See Downtown Scarsdale’s Plans for Forthcoming Mixed-Use Developments

At a trustees meeting last month, the Village of Scarsdale heard plans to give its downtown scene a major rejuvenation. Local architect Leonard H. Brandes’ proposed plans with developer Scarsdale Improvement for two sites just east of the Bronx River — 30 Popham Road and 1-2 Spencer Place — would look to not only add more living and retail space, but improve the area’s walkability and shopability.

The first parcel at 30 Popham Road currently houses both real estate and a doctor’s office on the first floor. Brandes calls the existing structure “a really well-built building. We’re going to be able to build on top of that while that’s still there, building three floors of apartment buildings above it.” The 15 new units are tentatively planned to enjoy a lounge, gym with locker rooms, infinity pools and hot tub, and rooftop social space. The revenue from these units will additionally fund 135 new parking spaces.

“We want to get the parking off the streets,” Brandes says. “When people want to rent they need a place to put their employees, so we want this mostly to get them off the streets. Shoppers come in, they have a place to put a car. That’s one of the first goals: to create more parking for shoppers, for visitors of the town, and to get the employees off in their own place.”

Just north at Spencer Place, an even larger arm of the project is being planned to renovate the existing space to be more shopper and commuter friendly. Now that the village is considering rezoning to allow new downtown construction taller than one story, the plan calls for a multi-level complex of both retail and living spaces, including a coffee shop, four restaurants, five retail shops, and a pedestrian walkway that will finally bridge Christie Place and Spencer Place. Above, 48 apartments will enjoy an indoor pool, more rooftop community space, and plenty of greenery.

An underground parking garage will allow for 202 parking spaces — that’s 337 total with the Popham property, or roughly 270 more than what’s available now. Moreover, the redevelopment will create a larger retail space for downtown’s central grocery store, DeCicco Family Markets, as well as improved delivery access so as to alleviate congestion from trucks along Christie Place and across from Scarsdale train Station.

“We designed it so they can actually have trucks pull into the building,” Brandes says. “This way they go around the back, go into the building, and come back on Popham Road again. It really reduces the major truck traffic that goes into the village itself.”

“If we can get the cars of people who work here or live here off the street, traffic will flow better. People will have a much better experience.”