When a Physical Crisis Meets a Mental Health Crisis….One Year Later
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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This article was written by Lauren Pomerantz, LCSW and Emily Vallario, LCSW both from Scarsdale Edgemont Family Counseling Service.
It may seem hard to believe that we are nearing the one year mark of life in a pandemic. COVID-19 has brought about a complex array of factors (uncertainty, social isolation, and parental angst) that have had an impact on the mental health of children and adolescents. Over the past eleven months, we have endured great loss and many changes to a world we once knew. Our primary focus has been on physical safety and well-being, but we are also seeing an intersection that has had significant mental health implications on children and adolescents.
Experts agree that predictability, structure and consistency are important stabilizing forces for children and adolescents, but those have been disrupted since the COVID-19 outbreak. Children have had to deal with tremendous uncertainty in a world that is constantly changing. That is to say little of their loss of “normal”, their isolation, and often their fears that they or someone they know may become sick. Even former staples of structure such as a school day and after school activities have been disrupted, and for many, future plans, whether that be summer camp or departures to college are on hold.
During the pandemic, parents have been called upon to fulfill many roles including educator and mental health provider. While all parents are trying their best, it has been difficult for many to address their own challenges and uncertainties which in turn can make it difficult to calm their children’s anxieties and fully address their emotional needs.
Since the late fall, mental health professionals have noticed an increase in the expressions of isolation and loneliness among youth. Social development is a part of child and adolescent development, yet there are limited opportunities for social interaction. Playdates, birthday parties, organized sports, and extra-curricular activities have all ceased. Many children cannot differentiate between the natural impact that COVID has had on their friendships and connections and the misperception that their friends have intentionally cut them off.
From the onset of the pandemic, mental health professionals have supported the community as a whole by helping them to understand pandemic life in the context of grief and loss in an effort to normalize their emotions. It is important to note that people do not always experience these stages together or in a linear fashion, so there is potential for frustration as we watch family and community members manage in different ways at different times.
The Stages of Grief and Loss were first coined by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and are named as:
Denial - This is typically the first of the stages. It serves a very valuable purpose by helping people exist in survival mode and begin to process what is happening.
Anger - During this period, people experience irritability that is often misdirected at their loved ones, government/school officials.
Bargaining - This is the time when people make deals with themselves to have a return to normalcy.
Depression - This is the most difficult of all of the stages and the time when grief really takes a hold of us. For some people this stage is more fleeting and for others it can be very profound. This is when most people tend to reach out for mental health support and when we tend to get questions from parents on what to look for in themselves and their children.
We suggest that parents or caregivers be on the lookout for significant changes in their child’ behavior. These changes include sleeping patterns, diet, activity level, isolation, crying spells and marked withdrawal from family and friends. Severe manifestations of depression can manifest in expressions of hopelessness, self-harm and suicidal ideation. In these instances, professional assistance should be sought. If you are concerned about how your child is coping, a list of mental health resources can be found here:
Acceptance - This is usually the final stage and often the most misunderstood. When we reach a place of acceptance, it does mean we are happy about what has occurred or the loss we have experienced. Acceptance means that we have reached a place of understanding and we are ready to move on and create a new reality.
You can help your teen in the following ways:
-Monitor their stress levels by noticing if there are changes in their health, behavior, thoughts or feelings.
-Listen to them carefully and watch for them becoming overloaded.
-Be aware of your stress and how you are managing and expressing it. Are you engaging with your teens daily?
-Talk openly with them about how they are feeling.
-Encourage them to stay involved with others; whether it’s a weekly zoom call with outside family members, or allowing them to FaceTime with their friends.
-Encourage your teens to exercise and eat regularly.
-Develop a routine.
Set reasonable expectations for screen time. Allow them to express their frustration on this in a calm, healthy way. They will likely share that others do not have limits but stand firm.
Help them understand current situations and engage with them in a solution that works for the whole family.
To hear more on the impact COVID-19 has had on families, please listen to Lauren Pomerantz on the Hitchcock Half, a radio broadcast in which she was interviewed by Reverend Pete Jones from Hitchcock Church. It is linked here on Spotify:
For more information, Scarsdale Edgemont Family Counseling Service, 914-723-3281 or visit our website www.sfcsinc.org.
