At Last ... Property Tax Revaluation in Scarsdale
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At long last, Scarsdale will undergo a Village-wide property revaluation. The $1 million dollars needed to fund the work will be borrowed, rather than raised through taxes, and the debt service on the funds has been included in the proposed 2012-13 Village budget.
The last revaluation of Scarsdale properties was done 44 years ago in 1969, and many have noted the inequities in the system as the market value of homes has fallen out of alignment with assessed values. The reassessment will not alter the total tax levy – but instead shift the burden from those paying too much to those who are paying too little.
The revaluation will weigh homes on 19 characteristics to determine the new assessed value. Experts estimate that after the revaluation, the real estate taxes for one third of homeowners will go up, one third will stay the same and one third will go down.
The revaluation should stem the tide of tax grievances filed by residents who believe they are currently overburdened. In 2010-11, 756 grievances were filed and the volume proved very difficult for the Village assessor to handle.
We asked a few Scarsdale residents to comment on the impending revaluation and here is what they said.
Attorney Robert Berg who is a member of the Scarsdale Forum and a keen observer of Village affairs said, "Finally, a remarkable 44 years late, Scarsdale will begin the process of a town-wide revaluation. The Scarsdale Forum's Assessment Revaluation Committee demonstrated in its comprehensive November 2010 report that serious inequities exist in the taxation of equivalent properties within Scarsdale that can only be cured by town-wide revaluation. Revaluation will mean that the property tax burden will now be shared equitably among property owners. Owners of presently under-assessed properties, many of whom reside in large older homes whose value skyrocketed over the past 4 1/2 decades but whose assessment could not be increased to capture that increased market value, will no longer have their property taxes subsidized by the rest of Scarsdale's taxpayers. Moreover, with assessments being made at 100% of fair market valuation, the number of taxpayers challenging their property tax assessments should decline precipitously and the Village should be better able to defend any remaining challenges. Substantial savings in Village staff time and tax cert. refunds should result. Town-wide revaluation is a big win for fair government in Scarsdale and I welcome it. Better late than never."
Village resident Doug Ulene is also a member of the Scarsdale Forum. Since moving here in 2000, Ulene has challenged his own taxes twice. He added, “I think that a village-wide reassessment is long overdue. The Town's failure to "reval" its properties since the late 1960s has produced "winners" whose properties are permanently underassessed, and "losers" who are forced to spend time and money in order to achieve a modicum of fairness. That offends my sense of right and wrong, and I'm glad that the current Village Board appears to have the courage to re-establish property tax equity in Scarsdale.
Angela Manson of Prudential Centennial Realty agreed that the reval would be a plus for Scarsdale. “Revaluation is a value
Once the firm is hired to conduct the revaluation, the process could take up to 18 months to complete, so residents will not see a change in their tax bills anytime soon.
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Featured Listing: 2 Castle Walk 
Pristine 4100+ square foot Colonial with a Mediterranean flair set on over a half acre. Through the carved mahogany doors is a grand two-story entry hall, living room with three-exposures, gourmet kitchen and family room with built-in media cabinet. Enjoy fabulous outdoor living on the 500 square foot deck. List Price: $1,299,000 Learn more here
Featured Listing: 31 Stratton Road 
Exquisite sparkling Colonial with an open floor plan sited on a .49 acre level property with quality architectural detail. Flexible 35-foot living room/dining room, stunning family room, expansive 49-foot deck across the back of the house which wraps around to the breakfast room. Spacious master suite with dressing room. List Price: $1,599,000 Learn more here
Building Department Under Fire at Scarsdale Village Hall
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In response to a petition about the Scarsdale Building Department filed by Ruth Frankel and signed by over 200 residents, the Scarsdale Board of Trustees scheduled a meeting of the Municipal Services Committee to hear the public’s complaints. The meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, February 22, which rankled some who felt that the meeting should not have been called during a vacation week.
In fact, Frankel herself was out of town and asked her friend Phyllis Jay to read a note she had written to the committee in which she told the committee, “Most people are away … they will be back. I am receiving new signatures every day (to the petition) We are crying loud and clear – look at the Building Department record and open your eyes.” Trustee Stacey Brodsky assured the group that the meeting had been scheduled as quickly as possible to address resident’s concerns and that the timing was not intended to limit attendance.
Nunzio Pietrosante, who heads up both the Village’s Engineering and Building Departments revealed some statistics that demonstrate that the department is besieged by complaints. According to Mr. Pietrosante, last year the department received 750 complaints that resulted in 226 violation notices, 37 stop work orders and 9 court appearances. The staff includes six-seven NYS certified inspectors who investigate the complaints.
