will bring people to play and exercise, and maybe after a game they’ll stop at one of the many nail salons- only kidding :). To highlight all of this, DiscoverChappaqua.com was created. I can’t wait to see it…

3. My dad played a pivotal role in Chappaqua Crossing. Everyone loves Whole Foods & Life Time. And I can’t wait for the Starbucks! I mean a drive thru Starbucks right next to the high school, that’s a coffee addict’s dream come true. He tells me that some new restaurants are coming. We’ve been hearing that for a long time. When?

My dad told me that Chappaqua Crossing will once again become an economic engine that drives our commercial tax base. Huh? I do think it’s cool that the old Readers Digest headquarters is now housing. My dad is also very proud of the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. It is nice, and the price was right ($1) but it needs some work. It’s no Radio City Music Hall but it will only get better.      

4. My Dad also helped bring DeCiccos & Sons to Millwood. I mean their guacamole and chips is exceptional! But, rest in peace A&P.

5. He helped create the Distracted Driving initiative in town. His team started the “Hands Off the Phone and On the Wheel” project. He loves his magnets. Just look around. We have lots of SUVS in town–many with magnets.

6. Like my older brother, my dad is really into the environment. He tells me New Castle was the first municipality in New York State to choose green electricity.  That apparently means that our energy comes from renewable sources. He also helped ban plastic bags in town. The funny part is that he still forgets to bring his reusable bags to stores. It’s fun watching him juggle the groceries when he leaves a store. I guess I could help.

7. He helped institute the 2017 Comprehensive Plan. What the heck is that?  He tells me that we received an American Planning Association Award for it. Get a life, dad.   

8. He is proud of a few committees they started such as Every Person is Connected (EPIC), Community Inclusion & Diversity Committee and the New Castle Holocaust & Human Rights Committee.

9. He also helped pave a lot of streets. But, I think they forgot to pave our street.

10. Finally, my dad helped to create the New Castle Holocaust Memorial. With help from members of the community, 750 daffodils were planted. The Daffodil Project hopes to plant 1.5 million Daffodils in memory of the children who perished in the Holocaust. I can’t wait to see the flowers in the spring.

Dad, I know myself, the rest of the family, and the community have given you a tough time over the years. But retirement has come! Let’s buy a walking cane and anti-grey hair spray (oh wait, you don’t have hair)!  Thank you for all you have done for the town. Your efforts have most certainly not gone unnoticed. It was evident how much you cared and contributed to the town and I know you will forever leave a mark on the community.

Filed Under: Et Cetera Tagged With: Comittee for Diversity and Inclusion, daughter, Distracted Driving, diversity, downtown, ENewsletter, Humor, Robert Greenstein, Streetscape, town supervisor

Re-Discovering the Splendor of Downtown Chappaqua

November 13, 2019 by The Inside Press

By Marianne Campolongo

With chic boutiques, salons for pampering, toys and ice cream cones to keep kids happy, and restaurants to suit every palate, it is fun to shop and dine in downtown Chappaqua. Whether your tastes run to antiques or modern design, practical clothing or the latest fashions, you are sure to find what you need in one of the shops along the village’s tree-lined streets.

Photo by Grace Bennett

With the Chappaqua Downtown Revitalization Project nearing completion, visiting town will soon be even more enjoyable. After tearing up portions of the road and sidewalk to replace crumbling infrastructure, including underground water mains, sewer lines, and stormwater drains, some over 80 years old, the town will look better than ever with new wider sidewalks, improved roadways, pedestrian plazas, beautiful plantings, seating walls, and other amenities to make the village even more inviting and pedestrian-friendly.

The downtown area runs from the top of Bedford Road (Route 117) down King Street and then branches out along North and South Greeley Avenues. On a beautiful spring day, take a moment to enjoy the lush star magnolias in bloom at the small park on the top of King Street before you head toward town. Within a few feet you can purchase clothes, get marketing or spiritual advice, pick up convenience store necessities, wines and spirits, do your banking, get your nails and hair done (and get your furry friends groomed as well), get your clothes dry cleaned, grab a sandwich, pizza, or cup of coffee, and you’ve just started out.

