By Staff, Bronxville Office of Houlihan Lawrence Real Estate 

Nov. 25, 2015:  After a lengthy renovation and thoughtful restoration, Houlihan Lawrence is returning home to its historic flagship building at 4 Valley Road, which once served as the "gatehouse" to Bronxville as far back as the early 1800s. 

The renovation has enabled the firm to consolidate its entire sales force under one roof at 4 Valley Road, whereas previously some of the staff worked in an office in the center of the Bronxville business district at 89 Pondfield Road. 

With its new state-of-the-art space, Houlihan Lawrence will be able to serve both buyers and sellers more efficiently. The close proximity of 4 Valley Road to the train station is pivotal for attracting buyers, and its expansive parking area will better serve buyers and sellers alike. 

The white brick building at 4 Valley enjoys a colorful and storied past. When village founder William Van Duzer Lawrence first visited Bronxville in 1888, 4 Valley Road served as the "gatehouse" to the old Prescott farm (now known as Lawrence Park, or the Hilltop). Even back then, the building was a magnet for passersby. According to the book Building a Suburban Village, villagers who set out to get milk in their tin pails for breakfast or dinner would stop by at 4 Valley "in winter to get warm and in summer to rest and talk a bit" with the friendly farmer Henry Steibling before heading home. 

After being occupied by a famous opera singer at the turn of the 20th century, the house was bought by the Lawrence family in 1912, eventually becoming the headquarters building for Houlihan Lawrence Real Estate. 

The building itself went through many changes, from farmhouse in the mid-1800s, to a shingled cottage redesigned by Hilltop architect William Bates in the late 1800s, to a building with a more formal brick exterior designed by the legendary Penrose Stout. 

In all of its chapters, the "little white house" has remained an integral part of the fabric of our village. In its freshly restored state, the Houlihan Lawrence office at 4 Valley Road will continue in its role not only as the friendly gatehouse to Bronxville, but also as the 21st-century gateway to the evolving digital world of real estate. 

Pictured here:  The "little white house" at 4 Valley Road, the location for all of the staff of Houlihan Lawrence Real Estate.

Photo courtesy Cindy Landis, Brokerage Manager, Bronxville Office, Houlihan Lawrence Real Estate