The residents who spoke at the meeting aired a myriad of complaints, some which were levied at the Building Department while others concerned the Village’s stormwater management code, zoning code and decisions made by the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Planning Board and the Board of Architectural Review. Since these Boards are manned by volunteer residents the Village is charged with enforcing not making these rulings.
Robert Falk spoke and charged that the Building Department has failed to enforce stormwater management requirement and does not adequately test new projects. In addition, Falk said that there are no checks on the suitability of private stormwater management systems and “no safeguards for the public, or downstream residents, once a system is installed.” He told Trustees that the department has “no accountability or transparency in regard to storm water management plans and will only discuss storm water issues with licensed professionals.”
Lena Crandall made some suggestions on how the Village could be more proactive about dealing with storm water issues for new building projects. She urged the Village to fast track the good projects, increase side yard setbacks to require more permeable surfaces, come up with a meaningful tree replacement formula so that builders replace large trees with equally sized trees and to post a map of wetlands in Village Hall so that residents who build in these areas are aware of the negative impact of their projects.
Harvey Jay of Cayuga Road complained that builders of four homes in his area had raised the grade of their properties by trucking in dirt and fill. According to Jay, he never had a water problem in his home until four years ago when these projects had an impact on his property. He cited the Building Department for failing to police development to safeguard neighboring homes.
Toril Hanna of 138 Saxon Woods Road spoke about a project going up on a 7,500 square foot lot at 140 Saxon Woods Road. She says she brought up prospective water issues before the project was approved and was ignored and received with disrespect. She claims that she now has ponding in her yard and that the drainage system that was approved for 140 Saxon Woods Road can’t be built due to rock underneath the house. Her husband contended that the builder raised the grade of the new house due to the rocky site, sending the water streaming into their yard.
Village Planner Elizabeth Marrinan explained that since 140 Saxon Woods Road is a non-conforming lot, the builder needed a variance to build outside the existing footprint and for setbacks for the larger home. The Board of Appeals granted both.
At this point in the meeting, Pietrosante attempted to answer every one of the Hanna’s issues but Mayor Flisser asked him to stick to a discussion of general issues rather than specific projects.
On the flip side, Elyse Tretter, a neighbor of Ruth Frankel’s spoke about the increased scrutiny her home construction project has received from the Building Department due to her very vocal neighbor. Referring to Frankel, she said, “Just because we’re doing something you don’t like, doesn’t mean we’re doing something wrong.” She encouraged the department to weigh her rights against the rights of her enraged neighbor.
In response to the residents, Trustee Richard Toder said, “the boards and departments try and get it right.“ He added, “We are pleased to have your comments and we will think about measures and procedure to make it better, but I promise it will not be perfect”
Pietrosante was still smarting from the petition and criticism and suggested that a hearing be held where residents could air their complaints and get a response from the department. Unable to contain his anger, he said that Frankel had libeled him and suggested that “he was taking money from contractors.”
The Trustees agreed to think about what they had heard and meet again to consider what measures could be taken to improve the situation.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Featured Listing: 12 Withington Road
Stunning sun-filled Tudor nestled in the heart of the prestigious Cotswolds offering the perfect blend of sophisticated style and old world charm. This pristine 6 bedroom,3.5 bath home features classic proportions and fine architectural details throughout,with many interior and exterior updates.Enjoy the comforts of home and perfect flow for entertaining. Magnificent landscaping enhances the level private yard and patio List Price: $1,399,000 Learn more here:
Featured Listing: 5 Carstensen Road
Enchanting sun drenched Collet-built Tudor in Fox Meadow on .51 acres of gorgeous grounds with complete privacy. Five bedrooms. Three full baths and a powder room. Cook's kitchen with a large center island, desk, top appliances and a fabulous family dining area. Stunning leaded windows, fine details, gleaming oak floors. Beautifully maintained. A botanical garden in Scarsdale with specimen trees, abundant flowers and water features. List Price: $1,495,000 Learn more here :
Historic Home For Sale on Heathcote Road
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The Beyonce story alerted the world to the wonders of Heathcote Road in Scarsdale. Now another elegant home is for sale on the street at 18 Heathcote Road. The 9,200+ square foot house sits on 5.39 acres and has 17 rooms, a tennis court and a pool. The listing says, “One of the most exceptional and gracious Murray Hill properties ever offered on exquisite 5.39 acres with pool and tennis court. Meticulously renovated and expanded with state of the art systems throughout. Magnificent Clive Christian kitchen and master bath. Attached guest townhouse with private entrance.”
