Announcing Greenacres' 100th Birthday Bash
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The year 2012 is the hundredth anniversary of some momentous historical events …. the Titanic collided with an iceberg and sunk on April 15, 1912, Paramount Pictures was founded and released the first Sara Bernhardt film in the U.S., and Greenacres was born in Scarsdale. That’s why the Greenacres Association is planning a Centennial Celebration at Scarsdale Golf Club on Saturday night June 2nd. This will be no ordinary neighborhood get-together. The evening will feature cocktails, dinner and dancing to tunes spun by a D.J.
You’ll have a chance to greet your neighbors and look back at Greenacres’ illustrious past and colorful residents.
Here are a few trivia items to whet your appetite for what’s to come on June 2:
Who Built Scarsdale’s First Swimming Pool?
The first pool in Scarsdale was not built in Heathcote. In fact, it was at 80 Garden Road at the home of Mrs. Bevor-Webb. And who was Mrs. 
Bevor-Webb? None other than the wife of the captain of J. P. Morgan’s yacht Corsair. She later became J.P. Morgan’s mistress and he bought her 8 acres on Garden Road and built her a home and a “rock garden having a concealed system of water pipes available at will for the purpose of filling the basins and supplying the fountains in the rock garden.” The home is still there today.
Where is the fountain on Fountain Terrace?
Developer Robert Farley built the Italianate fountain pictured above along the Bronx River in front of the “Tea House” in the early 20th century. Unfortunately, the fountain disappeared with the Bronx River Parkway was improved in 1974.
Learn more about your neighborhood at the gala celebration on June 2, 2012. Your invitation should have already arrived in the mail. Use the R.S.V.P. card to reserve your place or go to greenacres10583.com to sign-up.
Saved or Razed?
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The same week that preservationist made their report on proposed historic properties in Scarsdale, The Historic Preservation Committee of Scarsdale met to consider whether to preserve or permit the demolition of a list of local properties. Following the April 17 meeting, the Board cleared the way for the demolition of the following homes:
- 10 Ogden Road
- 9 Stonehouse Road
- 16 Cambridge Road
- 50 Brookby Road
They held over a decision on 9 Hamilton Road, (pictured at top) a home that was listed as a candidate for landmark designation status in the report. The house was built in in 1921 and originally owned by Ida F. Ruggiero. Why is it remarkable? According to the report, “Although relatively small in scale, 9 Hamilton Road is a picturesque and whimsical example of Mediterranean-inspired residential design with its stuccoed façade, Spanish-tile roof, and arched loggia. The massing is especially well conceived as different masses, each clad in Spanish tile, build up to a hip-roof tower-like level.”
Another home, 50 Brookby Road could not be saved, despite the sentiments of residents who live on the street. The current home on the site was sold in August, 2011 for $1,225,000 and developers are already advertising a rendering of a large colonial to replace it at, $3,675,000.
Here are excerpts from Munghia's comments about preserving 50 Brookby Road:
- Many of the older homes on Brookby and Quentin, including 50 and 54 Brookby Road, constitute a neighborhood representative of the earliest suburban development in Scarsdale.
- Both the Scarsdale Housing Committee and the Federal Housing Commission welcomed the new development of affordable housing to be built by Brookby, Inc. in what is now our neighborhood on Brookby Road and the surrounding streets. It is my belief based on documents at the Building Department and this article that 54 Brookby Road was the model home that visitors were encouraged to examine during the course of its building in 1935.
- This application is the first step in a larger plan by the current owners. Their application to demolish two lovely older homes which embody the
history and architecture of our neighborhood is an effort to redraw the property lines and build three new houses where there are now two.
A Rendering of a Proposed New Home at 50 Brookby Road - The criteria articulated in Sections 182-5 of the Village Code are guidelines for determining the historical significance of a building. I maintain that the collective history of the buildings surrounding the building in question should be considered by the Committee as well. Our homes are the realization of a New Deal initiative—providing affordable homes to a nation of struggling young families in the newly built suburban developments throughout the country.
Overriding her objections, the Board voted to permit demolition of 50 Brookby Road. While Scarsdale Village Trustees mull over what can be done with the preservationists recommendations, and what code changes, if any, will be made, houses continue to disappear at a rapid pace.
Is a Drought on the Horizon?
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A quick look at your lawn will reveal that April showers are sorely needed. The soil is already dry and a brush fire broke out on the trail behind the Scarsdale High School tennis courts on Thursday April 12. When fire fighters arrived they found a decayed tree on fire. They were able to extinguish the flames at the base, but smoke was emanating from the tree up to 30 feet off the ground. As a result, the highway department was called in to take the tree down.
