MARCH 1, 2021 VOL. 57, No. 9
TR US TE D J O U R NALI S M AT YO U R FI N G E RTI P S westfaironline.com
ON WITH THE SHOW Developer Howard Saffan.
Exclusive
BRIDGEPORT AMPHITHEATER FINALLY BECOMING A REALITY WITH OFFICIAL NAME, EVENTS DATES BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com
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TWB Loan Decision Banner Ad umors of the exis6” w x 1.5” h of a new tence 2-9-21 amphitheater in
Bridgeport turn out to be true. “This is the weirdest thing that’s ever happened to me in my life,” developer and principal Howard Saffan grinned during a
recent visit by the Business Journal. “I was president of the (Bridgeport) Sound Tigers, where I was involved with the Islanders. I was president of Webster Arena (next door to the amphitheater). Nothing like this.” What had been known as the Harbor Yard Amphitheater became on Feb. 23 the Hartford
HealthCare Amphitheater. The event announcing that news was a demonstration of just how much the venue could mean to the community. Attendees included not only Saffan and Live Nation President Jim Koplik, whose concert promotion firm is part of the joint venture that owns the site, but also » AMPHITHEATER
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LCOR expects first tenants at 57 Bank St. in April BY PETER KATZ pkatz@westfairinc.com
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eveloper LCOR Inc. expects tenants to be able to begin moving into its new building at 57 Bank St. in White Plains as early as April, according to Anthony Tortora, LCOR’s senior vice president. “We expect our first
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temporary certificate of occupancy by early- to midMarch,” Tortora told the Business Journal. “We are basically on our schedule to the day despite Covid19. Obviously we had to overcome some issues with instituting safety protocols and things like that. We did some smart buying upfront because, even before Covid, the embargoes with various countries and the tariff wars were getting us concerned about materials and how long it was going to take so we ended up placing orders early, which ended up being very helpful.” Tortora is responsible for managing the overall execution of several of
LCOR’s development projects in the New York metro area as well as sourcing investment opportunities. Tortora praised the effort put into the project by LRC Construction, which helped overcome pandemic-related effects. He noted there were no virus outbreaks at the construction site. The building at 57 Bank St. is the second phase of LCOR’s Continuum project and is being marketed as Continuum 57, picking up on the name Continuum that was given to the sister building at 55 Bank St. The Continuum has 288 units while there are 309 in Continuum 57. » EXCLUSIVE
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BY PETER KATZ pkatz@westfairinc.com
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empner Properties of White Plains has built a portfolio of commercial and multifamily real estate comprising more than 30 sites in the Northeast that total more than 1 million square feet. It has been finding success in a variety of markets, such as New York City, Philadelphia, White Plains and New Paltz, where it recently acquired Paltz Commons, a 36-unit, garden-style apartment complex for $7.6 million. The firm is led by managing partners and brothers Peter and Jim Kempner. The company said its acquisition criteria include building a low-leveraged portfolio by buying properties at or below replacement cost. This allows it to maintain rents that are at or below market levels. In addition to New York and Pennsylvania, it has properties in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut. “Kempner Properties has been investing in the lower and mid-Hudson Valley since 1992,” Peter Kempner told the Business Journal. “Our first acquisition was the New Paltz Plaza. We’ve renovated the property twice and it’s fully occupied.” The company’s acquisitions extend 60 to 250 miles out from White Plains “and we’ve had success in investing in those areas,” Kempner said. “The lower Hudson Valley is on fire right now; it’s always been strong. SUNY New Paltz has always been a strong economic driver but it’s strengthened considerably there in the last two to five years.” Kempner said a strong attraction of the New Paltz area is outdoor recreation. “There’s a tremendous out-
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Kempner Properties expanding via retail/housing mix buys
door recreational life there that people have always been attracted to but more now. That combined with the affordable housing, being able to buy a house or rent an apartment at affordable prices and rates, has been a tremendous driver along with the proximity to New York City,” Kempner said. “Our property Paltz Commons is located directly across the street from the Trailways bus station, which offers a bus ride into midtown of one hour and forty minutes. There are people who are actually commuting back and forth to Manhattan. I’m not saying they’re doing it every day, but they’re going there for the week and coming back to New Paltz for the weekend.” Paltz Commons is a 29,530-square-foot property made up of three buildings at 144 Main St. and was constructed in 1966. The complex is 100% leased, primarily to students at SUNY New Paltz, which is about a 4-minute walk away. Kempner owns and manages four other properties in New Paltz: New Paltz Plaza, a 146,235-squarefoot shopping center on 15.75 acres anchored by the grocery store and pharmacy Tops and an Advance Auto Parts store; Post Office Plaza, which as the name suggests houses a U.S. Post Office and two retailers; 27 North Chestnut, a free-standing one-story retail building; and 138 Main St., a neighborhood retail strip on approximately 1.5 acres. Kempner said that when SUNY New Paltz was on a long break because of Covid between Thanksgiving and Feb. 1, most of the students who have apartments at Paltz Commons stayed there rather than going home. The pandemic has also affectFCBJ
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ed some retail leasing. “It’s different from market to market. We’ve had some shopping centers where we’ve had some issues in regard to leasing vacant space where leasing velocity was slow before the pandemic and is nonexistent right now,” Kempner said. “With regard to certain smaller markets where there’s not an oversupply of retail the occupancy levels have stayed high. And where we’ve had vacancies we’re able to fill them with new businesses and entrepreneurs who want to take advantage of opportunities where rents might be lower and the space is in good condition. In New Paltz, we’ve had a couple of vacancies and we’re leasing them. Our occupancy remains high.” In markets where regional malls have depended on large national retailers that have been forced to close hundreds of stores, there are pressures that are proving difficult for property owners, he said. “In smaller markets, in smaller spaces, there’s been a high retention rate. We’ve worked with all of our tenants during the pandemic. We’ve reduced rents, offered them abatements,” Kempner said. “We view it as a partnership. We want them to be with us and succeed way beyond the pandemic so we have a responsibility to work with our tenants and provide them with the relief that is necessary for them to withstand the economic effects of the pandemic.” Kempner said that most of his career has been spent acquiring retail properties. His two sons, Bob and Doug, came on board 3½ years ago and it was their idea to shift into acquiring multifamily properties. “I’m enjoying it; I think it was
MAIN OFFICE TELEPHONE 914-694-3600 OFFICE FAX 914-694-3699 EDITORIAL EMAIL bobr@westfairinc.com WRITE TO 701 Westchester Ave., Suite 100J White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3407 Publisher Dee DelBello Executive Associate Publisher Dan Viteri Managing Editor Bob Rozycki Director, Content and New Product Development Karen Sackowitz Associate Publisher Anne Jordan
NEWS Senior Enterprise Editor • Phil Hall Copy and Video Editor • Peter Katz Bureau Chief • Kevin Zimmerman Senior Reporter • Bill Heltzel, Reporters Georgette Gouveia, Peter Katz Research Coordinator • Luis Flores
(top) Apartments at 144 Main St. in New Paltz. (bottom) Peter Kempner, managing partner of Kempner Properties.
