Letter to the Editor: Bill Gaston on Community Opposition to Marbledale Road Hotel
To the Editor:
Aug. 17, 2016: With ground set to break on the Marbledale Road hotel in Tuckahoe, growing community opposition to the project is forcing local public officials to take a closer look at its significant ecological and public health consequences.
And not a moment too soon.
Despite clear evidence from the state environmental agency showing the presence of highly toxic chemicals at the site of the old marble quarry, on top of which the hotel would be constructed, Tuckahoe public officials have been dragging their feet and failing to take steps that would address the well-founded concerns of the community.
Spearheading the opposition has been the Marbledale Road Environmental Coalition, a community-based group that has mobilized its members through rallies, petitions, and grassroots organizing to heighten public awareness and to demand thorough and comprehensive site testing before any digging begins.
As I wrote in this space nearly four months ago, Bronxville residents have a compelling interest in the concerns of our neighbors in Tuckahoe. Our well-founded fears about the likely effects on air, water, and property values from the toxic soil vapors and contaminated dust and groundwater that would result from construction of this hotel have not been adequately addressed, nor have public officials been straightforward or transparent about the consequences should residents be exposed to some of these contaminants.
Before digging goes forward, we should all insist that the Village of Tuckahoe properly and systematically evaluate the risk to the community of this project, which to date it has failed to do. As I wrote back in April, clean up first and develop later.
Bill Gaston
Bronxville, NY
Editor's note: MyhometownBronxville does not fact-check statements in letters to the editor, and the opinions do not necessarily reflect the thinking of its staff. Its objective in publishing letters to the editor is to give air to diverse thoughts and opinions of residents in the community.
Pictured here: Demonstrators marching against the proposed hotel plans on Marbledale Road.
Photo by N. Bower
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Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
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