Letter to the Community Regarding Historic Building
By Marian Schafer, Bronxville High School Junior.
To the Community:
June 14, 2023: I'm writing to make you aware that a local building of significant historical importance dating from the founding of our country is in danger of being torn down.
The Ward House at 230 White Plains Road was the family home of Stephen Ward, a patriot during the Revolutionary War. The home is located in what is now Tuckahoe, but during the Revolution the farmland belonging to the house extended into what is now Eastchester and Bronxville. There were several skirmishes and many patriot deaths at the Ward House during the Revolution and it remained of strategic importance throughout the war.
The Ward House most recently served as a dormitory and gathering location for Concordia College. It was deemed a Historical Landmark by the Tuckahoe Village Board of Trustees in 2022.
The developer who purchased the house from Concordia in August 2021 (notably after the Village of Tuckahoe imposed a Historic Buildings Moratorium on the structure) wants to demolish the house and build two residential homes.
The Tuckahoe Historic Preservation Commission is accepting public comments on the developer's application to demolish through Wednesday June 14th. If you feel as I do that the Ward House should be preserved because it is a physical reminder of the important history of Tuckahoe, Eastchester and Bronxville, please include your name as a signatory to my letter to the Historic Commission located here.
Editor's note: MyhometownBronxville does not fact-check statements in letters to the editor, and the opinions do not necessarily reflect the thinking of its staff. Its objective in publishing letters to the editor is to give air to diverse thoughts and opinions of residents in the community.
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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.
Village of Bronxville Administrative Offices
337-6500
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Police Department
337-0500
Open 24 hours
Bronxville Parking Violations
337-2024
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Fire Deparment
793-6400
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