ARDSLEY'S UNLIKELY RENAISSANCE
Ardsley is experiencing a profound transformation, a wave of change unprecedented in living memory. The sleepy village stereotype is shattered; Ardsley is roaring to life. A surge of civic momentum is crystallizing into concrete action: a new, state-of-the-art Department of Public Works facility with solar roof panels, the long-awaited recreational renovations at Pascone Park (formerly Ashford Avenue Park), and upgrades to Bicentennial Park, the green heart near DeCicco & Sons. This isn't mere development; it's a purposeful renaissance.
Ardsley's new Department of Public Works Building and Salt Shed (220 Heatherdell Road) is built on land where generations of Ardsley's Canning family (managers of the Lewisohn Estate) lived. Earlier it was the site of the grand home of former Yonkers Mayor John Peene (shown below) who operated a dairy farm at the location.
Circa 1890 photo of Ardsley home of Capt. John Peene, who served as a Union volunteer with the 5th New York Infantry, known as Duryee's Zouaves, in the Civil War. The twice-married Peene served as harbormaster of the Port of New York and ran Peene Transportation Company, a successful transport business between Yonkers and New York that he and his brothers had inherited from their father. He served two terms as Mayor of Yonkers before his sudden death in 1905. Adolph Lewisohn purchased the home and its 220 acres from Peene's estate. President William Howard Taft was a luncheon guest of Adolph Lewisohn at Heatherdell Farm in Ardsley, New York, on November 16, 1912. At the time of Lewisohn's death in 1938, his Ardsley estate contained 365 acres with a 40-room mansion and 14 greenhouses.
Reviving Spaces: Housing and Development
Parcels dormant for decades are springing to life. The empty Westchester Garage, a decades-long blight on Saw Mill River Road, is slated for mixed-use redevelopment, while the mid-20th-century Twenty-One Acres housing development, inspired by disciples of Frank Lloyd Wright, is now celebrated through a guided architectural walking tour scheduled for this Sunday, October 5 at 1:00 pm and 3:30 pm. Please use AHS as a code to help support the Ardsley Historical Society. Westchester's Twenty One Acres Home Interiors Tour
A history of the Twenty-One Acres co-operative housing endeavor is contained on The Wood House web link below. Home prices have reached unprecedented heights while inventory has dwindled to historic lows, which is good for downsizing seniors but a challenge for young families.
As prominent second-generation Ardsley realtor Jim Mulvey, who grew up in Ardsley and is raising his family here, notes: "It is an old real estate adage that says 'location, location, location.' Ardsley checks all three boxes with its excellent municipal services, highly regarded schools, and central location. Yet what truly sets Ardsley apart is its people. Those who grow up here often choose to stay, and those who move here are eager to put down roots. That deep sense of belonging cannot be measured in dollars and cents—it's what sustains Ardsley today and will continue to shape its vitality for generations to come."
Striking new residence off Heatherdell Road
New home on a long vacant lot on Dellwood Lane (undeveloped land sold for $1.8MM in 2023)
A Flavorful Transformation: New Restaurants Arrive
Ardsley's dining scene is undergoing a culinary revolution. Trusted mainstays like Stagione's, L'inizio, The Shop, Ardsley Diner, and Calcutta Wrap and Roll now share the map with newcomers like Liebman's Kosher Delicatessen and Fiamma. The arrival of Momo's Cafe, with its stylish interior, curated imported beverages, wide selection of coffees and teas, and rave-worthy fare, heralds a defining moment.
Interior of Momo's Cafe – 909 Saw Mill River Road
Soon, two more specialty food spots will anchor Addyman Square: Mes Amis French Cafe, promising handcrafted crepes, and a Montrose favorite, Baci pizzeria, generating unprecedented buzz among the 10,000 members of the Westchester Pizza Lovers Facebook group. Not surprisingly, the proprietor of Baci honed his pizza-making skills in Ardsley three decades ago and always wanted to return to Ardsley.
Pizza Perfection - Soon in Ardsley
Mes Amis and BACI—Coming Soon to Addyman Square
Beyond Nail Salons and Dry Cleaners: Retail Revitalization
The retail landscape is casting off its utilitarian past. Visionary landlords, like the Hyacinthe family, aren't passively filling vacancies; they're strategically curating a tenant roster that positions Ardsley as a coveted retail destination. This vision is anchored by the arrival of Apple Farm Fish Market, which is relocating its established family business from White Plains to Ardsley, and the opening of another branch of the acclaimed Martine's Fine Bake Shop in the former Riviera Bakehouse building. A number of new arts and music related businesses, such as Riverrock School of Music and Artscape Atelier, a pottery and art studio, continue to make Ardsley a wonderful place for families. Two long-neglected structures, the old American Legion Hall on American Legion Drive and a former Chase Bank branch on Ashford Avenue, have now become attractive medical/healthcare facilities.
Former American Legion building nearing completion
Shaping the Village: Planning for Growth
The village government has been instrumental in steering development. Despite a recent logo redesign that fell flat, the Village Board crafted the village's first Comprehensive Plan in six decades and is rewriting its zoning code to attract re-development of Ardsley's aging commercial stock. The plan focuses on revitalizing the village center, enhancing walkability with new sidewalks, and securing grants for infrastructure. Along these lines, the Community Center has undergone a gut renovation, turning a somewhat drab space into an inviting showcase for community engagement.
