MTA Seeks Commercial Tenant for Bronxville Train Station; Looks to Eliminate Longtime Coffee and Newsstand
By Carol P. Bartold, Senior Reporter
May 3, 2017: Commuters at the Bronxville Metro-North Railroad station were met with the news that the coffee and newsstand, a fixture at the station since 1986, is due to be shut down in favor of a new tenant that would take over the bulk of the station building.
Village Administrator Jim Palmer stated that, although the Metropolitan Transportation Authority ("MTA") circulated a request for proposal ("RFP") involving the Bronxville station, it did not receive desirable responses from prospective tenants. The authority has since put another RFP in circulation.
Palmer has contacted the MTA real estate attorney on behalf of the coffee and newsstand owner Sudhil Patel to allow him to continue his business while awaiting responses to the latest RFP.
Palmer also noted that the MTA plans to retain its manned ticket booth at the station.
Patel, whose lease ended in 2016, hopes to remain in business at the Bronxville station. He asked the MTA for a holdover month-to-month lease as well as a rent reduction. Although the MTA granted him the month-to-month lease through May 30, it denied him a reduction in rent.
"This was not set up for coffee service. It was originally a newsstand only," Patel said, in describing his coffee and newsstand set-up. "I need to remodel the space and have a kitchen to properly run this business but I can't make any improvements because I don't have a lease."
Last week, employees Mary Ann Vicere and Eddie Reyes began circulating a petition among early-morning commuters calling for keeping the business open. Although Patel sought 1,000 signatures on the petition, by Monday morning, May 1, over 1,100 customers had signed it. Patel indicated that he would take the petition to village hall and from there it would be forwarded to the MTA.
Patel still hopes that the MTA will reduce his rent until the authority finds a new tenant. "Then I could stay until they do," he said.
Pictured here: Bronxville Metro-North Railroad station in late April.
Photo by A. Warner
Government & History Directory
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.
Link to Village of Bronxville One Square Mile Monthly Newsletter
Village of Bronxville Administrative Offices
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793-6400
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