Contaminated Air and Water Don't Stop at Village Borders: Mayor and Trustees Follow Marbledale Hotel Development
By Carol P. Bartold
Jan. 11, 2017: Concerned Bronxville and Tuckahoe residents addressed the Bronxville Board of Trustees on Monday, January 9, about contamination at the proposed site of a Marriott SpringHill Suites hotel and restaurant on Marbledale Road in Tuckahoe.
The site plan, approved by the Village of Tuckahoe Planning Board in a 3-to-2 vote in October of 2016, calls for the hotel and restaurant to be built on the site of a former marble quarry has been used as a landfill as well as a location for auto repair and auto parking. Soil and water testing onsite revealed concentrations of barium, copper, arsenic, benzene, lead, and two types of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in concentrations sufficient to warrant evaluation for remedial action.
Mayor Mary Marvin announced that both she and the trustees have been extremely vigilant in staying abreast of the latest developments surrounding the hotel project while remaining mindful of jurisdictional issues and exhibiting proper behavior toward their colleagues.
"That being said," Marvin stated, "regardless of the development itself, the Bronxville trustees and I have decided it is within our purview to investigate whether an unsafe level of contaminants are coming into our village." She added that she and the trustees will evaluate data and proceed accordingly.
Marvin announced that the village has engaged Ecosystems Strategies, Inc. to work with village officials in educating them about testing and documents presented for evaluation.
Tuckahoe residents John Mariani and Rachel Zolottev thanked the Bronxville Board of Trustees for welcoming them to speak and also for taking an active interest in the ecological concerns. Mariani reported that in speaking at public meetings in Eastchester, "all we've gotten is a shrug, and a 'we'll do what we can.'" He characterized Tuckahoe Mayor Steve Ecklond and the trustees as merely rubber-stamping the project and telling the developer, despite the presentation of solid evidence about contamination, to do as it wishes.
"We cannot even go to our mayor and trustees in Tuckahoe and ask the kinds of questions we should be asking," Mariani said, because the village attorney has advised the mayor and trustees not to speak about the project pending potential lawsuits.
Zolottev, from the Marbledale Road Environmental Coalition, her husband owns Ki Martial Arts on Marbledale Road, stated that they closed the facility and began the search for a temporary location as soon as digging began. "There is no amount of money that is worth anyone becoming ill," she said. "Hazardous waste is hazardous waste." She stated that all information the coalition has gathered is available to the public.
Bronxville resident Vicki Ford stated that she has spent many months reviewing documentation and data and urged community members to be wary and thoughtful. "There is no return once a toxin takes hold," she said.
Mayor Marvin noted that she and the Bronxville Board of Trustees will continue to listen and move forward in establishing an understanding of the problem. "Contaminated air and water don't stop at the village borders," she said. "We're going to be doing all we can."
The Bronxville Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, February 13, at 8:00 pm in the trustees room at Bronxville Village Hall.
Pictured here: The quarry site where the proposed hotel is to go.
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
337-6500
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Bronxville Police Department
337-0500
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337-2024
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Bronxville Fire Deparment
793-6400
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