As you travel down the hill, older homes with lush green lawns sit side-by-side with houses repurposed by local businesses such as dentists and doctors, architects and antique shops, making for a pleasant walk. You’ll notice a myriad of professionals you can call on without straying beyond the boundaries of downtown Chappaqua.

Photo by Grace Bennett

For over 65 years now, spring is time for the First Congregational Church’s Barn Sale, so put aside items to donate while you do your spring cleaning, or head to the sale to buy new and gently used items at bargain prices. St. John and Mary Roman Catholic Church’s Spring Festival features games, crafts and wonderful food, and is also fast becoming a new Chappaqua tradition.

Although it is technically spring, the annual Memorial Day Parade marks the official start of the summer season. As a tradition for over 80 years, June brings St. Mary the Virgin Episcopal Church’s Strawberry Festival with all its crafts, music, games, and great food including scrumptious strawberry shortcake baked by the church’s parishioners. An end of school SummerFest, a newcomer on the scene has activity floats, gymnastic instruction, raffles and live music at the gazebo; it was already a big hit its first year. On Wednesday nights in July, the gazebo is in full swing with the Summer Concert Series. Bring a picnic dinner or buy from pop-ups hosted by local restaurants. And be sure to check out the weekly Chappaqua Farmer’s Market. Also, there’s festivity and deals galore at the annual and much anticipated summer July Sidewalk Sale!

The Northern Westchester Artists Guild (NWAG) is particularly busy in the summer, with outdoor art sales. Throughout the year they also sponsor Art Around Town where local businesses host an artist. Spend the evening going from store to store viewing art and enjoying drinks and hors d’oeuvre. The NWAG just opened a new studio space in town, too.

When the weather gets warmer, many restaurants place tables outside, so it is a great time to meet a friend or take the family out for a meal. The new wider sidewalks are sure to make dining al fresco on any beautiful day or eve even better.

As autumn approaches and the nesting urge takes hold, interior designers, antique dealers, picture framers, and home goods stores can help you find ways to redecorate, or you can simply pop into town for a bouquet of flowers to brighten up your home. Make room for new purchases by donating older items to local consignment shops, pick up a charming find at bargain prices, or get DIY advice at the local hardware store. The fall is also a great time to learn more about your community and Community Day, hosted by the Rotary Club (see below), is a great place to start. Food, fun activities for the kids, and booths sponsored by all manner of town groups and businesses will give you insight. The Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival and the Ragamuffin Parade at Halloween round out the fall fun.

Winter is a great time to find a good book at the Chappaqua Library or the wonderful independent bookstore to curl up with by the fire, or buy a sled or shovel for outdoor activity. Warm coats, snow boots and other outdoor gear are easy to find right in town. Beautiful cocktail dresses and finely tailored suits are also on the agenda, with sparkling jewels to round out your outfit. You might even spy one of the Clintons completing their holiday shopping and strike up a conversation. Wander into the charming Horace Greeley House, which houses the New Castle Historical Society, to learn about the town’s beginnings, or simply enjoy the beautiful fir tree outside, lit up for the holiday season. It is also the season for Wine Around Town, sponsored by the Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce. Merchants throughout downtown Chappaqua host special sales along with free wine tastings and hors d’oeuvre.

It is only about a mile long, but you can find nearly everything you need from shopping to dining to services in Chappaqua’s downtown district. So, before you trek off to the crowded mall, try shopping local. You will be glad you did!

Editor’s Note: There has been much excitement and patronag e of the supermarkets that have opened. (See our stories on Millwood/West End and about Chappaqua Crossing.) Many ‘Chappaquans’ continue to appreciate the small thriving food markets downtown too and, of course, all the vibrant dining in/take out options. Bon appétit!

Filed Under: Discover New Castle Tagged With: Dine, downtown, Fairs, festival, King Street, local businesses, Revitalization, Shop, South Greeley Avenue

Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival 2019: What a Day!

