I Am More Scarsdale Opens on Spencer Place
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Two Scarsdale women have opened a unique retail store featuring the latest in fashion, athleisure, accessories and jewelry at 6 Spencer Place in Scarsdale Village. The one-of-a kind boutique is owned and operated by Marcy Berman-Goldstein and Abbey Solomon who have stocked the store with a well-curated mix of fashion, including private label couture tops, jackets and pants, as well as various brands of casual clothing, denim, athletic-wear, jewelry, handbags, belts, hats, gloves, scarves and other fun accessories.
On a recent visit we found so many appealing items – soft fur hats and neck warmers, cashmere, trendy vests, leggings, leather jackets and jeans. There was merchandise at all price points for every budget. It will be a great place to find a gift or a special treat for yourself.
Berman-Goldstein is a board-certified Radiologist, specializing in women's imaging. She has retail roots in her family and she assisted her mother grow her award-winning retail business, which has been family owned and operated since 1996, with roles including purchasing, merchandising, sales and marketing. After moving to Scarsdale Berman-Goldstein got involved in volunteer work and decided she was ready for a change. She is passionate about empowering women to have a positive body image and look and feel their best.
Solomon's retail experience includes sales, merchandising and purchasing. Solomon has worked in both women's and children's retail, and has run many successful pop-up sales with various vendors in her home. She has also helped her father's acclaimed family owned and operated retail business, Posman Books, for over 20 years, which was named Best Bookstore by New York Magazine.
Their mission is threefold: identifying up-and-coming and established women-owned businesses and designers; focusing on women clientele to make them feel empowered and confident; and supporting women's philanthropic organizations.
To that end, the two plan to hold informational and inspirational-themed events focusing on women's wellness, including talks promoting positive body image, nutrition and meditation, and will host sessions on health-related topics, including their first scheduled event on Breast Cancer awareness (knowing the risks and importance of early detection and treatment), which will take place on Tuesday evening, October 24, 2017 at 6 Spencer Place. Space is limited so make sure to register on their website here:
Village Trustee Jane Veron says, "I AM MORE SCARSDALE is an incredibly positive addition to the Village Center. It has transformed the former Child's Play vacancy into a trendy, happening spot. The new concept, blending retail with experience, will add vitality and foot traffic to the streetscape. It is a perfect complement to Scarsdale's retail mix."
The storefront was designed by Beth Altschuler Interiors of Scarsdale. Before starting her own interior design firm, Beth worked at Peter Marino Architect. Designing for some of the top luxury brands, she created unique retail experiences around the world. "I am thrilled to bring this knowledge to downtown Scarsdale and wish I AM MORE SCARSDALE great success with their innovative and forward thinking boutique," said Beth Altschuler.
Though the doors are open now, I AM MORE SCARSDALE will celebrate its official grand opening on Tuesday, October 17th. The boutique will be open weekly, from Tuesday through Saturday, and will provide customers with the opportunity to schedule private appointments.
I Am More Scarsdale
6 Spencer Place
Scarsdale, NY 10583
www.iammorescarsdale.com
info@iammorescarsdale.com
Meet Randy Guggenheimer, President of the Scarsdale Foundation
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Randy Guggenheimer has just been appointed President of the Scarsdale Foundation, one of Scarsdale's oldest philanthropic organizations. We asked him some questions about the Foundation and his role in it and here is what he shared:
When was the Foundation established and what is its mission?
The Scarsdale Foundation was established by an act of the New York State Legislature in 1923. Our mission is to promote civic welfare in Scarsdale by providing support for institutions and individuals that encourage educational and human development as well as mutual understanding and (2) recognizing those individuals in our community who through volunteer service continue to set an example of civic responsibility toward the betterment of the community.
Who serves on the Foundation and how are these volunteers selected?
The Foundation Board is selected by a Nominating Committee consisting of Foundation Board trustees and members of the community.
How does the Foundation decide on which groups and individuals will receive funding?
The Foundation Board evaluates grant applications from community organizations on a case-by-case basis. We recently provided grants of $50,000 to the Scarsdale Public Library for their renovation project and smaller grants to the Scarsdale Woman's Club and the Teen Center. We have a robust process for evaluating college scholarship grants based on need for the sophomore, junior and senior years.
