The Ambassador Files Suit to Maintain the Ethical Culture Society Claiming They Received No Notification of Application to Raze It
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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In recent years, developers frequently file applications with the Committee for Historic Preservation (CHP) to demolish Scarsdale homes in order to replace them with larger manses. And often these applications are approved with the committee finding that the homes do not meet the Village’s criteria for preservation. When the CHP does deny an applicant permission to demolish a home, the applicant can appeal to the Village Board of Trustees in the hope of winning approval to raze the property.
However, a complaint filed in NYS Supreme Court on February 24, 2026 presents a new twist on the preservation laws. In this case, the Committee for Historic Preservation approved the demolition of a property, and now the owner of the facility next door is petitioning to annul that decision.
The case involves an application filed by Sunrise Senior Living to take down the Ethical Culture Society building on Saxon Woods Road, in order to replace it with a senior living facility. The property is adjacent to The Ambassador, another senior living facility that would presumably compete with the new entrant.
After the Committee for Historic Preservation approved the demolition in October, lawyers for the Ambassador tried to appeal the decision to the Village Board of Trustees. Keane & Beane, attorneys for the Village of Scarsdale said that Sunrise does not have the right to appeal the decision because it does not own the property in question.
A letter from Nicholas M. Ward-Willis of Keane & Beane said, '….the property that is the subject of the application, and therefore the "property in question" is 7 Saxon Woods Road. Mr. Sharma is not the owner of that property, but rather the owner of an adjacent parcel located at 9 Saxon Woods Road. Accordingly, while Mr. Sharma may consider himself aggrieved by the Decision, he does not meet the definition of "owner" under the Village Code and therefore lacks standing to appeal the CHP's Decision to the Board of Trustees.'
Attorneys for the Ambassador also filed a FOIL request for recordings of the CHP meetings and meeting notices, claiming they were not notified of the public hearing. On January 2, 2026 the Village responded, 'Scarsdale Village Code § 182-3E(3) provides the CHP “may hold a public hearing on a completed application when it deems the same to be in the public interest.” Thus, the CHP did not hold “public hearings” on the dates in question because such hearings are not required to be held.'
The Village responded with copies of the mailing labels advising neighbors of the CHP meeting. But the one for the Ambassador was sent to their loan servicer in Houston, Texas.
The complaint filed by lawyers for the Ambassador claims that the CHP's decision was made “in violation of the open meetings law.” It says, “Petitioners received no notice of and did not otherwise have knowledge of the planned demolition until the COA was already approved.” “As a result of being illegally denied notice, Petitioners were deprived of their procedural due process rights to participate in the CHP meetings, present comments, and raise their concerns regarding the proposed demolition of this beloved structure.”
Furthermore they claimed the destruction will have “Immediate direct adverse impacts” on the Ambassador’s “property value, aesthetic environment and legally protected interest and will negatively affect the quality of life of the Ambassador’s residents.”
They also claim that there were no records of the CHP meetings and minutes. “In addition to depriving Petitioners notice of the CHP public meeting, Respondents failed to maintain an audible record of the CHP deliberations, (and) did not publish any articulated findings or minutes…”
The complaint charges the Village of Scarsdale with failing to provide notice of the meeting to the news media saying “New York's Open Meetings Law establishes mandatory dual notice requirements for public meetings. OML § 104(1). The statute explicitly provides that "public notice of the time and place of a meeting scheduled at least one week prior thereto shall be given or electronically transmitted to the news media and shall be conspicuously posted in one or more designated public locations at least seventy-two hours before such meeting." Id. Courts have interpreted these requirements as conjunctive, meaning both forms of notice are mandatory, not alternatives. See, e.g., White v. Battaglia, 79 A.D.2d 880, 881 (4th Dep’t 1980)….Failure to provide notice to the news media more than one week in advance of the September and October 2025 CHP meetings violated OML § 104.”
The story was in fact covered on Scarsdale10583, though there was no “official notification” posted on the site. You can see the article here.
Letter from Neighbors
The Ambassador is not the only party objecting to the demolition. Scarsdale10583 received a letter from neighbors on Saxon Woods Road objecting to the demolition and construction of another 125 units.