a great idea. Occupancy is high and what we’re doing is buying ‘B-minus’ to ‘C’ properties in ‘A’ locations, nonelevator buildings,” Kempner said. “We’re buying these rentals that are below market and adding value through extensive renovations to the apartments — kitchens, bathrooms, floors, painting, updated technology and improving the aesthetics to the exteriors of the buildings as well and able to add value but still being able to be below the rents of the ‘A-quality’ buildings.” Kempner said that they’re gearing toward the workforce market where he expects to see continued strong demand. “We are in acquisition mode and growth mode and will continue focusing in on acquiring workforce-type housing in the markets we’re in right now and possibly other markets,” Kempner said. “My brother Jim Kempner and I started this company back in the late ’80s, and for me it’s the greatest business in the world to have the opportunity to work with my brother and now my two sons.”
ART & PRODUCTION Creative Director Dan Viteri Graphic Designer Sarafina Pavlak ADVERTISING SALES Manager • Anne Jordan Metro Sales & Custom Publishing Director Barbara Hanlon Marketing Partner Marcia Pflug Events Sales & Development • Marcia Pflug Marketing & Events Director • Fatime Muriqi AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT & CIRCULATION Circulation Manager • Sylvia Sikoutris Research Assistant • Sarah Kimmer ADMINISTRATION Contracted CFO Services Adornetto & Company L.L.C. Human Resources & Payroll Services APS PAYROLL Westchester County Business Journal (USPS# 7100) Fairfield County Business Journal (USPS# 5830) is published Weekly, 52 times a year by Westfair Communications, Inc., 701 Westchester Ave., White Plains, NY 10604. Periodicals Postage rates paid at White Plains, NY, USA 10610. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Westchester County Business Journal and Fairfield County Business Journal: by Westfair Communications, Inc., 701 Westchester Ave, White Plains, NY 10604. Annual subscription $60; $2.50 per issue More than 40 percent of the Business Journal is printed on recycled newsprint. © 2020 Westfair Communications Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.
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SUITE TALK Suite Talk: Yvette Bairan, CEO of Astor Services for Children & Families
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he impact of the Covid19 pandemic has been extraordinarily difficult for families with young children. For families with youngsters dealing with mental health challenges, this period has been even more difficult. In this week’s edition of Suite Talk, Business Journal Senior Enterprise Editor Phil Hall speak with Yvette Bairan, CEO of Astor Services for Children & Families, about her organization’s work during this unprecedented time. Bairan became CEO of the Rhinebeck-based nonprofit in January after serving as interim CEO since July 2019.
For the benefit of those unfamiliar with Astor Services for Children & Families, what is the organization’s mission and history? And what is your history with this organization? “The organization has been around for over 65 years and the focus is to provide children’s mental health and welfare services and early childhood development services to both children and families in the Hudson Valley area and in the Bronx. We started in New York City and established a residential treatment facility in Rhinebeck. And from there, we’ve expanded over the years to provide more community-related services. “I’ve been at Astor for about 13 years and the reason why I came is because I really loved the mission of Astor. I’ve always been very interested in doing community-based services, and I was always interested in mental health. The organization had such an amazing reputation in the Hudson Valley and in the Bronx that if you speak to anyone about Astor, they consider Astor to be the experts when it comes to children’s mental health services.” Who are the children you work with at Astor and what are you doing to help them achieve their fullest? “The children that we work with at Astor have many different
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types of challenges; some have severe emotional disturbances, many of them have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, some of them come to us with post-traumatic stress disorder from having instances of abuse. You know, we have children who come to us with suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety and many difficult issues that they confront for a variety of reasons. A lot of times, that translates to having challenges in the school setting and their homes — and socializing with other children can also have great impact on them. “Our goal is to make sure that they reach their fullest potential by providing them with as many services as they need and also by making sure that their families are engaged in services that they may need, as well. Oftentimes, we find that it’s not just the child who needs services, but it’s the whole family because there may be issues of substance abuse in the family or there may be issues of where the child is actually in the foster care placement. “We’re dealing with a lot of trauma that is really heartbreaking. We have kids who have gone through a lifetime of trauma by the age of 10 and they have experienced things that many of us as adults have never experienced in our lives. Our goal is just to make sure that they live as much of a healthy and productive life where they can see themselves happy with the future.” Has Astor been offering residential services during the pandemic? “We still do residential services on our Rhinebeck campus — we have about 40 children in residential services. The majority of our children that we serve receive outpatient mental health services. They go to our clinics or they may receive telehealth mental services now because of Covid.” How has the pandemic impacted both the Astor organization and the children that it serves? “There has definitely been a FCBJ
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lot of challenges. When you run a 24-hour facility like our residential program, there isn’t the ability to work from home. There was one weekend where we ended up having 14 employees call out because they were either ill or because they were exposed to someone who had Covid. “From the client perspective, one of the biggest challenges has been an increase in mental health needs — we might have a child come to us with maybe one diagnosis of mental health where it might have been that they had depression. Now, because of Covid, we’re seeing that not only do they have depression, but they have anxiety and trauma, as well.” How has Astor’s financial needs been impacted during the pandemic? “Astor receives funding from the state government and local
government, through grants and some private foundation funding. We do a lot of managed care billing, too. “No one is doing any kind of real fundraising because you’re not able to hold any events. We used to have a whole set of events that we would be able to have in a year, whether that was a golf event or a gala. All those things are now virtual. But even doing the virtual events has really been challenging because you’re not getting the same audience or the same resources and funding that you would get from the events that we used to do before. So, that has really hurt us quite a bit. “And we have so many additional expenses associated with either premium pay — because we’ve had to pay staff additional money just to come to work because they’re afraid — and that wasn’t money that was budgeted.