We went to the library to see what we could learn about the history of the house that was built in 1907 and the people who lived there. Shown below is a historic photo of 18 Heathcote Road that does not look at all like the current home on the property. In the historic photo shown below, the home is Tudor-style and called “The Hedges” and is said to be the residence of Mark Eisner.
A look back through archives of the Scarsdale Inquirer shows that Eisner was a prominent man in the community and in New York. In 1929 he joined the board of a new
Scarsdale bank and trust and in 1930 he was re-elected to the Caleb Heathcote Trust and chosen to serve as treasurer. In 1931 he was among a group of lawyers at the Town Club who fought equalization rates and in 1933 he announced that he was not a candidate for Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service. He also served on the Board of Higher Education of New York City and headed the American Association for Jewish Education. His wife won honors at a local flower show in March 1933 and in March 1944 she called the Spring Flower Show, “the best ever.”
His son, Mark Eisner Jr., enlisted and was stationed at boot camp in Sampson on Seneca Lake in New York in 1945. In 1948 Eisner Jr. graduated from George Washington University. An article from November 18, 1932 says that an intruder entered the home but ran out as the maid called out!
The house was later purchased by Leonard and Virginia Marx. Marx was a developer and manager of real estate properties and chairman and chief executive of Merchants National Properties. In 1985 he was on the Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans with a net worth of $300 million. The Marx’s were active philanthropists who endowed professorships at Columbia University and built a daycare center at Westchester Community College called the Virginia Marx Children’s Center. Leonard Marx served as a trustee of the Scarsdale Foundation from 1953-1974. Virginia Marx died in 1999 and Leonard Marx died in 2002 at the age of 97 at the house on Heathcote Road. One of their daughters still lives in town and in 2007 the Virginia and Leonard Marx Foundation donated $300,000 to renovate the reference room at the Scarsdale Public Library.
18 Heathcote Road is now listed by Coldwell Banker for $12,995,000 with real estate taxes of $175,390.
If anyone can explain the disparity between the current and historic photos, please do so in the comments section below.
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Featured Listing: 33 Cushman Road
Magnificent center Hall colonial situated on a tree lined street located in the heart of the Heathcote Estate section. Wonderful architectural details with the finest finishes. First floor boasts an open floor plan with a fabulous gourmet kitchen and adjoining family room that opens to a flagstone patio. Living room with gas fireplace. Six bedrooms, 5.5 bath. Large master bedroom suite with sitting area and deluxe master bath. Four additional family bedrooms, two with en suite baths.List Price: $2,199,000
Learn more here:
Featured Listing: 30 Hadden Road 
Nestled on a private park-like 1/2 acre in Cotswold section of Edgemont, this custom Nantucket colonial offers an ideal flow and sun-filled spacious rooms for gracious living. With the highest level of design, quality and detail, this distinctive home's special details include 9 foot ceilings, wide planked floors, oversized windows, elegant custom cabinetry, exquisite cook's kitchen,mudroom, screened porch, den, family room, home office and abundant storage. A unique home for the discerning buyer.
List Price: $1,995,000
Learn more here:
Sales and More Sales
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Houses new and old, small and large are selling – even though it’s February –not a traditional time to make a move. Here are this month’s closings in Scarsdale and Edgemont:
14 Continental Road: New center hall Colonial in quiet Colonial Acres on flat 1/2 acre. Amenities include hardwood floors, fireplace, alarm, central vac, Jacuzzi, granite countertops and more. Community playground nearby.
Sale Price: $2,375,000
Real Estate Taxes: TBD
11 Mayflower Road: Spectacular 2009 colonial with 6 bedrooms and 5.1 baths on flat .45 acre. Extra large, gorgeous kitchen with granite counters, Sub-zero, Thermodor and Bosch appliances. Enormous island. Multitude of windows and open flow permit light to flow from nearly every direction. Sleek, elegant, high-end finishes including crown moldings, wainscoting. Family room flows seamlessly to kitchen through oversized opening. Generous, California Closets throughout.
Sale Price: $2,295,000
Real Estate Taxes: $47,209
202 Clayton Road: Spectacular new custom construction in award winning Edgemont school district. Stone and cedar energy efficient center hall Colonial with an expansive open floor plan. This home features a gourmet country kitchen with stainless steel appliances and center-island, adjoining a large family room that opens to large deck, perfect for family enjoyment. Large master suite with two custom walk-in closets and luxurious bath. Large, level property.
Sale Price: $1,575,000
Real Estate Taxes: TBD
11 Wynmoor Road: Fabulous opportunity!! Beautifully maintained home with lots of charm and great curb appeal. Turreted entrance, radiant snow melting system on front walk and driveway.