October 26, 2019 by Grace Bennett

Under sunny, bright blue skies, and with some 8,000 attendees and 152 authors gathered in downtown Chappaqua on October 5, the 2019 Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival had “its best day ever,” said founder Dawn Greenberg, “And we can’t wait to do it again.” The ‘literary loyalty’ on hand,” she said, included Ce Ce Bell who travelled from Virginia, Jarrett J Krosoczka, Nikki Grimes, and Dan Gutman. “All were lovely and so thrilled to meet so many excited readers in one place.” The event is possible due to the creative and hardworking efforts of the CCBF’s Board of Directors Greenberg, Madeline Finesmith, Amy Kaiser, Joanna Segal, Lori Morton, Cheryl Fisher, Arianna Grassia and Sally Cook, plus many generous sponsors. Behind the scenes, a village of volunteers work everything from author hospitality and panels to costumed characters and downtown decoration, and more!  Visit CCBFestival.org to stay abreast of 2020 plans.

Filed Under: Happenings Tagged With: author hospitality, authors, Best Day, Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival, costumed characters, downtown, Panels, Volunteers

Downtown Chappaqua: Charm and Convenience

August 5, 2015 by The Inside Press

gazebo
Story and Gazebo Photo by Marianne Campolongo

With chic boutiques, restaurants to suit every palate, goodies for the younger set from toys to ice cream cones, galleries, salons, and a host of other enterprises housed in quaint storefronts, shopping and dining local in downtown Chappaqua is a pleasure. Whether your tastes run to antiques or modern art, practical clothing or the latest fashions, you are sure to find what you need in one of the shops along the tree-lined streets of town. The downtown area, which runs from the top of Bedford Road (Route 117) down King Street and then branches out along North and South Greeley Avenues, offers more than just shopping and dining convenience. Interspersed among the shops are lovely private homes and houses of worship with lushly landscaped lawns that border the sidewalk, making for a pleasant walking and shopping experience. Bits of history, such as the Horace Greeley House, add to the charm.

On a lovely spring day, start at the top of King Street and walk downhill along the path under lush star magnolias in bloom. Within a few feet you can purchase clothes, get marketing or spiritual advice, pick up convenience store necessities, wines and spirits, do your banking, have someone do your nails and hair (and your furry friend’s as well), get your clothes dry cleaned, grab a sandwich, pizza, or cup of coffee, dining in or to go, and you’ve just started out.

As you proceed down King Street, past beautifully maintained period homes, dentists and doctors, veterinarians and therapists, photographers and plumbers, architects and surveyors, bankers and financial planners, and a myriad of other professionals can help you out without straying beyond the boundaries of downtown Chappaqua.

New Castle teens at the Goldsmith Center for Adolescent Treatment in Hawthorne where a a sports pavilion, picnic tables, and benches were dedicated, built with $25,000 the boys raised. Photo Courtesy of UJA-Federation of New York
New Castle teens at the Goldsmith Center for Adolescent Treatment in Hawthorne where a a sports pavilion, picnic tables, and benches were dedicated, built with $25,000 the boys raised.
Photo Courtesy of UJA-Federation of New York

As summer approaches, many restaurants have outdoor seating so meet a friend or take the family out to dine al fresco for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A new restaurant at the Chappaqua Train Station has just been opened for commuter or anytime convenience. Or grab a bite and settle in on one of the benches in the charming pocket park or up by the waterfall at the duck pond. On Wednesday nights in July, it’s time for a full-blown picnic on the ballfields by the gazebo (bring your own picnic basket or choose from the local vendors on hand) when the Summer Concert Series is in full session. And do not miss the weekly farmer’s market or the annual Sidewalk Sale!

As autumn approaches and the nesting urge takes hold, decorators, antique shops, galleries, and other home goods stores can help you complete your home decor, or simply pop into town for a bouquet of flowers to brighten up your home. Make room for new purchases by donating older items to local consignment shops, pick up a charming find at bargain prices, or get DIY advice at the local hardware store.

As winter rounds the bend, find a good book at the library to curl up with by the fire, or a sled or shovel for outdoor activity. The beachwear and sandals you purchased in summer give way to warm coats, snow boots and other outdoor wear. Beautiful cocktail dresses and finely tailored suits are also on the agenda, with sparkling jewels to round out your outfit. You might even spy one of the Clintons completing their holiday shopping.

Though it is only about a mile long, you can find nearly everything you need from shopping to dining to services in Chappaqua’s downtown district. So, before you trek off to the crowded mall, try shopping local. You will be glad you did.

Filed Under: Inside My New Castle Tagged With: Chappaqua, downtown, restaurant, shops

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