Written by Carol P. Bartold

Sep. 10, 2014: Park Avenue between Wellington Circle and Tanglewylde Avenue will remain a yellow brick road. In a unanimous decision, the Bronxville Board of Trustees, at its September 8 meeting, adopted a resolution to award a contract to Vernon Hills Contracting Corporation of Mount Vernon to restore the street by installing brick on an asphalt surface, as recommended by village engineers.

Faced with weighing issues of historical and quality-of-life considerations against cost, public safety, and the useful life of the road, village officials solicited bids that addressed three options for Park Avenue repair: paving the street with asphalt, installing brick on an asphalt surface, and installing brick in a sand-based material.

The base contract for $253,799 will cover costs of rebuilding the roadbed, establishing control over water seepage beneath the pavement, and asphalt paving. An additional contract amount of $115,850 will cover the cost to install bricks on the asphalt surface.

The Bronxville Historical Conservancy has pledged $67,500 to purchase replacement bricks. The group has identified a source for antique bricks that closely match the originals, most of which have suffered too much deterioration to be salvaged.

Trustee Anne W. Poorman noted that, in examining options for Park Avenue, the board considered the issue of accepting private funds for public works projects. "Both the mayor and I have observed that private money sometimes comes with strings attached," Poorman said. "There can be hidden costs and a well-meaning but inappropriate sense of entitlement and ownership from those donors."

She stated that the state and local laws governing the safety and liability of roads, as well as the multiple jurisdictions that administer the laws, work as a mitigating factor in concerns over accepting private funds for the Park Avenue project.

Bronxville Historical Conservancy co-chairman Bill Dowling, in his remarks to the board, said, "Every step of the way we see ourselves as your partner. We're not trying to impose our will on the implementation, we’re just trying to help facilitate things."

Trustee Donald Gray, active with the Conservancy since its founding and a nonvoting member of its executive committee, stated that the group's support in the village is important. "I can't imagine there being a situation or an issue where the Conservancy and the village would be at odds. If that were to come up, I think it would be resolved very quickly."

The trustees agreed that the decision to retain Park Avenue as a brick street does not establish a blanket policy covering the repair of other brick streets in the village.

"I do think that on a go-forward basis we have to look at the facts and circumstances surrounding each and every new project," Deputy Mayor Robert Underhill said. "When the next project comes up, it will be open to debate and careful review of the circumstances."

As part of that review, Poorman called for an accurate study and quantification of the longevity of a brick road. "Park Avenue brick has not lasted for 90 years," she stated. "Maybe 40 or 50."

Trustee Guy Longobardo called for the board of trustees to formulate a long-range plan to examine funding alternatives and maintenance plans for the repair and refurbishment of other brick streets in the village. He pointed out that Park Avenue has been poorly maintained for decades.

"I do think sooner rather than later the trustees will have the conversation about a long-term look at our other brick roads," said Mayor Mary Marvin. "I think we need to look at a bigger, more global picture on the rest of the brick roads." She expressed hope that the village would continue to partner with The Bronxville Historical Conservancy to develop solutions.

Pictured here:  Bill Dowling, co-chairman of The Bronxville Historical Conservancy, speaking at the village trustee meeting last Monday night. 

Photo by Carol P. Bartold