P’ville Residents Blast Civic Space Plan, Manville Reconstruction
Pleasantville officials strenuously defended two plans they hope will help enhance the village’s downtown despite a torrent of opposition from residents last week.
Throughout the nearly four-hour public hearing on Jan. 14, there was virtual unanimous resistance from community members who packed the meeting room at Village Hall against transforming a portion of Memorial Plaza into a civic space.
They also shared concerns about the potential impact construction would have on traffic and business when Manville Road is reconstructed.
Mayor Peter Scherer, who opened the hearing with a roughly 30-minute summary of the village’s essential assets and the benefits of improvement projects throughout the years, pressed the need for both projects to keep the village vibrant and thriving.
“I think I can speak for all of us and likely for all the members of the board who have been a party to the process that led us to this, which really began 10 years ago, we are looking to heal some wounds that were caused by various types of development,” Scherer said, noting the poor design of Memorial Plaza, which is all asphalt with no green space, and how the Metro-North tracks divide the village.
“Many of us who have followed this for a long time have always held out hope that there would be a way to create a Pleasantville version of a New England village green,” Scherer said. “A place that would be a magnetic center, a place that would feel softer, a place where you could have events without so much planning and logistics, and a place where folks could gather and enjoy a nice day, music or just feel like they were in a soft and well-designed place.”
Village officials are aiming to redevelop a roughly half-acre parcel on the west end of Memorial Plaza as a public gathering place. That would result in the elimination of the righthand slip lane that funnels traffic from Memorial Plaza onto Manville Road and the loss of an estimated 41 parking spaces.
The village is also looking at a Manville Road streetscape to make the area more accessible to pedestrians.
While residents agreed the Memorial Plaza slip lane should be removed, several suggested using the extra space to provide additional parking instead of creating a civic space. Residents also cited three pocket parks throughout the village that are barely used, including one adjacent to the train station.
“People getting off the train want to see a parking lot,” resident Matthew Brennesholtz said. “People want easy automobile access to the train station, and this will not eliminate it but certainly won’t simplify it. There aren’t going to be that many people that want to congregate in this park so taking it away from other uses such as parking or the farmers market, it’s still a fraction of the area that’s taken away.”
Few residents endorsed the project, including former mayor Bernard Gordon, who said there is no desire within the village to have a public gathering space.
“I have two young kids and there are few places to meet other young families,” Sarah Rosen said. “I think while the space is great, it’s really important to have activities available or families aren’t going to stay.”
Along with the Memorial Plaza civic space proposal, officials also hope to reconstruct Manville Road to make the village safer and more inviting for pedestrians. Construction is expected to begin sometime next year.
Plans include making all curbs and ramps on Manville Road ADA compliant; creating a median along Manville Road between Grant Street and Vanderbilt Avenue; widening lanes to 15 feet; pulling back the curb line to increase sidewalk width; adding markings to designate the lanes; and creating a right turn lane at the intersection of Memorial Plaza and Manville Road.
Crosswalks will also be added at Vanderbilt Avenue and Manville Road. Crosswalks on Manville Road, Washington Avenue, Wheeler Avenue and Tompkins Avenue will be shortened to create a series of curbed peninsulas.
Members of the Pleasantville Volunteer Fire Department implored the board to consider the extra space fire trucks need to negotiate a turn. They also expressed concern with the impact potential traffic congestion would have during construction, which would make getting to an emergency more difficult.
Some residents also fear construction will have an adverse impact on traffic and business.
“In order to make it a great village we risk losing what already makes it a great village,” Joseph Wallace said. “Something that leads into two (construction) seasons can have certain impact on a small business, an individual business that isn’t very replaceable.”
Some also questioned the future character of the village with proposed mixed-use apartment complexes on Memorial Plaza, Depew Street and Washington Avenue.
“What are you trying to do with this town?” resident Tom Rooney questioned. “This was a lovely village before and it’s just going in a direction that residents of Pleasantville, in my opinion, don’t want to see it go.”