Yvette Bairan, CEO of Astor Services for Children & Families Photo by Bryan Firestone. We’ve had to purchase thousands of PPP masks, shields, gowns and sanitizers in order to mitigate exposure. The CARES Act has helped with some of that, but it hasn’t been enough to take care of all the expenses that have come as a result of Covid.” What is on your agenda for 2021? “Vaccinations. One of our primary goals is just to encourage as many of our employees and the clients and families we serve to get vaccinated. We want to make sure that we have a workforce that is safe. And we want to start to make sure that we’re addressing the trauma that Covid has caused on our clients and the families.”
Dutchess lawyer suspended one year for mishandling wrongful death case BY BILL HELTZEL bheltzel@westfairinc.com
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leasant Valley lawyer Thomas F. Vasti III has been suspended from the practice of law for one year for repeatedly mishandling a wrongful death lawsuit. A panel of five Second Appellate Division justices upheld nine charges of professional misconduct, Feb. 17, including a charge of dishonesty, fraud, deceit and misrepresentation. “Although the charges of misconduct involve only one client matter,” the judges ruled, Vasti “made multiple troubling decisions.” Vasti began practicing law with his father in 1992, handling medical malpractice, family law and landlord-tenant cases. He also served as Pleasant Valley town justice for five years until resigning suddenly last September, citing personal and health issues. In 2012, he filed a wrongful death law-
suit for Amanda Mandes and Rafiq Akbar, whose child had died shortly after birth. In 2016, the defendants asked Dutchess County Supreme Court for a summary judgment. Vasti did not oppose the motion and the case was dismissed. Vasti did not tell his clients about the motion for summary judgment, his expertopinion that the evidence did not support their case, his decision not to oppose summary judgment or the court’s decision to dismiss the case. Mandes and Akbar tried to contact Vasti about the status of the case but he did not respond. When the couple did talk with Vasti in 2017, he claimed he had voluntarily withdrawn the action from the trial calendar, the case was still viable and he would get it back on the calendar. The grievance committee for the Ninth Judicial District accused him of nine violations of the rules of professional conduct. He engaged in dishonest conduct and exceeded his authority in a client matter. He failed to promptly inform his clients
of developments, keep them informed on the case status, consult on the means to accomplish their objectives, comply with requests for information, explain his fees, file a retainer statement, or cooperate with the grievance committee investigation. Vasti “largely admitted the Thomas F. Vasti III factual specifications,” according to the justices’ opinion and asked for he “took deliberate steps to hide matea hearing by a special referee to consider rial developments from his clients,” who mitigating circumstances. The referee susdidn’t learn details of how the case was tained the charges. mishandled for nearly two years after it Vasti’s attorney, Richard M. Maltz, asked was dismissed. for a public censure, citing his client’s perThe justices also cited an extensive dissonal struggles; remorse; lack of venality; ciplinary history: three admonitions and and evidence of good character, charitable four letters of caution involving similar misworks and civic activity. conduct. The appellate justices were troubled Justices William F. Mastro, Leonard B. that Vasti’s failure to keep his clients Austin, Cheryl E. Chambers, Robert J. Miller informed deprived them of the opporand Reinaldo E. Rivera concurred. tunity of consulting with a different The one-year suspension will begin attorney or medical expert. Moreover, March 19.