Sale Price: $857,000
Real Estate Taxes: $19,260
45 Andrea Lane:: Immaculate, sun-filled home in move-in condition. Located on a quiet street near the elementary school, playground, and bus to commuter train. The spacious rooms and private half-acre property are ideal for entertaining and gracious family living. Edgemont School District.
Sale Price: $765,000
Real Estate Taxes: $33,255
3 Meadow Road: Spacious and well-maintained home in Quaker Ridge on a corner lot with plenty of room to play ball. Two-car garage and a driveway that holds 8 cars. This home has a wonderful family room with high vaulted ceilings and sliding glass doors to the large patio and yard. New kitchen, new appliances and granite counter tops with dining area.
Sale Price: $635,000
Real Estate Taxes: $18,587
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Featured Listing: 106 Carstensen Drive 
Move right in to this completely renovated and beautifully maintained home on a cul-de-sac in Fox Meadow - close to train, Village, park, playground, school and library. All new since 2005/2006: kitchen with granite island and countertops, marble master bath, hall bath, powder room, Pella windows and sliding doors, 2 zone hydro air and central a/c, new/refinished hardwood floors, new carpets, new landscaping and more. Bonus: basketball court in driveway.
List Price: $1,289,500
Featured Listing: 4 Candlewood Court 
Move right in. Great layout, with convenient location on sunny cul-de-sac. This wonderful home on .45 acre has 3,525 interior square feet of living space. Entry foyer, living room with fireplace, powder room, formal dining room, large updated eat-in kitchen, family room with fireplace and deck off entire back of house. Study, mudroom with additional half-bath.,2-car garage Second floor: master suite with two large closet and marble bath. Three additional bedrooms with hall bath. Second floor laundry room. Lower level with family room, wine cellar and storage.
List Price: $1,289,000
Before and After
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Despite economic woes, increased flooding and Village regulations, Scarsdale homes continue to get bigger and bigger. Here are two before and after photos of homes that have grown on their lots. Do you have new construction sprouting on your street? Take a photo and share it with our readers:
140 Saxon Woods Road: A group of residents argued that the original home on the site had historic importance as it was one of the last relics of a community of freed slaves who moved to Scarsdale in the mid 19th century. However, the Committee on Historic Preservation did not find it historically significant and the demolition of the original home was allowed to go through. Take a look at the size of the house (above) that is now going up on this .19 acre lot, wedged between two existing homes.
Recent Sales: 7 Wayside Lane: Remodeled Fox Meadow home with hardwood flooring, top of the line finishes and built-ins. Professional Viking kitchen and custom marble master bath. Quiet tree-lined Scarsdale street.
Sale Price: $1,355,000
R.E. Taxes: $27,048
33 Barry Road: English brick Colonial with sunny, expansive floor plan smartly designed for easy living and entertaining. Fabulous great room adjacent to 
kitchen and many improvements. Gourmet kitchen with Wolf range and new appliances, granite counters. New baths and new 2-zone central air. New roof in 2005, upgraded electric, gas heat. Romantic detailing includes two separate fireplaces, crown moldings, chair rails, window flower boxes, arched doorways. Private yard with terrace.
Sale Price: $1,250,000
R.E. Taxes: $25,700
10 Overhill Road: Arts and Crafts style Colonial in Fox Meadow, a block from Scarsdale's Village Center. Recently painted, floors refinished. Lovely details including bay windows, a grand staircase and two fireplaces. Five bedrooms, two full baths and a powder room. 624 more square feet on the third floor.
Sale Price: $744,600
R.E. Taxes: $17,891
124 Ferndale Road: Stone front three bedroom Colonial conveniently located on a quiet dead end street with a short walk to Greenville Elementary 
School. House has new boiler and is nicely maintained. Great value in the sought after Edgemont school district.
Sale Price: $455,000
R.E. Taxes: $15,741
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Featured Listing: 32 School Lane, Scarsdale 
Scarsdale: Classic brick Center Hall Colonial set on private landscaped .29 acre property. Beautifully maintained home with grace and detail within a short walk to village and train. Highlights include an entry Hall with circular staircase, library and separate guest wing with private entrance. Many updates throughout.
List Price: $1,499,000
Learn more here:
Featurd Listing: 57 Midvale Road , Hartsdale: 
Gorgeous four bedroom Colonial totally renovated and expanded in 2005 on a beautiful half acre property overlooking Scarsdale Golf Course. This home has a fabulous high-end kitchen, living room with fireplace and dining room opening to yard plus two family rooms. Wonderful master suite with tray ceiling and luxurious bath.
List Price: $1,595,000
Learn more here:
