$15M Scarsdale Commons Project Breaks Ground

SCARSDALE, NY-The $15-million Scarsdale Commons luxury rental housing project broke ground on Wednesday. The development, which will consist of 49 one- and two-bedroom units, is being built on the site of a movie theater in the Garth Road section of the village.

Garson Brothers Development LLC of Bronxville, the developer and owner of Scarsdale Commons, is also building the project and will manage the development when construction is finished in the next 12 months to 14 months.

The four-story building is being constructed on two acres adjacent to the Garth Road section of the village. Demolition has already taken place on the only existing structures at the site, the shuttered Scarsdale Plaza movie theater and a gasoline service station.

A key feature of the project is that its architecture conforms to the Tudor-style buildings in the Garth Road area. The complex will also include a tree-lined park off Garth Road that will be open to the public.

Garson Brothers, which also owns several retail buildings adjacent to the Scarsdale Commons site, plans to refurbish the retail space nearby in order to “bring a new vitality to the Garth Road area,” principal Jeffrey Garson says.

The developer noted that although the firm has not begun marketing the units at Scarsdale Commons, he expects the facility will attract “empty nesters and executives from Westchester, as well as New York City, who want to enjoy the comfort and convenience of a maintenance free lifestyle in one of the region’s finest communities.”

Pre-construction monthly rents will begin at $2,700 per month, Garson officials noted. Amenities at the property will include 24-hour emergency maintenance, a business center and concierge to arrange for services such as secretarial, housekeeping, limousine, personal trainer and massage. The development is within walking distance of the Scarsdale Metro-North train station. The facility will feature covered parking for 89 vehicles for residents and an additional 25 spaces for the public.

When asked if he felt that the property might compete with the numerous other luxury rentals being built in White Plains, Garson responded that he had looked at several potential sites in White Plains before deciding on building the Scarsdale Commons project.

“If I were building in White Plains right now I would be concerned,” he says, “But you can’t compare Scarsdale and Eastchester with White Plains.” He said that the uniqueness of the Scarsdale and Eastchester areas will set it apart from the other projects being built in and around downtown White Plains.