Wife of Pfizer CEO Has Not Had the Vaccine Yet Because She Says, "It's Not My Turn"
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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To those who say that the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out is unfair or favors the privileged, ponder this: Myriam Boulra, the wife of Scarsdale resident and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla hasn’t received the vaccine yet. And why? Because at age 48, she says, "it’s not her turn yet," as she is too young.
Who knew that there was a local angle to the happy news that Pfizer had developed a vaccine in record time that was shown to be 95% effective against the virus? It turns out that the Dr. Albert Bourla and his wife Myriam Alchanati Bourla live right here in Heathcote. We realized that Mrs. Bourla was a subscriber to Scarsdale 10583 and asked her to discuss her life since the news broke that the Pfizer vaccine was effective. Though she could not answer all of our questions, here is what she shared:
About the vaccine:
“I just want to communicate that I’m very proud for my husband and the work he has done. I’m also very happy for the humanity and the hope that the vaccine brought to the world. I haven’t had the vaccine yet because is not my turn, yet.”
Her background:
“I grew up in Thessaloniki, Greece. I feel blessed that I have traveled and lived in so many places. It has been a very enriching experience.”
Why Scarsdale?
“I moved to Scarsdale 10 years ago. Scarsdale has a great community nice people and a great educational system. It Is a great place to raise kids. I also like Scarsdale because I made very good friends that I admire and love dearly.”
And how has the pandemic changed her life?
“I love having my husband working from home because we spend more time together.”
Police Report: Generator Antics Continue on Cushman Road
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- Written by Traci Dutton Ludwig
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Generator antics: Neighbors reported that a generator was running after permissible hours at a Cushman Road house, around 9:30 p.m., Jan. 6. Intermittent complaints regarding this generator have been ongoing for several months. Police went to the scene and noted the property gate was unlocked, and a generator was situated near the front of the property. A loud generator noise could be heard, although the generator did not appear to be powering any equipment. According to the police report, a security camera had been installed and was aimed specifically at the generator. Police called firefighters to turn off the generator. However, upon closer inspection, firefighters determined the generator was not, in fact, on. Instead the generator noise was coming from two portable speakers in a black bag behind the generator. Firefighters unplugged the speakers, and the noise stopped. Closer inspection revealed that the speakers were connected to an MP3 player and a timer. The volume on the speakers had been turned up, so that any emitted noise would be loud and disturbing. The MP3 player had been set to play a soundtrack tiled “generator.” A Village code noise violation summons was issued to the owner of the construction site. Since the speakers, MP3 player, timer and bag had been left unsecured by an unsecured gate and fence, police picked up and removed all property for safekeeping and investigative purposes. On Jan. 7, the owner of the Cushman Road construction site came to headquarters and reported those personal items had been stolen from the site. Police informed the owner that police had removed the items for safekeeping while investigating the Village code complaint.
DWI
On Jan. 9, police were on patrol in the Freightway open lot and observed a property-damage car accident followed by very erratic driving maneuvers on Freightway Road. According to the police report, driver Albert Cascio, 44, of Scarsdale, backed his 2018 Honda out of a parking spot and hit a carting dumpster situated opposite the parking space. After that, the car began to drive the wrong way through a one-way access alley. Police stopped Cascio to investigate the accident and determined he was intoxicated. Cascio failed field sobriety tests and was arrested. He was charged with driving while intoxicated (first offense), aggravated unlicensed driving, unsafe backing and driving the wrong direction on a one-way street. He was released on his own recognizance with an appearance ticket for Scarsdale Village Justice Court, returnable Jan. 10.
Stolen
On Jan. 4, the head custodian of Scarsdale Middle School, on Mamaroneck Road School reported that a utility trailer had been stolen from the property. The trailer was approximately 15 years old and had a value of approximately $1,300. It was used to transport garbage on school grounds.
Scams
On Jan. 6, a son reported that an unknown person was attempting to scam his 83-year-old Greenacres Avenue mother. The unknown person was allegedly on his way to the mother’s house to collect a large sum of money that he had persuaded the mother to withdraw from her account. Police arrived on scene and the son was also there. The scammer did not show up, and no financial loss occurred. The son was in the process of helping his mother close her accounts as a precaution.
On Jan. 10, the son of the Greenacres Avenue woman called police again to report that his mother had in fact sustained financial loss from a scam. He explained that his mother received an email that she believed was from Amazon, reporting that her computer had been hacked and that she needed to call a number to initiate a repair. Upon calling the number, the mother was instructed to wire $10,000 to pay a deposit to have the computer repaired. The scammer said a portion of the money would be refunded after the repairs had been made. The woman initiated a wire transfer, but then the scammer called back to say the transfer had been stopped by the bank. The scammer then instructed the mother to purchase four Target gifts cards for $500 each and to provide the scammer with the card numbers and pins, which she did. At this time, the funds on all four Target gift cards have been used and no repairs were made to the mother’s computer.
On Jan. 10, a Colvin Road resident reported she received a notification that her Google account had been hacked. She mistakenly thought the notification was real and contacted a customer support number provided by the notification. The person who answered the phone told her there was an issue with her Gmail account and advised her to go to Rite Aid and purchase four Google Play cards, for $100 each. She was then instructed to text the cards’ codes and pins to a different number, which was also allegedly another customer support number. She did so but became suspicious and contacted Google’s official support line. At that time, the Google representative informed her she was the victim of a scam. According to the police report, at the time the report was made, the Google Play cards had not yet been redeemed by the scammers.
Identity theft
On Jan. 4, an Olmsted Road resident reported that someone had fraudulently used his name and Social Security number to apply for unemployment benefits, as well as to open an account with Chase Bank to receive the fraudulent benefits. The resident learned of the identity theft after receiving communication from NYS Department of Labor and Chase Bank. The resident closed the accounts and suffered no financial loss.
On Jan. 6, a Cooper Road man reported that $17,963.11 worth of fraudulent charges appeared on his Home Depot account. The charges were related to purchases made by an unknown person at a Home Depot store in Miami Gardens, Florida. Police directed the man to contact to the Miami Gardens police department to generate a report and document the identity theft.
On Jan. 7, a Johnson Road woman reported an unknown person used her name and Social Security number to file for fraudulent unemployment benefits.
Car break-in
On Jan. 5, a Tunstall Road resident reported that someone opened the doors of her unlocked, parked car and rummaged through her glove box. Nothing was stolen.
Dispute
A Post Road resident reported having a dispute with another tenant in her house Jan. 8. When police attempted to follow-up with her, she said she was running errands and would contact them later.
Landscaping debris
On Jan. 4, a Paddington Road man received a letter alleging to be from a local homeowner’s association, asking the man to remove a pile of landscaping debris from in front of his house – or face possible legal action. The man said the debris was not from his property. He believes someone is dumping the debris there without his permission. The letter did not contain a specific name or address for follow-up.
Suspicious
On Jan. 6, a Walworth Avenue woman reported her surveillance camera captured video footage of a chubby, white man, in his 30s, with dirty blonde hair, wearing a black facemask, a blue sweater and jeans on her property. Specifically, the man was seen exiting a newer-model Ford F150 pickup truck, walking to her back door, ringing the doorbell, and leaving after a few moments when no one answered the door. He did not look into any windows of the house or a car. The woman suggested the man possibly had gone to the wrong address.
On Jan. 6, an unmarked van parked in front of a Sheldrake Road house. A man exited the van and rang the door. The homeowner did not answer the door and instead called police. It was soon determined that a package had been delivered. The homeowner said she had been concerned because the van was unmarked and did not resemble an official delivery vehicle.
A caller reported seeing what she thought was a suspicious individual on Scarsdale Avenue Jan. 9. The man was said to be “pacing back and forth, smoking cigarettes.” He was described as white, with with a beard and wearing a beanie hat and a red and white hooded sweatshirt. Police went to the scene to question the man. He said he had simply been outside talking on the phone.
Loud noise
On Jan. 6, a Murray Hill Road man called and asked police to check his house. He said he had heard a loud noise and then noticed a door was open. Before police arrived, the man called back to say the noise and open door had been caused by his housekeeper entering the house.
Assistance
On Jan. 6, a homeless person walked into headquarters to ask for help in finding a shelter. Before an officer could arrive to assist the person, he left. Police searched the area in order to offer assistance, but the person was not located.
On Jan. 7, concerned neighbors and citizens asked police to check the welfare of two people – Heathcote Road resident whose house was dark when it is normally lit, and in an unrelated incident, a woman at the train station who looked like she might be in need of assistance. Police went to the Heathcote Road house. No one answered the door, but everything appeared to be in good order. Police went to the train station but did not see anyone matching the woman’s description.
On Jan. 8, a utility worker reported finding an open door at a Tunstall Road house, with no one answering the door. Police checked the house and found everything to be in good order.
Cars and roadways
On Jan. 7, police assisted with traffic control while a flat tire was changed on a disabled car on Heathcote Road.
Police removed a fallen telephone wire from Weaver Street and notified Verizon Jan. 8.
Police stood by at the location of a water main break, with significant flooding, on Weaver Street until the water department arrived on scene to address the problem, Jan. 9. Later that day, another break was discovered at Meadow Road and Hutchinson Avenue. Police informed the water department for repair.
Two car accidents were reported in the Village this week.
Animals
On Jan. 6, a caller reported seeing a coyote walking in the roadway at the intersection of River Road and Walworth Avenue.
On Jan. 6, a caller reported a car on Ardmore Road had struck a cat. Upon arrival, patrol observed a “badly wounded” cat. Witnesses on scene confirmed the cat to be a stray. Patrol quickly determined the animal should be put down, to end to its suffering. Witnesses left the scene and went into their homes. Supervisory permission was granted for patrol to dispatch the animal. A safe backstop was determined, and the cat was dispatched with two rounds. The cat’s remains were properly disposed of by patrol, and the highway department responded to clean the roadway.
Village code
The driver of a delivery truck parked on Palmer Avenue told police he was waiting to make his delivery at 6:30 a.m., Jan. 5, as per Village code. The time was 5:52 a.m., when police noticed and questioned the driver.
Police dispersed a group of kids from Edgewood School grounds after dark Jan. 9. They said they had been “hanging out.”
Firefighters
On Jan. 4, Parkfield Road residents reported a “funny noise” coming from their doorbell. Firefighters shut power to the doorbell at the breaker panel and advised calling for service.
On Jan. 7, a Hamilton Road resident reported an oven fire. It had already been extinguished when firefighters arrived. Firefighters checked for extension and ventilated the house.
Firefighters assisted with a car accident on the Hutchinson River Parkway Jan. 9.
On Jan. 10, a Kent Road woman accidentally got locked out of her house by a family member while she was running errands. Firefighters were able to gain access to the house to let her back inside.
This report covering police and fire department activity from Jan. 4-10 has been compiled from official information.
This police report is sponsored by Scarsdale Security who does more than just security. Contact them about remote video for your home or business. Call 914-722-2200 or visit their websiteThis police report is sponsored by Scarsdale Security who does more than just security. Contact them about remote video for your home or business. Call 914-722-2200 or visit their website.
CNC Announces Slate of Candidates for Village Mayor and Trustees
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Jane Veron has been selected as the Non-Partisan Party's candidate for Mayor.Just as the Inaugural celebration wrapped up on Wednesday night January 20, 2021, we received word that the Citizens Nominating Committee (CNC) had selected the following slate of candidates for Scarsdale Mayor and Village Trustees:
Jane Veron of Fox Meadow, a Village Resident for 23 years, Village Mayor
Sameer Ahuja of Heathcote, a Village Resident for 21 years, Trustee
Jonathan Lewis of Edgewood, a Village Resident for 19 years, Trustee
Ellen Plum of Fox Meadow, a Village Resident for 21 years, Trustee
Eric Lichtenstein, Chair of the CNC said, “Starting in late November, the CNC went to work in finding potential candidates for both Trustee and Mayor. Over the last two months, the CNC conducted extensive diligence along with hours of discussions. While our meetings and reference conversations are not shared publicly, the CNC considered and researched carefully the background, experience, and qualifications of each trustee and mayoral and engaged in significant deliberations.”
Here is an explanation of the vacancies that the CNC was charged with filling: Mayor Marc Samwick will complete his two-year term as Mayor and Trustee Seth Ross will complete two terms as Village Trustee. Trustee Rochelle Waldman, who served one two-year term, opted not to run for a second term and Trustee Jonathan Lewis will complete one term and is running to serve a second two-year term.
Meet the Candidates
Jane Veron
Jane Veron has been selected as the party’s candidate for Mayor. She served two terms as a Village Trustee, from 2016-2020. As the liaison to the Scarsdale Library she worked to advance the public/private partnership for the library renovation and expansion which is now complete. She chaired the Ad Hoc Committee on Communications to improve outreach and transparency. She has been a champion for the revitalization of the Village Center and recommended code changes to improve business downtown and the opening of the large dining tent on Spencer Place along with other initiatives to bring residents to the Village.
She is a former chair of the Scarsdale Bowl Committee and the Scarsdale Planning Board and also served as President of the Scarsdale League of Women Voters. She is the CEO and Co-founder of The Acceleration Project a non-profit organization that provides business consulting to small businesses.
Commenting on her nomination, Veron said, “I am thrilled and honored to receive the CNC nomination. I love Scarsdale and feel so lucky to live here. I am guided by optimism and hope, and I seek to inspire the best in us. I want everyone in Scarsdale to feel welcomed and included and will take great care to represent all members of the community. If elected, I will work with the board, staff, and residents to protect the best of Scarsdale’s legacy and to imagine and build an even better future.”
Asked about her priorities she replied, “The immediate priorities are matters of public health, safety, and welfare. We need to continue to do everything in our power to safeguard and support our community through the pandemic, to provide essential services, and to manage in a tight budget environment. We have a duty to our taxpayers to be cognizant of economic pressures. But I am encouraged by the prospect of a post COVID world and want to begin planning. Scarsdale is a wonderfully forward-thinking community, and I am eager to consider important initiatives around infrastructure, sustainability, revitalization, traffic safety, technology, and recreation. Our agenda will ultimately be set by the collective needs of the community.”
Sameer Ahuja
Sameer Ahuja will run for his first two-year term.Sameer Ahuja, is a candidate for his first term as Village Trustee. He has been a resident of Scarsdale for a combined 21 years. He graduated from Scarsdale High School in 1992 and moved back with his family in 2014. He currently serves on the Village Advisory Council on Communications. Professionally, Sameer has been an entrepreneur for nearly 20 years. He currently works as the COO (GM) of GameChanger Media Inc., a NY-based sports technology company owned by DICK’S Sporting Goods.
Ahuja said, “I am delighted and humbled that the CNC has nominated me as one of the candidates for Village Trustee and thank its members for their service. Scarsdale is a special place for me and my family from the time we moved here as immigrants - I have seen for nearly four decades how Scarsdale has welcomed so many people of the highest character, integrity, intellect, and achievement. I look forward to providing a voice for our increasingly diverse community and hope that my background in entrepreneurship and technology can help in tackling the important issues facing the village. The opportunity to live in a place as special as Scarsdale is something I have never taken for granted. It would be a privilege to serve.”
Jonathan Lewis
Candidate Jonathan Lewis is running for his second two-year term as Village Trustee. He is the former Chief Investment Officer of Fiera Capital Inc. where he was a member of firm’s management committee. In this role, he led investment teams managing $20+ billion across a variety of asset classes and strategies. He also championed the integration of Environmental, Social and Governance factors in Fiera’s investment process. Prior to his firm’s acquisition by Fiera in 2015, Jonathan was the Chief Investment Officer of Samson Capital Advisors. He co-founded Samson in 2004, a fixed income boutique with a focus on public finance and municipal credit. He oversaw the development of firm’s investment process and strategy implementation. Samson managed over $7 billion in assets, largely in municipal bonds, at the time of its sale. Jonathan has been a trader, managed mutual funds, and championed the integration of human rights indicators in currency selection.
Jonathan is the Treasurer of the Phi Beta Kappa Foundation and Society where he serves on the executive committee and chairs the investment 
Jonathan Lewis has been selected to run for a second term as Village Trustee.committee of the endowment. He led Phi Beta Kappa to become a United Nations Principles of Responsible Investment Signatory this past year. He is also a trustee of Yonkers Partners in Education, a former Trustee of the Scarsdale Board of Education, and a former President of the Scarsdale Forum. He was a candidate for Congress in the 2018 Democratic Primary.
Jonathan has written two books for Yale University Press related to national security and policy matters. Jonathan has been a member of Business Executives for National Security (BENS) and in his work for BENS he co-chaired their intelligence reform initiatives in the 1990’s and served on its Task Force on Domestic Security. In this work, he was one of four task force members responsible for developing recommendations for how to improve the relationship between Federal, State, and Local security and law enforcement officials to enhance the safety of communities around the nation.
Asked why he wants to continue to serve Lewis said, “I have lived in Scarsdale for nearly two decades and I love our “village in a park.” For me, the best way to fight the pandemic and the economic crisis around us is to preserve our village and what makes it special.”
“We face great economic and budgetary challenges. We need to rethink how municipal government functions in the 21st century and how we address the significant budget challenges caused by this crisis. I believe Scarsdale Village government should be a national model in innovation to address our budget challenges. We need to reengineer the delivery of municipal services in a more sustainable, cost-efficient manner. We need to rethink how we protect our open spaces and make our streets and sidewalks safer for walking and cycling. This will help us reduce our carbon footprint and promote more sustainable lifestyles.”
Candidate for Trustee Ellen Plum was not able to provide her information by press time, so we will include details about her next week.
The election will take place Tuesday March 16, 2021 at the Scarsdale Congregational Church. Eric Lichtenstein served as Chair and Steve Pass served as Vice Chair of the CNC. In addition to the candidates for Village office, the CNC selected Jill Spielberg as Chair and Jon Krisbergh as Vice Chair for next year’s CNC. The CNC also elected Richard Pinto to serve as Vice Chair of the Procedure Committee.
A Peek Inside Scarsdale's Stunning New Library
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Glassed entry with seating and a cafe.I am sure many of you have noticed that the new Scarsdale Library appears to be open but sadly not open to the public. After years of planning, fundraising and construction, the project, which was almost a decade in the making, is finally a reality. The staff has moved from their temporary quarters at the Loft, books are on the shelves, an appealing café is on site and everything is ready for the day the virus permits the library to open its doors safely.
The opening of the library should be the focus of community pride and celebration. Supporters of the renovation launched nothing short of a Herculean effort to reach this day, overcoming some nay sayers and huge financial obstacles to build the library we, as a community, envisioned for the Scarsdale of the future. Along the way, some argued that libraries and printed materials were becoming obsolete, others said that the Village’s stressed finances could not afford a costly overhaul, some objected to losing Scarsdale’s historic library and others feared that their taxes would go up.
However, a ground swell of community support moved the project forward as many saw the libraries our neighboring communities had built in recent years and wanted the same for Scarsdale. Residents began to imagine what a 21st century library could mean for our community. A committed group of members of the Library Board, the SPL Capital Campaign Committee, Friends of the Library, the Building Committee and the talented and visionary Library Director, Beth Bermel, persisted, and managed to overcome all roadblocks in their path.
Back lit bookcases highlight new titles.
Tasked with raising $7.5 million to supplement funds from the Village, the Library’s Campaign Committee exceeded their goal, raising more than an impressive $8 million, through over 500 individual contributions and fundraising events. Their efforts and determination are visible throughout in a library that surprises and delights at every turn. Even those who did not originally support the plan are bound to be amazed and enjoy Scarsdale’s new jewel.
Anxious to see what’s inside, I asked Beth Bermel for a tour and was lucky to spend my snow day on a walk-through of this dazzling new facility. I was blown away by what I saw. In short, it is stunning. Every vista pleases the eye, the light, bright spaces beckon and wherever you turn it is evident that years of thought and analysis went into creating a most inviting community intellectual and cultural hub.
Since the outer walls of the original library remain, the old stone walls have been integrated into the new spaces. This design gives a sense of the old mixed with the new, honoring the history and tradition housed in the original building while becoming a state-of-the-art facility. Another feature of the design is flexibility. Walls can be opened or closed, and furniture can be moved and rearranged to allow for multi-purpose use of this large indoor space. And it is large. In fact the interior space has grown by 10,000 square feet, resulting in a 27,638 square foot library, one third bigger than the original.
To start at the front door, the library has been expanded in the front with a glass entry gallery where you’ll find the café and spacious seating. From this gallery, you can see right through the Main Reading Room out to the greenery and Library Pond. Unlike the old library, which was dark and cramped, the space is now bright and open. The old mezzanine was removed allowing for light to pour in through the storied windows and one can appreciate the double height ceiling.
Also added to the front portion of the library are two new dividable multi-purpose rooms which can be used for library events and community meetings. These two rooms are in addition to the Scott Room which has been remodeled and can accommodate large groups. A new kitchen has been added to allow food to be served to attendees. These spaces are sure to be in demand and fill a community-wide need for meeting rooms.
The main reading room is bathed in natural light.As you enter the Main Reading Room, you’ll find a wall of back-lit bookcases where new books are on display and large tables with wheels for frequently borrowed books. These tables can be moved if the space is needed for an event. Additionally, there is a glass diving wall at the front of the Main Reading Room that can be closed to allow for the front of the library to remain open for events when the library is closed.
Everywhere you look are long tables, each with their own power source, to accommodate users and their devices. The room is flanked by four study rooms for group projects and smaller team meetings. Even the carrels have been upgraded and are modern and sleek.
One of the most alluring spaces is the glass wrapped Reading Gallery that overlooks the pond. Comfy and stylish blue chairs await Scarsdale readers.
Teens have their own space for their collection of young adult books and large cushy chairs which are sure to 
Inviting chairs in the teen space.be the envy of Scarsdale students. The Children’s Wing is a dream. The space has been expanded. There’s lovely carpeting, lots of light and room to roam. It’s easy to imagine story hour in this child-friendly space. The iconic window seat remains as does the barrel-vaulted ceiling. And as if that weren’t enough, the Children’s Wing also includes a large children’s program room so the Children’s Department can hold many classes a day where kids can participate in crafts, build, learn and create.
Room to roam and explore in the expanded Children's Department.
Another “aha” moment came when I entered the new Quiet Reading Room, the old reference room. Though it still includes the fireplace from the original library, you won’t recognize much more. It is a long shelf lined room, with space for reference materials, archives, newspapers and maps, ending in a bay window with four large red wing chairs. There will also be exhibits displaying local history when the library reopens.
Red wing chairs in the quiet reading room.As if all this was not enough, the library also includes a “home office” where there will be copiers and other resources as well as a technology center with several computers where free classes will be offered and open access to anyone needing a computer.
A wonderful new café, run by Apiary of Larchmont awaits anyone looking for a cup of coffee or a delicious meal. The café is already open for curbside pick-up. You can order coffee, snacks, breakfast and lunch. Call them at 914-713-8674 to order wraps, panini, salads and more. You can check out the menu here:
Kudos to Daniel Heuberger, who led the team at Dattner Architects, on both the architectural work and the interiors.
Until the library can open, you can reserve books and materials on the library website for curbside pick-up and peek through the windows to see the stunning interior. You can also stroll the grounds to see part of the Friends of the Scarsdale Library-sponsored art exhibit “Hindsight is 2020” displaying art by local Scarsdale artists. The remainder of the exhibit will be installed inside the building in early 2021 and will be available throughout the year for patrons to enjoy when the building opens.
This new library will be a game changer for everyone who is lucky enough to live here. I can’t wait for this crisis to pass so that we can all enjoy this long-awaited community treasure. And looking into a crystal ball for Scarsdale, I hope that the realization of the library will help residents to embrace change and appreciate what the future can hold if we all work together to build a better Village.
