John Corry: Twenty-Five Years Ago in Bronxville: April 1991
By John A. Corry
Editor's note: John A. Corry's column features events that happened in Bronxville 25 years ago. He selects newsworthy items to include in his column from historical sources, including the Review Press-Reporter (which is no longer published). Many of the people involved in these happenings still live in Bronxville. Many do not but have left their mark on Bronxville history.
Apr. 27, 2016: New Village Budget: Village Administrator Galloway unveiled a new proposed budget that increased real estate taxes by only 2.9 percent, reduced from the 6.9 percent of the previous month. The reduction resulted from "tough decisions" made by the trustees, including increases in parking and garage charges. In praising the decision, a Review Press-Reporter editorial noted that real estate taxes would be only 52 percent of the total village revenue, whereas an increase in real estate taxes to make up 72 percent of the village budget in Tuckahoe was a major reason for the voters' defeat of the Tuckahoe mayor's reelection bid. Bronxville school taxes were also only slightly changed.
School Superintendent: The search for a school superintendent to succeed retiring William Greenham was narrowing. Of the ten semifinalists who had been interviewed at the school in March, only three remained: Katonah High School Principal John Chambers, North Shore Central School District Superintendent Michael McGill, and Rochester suburban East Irondequoit School District Superintendent Josephine Kehoe.
School Board Nominees: The Bronxville Non-Partisan Committee announced its choices to replace retiring board of education members Mary Anne O'Callahan and John Hill. They were attorney Robert Dobbin and banker Robert Seabring. The announcement noted that Seabring brings to the board special experience in municipal finance. (Today, twenty-five years later, Seabring heads the Bronxville Rotary Club and the two men are the leaders, or "czars," of Bronxville's Geezer Bridge Club.)
Volunteerism: Junior League President Karla Diserens, in a Review Press-Reporter op-ed, praised the breadth of volunteerism in the community. She especially cited the Bronxville Elementary School, Jansen Hospice, and Lawrence Hospital.
Real Estate News: Houlihan Lawrence announced that Vera Blendermann, assistant manager of its Bronxville office, had been promoted to manage the office. A graduate of Montclair State Teachers College, she had resided with her husband, Gene Blendermann, in various foreign locations, including Libya, Norway, and Venezuela, before moving to Bronxville to be close to his New York City office.
Wine Sale Ad: In this pre-computer marketing era, a full-page Review Press-Reporter advertisement for Zachys in Scarsdale was showing for sale at least a hundred varieties of Bordeaux, including a large number of half bottles. Especially featured was a 1985 Château Lafleur at $195 a bottle.
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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Bronxville Police Department
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