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Amphitheater—
HHC CEO Jeff Flaks, Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, and even Rev. Carl McCluster, the senior pastor of Bridgeport’s Shiloh Baptist Church. It would be understandable if Saffan was feeling a hockey-like check to the head, given his background and the fact that the 5,700-seat open-air venue was originally scheduled to open in the spring of 2019. That was then pushed to the summer. Then it was going to open in 2020. And then Covid-19 arrived. Saffan — who described his travails to the Business Journal in January 2020 as “a combination of Murphy’s Law and the weather” — said the pandemic has actually been something of a blessing in disguise as it has allowed his construction team to more carefully go about getting the facility into shape. “We made some changes in the design, like pulling the stage out another 15 feet for better sightlines,” he said. The extra time also allowed for careful adherence to pandemic protocols, including social distancing. “The subcontractors came in as a group,” Saffan said. “That way electricians weren’t working next to plumbers. We scheduled all the subcontractors in different areas. Outside was less of an issue, but we took the same approach. “And we did not have one incident, which isn’t always the case with construction,” he added. The exterior of the facility at 500 1
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Tortora said that 55 Bank St. has been fully leased and he expects there to be about 25 leases written each month for Continuum 57, about the same rate of leasing as experienced with 55 Bank St. Because of Covid restrictions on large gatherings, Tortora doesn’t expect there to be the same kind of grand opening celebration that took place in April 2018 for the opening of 55 Bank St. “Phase one did have the big opening with a ribbon cutting. With the challenges to group gatherings these days, something like we did with phase one is going to be difficult, We’re trying to figure out how do we do that in a safe and smart way but haven’t finalized that plan yet,” Tortora said. LCOR’s interest in downtown White Plains near the Metro-North Railroad station can be traced back to its development of the mixed-use 15 Bank St., dubbed Bank Street Commons. It negotiated the purchase of a 2.6-acre parking lot from the city in assembling the Continuum buildings site. Original plans called for 24-story structures rather than the current 16 and 17 stories. A hotel also had been proposed for the site along with a parking garage. On Jan. 7, 2019, the White Plains Common Council approved LCOR’s request to modify the approved site plan for 57 Bank St. by adding an additional 36 units,
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Broad St. now includes the fabled “Guitar Man,” the nearly 40-foot-tall metal sculpture that hung on the façade of New Haven Coliseum from 1972 until that venue’s implosion in 2007. It was acquired by Got Attitude Vodka principal Leo Reizfeld, who heard a caller to the “Chaz & A.J.” radio show on WFOX and WPLR suggest that the Bridgeport amphitheater should be Guitar Man’s next stop. As a result, ABC Sign of Bridgeport is restoring Guitar Man, including adding LED lights. “He was in terrible condition,” Saffan said of Guitar Man, “but now he lives again. It’s great to add a little bit of history like that.” The facility will also soon have in place a tensile roof that will cover 92% of its seats, he said. The fabric is similar to that used at Denver Airport. All told, there were over 1 million pounds of steel involved in constructing its stage. Concerts in June (Covid willing) And, by hook or by crook, Saffan is determined that the amphitheater will finally open its doors May 15, with 10 college and university graduations already booked. In addition, concert promoter Live Nation — which with the city of Bridgeport is a partner in the venue, along with Saffan — has booked 15 concerts for the spring and summer, hopefully beginning in June, though Saffan would not say which ones. Also on the docket are college fairs,
WWE events, Masses in June and November, and various other nonconcert events. All are subject to the state’s Covid-19 protocols. Currently performing arts venues can allow 50% capacity as long as 6 feet of distance is maintained between parties. “There are still a lot of acts that don’t want to go on the road this year,” Saffan noted, saying such decisions were made both by concerns about the acts’ and the public’s safety, as well as the uncertainty about recouping the costs associated with going on tour. Figuring all that out is a specialty of Live Nation and Koplik. “If anyone can make sense of the puzzle, it’s Jimmy,” Saffan said. “Every date has a backup date.” Ultimately the amphitheater will host 25 to 35 concerts a summer, he said. As for the cost of putting the amphitheater together, Saffan simply smiled when asked if the widely reported original estimate of $15 million was still accurate. “We’re way past that,” he said, declining to give an actual figure. “This has become a labor of love.” Last year, Saffan sought — and received — an additional $4.5 million from Bridgeport to make up for the unexpected expenses that have occurred since its July 2018 groundbreaking. That brought the city’s total investment to $12 million, a sum that many residents vociferously opposed. Asked if he would request any further funds from the city, Saffan said no. “The city has been wonderful to work
bringing the count for the building to 309 apartments, making a total of 597 units for both phases of the project. Apartment leasing firms show studios in the Continuum 57 priced from $2,055 to $2,205 a month, one-bedrooms from $2,507 to $2,858 a month and two-bedroom units from $3,935 to $6,230 a month. “If we’ve learned anything over time it’s that cities are resilient. While there may be temporary dislocations, we’re still really bullish on White Plains and we’re still really bullish on Westchester County. We’re still really bullish on New York City, for that matter,” Tortora said. “White Plains has a lot going for it in the sense that it’s proximate to New York City and was able to capture some of the migration out of the city and we expect demand to be strong.” Tortora said that the types of finishes and amenities used in the second building are comparable with what went into the first. “Certain amenities are shared like the swimming pool. Phase two will have its own gym area, its own roof deck. It will have its own work-from-home space,” Tortora said. “In a lot of ways the pandemic accelerated trends that we were seeing in the market even before Covid, like the work-from-home trend, the ability to have flexibility in your spaces. We’ve really embraced technology
in that regard. We have a proprietary fiber optic network that we threaded through the building that allows our tenants to cut the (cable) cord if that’s something they want to do. They have Wi-Fi throughout the building and can work from wherever they want.” Tortora said that phase one of the Bank Street project attracted the anticipated mix of millennials and empty nesters and he believes the demographic mix will be comparable for phase two. When it comes to new projects in Westchester or other suburban locations, Tortora said LCOR is looking for new deals all the time, especially in the suburbs. He pointed to three projects in Greenwich that it owns and manages. However, he added that there were no new projects to announce right now. “Once we deliver phase two (at Bank St.) we will have delivered over a thousand units in White Plains,” Tortora said. “The low interest rates are helpful. Lending standards have become more difficult. As an institutional developer LCOR has been able to capitalize on lower interest rates. If you’re someone out there looking for super-high leverage I think the market has gotten a little more challenging but that’s not how we operate.” When ground was broken for the first building, the total investment in the two-
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with,” he said. “Mayor Ganim has been very supportive, and Tom Gill (director of the city’s Office of Planning and Economic Development) has been the Robin to my Batman.” Under the terms of the joint venture agreement, which runs for 40 years, Bridgeport will receive per year a minimum rent of $150,000 and $3 of each ticket sold. Saffan said that the clock had yet to start on those terms, given the contract’s force majeure clause that was invoked with the pandemic. For all the tribulations, Saffan remains confident that the amphitheater will become a beacon for events goers throughout Connecticut, New York and even Massachusetts, and stands by his original estimate that its economic impact on Bridgeport will be more than $50 million per year, once it is up and fully running. “We’re going to make a huge difference for music lovers throughout the region,” he said. “There’s nothing else like this. You’ve got places that seat 14,000, or something like the Xfinity (in Hartford) that has 30,000 seats.” With the importance of routing to touring acts, the Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion in Boston, which holds a little over 5,000 people, will help the Bridgeport venue, Saffan said, with acts able to play both facilities before heading into like-sized buildings in New York. “It’s taken us a long time to get here,” he said. “But we’re more than ready to open.”
