Palmer Avenue Streetscape Update From Village of Larchmont

The Village of Larchmont has halted work on the Palmer Avenue Streetscape project.  The contractor’s work was stopped to address significant construction, management and safety issues before further demolition.  The Village acted to prevent the situation from getting worse, dealing quickly and decisively.  Our lawyers, McCullough Goldberger and Staudt, who are experts in municipal law and construction, have been directed to enforce the rights of the Village under the contract.  The contractor has been declared in default.  The surety company under the contractor’s performance bond has been informed of the default.

This project is very important to the Village and must be constructed well.  The Streetscape extends along the Palmer business district and into Chatsworth and Larchmont Avenues.  Trees, sidewalks and lighting have been carefully planned by landscape architects, arborists and construction engineers to revive the Palmer business district into something Village residents can be proud of.

This project received a grant of over $800,000 from the NYS Department of Transportation, was put out to bid last summer and was awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, all in compliance with NYS law.  After some delay, caused by the grant’s red tape, the work began this Spring and was to continue for five months.

The project will re-start when given the go-ahead by our lawyers.  We are very disappointed that the plan to pour new sidewalks during the quiet time of July and August has been upset.  However, that accommodation for our merchants will not be forgotten and will remain the touchstone of the Street improvement project.

Meanwhile, the curbing that was disturbed will be repaired as soon as possible by the Village.  About fifteen trees, all in bad condition, were cut down, leaving high trunks and exposing overhead wires.  (The trunks were left high to facilitate the removing of the roots.)  Since the planting season for the new trees is the Fall, those stumps will be removed and replaced with flower boxes as much as possible, given the complications caused by underground gas lines.  The Village will perform this work while waiting for resolution of the legal issues.

Many residents have asked about the trees and the overhead wires.  Interestingly, that situation has been the impetus for the Streetscape project from the beginning.  No one can deny that the sidewalks along Palmer Avenue need to be improved and updated.  Tree roots have uplifted sections and the lighting is aimed over the streets rather than illuminating the sidewalks.  For years the Village has been investigating the burying of the unsightly overhead utility wires.  ConEd would charge the Village over $1000/foot to bury the wires.  Property owners would incur substantial costs in changing where electrical power enters their buildings.    As recently as three months ago, the Village’s latest plea to ConEd to bury the wires as part of ConEd’s post-Sandy “storm hardening” incentive was rejected.  That program, which ConEd would pay for, requires the presence of “critical sites” such as nursing homes and schools, which we do not have along Palmer Avenue.  On the whole, ConEd does not want to bury its wires because they are cheaper and easier to maintain and repair.

Given this reality, the Village developed a plan.  It would plant trees that could co-exist with the wires and mitigate the unsightly “trimming” that ConEd performs within 10 feet of its wires.  Also, all the trees in the area would be examined by landscape architects and arborists as to their viability.  Tree species were selected and a special “Cornell soil mix” was specified to alleviate the upheaving of sidewalks by tree roots.  About 29 trees would have to be cut down, leaving most in place and adding over 35 new ones, creating a lovely and viable canopy of trees, appropriate for a suburban business street.

A member of the community was very concerned that the Village had marked a Norway Maple for demolition that had been planted by her grandfather.  An arborist has advised how the Village can save the tree yet it may eventually be replaced by an American elm.

What about Pine Brook Park?  The Village is committed to restoring the playing field that has been used as a staging area by the contractor for the Streetscape project.  Our lawyers have been directed to have the equipment removed ASAP. Going forward, we should take this opportunity to examine the overall use and condition of the field.  Any volunteers for this study can reach me at mayor@villageoflarchmont.org.

Finally, I ask for your understanding and patience, but boy, this has been a rocky start……………

Thank you.

Anne McAndrews
Mayor, Village of Larchmont, NY