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.
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.
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.
In 1813 Ossining became the first incorporated village in Westchester to be state chartered. Originally named Sing Sing, the village changed its name to Ossining in 1901 for obvious reasons. Recent transplants to the area, the Stoever/Pfaff family has only lived there for six months but has already found plenty things to love about it. Alissa Stoever, Assistant Principal at Chappaqua’s Westorchard Elementary School, Nick Pfaff co-owner of Pro-Activity (a NJ-based Health and Wellness company) and Blair Pfaff, age 6 enjoy their new neighborhood.