57 Bank St. phase project was estimated to be $250 million. Tortora declined to speculate what the final value of the project would be. LCOR shows $9.5 billion in projects completed, under construction or in the pre-development stage. It describes its portfolio as containing more than 20 million square feet of commercial space and 21,000 residential units. The company has offices in Manhattan, Washington, D.C., and Berwyn, Pennsylvania.
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Building where Howard Stern began radio career facing demolition BY PETER KATZ pkatz@westfairinc.com
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he building in Briarcliff Manor that once housed the radio station where shock jock Howard Stern began his commercial radio career would be torn down to make way for a 3-story mixeduse building if village officials approve a redevelopment plan. Landmark Management LLC of Yonkers has proposed demolishing the building at 55 Woodside Ave. and replacing it with a structure with an office on the main level and five two-bedroom apartments on the upper floors. Landmark would move its real estate and development business into the office space. The architect for the proposed building is Carl Finer of Elterman Finer Architects PC in Harrison. In a submission to the village Planning Board, Finer said that the office space would be occupied by the building owner/developer John Saraiva and that use of on-site parking spaces by people in the office would be restricted to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays excluding holidays. He said this would ensure that there are sufficient spaces for apartment residents and help overcome a parking space deficiency at the site. He said that if Saraiva ever rented out the office space the lease would contain the restrictions on use
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of the on-site parking. Dan Collins of Hudson Engineering told a meeting of the planning board that the applicant was addressing concerns raised by village officials about stormwater handling and the collection of trash bins. He explained that the residential trash would be collected by the municipality and trash from the office would be picked up by a commercial carter. Paul Fusco of Louis Fusco Landscape Architects in Pound Ridge said that the developer had been talking with adjacent property owners concerning screening and they plan to have a strip of evergreen and deciduous trees as well as fencing. He said that nighttime lighting has been designed to avoid light spilling onto neighboring properties. Saraiva said that the apartments would be market-rate. “It’s not an affordable project so just the going market rate for the apartments, for two-bedroom apartments in the area, that’s what it would be,” Saraiva said. “You can be rest assured that the building would be occupied. We wouldn’t be building it if we didn’t believe so. It is market-rate apartments and obviously it’s in a desirable town. It’s got a great school system, so we don’t see any reason why we wouldn’t be able to attract really great tenants into an occupancy in a building like this.”
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Rendering of the proposed development.
Radio days
n July 1973, FM radio station WRNW began broadcasting from studios that were once bedrooms on the second floor of the house at 55 Woodside Ave. The station’s coverage area was restricted at the time due to its comparatively low power and transmitter location in Irvington. In 1976, Stern was hired as a disc jockey and program director at WRNW. It was his first job in commercial radio. Stern later went on to become a radio personality
heard on New York City stations as well as nationally and, most recently, on SiriusXM satellite radio. The call letters RNW were said to represent “radio for northern Westchester.” In 1982, a change in ownership resulted in the station becoming WZFM. Other sales of the radio station over the years resulted in changes in call letters, formats and moves of the studios and transmitter sites. The station now operates as WXPK-FM, the Peak 107.1.
Sacred Heart University names first director of inclusive teaching BY PHIL HALL phall@westfairinc.com
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n the aftermath of last May’s death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody, the nation has taken a renewed consideration of disparities and inequities at multiple levels of society. Academia has been among those sectors that forced itself into an intensive self-reflection to identify where diversity and inclusion could be expanded and strengthened. Last month, Sacred Heart University reaffirmed its commitment to this goal by promoting Thomas Lee Morgan to become its first director of inclusive teaching. Morgan joined the Fairfield-based school in August 2020 as an assistant professor in the Isabelle Farrington College of Education, where he teaches in the principal preparation program as well as the educational doctorate for social emotional academic leadership learning. Morgan, who received his Ph.D. in education administration and policy studies from the University of Denver in 2014, was previously an institutional representative for the University Council for Educational Administration and an editorial adviser for the Educational Leadership Review of Doctoral Research. In taking on his new role, he is seeing an opportunity to have the university classroom offer a more accurate reflection of the wider society. “When we think about inclusive teaching, we’re really thinking about how we make the environment that is conducive for all of our students, and especially those who have been traditionally marginalized within education,” he said. “That would include students who are from racialized backgrounds, some of our LGBTQ students, students who have either mental or physical disabilities. “This position serves as a resource for our faculty and for our entire community,” he added. “We need to ask how do we focus our efforts and make sure our students’ voices are represented, that they have a connection to the content in a way that helps propel them and the education that we’re providing.” In his new position, Morgan is teaming with the instructional designers in the university’s Center for Excellence and Innovation in Teaching on new resources that will enable professors to become fully cognizant of ensuring an inclusive school. He will also produce webinars and workshops and partner with his faculty colleagues on planning courses promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, and he is encouraging the faculty to participate in an inclusive teaching course offered through the EdX online continuing education resource. One area of primary importance to Morgan is bringing a more diverse student participation in STEM-focused courses, which have traditionally seen fewer women
and people of color among both students and instructors. “When we think about things like inclusive teaching, it could be a strategy,” he said. “One of the easiest strategies is representation. When students see faculty that look like them and that they can identify with, they are more engaged within the curriculum. You don’t automatically change faculty — that’s not what we’re looking to do. But then when we say, “How do we get students engaged in a math curriculum or in science program at higher level?’ — well, one of those ways is through representation.” Morgan also questioned how students from the traditionally marginalized demographics can gain a wider exposure to networking opportunities that can lead into lucrative career paths.
“When we have a student of color who is doing internship in a different area, do they have a connection to someone that can help them to be able to navigate systems?” he asked. “That may be difficult for them because they don’t have the social capital to navigate those systems.” Morgan pointed out that his new position is part of a wider initiative within the university “to create a university that is a hallmark of inclusiveness and respect.” He noted a recent communication from the school’s president, John J. Petillo, that reiterated his commitment to an educational experience that “embraces a vision for social justice and educates students in mind, body and spirit to prepare them personally and professionally to make a difference in the global community.” Morgan stated that Sacred Heart is part of
Thomas Lee Morgan Photo courtesy Sacred Heart University a wider educational trend to ensure diversity and inclusion is part of the academic environment. “Many universities of all different sizes are looking at how they can be more inclusive,” he said. “The American Association of Colleges and Universities has a framework for inclusive excellence, and many universities have several positions and departments that focus on inclusive excellence. We’re seeing a lot of progress throughout as far as how we support students who have traditionally been underrepresented within our university system.”
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hile the pandemic grabbed the majority of headlines last year, issues surrounding social justice weren’t far behind. Now, the impact of the protests in the streets is being felt in the boardrooms of companies nationwide. “Companies are thinking about some of these things, especially around diversity, equity and inclusion issues. It’s becoming clear that what they might have been doing in the past and how they’ve been approaching it was not sufficient,” says Tom Knowlton, founder of CSR Talent Group, a New Yorkbased on-demand corporate social responsibility talent marketplace. “There was a general awakening for people and corporations in this country around what it means to have an impact and really move the needle on issues that maybe they didn’t take seriously before.” Building upon more than two decades spent in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) space, Knowlton says he launched his business this year to provide resources for companies looking to ramp up and maximize their efforts at a time when it is more important than ever to do so. “Corporate social responsibility is mainstream in that every company is aware of it and knows they have to do it. But there’s still a lot of potential for companies to do more and to do better,” he tells the Business Journal. “What’s changing is the way people are putting pressure on companies, including employees. People want to work for companies that align with their values and are doing good things.” A recent report by the nonprofit Business for Social Responsibility says that younger workers, specifically millennials, who became the largest generation in the labor force as of 2016, are more likely than previous generations to seek employment at companies that demonstrate a commitment to social responsibility. It goes on to say that millennials will make up 75 percent of the global workforce in 2025, which means that companies looking to hire and retain the next generation of talent need to invest in and communicate about their social responsibility initiatives. “I’ve seen it in my work, you can almost feel the culture of a company when you go in. You can get a sense of their commitment to CSR, whether it’s a green washing or a PR effort and frankly, it’s really dependent on the leadership,” Knowlton says. “It seems obvious but if the CEO’s not engaged, not committed, not taking it seriously, senior leaders see that, and that lack of sincerity permeates the entire company.”
Tom Knowlton
Conversely, he says that in companies where leadership is fully engaged in CSR efforts, even if they aren’t fully up and running, he feels confident that commitment will lead to progress. “You know they are committed to doing something, even if they’re not yet sure how to do it the right way,” he says, adding that shifts in education are helping the overall CSR landscape. “I’m hopeful because a lot of the young people coming out of business school have gone through an entirely different type of curriculum where this is integrated with some of their courses. The thinking is different.” To quickly and effectively address a social responsibility goal, Knowlton says his company works with clients to find experienced personnel who are ready to work on day one. “I want to be able to put in front of them four or five people that I vetted and that meet our criteria and our requirements. They have to have been a consultant for a certain number of years, they have to have done work in this space with other companies,” he says of his talent pool, all of whom work as independent contractors. “We’re really looking for people with 15 to 20 years of experience because that’s what a lot of these companies need. They don’t necessarily need junior folks to do research. If we can find them that expert who can do it efficiently, quickly, affordably and in a way that is a little less painful for the company because of the time allocation and the cost, that’s our goal.” Knowlton says companies need to go forward with their CSR strategy as a key operating factor. “Companies are obviously struggling with budgets, their business model may need some tinkering. But the pressures on them from their stakeholders are not going away.”
