The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Groundbreaking Ceremony

Full Steam Ahead for STREETSCAPE

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(L-R) County Legislator Chairman Mike Kaplowitz, State Assemblyman David Buchwald, and New Castle Town Board’s Adam Brodsky, Supervisor Rob Greenstein, Matt Slater (chief of staff for Senator Chris Murphy) NCTB’s Lisa Katz and Hala Makowska at a groundbreaking ceremony for Streetscape.

A groundbreaking ceremony took place earlier this summer celebrating the launch of Streetscape – an ambitious Town of New Castle construction project intended to fix and enhance sidewalks, public
spaces, infrastructure, roadways, and add streetlamps and plantings.

The work, the town officials promised, will alleviate infrastructure challenges in and further beautify downtown Chappaqua; the ceremony brought together virtually everyone involved in bringing the project to fruition. “We are replacing our historic foundations that in some cases are over 80 years old, with a new and reimagined Hamlet,” stated Town Council member Adam Brodsky, who was at the helm of the project. “This hard work will be the basis to allow our businesses to grow and more people to call the Downtown home over the distant future. Our Hamlet has gone too long without the attention it deserves. Having a beautiful and functioning Town will entice new businesses to our Downtown and help those already here to prosper.”

Brodsky thanked present and past town board members for their efforts, and also those involved in volunteer committees and to environmental and engineering consultants to the project, as well. He also quoted New Castle’s most famous resident, Horace Greeley: “I think we all, as we grow old, love to feel and know that some spot of earth is peculiarly our own–ours to possess and to enjoy, ours to improve and to transmit to our children.”

These remarks, he said, will be after careful consideration by the New Castle Historical Society engraved on a brass plaque to be forever affixed into the sidewalk in front of the Horace Greeley House. “They truly encapsulate why the beauty of our hamlet is so important. It is an extension of our homes and a place we possess, enjoy and will pass on to our children.”   — Grace Bennett

Groundbreaking Ceremony for Chappaqua’s Streetscape Project: JULY 13

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Per the Town of New Castle: All are invited to attend a Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Chappaqua Infrastructure and Streetscape Project. It will take place July 13, 10 a.m., at 200 South Greeley Avenue in Chappaqua.  “We are very excited to get started on this monumental project that will include replacement of critical infrastructure and new wider sidewalks, effective new spaces and charming details throughout Chappaqua’s downtown. More importantly, the Streetscape work will have new crosswalks and traffic/parking improvements that will make it safer for residents to walk around our downtown.” 

The project, town officials say, “will accomplish the much-needed repair, replacement and upgrading of critical infrastructure systems in our downtown business hamlet, including sanitary sewer, stormwater, water mains and roadways. 

In the Spring of 2015, the Town enlisted the services of the international engineering firm WSP. In the Summer of 2015,  a Streetscape Committee was formed chaired by New Castle Deputy Supervisor Adam Brodsky chaired. 

The committee was made up of members of the Architectural Review Board, Beatification Board, Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce, merchants, residents and Town staff. 

The Streetscape Committee met many times, including taking several field trips, giving serious consideration to the overall theme of the Hamlet with a goal toward making it as pedestrian friendly as possible and an eye toward being fiscally responsible with resident tax dollars. On May 9, 2017, the Town Board voted to award the Downtown Infrastructure/Streetscape Project to ELQ Industries, Inc., a construction company located in New Rochelle, NY.

The genesis of this project is for infrastructure replacement.  Nearly century old water mains are years beyond their design life of 75 years.  Sewer mains, installed over 50 years ago, are corroding from the outside in from sitting in acidic and unstable soil. This shift in the position of the main and manholes has contributed to the spike in sewer blockages which wreak havoc on our downtown businesses. This is evidenced by the pricing of the project–approximately 80% of the cost and over a hundred pages of plans are dedicated to the piping under the ground.  Some of the major Infrastructure elements:

  • Replacement of approx. 1,650 feet of 12-inch water main • Replacement of approx. 2,650 of 8 inch and 15-inch sewer mains • New storm water management systems along N. and S. Greeley to alleviate flooding • New Traffic signal at the intersection of King and Greeley with formalized crosswalks
  • The project also includes streetscape improvements: new lighting, sidewalks, curbing and landscaping. Residents can look forward to new wider sidewalks, attractive new public spaces, new crosswalks and traffic/parking improvements.
  • Some of the major Streetscape Elements: New Concrete Sidewalks with Brick Paver Trim • Decorative Brick Crosswalks • ADA Compliant Tactile Warning Surfaces • Bluestone in Public Gathering Areas • New Granite Curbing • Ornamental LED Lighting • New / Refinished Benches • Trash Receptacles • Fluted Bollards • Bicycle Racks • Seating Walls • Ornamental Fencing • Planter Boxes with Plantings • New Trees with Identification Plaques and Grates • Clock

The contract contains the following completion milestones that the Contractor must meet:

  • October 1, 2017 — Installation of new water system • October 1, 2017 — Installation of new sewer system north of Rite Aid on North Greeley Avenue • March 2, 2018 – Completion of all remaining sewer work in the Chappaqua Hamlet • November 20, 2018 — Completion of the entire project

The Town promises to minimize the disruption. Some residents are already experiencing this inconvenience with the preliminary gas line replacement work currently being done by Con Ed. To help mitigate these issues, the Town’s construction management firm, Boswell Engineering, will be located in our hamlet in the former EZ Sports space with a 24/7 presence.  Merchants are being kept informed of project scheduling, and how to stay safe during construction. Go to www.DowntownStrong.com to find out more about the project.  Residents can also sign-up for project updates.