The letter says, “Are you aware that the Ethical Society and The Ambassador has flooded 4x in the past five years, with the 2022 flood causing 8 months of remediation at The Ambassador. Our houses have flooded more than ever since The Ambassador was built. There is still debris from the flood in the Saxon Woods creek (umbrellas, benches, clothes and other junk.) How do they plan to fix our flood problem when the sheer addition will make it worse. It cost me $10K to remove mold from my basement.”
“The parking situation caused by The Ambassador is already dangerous. And despite many calls to the Village nothing has been done. Cars are parked on the side of the road and emergency vehicles cannot arrive to our neighborhood.”
“The Ethical Society was once part of the fabric of our quiet neighborhood and that was ruined 15 years ago when the Ambassador was built. Amba promised 200 trees to hide the commercial look. A promise he failed to deliver and he was allowed to neglect on.”
“Families have resided here for 50 plus years and our once quiet neighborhood is no more. The addition of 125 more units will destroy it. Please help us.”
Forum Committee Asks to Participate in Freightway Development Process
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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(This letter was sent by the Scarsdale Forum)
Dear Mayor and Village Trustees:
We note with gratitude the Mayor’s letter of January 9, 2026 to the Scarsdale community regarding the potential development of the Freightway site. Having studied this matter extensively and concluded that such development could be of great value to the community, the members of the Scarsdale Forum’s Freightway Working Group are eager to participate in a process leading to a project that offers a variety of significant benefits while avoiding the detrimental effects that could result from changes not well considered to meet the community’s needs and desires.
While we appreciate the Village’s thoughtful approach to this issue, we believe that the deteriorating condition of the Freightway garage, the shortage of housing to meet residents’ changing needs, and a range of other factors require timely action. Appropriate development would improve the Village’s finances with more productive uses, improve the quality of life it offers, and create a positive impact on the appearance of our lovely Tudor-themed Village Center.
We fully appreciate the concerns voiced by some residents regarding the potential impact of development on our school system, infrastructure, and municipal services, and on traffic in the Village Center. These matters require serious consideration on the part of the community, the leadership of the Village and school district, and such outside experts as may be appropriate. Any plans for development must satisfactorily address these issues.
In order to ensure the lasting value of any project that may be undertaken, planning must be forward-looking, allowing for changing needs and available technology relating to transportation and other areas of life. Preservation of green space and sensitivity to the environment are values we embrace. The opportunity to create a full range of public benefits far into the future can be maximized by a process that is thoughtful and well-informed.
Our members have devoted substantial time and effort to researching the issues relating to this matter and educating the community with our findings. We would be pleased to continue our involvement in any way that would be helpful to our fellow residents, Village government, and school administration.
Very truly yours,
Scarsdale Forum Inc.
Susan Douglass, Chair, Downtown Revitalization Committee
Madelaine Eppenstein, Chair, Municipal Services Committee
Recycling Tip of the Week: Recycle Your Batteries--Do NOT Place them in Curbside Recycling or in the Trash
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- Written by: Conservation Advisory Council
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Batteries, including alkaline, lithium and button batteries (used in watches and hearing aids), can be brought to the blue collection tubes located in the lobby of Village Hall (open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm) and in the Recycling Center Office (110 Secor Road, open Monday-Saturday, 8am-3pm) for recycling. Rechargeable and damaged batteries are not accepted. Rechargeable batteries can be brought to the Recycling Center and placed in the E-waste container. Batteries contain valuable metal such as lithium and nickel that can be extracted and recycled. Because they require special handling, batteries should never be placed in commingled recycling or in the trash. For a list of batteries that are accepted by the Village for recycling and those that are not, see https://scarsdale.gov/897/Battery-Recycling.
Clearing Ice and Snow Around Fire Hydrants
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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Two industrious high school sophomores, the brother and sister team of Ethan and Isabella Turner, noticed how many fire hydrants were buried in snow and ice and decided to do something to help.
Ethan explained “During the deep freeze over the past few weeks a lot of fire hydrants in our area are covered in ice and snow creating a hazard in the case of a fire emergency. As a starting point, I have cleared five fire hydrants near my home in Quaker Ridge."
Ethan Turner
"To create awareness, my sister and I made a video, to bring attention to the importance of clearing fire hydrants for the firefighters in Scarsdale. We have set up an email for Scarsdale Residents to ask for help to clear their hydrants if they are unable to do so themselves or want some help. We can be reached at [email protected].”
Watch this video that demonstrates how to clear the 3 foot area around the fire hydrants of ice and snow.
Isabella Turner
Teens Create App to Improve Mental Health Anytime and Anywhere
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- Written by: Rebecca Ludwig
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Charley Wolf and Theo Kertesz StayMindful is a free mental wellness app created by teens, for teens. The app empowers users to manage stress and anxiety through guided meditations, visual breathing exercises, and evidence-backed advice in articles. StayMindful exemplifies how student-led innovation can tackle real-world challenges with empathy, technical skill, and purpose. We asked a few questions to the team behind StayMindful- Scarsdale High School Juniors Theo Kertesz and Charley Wolf. Here is what they had to say:
How did you come up with the idea for StayMindful?
We came up with the idea for StayMindful after seeing how many of our peers were struggling with stress, anxiety, and mental health challenges without knowing where to turn. We also noticed that many existing resources felt overwhelming, inaccessible, or stigmatizing. We wanted to create a space that was free, easy to use, and designed specifically for teens, with digestible content and tools that make mental health feel normal and approachable.
How did the app become popular at Scarsdale High School?
The app grew primarily through word of mouth. We also gave several presentations to Scarsdale High School classes and worked closely with school psychologists, which helped introduce StayMindful in a trusted and familiar setting. That direct connection to the school community played a big role in its growth.
What are some of your main goals for the app?
Our main goals are to reach as many teens as possible and make StayMindful a reliable mental health resource. We want to continue growing our user base, partner with schools and mental health organizations, and eventually reach 10,000 downloads. Right now, we are proud to have already surpassed 2,500 downloads.
What are some of your accomplishments since starting StayMindful?
Since launching the app, StayMindful has reached over 2,500 downloads and earned a 4.9-star rating on the App Store. We have also surveyed more than 60 students, who reported feeling an average of 4 out of 5 levels calmer after completing a short breathing exercise in the app. In addition, we have received positive feedback and testimonials from psychologists and mental health professionals, which has helped validate the app’s impact.
In what ways can StayMindful help students, specifically in Scarsdale?
StayMindful helps Scarsdale students better understand what they are experiencing through relatable articles and simple tools. The app includes easy-to-use breathing exercises and content designed to support students dealing with academic stress, test anxiety, and everyday pressures common in a high-achieving environment.
What are your plans to continue spreading awareness for mental health in the future?
We plan to continue partnering with mental health organizations, organizing events, and presenting to students whenever possible. Building a strong community presence and keeping conversations around mental health open and accessible is a major focus moving forward.
Would you like to spread your message beyond Scarsdale, or keep it within the town?
While StayMindful started in Scarsdale, our goal is to expand well beyond the town. We have already shared the app with psychologists and organizations outside of Scarsdale, and we hope to continue reaching teens in many different communities.
How can people in Scarsdale support StayMindful?
People in Scarsdale can support StayMindful by using the app, sharing it with friends, organizations, or anywhere they think it could help, and by giving us feedback. Suggestions for new features and improvements play a big role in shaping the app as it continues to grow.
Have you received any feedback that surprised you or caused you to modify your app?
One of the most important pieces of feedback we received was from schools regarding privacy. In response, we created a separate school-friendly version of StayMindful that does not collect any personal information, including names or accounts, so students can use it comfortably and schools can confidently support it.
How are you working as a team to manage the app, and how do you envision managing it in the future?
StayMindful is led by Theo and Charley and supported by a team of 15 students who work collaboratively across development, content, and outreach. We also have an expert advisory group of two mental health professionals who help guide the app’s direction. Moving forward, we plan to continue improving the app, expanding the team, and sharing StayMindful with even more students.
Download the StayMindful app, or visit their website here: https://staymindful.org/