Business FIRST Recipients weigh in on help from Westchester County Business FIRST
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usinesses and nonprofits have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Westchester County was quick to respond and offer assistance to organizations impacted by it. While the ever-changing landscape has proven difficult, so many have shown amazing resiliency and determination to persevere. The Westchester County Office of Economic Development launched a grant program — Westchester County Business FIRST: Financial Investments for Recovery and a Sustainable Tomorrow. The goal is to offer immediate financial relief to local small businesses and nonprofits. “Small businesses are a critical artery that keeps the economy pumping for our county. We don’t want them to be financially fragile. We recognize the difficult times and wanted to be innovative to support our small-business and nonprofit communities,” County Executive George Latimer said. The county initially awarded a total of $10 million to 262 small businesses and nonprofits facing challenges as a result of the Covid crisis. Based on the tremendous response, the county secured $4 million in additional funding to support 175 eligible organizations and 20 chambers of commerce. “As ‘The Catalyst’ for economic growth and vitality, the Office of Economic Development is here to support our small businesses and nonprofits and help get our economy back on track,” said Bridget Gibbons, Westchester County’s director of Economic Development. The grant recipients are found throughout Westchester and include industries such as restaurants/food service; arts, entertainment and recreation; social services; education and more. We caught up with some of the recipients to learn more about how they are navigating through the crisis and how the Business FIRST grants are helping them move forward. Founded in 2002, Westchester Children’s Museum (WCM) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 chartered by New York State. WCM was created as an interactive learning space to provide children, families and school groups the opportunity to nurture curiosity, enhance knowledge and ignite imagination through creative hands-on exploration. WCM’s team began serving the county in 2010, before they even had a building. Its renowned Museum Without Walls outreach program provides STEAM — science, technol-
ogy, engineering, art and math — experiences at more than 50 partner sites and has reached more than 70,000 children since its inception. In 2014, WCM opened a single gallery in the National Historic Landmark North Bathhouse adjacent to Playland Amusement Park. The museum has approximately 625 active members and was averaging some 50,000 visitors a year prior to the pandemic. When WCM learned about the Business FIRST grant program, it applied through the county’s website. The assistance will help the museum maintain its core staff as well as its ability to provide much-needed educational program services for its constituents. How was business prior to the pandemic? “Business was booming! We were just about ready to open 16,000 square feet of newly renovated space within the North Bathhouse and demand for our off-site outreach programming was growing at an exponential rate.” When did you first feel the impact of Covid-19? “We noticed onsite attendance dropping off dramatically the second week of March.” How has your industry as a whole been affected? “Nearly 60% of the children’s museums nationwide are temporarily closed and many that have tried to reopen have had to reclose due to increases in local infection rates, governmental guidelines or the cost of operating under various restrictions. Some experts estimate that as many as 30% of the nation’s museums will close permanently as a result of the pandemic.” How did you begin to re-strategize? “We quickly moved to providing online/virtual services to our members, schools and organizations in need of supplemental educational programming and entertainment. Since March, because we have been unable to open our high-touch exhibits, we have focused our efforts on video and online programming, pre-registered onsite workshops and off-site educational outreach programs. Our online outlets have had over 70,000 virtual visitors since the onset of the pandemic. WCM is honored to be serving as a resource to our community during this challenging period.”
Have you experienced anything similar over the course of your career? “I did participate in a post-Katrina assessment for museums in New Orleans — but that doesn’t compare to the sustained and uncertain impacts of a pandemic.” How has the pandemic changed the way you think about business as usual? “It has served as a reminder that we need to be flexible and respond as best as possible to external factors we can’t always control.” Aside from funding, what one thing has helped you persevere? “The dedication and support of the museum board and staff as well encouragement from family and friends.”
Based in White Plains, Loughlin Staffing Solutions is an employment/staffing firm founded in 1998. Prior to the pandemic, owner Laura Loughlin says she was “consistently busy” managing placements. By mid-April, she admits she became “really nervous” as the impacts of Covid-19 hit her business and industry. Loughlin noted Westchester’s business community, “has always been supportive of one another, but in March of 2020 it was more apparent than ever before.” She applied for the Business FIRST grant as soon as she learned about it. Tell us about your company’s history. “In 1998, I was working for another staffing firm and they decided to close their doors, quite suddenly and I made a quick decision to go out on my own. Luckily, one of the other recruiters came with me and we have been working together ever since.”
What advice would you share about navigating a changed landscape? “Don’t go it alone — develop and maintain a strong network. Our partnerships with local businesses, other nonprofits, professional service organizations, community groups, clients and our members have sustained the museum through these challenging times. For example, our partnership with Volunteer New York! and Regeneron produced much — needed STEM programming for students at the Thomas Cornell Academy in Yonkers. We also teamed up with Rock Island Sound in Rye to produce a month of virtual musical mornings and we continue to work with the Marine Education Center in Mamaroneck to produce weekly Facebook Live learning experiences.”
How did you begin to refocus as Covid impacted your industry? “I think the personalization has been removed, at least temporarily. We always met with both clients and candidates in person, prior to Covid. We quickly realized that through Zoom we could continue to “meet” candidates and speak to our clients, which we really hadn’t done too much before. We also initiated online testing, as opposed to doing everything in our office.”
Tracy Kay Executive Director Westchester Children’s Museum Playland, Rye discoverwcm.org
How have the pandemic-related events of 2020 changed the way you think about business as usual?
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Have you experienced anything similar over the course of your career? “Not to this extent. We all felt the world change on Sept. 11, 2001 and business was quiet for a while in 2008, but what we are experiencing now is unprecedented.” How will the Business FIRST Grant Program help you move forward? “The program has been amazing. The grant will enable us to pay our landlord and help cover payroll expenses, insurance for our staff, and the equipment and testing services we utilize when we meet our candidates. I am so appreciative. “Westchester County also immediately had programs in place for small businesses such as subsidizing gift cards for restaurants, providing face masks and free parking validation codes, along with free webinars, virtual events and lots of info on SBA loans, PPP, unemployment, etc.”
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“I think we are all far more resilient than we realize and now we know for sure. We can’t take anything for granted and I’m not sure there will be ‘business as usual’ any more.” Aside from financial support, what one thing has helped you persevere? “The basic goodness in people. Everyone really pulled together, without any notice at all. My staff was willing to work, without getting paid, just to be sure we could keep on going. I will always be grateful.” What advice would you share with fellow business owners about navigating a changed landscape? “Don’t get discouraged and keep on moving and changing. Oftentimes, it’s the roadblocks in life that end up being the greatest gifts.”