Meanwhile, another group of volunteers is transforming public spaces: a new Village-sponsored Ardsley Arts Commission is sponsoring murals and rotating art displays, and Eagle Scouts are chipping in with projects that include a new GAGA pit, a dog park, and a pollinator pathway garden. A recent tennis tournament held in September at the newly resurfaced village-owned courts (renamed in memory of Ardsley tennis pro Ayo Obi) commanded a record number of entrants. Moreover, Ardsley remains one of the safest communities, with a police staffing level that exceeds nearly every community in Westchester.
Re-designed Snack Bar at McDowell Park Little League Fields (a project of the Ardsley Arts Commission)
New Sidewalk along Revolutionary Road (passing 1930 Beacon Hill Development stone pillars which is protected under Ardsley's Historic Preservation Law) stretching from Saw Mill River Road to Heatherdell Road adjacent to St. Barnabas Episcopal Church (where numerous watercolors by renowned 20th-century sports illustrator and Ardsley resident Donald Moss hang throughout the building).
Don Moss Watercolor of St. Barnabas
Building Community: The Spirit of Volunteerism
Local resident Lew Stiefel, an award-winning producer, recently showcased the life-saving work of the Ardsley-Secor Volunteer Ambulance Corps (ASVAC) in a new video. Along with the Ardsley Fire Department, ASVAC exemplifies the extraordinary tradition of volunteerism found in Ardsley from its inception in 1896, when the all-volunteer Ardsley Fire Engine Company was established. This spirit is also reflected in the school-based Ardsley Cares program, the Ardsley Little League, the Ardsley Garden Club, the Ardsley Multicultural, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, Ardsley's American Legion Post #458, the Ardsley Green Task Force, and residents serving on numerous municipal land use boards (e.g., zoning, planning, architectural review) in Ardsley. This tradition of "service over self" is also found in former residents like Agnes and Tom Carvel, who funded the children's wing at the library, and the Zimmer and Van Dorn family, who helped create Ardsley's Community Center.
Carvel Commemorative Plaque on the grounds of the Ardsley Public Library
A Heritage of Service: A Tradition of Giving Back
The Ardsley Historical Society has contributed to the village's revival through a new website, digitization of its archives, conducting a historical walking tour of the village organized by Village Historian Robert Pellegrino and former Society President Peter Marcus, community collaborations like the well-received Community Quilt project with the Multicultural, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. https://www.rivertownsdispatch.com/story-quilt-fulfills-its-mission-in-the-making/ The Society has also worked closely with the local historical club at the Ardsley Middle School established by teachers Sean Grady and Andrew Nappi who are bringing Ardsley’s rich history to a new generation.
On Memorial Day 2026, in connection with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Society will dedicate the Lewisohn Memorial Garden, honoring the philanthropic and horticultural legacy of Adolph Lewisohn in Ardsley, and featuring the recently rediscovered monument to the 14 Ardsleyans who gave their lives in World War II, on the same grounds where Washington and Rochambeau devised the strategy that led to victory at Yorktown, Virginia, securing American independence. Lewisohn Memorial Garden
Perhaps the clearest reminder that Ardsley is a place where people put down roots and care for one another is the story of Naval Air Force pilot Lieutenant Craig T. O'Connor (Ardsley High School Class of 1960). He lost his life in a training mission in 1968, when his F4J Phantom fighter plunged into the ocean off the North Carolina coast. Yet nearly sixty years later, he and his family, faithful parishioners at St. Barnabas Church, are still fondly remembered by their neighbors on Overlook Road, the street where Craig and his sister Candace grew up.
As long-time newspaper editor and journalist Tim Lamorte, who has reported on the Rivertowns for over a quarter century, observed that Ardsley has a community spirit that's truly distinct. He's seen a lot of places in Westchester, but he notes that Ardsley has a special kind of internal engine, an authentic collaborative and philanthropic streak that simply doesn't ignite in the same way elsewhere. In many places, community events feel like obligations, but in Ardsley, the energy is infectious, translating local pride into tangible, positive actions.
What Sparked the Transformation?
Numerous factors explain Ardsley's current dynamism. Ironically, the catalyst may be the very element many Ardsleyans once feared: a modest increase in population growth, as Ardsley's population topped 5,000 residents in the last census and the School population (covering an area twice the size of the village) has increased in numbers that dwarf its neighbors. For years, the fear was that density would strain schools and traffic, unraveling the cherished close-knit character. The evidence tells a different story: measured growth has become the driving force. It has broadened the tax base, emboldened entrepreneurs, and generated the critical mass needed to support the very businesses and amenities that make a community feel vibrant. Ardsley's current momentum challenges long-held beliefs about growth and community character. The village that once feared change is now embracing it, discovering that smart development can enhance rather than diminish what residents value most. The transformation isn't merely underway; it's undeniable. Ardsley isn't simply evolving; it's thriving.
Name of Business Organization and Website
"The Wood House" (Twenty-One Acres Cooperative)