Was the lack of rain the culprit? Scarsdale10583 got in touch with the Scarsdale Water Department to ask them some questions about our water supply, and here is what we learned from Steve Mastromarino:
How are the water levels at the reservoirs compared to this time last year?
According to NYC the reservoir level is at 90.9%, Last year it at this time it was 97.1% See current reservoir levels in the illustration below and visit the NYC website to learn more.
How is Scarsdale's pumping capacity?
We will begin the Reeves Newsome Water Supply Station renovations, -- so being careful of water use during this time is not only wise but prudent.
Do you think we are headed for drought conditions and watering restrictions?
The Village Trustees will discuss a resolution for that situation at the next Board meeting on April 24th 2012, but without rain I can’t see where they wouldn’t recommend restrictions.
Is there anything residents can do now to conserve?
- Limit the time that lawn irrigation systems are in use
- Remember the peek water demand time is from 2am -8am. If lawn watering can be done outside those critical times the demand should be able to be met.
- Watering 2-3 days a week, rather than everyday will help the demand on the system
- Reduce watering in each zone from 20 to 10 minutes to reduce demand.
- Repair any internal or external water leaks on their property.
- Report any water leaks that are noticed so repairs can be done quickly
Israeli Educators Visit Scarsdale
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Twelve educators from Jerusalem who are participants in a global exchange organized by the JCC on the Hudson visited Fox Meadow Elementary School on Wednesday, March 28. They spent time in the kindergarten and first grade classes and were interviewed by the students. Liat Hidekel-Cohen, an English teacher at Pola Ben-Gurion, enjoyed talking to the kindergarteners who asked her questions about where she lives, what she does, how many languages she speaks and if she has a dog. They were eager to learn about her life in Israel and what her students are like. The first graders prepared interview questions and took notes, just like professional reporters! Etty Rosen, a computer teacher at Yehuda Halevi, was asked if her school had animals. She showed the class her school's website which has photos of students playing with rabbits during recess time.
The Israeli teachers had the opportunity to see Public Service Announcements produced by the fifth graders on topics like water 
conservation, bullying and pollution, as well as technology projects that are being developed by the younger students. After their visit at Fox Meadow the group met with Susan Taylor, Director of Scarsdale Teacher’s Institute and Joan Weber, Assistant Superintendent for Personnel and Administrative Services to discuss current issues in education in the U.S. and in Israel.
Photo Credit: Victoria Free Presser
Music Together Teacher Training April 13-15
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Music Together®, the national early childhood music and movement program developed in Princeton, New Jersey, is offering a three-day Teacher Training Workshop at the Over the Moon Music and More storefront at 78 Garth Road in Scarsdale, from April 13-15, 2012. The teacher training is open to anyone desiring an overview of music development, including parents, university faculty, students, and preschool directors or teachers. Workshop participants will learn Music Together’s research-based approach to teaching music and movement to children ages birth through kindergarten.
Participants who successfully complete the training will be eligible to teach Music Together parent-child or preschool classes, either at an existing Music Together center or by applying for a license to open and operate a Music Together center of their own. The flexibility of challenging part-time work with young children and parents appeals to musicians, actors, dancers, parents, and educators. No formal academic degrees are required.
The workshop provides opportunities to assess children’s rhythmic and tonal development, techniques for presenting musical material, and strategies for lesson planning. There will be live early childhood music demonstration classes on each day of the workshop, teaching children and their parents using the Music Together curriculum.
Since 1987, Kenneth K. Guilmartin, Founder/Director of Music Together LLC and coauthor of Music Together, has been a pioneer in teaching parents and caregivers how to nurture their children’s musical growth. “The whole purpose of the Music Together program is to enable children, as well as the adults participating with them, to become more comfortable with musical expression, and to develop musically at their own pace,” says Guilmartin. He adds, “Childhood music development is a natural process just like language development.”
Recent research shows that children’s innate ability to make music is strongly supported as children observe the adults with whom they have an emotional bond actively engaging in making music. This is possible regardless of the adult’s own musical ability. Music making is fun and engaging for children, parents, and teachers—and, as a highly beneficial side effect—contributes to the development of language and other intelligences, including spatial and mathematical.
The Music Together approach to early childhood music is taught worldwide at more than fifty teacher trainings per year. (For more information, visit www.musictogether.com.) Licensed Music Together teachers currently teach children in parent-child and preschool classes in approximately 2000 communities in 49 states and over 20 foreign countries. In addition, many teachers trained by Music Together apply the curriculum and philosophy in preschools and childcare centers.
The cost of the three-day workshop is $475. Graduate Credits, CMTE Credits, and CEUs are available for completion of the teacher training. For additional information about the workshop or to register, visit our website www.musictogether.com, or contact Lisa Chouteau at (800) 728-2692 x329 / [email protected].