Many people in town think that Scarsdale students might not need scholarship aid. Is this a misperception? What has been your experience and what have you learned about Scarsdale students and families?
There is a significant need. For families who have suffered financial setbacks, whether due to divorce, disability, illness or death of a parent, grant money can make a huge difference for students. We can help them avoid taking on additional debt or having to take on an additional work-study job, for example. These students and their families truly appreciate the grants we are able to provide.
How much funding is usually given out to a student? What are the requirements to receive aid and how do students apply?
The Scarsdale Foundation college scholarship grants have grown to around $120,000 this year. We are able to give students on average about $5000, although the awards are tailored to individual need. We spend a lot of time evaluating and trying to understand the need.
What is the Foundation¹s role in producing the Scarsdale Bowl dinner?
The Scarsdale Foundation Trustees annually appoint a Chair of the Scarsdale Bowl Committee. The Chair and the Foundation President together select 14 committee members reflecting the diversity of the Scarsdale community to serve staggered two-year terms. The Committee chooses the honoree and organizes the dinner which is held each April.
What are the qualities of those who are considered to receive the Scarsdale Bowl?
The Scarsdale Bowl Award is the highest honor bestowed on a Scarsdale resident in recognition of his or her volunteer public service in the community.
What is your background? And how did you get involved with the Foundation?
My wife, Liz, and I have lived in Fox Meadow since 1993, where we raised our children, Laura and Brian, both Scarsdale High School graduates. I have been active in Scarsdale community affairs for over 20 years. Liz was a past President of the Board of Education.
I was invited to become a member of the Board of the Scarsdale Foundation in 2013 and have served as the Foundation's Secretary, Assistant Treasurer and Co-Chair of the College Scholarship Committee.
What other volunteer activities have you undertaken in Scarsdale?
I am currently Treasurer of the Scarsdale Forum and previously served as President of the Forum and chaired several Forum committees. I also serve as President of the Scarsdale Historical Society, having previously served as Treasurer. I previously chaired the Governmental Advisory Committee of the Scarsdale Board of Education.
What do you do in your professional life - and how do you find time for your volunteer work?
A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School, I have worked for many years as an investment banker serving the health care industry and am currently a Managing Director at Young & Partners. I am fortunate to have been able to make the time to participate in these volunteer activities.
If you were asked by a newcomer to town why he/she should volunteer for school or village government committees, what would you say?
The volunteer work is very rewarding, both because of the ability to help people in our community and because of the talented and interesting people that you get to work with. The Scarsdale Foundation Board has many outstanding Scarsdale leaders including Tom Giordano, David Karp, Michelle Lichtenberg, Anne Lyons, BK Munguia, Seth Ross, Suzanne Seiden and Jane Veron. I am privileged to work with them .
Letter to the Editor: "Greenacres School Process is a Sham"
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This Letter to the Editor was sent to Scarsdale10583 by Andy Taylor:
This whole GA school process has been a sham. It has not been open and I truly believe that this process has been strong armed to get to what is believed/perceived as a lower risk bond vote. As a tax payer I know the community is getting a truly poor value given the proposed GA renovation - it's just a poorly designed and scoped project. Way too much cost for way too little benefit. I'd happily pay higher taxes if we got value, I'd prefer to save vs. this option. As a father and member of the community I truly believe that the school board is shifting an unacceptable amount of risk and burden on the GA community because of its lack of leadership. Here is a simple truth - Scarsdale is an old town with old schools and will have to eventually figure out ways to truly upgrade/replace the facilities through time. This won't be easy, but dumping a significant sum of money into a bandaid and retaining huge facility shortcomings doesn't work. This is further compounded by ignoring the sprawling open construction site that children are intended to navigate daily and learn in. If I hear another inane quip about how we have kids in school during construction regularly in Scarsdale I might lose it. The community of Scarsdale has never tried construction of this scale and scope on such a tight site, in this proximity of children, for such duration before. This is a real issue for parents that has largely been ignored.
The board seems to have gone out of its way on multiple occasions to minimize or hamper community involvement. Waiting until the end of school board meetings - close to midnight on weekdays before opening up public comment on GA school (personally experienced this 3x - once sitting there waiting while the school board finished a decision about font size on wall plaques - sure seemed like they intended to wait out GA parents - trying to thin the crowd). Having final "deliberations" on Greenacres school on a weekday morning at the end of summer is a nice way to help ensure less involvement from busy families with young children who are out of town prior to the start of school. Nothing about this process has appeared to be done in good faith: last minute meeting announcements, limited disclosure of detailed plans, no discussion weighing complete costs of options at public meetings. The "open" discussions truly appear to be a show, devoid of any real analysis and evaluation - despite constant community requests for just that. This whole process has made me cynical about our educational infrastructure and truly saddens me that the reps of our community refuse to have an adult conversation with the community. I have had a few private conversations with members of the school board, and they have acknowledged and validated much of my concerns. It is as if there is some invisible momentum to get a specific result. I and a large number of GA families that I am in touch with will be voting no on the bond because of the way the school board (and superintendent) have attempted to strong arm this process.
Andy Taylor
Parents Express Concerns About Safety, Noise and Traffic Flow During Construction at Greenacres PTA Meeting
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Scarsdale10583 was not permitted to attend the Greenacres PTA meeting about the bond proposal on September 27 – but we asked a few parents in the audience to provide a recap and here is what they shared in their own words:
There was a strong turnout at the meeting and Assistant Superintendent Stuart Mattey, the architects and construction manager presented the same plan as they did at the Sept. 11, 2017 meeting of the Board of Education and took questions afterwards. They noted that the building committee had been meeting and that some things on the plans had changed, but for the most part, the plans were unchanged. They continued to try to play both sides of the "this is a major upgrade" versus "no, we are not doing that much in the building so the timeline isn't an issue."
Water and Sanitary Piping: For example, in response to a question about the old pipes (that will not be replaced during the construction) they indicated that the pipes would be upgraded when they fix/add bathrooms ... (at a later date). They also said that during the first summer they would be upgrading the electrical in the old classrooms and acknowledged that some of this work would be in the ceilings -- which is more labor intensive.
Traffic and Safety: Stuart Mattey acknowledged that traffic and challenges with drop-off/pick-up would be exacerbated by the construction and possibly after the project was complete - but punted to the building committee to address those issues. Parents expressed concern about the noise and heat during the construction and the fact that it will not be possible to open the windows in the classroom during the construction. In fact, windows were open last night in the school and it was a sauna in there. People were soaking wet from sweat. The construction managers acknowledged that noise is going to be a problem and recommend that they use a noise monitor to track the noise level.
A question was asked about traffic and safety issues and how they are being addressed by both the plans for after construction (specifically about the results of the promised traffic study and how these issues would play into the design) and traffic during construction because their will be no access to the building from Huntington during construction at all. No response was given to whether a traffic study has been ordered or completed. The administration considers this a "logistical" issue for the building committee (Mattey did say they were looking at parking.)
The administration continues to say that the safety logistics will be worked out in the future and punted a lot to the building committee. It was not clear how much attention the board/administration will pay to the building committee's recommendations if those recommendations don't align with their plan. They explained that no interior work was planned for when the kids would be in the building but, again, said that they did not have any contingencies for delays because they don't experience delays in their projects.
Facilities Manager John Trenholm brought up the high school construction that is going on right now with the kids in the building and said, "See ... it can be done with the kids there." When I asked if that was the plan, he explicitly ignored me.
Role of the PTA: The PTA made a statement saying that while they are advocates for the children in a general sense, they see themselves more as conduits of (the district's) information rather than as advocates to ensure this project is safe and/or worthwhile. While this is disappointing, to be honest, I understand where they are coming from. They joined the PTA to help support the school and enrich the educational experience at the building - not to shepherd through a difficult construction project. Having said that, there is a real vacuum when it comes to advocacy for the kids in the process because the PTA won't serve that purpose.
Parents expressed concern that there was no way for the PTA at-large to communicate with the PTA representatives on the building committee and the PTA feebly said that people could email them by getting their email addresses off SchoolBee, when they were challenged to make their contact information available. The PTA never sent out a communication about who was on the building committee - it just left it to people to look at the presentation from the Board Meeting, which listed their names. Most people who aren't tracking this closely have no idea that the building committee is meeting or that they have (nominal) representation on that committee. Parents have no idea what their PTA reps are doing on the committee or what positions they are taking.
Construction Equipment: Parents expressed concern about the location of the construction equipment staging area next to the playground -- with blacktop for play on the opposite side of the staging area and behind the staging area field space. Effectively the staging area has been placed directly in the middle (because it is right across from the construction site then) and they are expecting children to play all around it.)
One parent pointed out that this is a safety concern in supervising children when some are on the playground and others on the other side of the site, as well as the obvious issue of just having children actively playing around a construction staging site. She noted her own children often go in opposite directions even after school when outside on the playground/blacktop so it would effectively cut off site around the staging area.
Modular Classrooms: Many parents implored the architect and district to guarantee the kids safety by moving the kids off site. Parents seemed skeptical that the project could be done in 15 months with work on the main building only in the summer months. Even architect Roger Smith was concerned and commented that the eight modular classrooms will be on site in case there are delays.
Mr. Smith (the architect fro BBS) said that he thought that some modular classrooms were prudent because of the proximity of the 4th and 5th grades to the construction of the addition. He also said that the modulars are very nice and that, in his experience, teachers don't want to move back into original classrooms at the conclusion of the projects because the rooms are so open, climate controlled, well-lit, etc. One of the mothers who had been a big advocate of Saving the Field said that the AC units on modulars are so loud it's worse than construction...no one seemed to take that all that seriously.
Some parents were concerned about the modular classrooms. Roger Smith said that teacher love them and often describe them as their favorite classrooms. They are quiet, roomy, and have air conditioning. While he did not suggest moving the whole school to trailers he suggested that the current eight room structure proposed should be included in case of issues.
There was a question raised about the size of the field and the amount of space that would be required to completely relocate the entire school into trailers on the field. We were told that the field is six acres. An acre is about 44,000 square feet. A trailer school constructed in Needham, MA was 35,620 square feet and included 30 classrooms.
Noise and Dust: Other parents were worried about noise and pointed out that they said that they would stop construction for state testing-- but that they were more concerned about instruction being negatively impacted than testing. Parents did not appear to care about performance on state tests.
Bond: The other important take-away was that the PTA appeared to be concerned that a no vote on the bond would mean that "money goes away". This just isn't true.
Scarsdale Forum’s Downtown Revitalization Committee Launches Merchants Survey
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The Downtown Revitalization Committee of the Scarsdale Forum is launching its Merchants Survey this week in downtown Scarsdale, with the objective of conducting live interviews with all merchants in the Village downtown, including Scarsdale Avenue and Garth Road.
The survey will be used to measure merchants' perceptions of downtown, including availability of parking, infrastructure, use of public spaces, variety of retail stores and nightlife, to name but a few topics. The results should begin to paint a picture of how local employers feel about the area in which they spend so much of their week. They also will be used as a benchmark to measure the change in merchant perceptions of downtown during the course of the downtown revitalization initiative. The results will be published and provided to participants as soon as all of the data are compiled and analyzed.
Alex Harrison, who is coordinating the Merchants Survey, reported, "The merchants and business owners of our downtown are important stakeholders and members of our community. They have been directly impacted by the decline in pedestrian traffic, the changing retail mix and the increase in store vacancies. Committee members would like to interview each one of our merchants. Through the Scarsdale Forum, we hope to make their concerns, opinions and voices heard."
Mayra Kirkendall-Rodríguez, who is coordinating the Downtown Revitalization Committee's Consumer Survey, provided this update, "The Consumer Survey will be completed the evening of September 12. Over the next month, we will be compiling the results and preparing a report. Before releasing the report, it is important to obtain the independent and unbiased perspective of our merchants and business owners. Only by understanding both sides of the buy/sell decision can we make solid recommendations."
Susan Douglass, Chair of the Downtown Revitalization Committee, put the Forum's Consumer and Merchants Surveys into perspective, noting "Good market research will provide an important foundation for the Forum's recommendations for revitalizing the Village downtown. However, it is important to bear in mind that market research is not an exact science. It won't give us a detailed blueprint for improving the downtown, and it won't give us a list of priority actions to pursue. Market research is simply a tool to help us make educated guesses about the potential success of various development strategies. More precisely, market research is a set of measurements which, when used together, provides a snapshot of current market conditions and trends that could affect the downtown's potential for growth and change."
Any questions regarding the ongoing projects of the Downtown Revitalization Committee may be referred to Susan Douglass at susanudouglass@gmail.com.