I love the Business Journals’ new digital flip-book. The printed issues had been delivered to my office. I then had to bring it home and after reading it – I had to recycle it. The flip-book is so much more convienent.”
George Oros Economic Development Consultant for the Town of Cortlandt.
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Laura Loughlin Recruiter/Owner and CEO Loughlin Staffing Solutions White Plains loughlinstaffing.com
What are some of the unique ways you’ve adapted to the “new normal”? “Our education team has worked tirelessly to enhance our innovative media arts education programs to better serve students and teachers when they need us the most. Our new programs empower teachers with complete access to the JBFC’s media literacy curricula, which helps bring media-making into the classroom and engage students using films from around the world and thoughtful conversations led by JBFC educators over Zoom. Our new Short Film Library gives teachers access to a presentation-ready film collection curated by our educators and paired with discussion questions. These virtual programs are available to teachers and students in schools throughout Westchester County completely free of charge.” What other features can the community expect in the coming months? “Curated by our talented programming team, the new JBFC Virtual Marquee (powered by Eventive) will launch in mid-February. Through the Virtual Marquee, our audiences will have access to an ongoing selection of new releases, repertory films, and curated series — all in one place. The JBFC is thrilled to offer two virtual series shortly after the platform’s launch, ‘Making Waves: New Romanian Cinema’ and ‘Contemporary Arab Cinema.’” What else has helped the film center persevere? “Thanks to our remarkable and dedicated staff, JBFC continues to create new opportunities to engage, connect and inspire people of all ages through the power of film.”
The Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC) is a nonprofit arts and education hub located on a three-building campus in Pleasantville. Founded in 2001, JBFC brings the transformative power of film to the surrounding community through unique programming and discussion, shared experiences and educational initiatives. In addition to applying for a grant through the Business FIRST Program, JBFC has been seeking creative ways to share its offerings with the community. How is the Business FIRST grant helping the film center move forward? “The Business FIRST grant has helped us retain and support our staff as we continue to adapt to the Covid crisis. While we are facing many challenges with our theater closed, the JBFC staff is embracing creative opportunities to reach children, adults, families and teachers.”
Margo Amgott Interim Executive Director Jacob Burns Film Center Pleasantville burnsfilmcenter.org These interviews were coordinated by Caryn McBride of Co-Communications in White Plains.
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Stamford’s residential real estate market is booming Its commercial sector? Not so much BY KEVIN ZIMMERMAN kzimmerman@westfairinc.com
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t’s hardly news to say that, even with the pandemic, Stamford’s real estate market is continuing to boom. But while its residential sector continues to explode — Stamford’s apartment occupancy rate is “off the charts” at about 97%, the city’s Director of Economic Development Thomas Madden recently said — its office sector is a little less sturdy. “The residential market is on fire,” affirmed Colliers International Group Senior Managing Director Bob Miller. “Unfortunately, the commercial market tends to lag, in a good economy, by six, nine, even 12 months.” Colliers’ latest commercial market snapshot for Fairfield County finds its availability rate creeping up, from 24% in the fourth quarter of 2019 to 25.3% in the third quarter of 2020 to 25.4% in the fourth quarter of last year. The numbers are, perhaps surprisingly, even more ominous for Stamford. Availability in the city’s central business district (CBD) has gone from 25.4% in Q4 of 2019 to 29.5% in Q3 2020 to 30.6% in Q4 2020. Its noncentral business district has more or less kept pace,
rising from 29.5% in Q4 2019 to 32% in Q3 2020 before dropping back to 30.3% in Q4 2020. The CBD’s 25.4% availability is the highest on record, according to Miller — and would have been even higher if not for Nuvance Health, whose 220,000-square-foot lease at The Summit at Danbury, inked on Dec. 20, was the state’s largest office deal of 2020. “The same thing happened in 2019 with the WWE,” said Colliers Associate Tim Johnson, referring to that firm’s signing a 16½-year lease for the 415,000-square-foot, three-building complex at 677 Washington Blvd. “You take that out and take Nuvance out of last year and the picture looks a lot less rosy.” Even without doing that math, 2020’s total leasing activity in Q4 2020 was 711,780 square feet — compared with 861,984 square feet in Q4 2019. Stamford’s CBD fell from 314,634 to 191,972 square feet, and its NCBD from 110,304 feet to 24,758 square feet, over that same period. “It’s no secret that 2020 was a horrible year for a lot of people,” Miller said. “The economic impact was really severe. And that’s where the 800-pound gorilla in the room comes in.”
The gorilla, of course, is Covid-19. Despite optimism that vaccination numbers will continue to go up, businesses are still trying to figure out what the future looks like, pandemic or no pandemic. “It’s not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’” the pandemic is behind us, Johnson said. “A lot of companies are looking at what they know and what they don’t know, and trying to be light on their feet and keep their balance sheet healthy.” “Not until companies and their employees start to come back will we get a good sense” of what the post-Covid world might look like, Miller added. “How many people are going to be working from home every day, how many are going to be flexible and how many are going to be in the office every day is still up in the air.” He cited a Fortune survey last fall that found 76% of 171 CEOs saying their company would need less office space in the future. A February Fortune survey revealed that only 4% of CEOs plan to add office space. While some smaller companies have or are in the process of making such decisions, Johnson said, “A lot of larger employers haven’t gotten there yet.” Combined with the outsized, distorting FCBJ
effect of the Nuvance and WWE deals, “We need a lot of 5,000 and 10,000-square-foot deals coming in” to get the office sector back on track, Johnson said. Miller — who earlier mused that “it feels like the ninth inning,” with Covid vaccines on the rise — likened the situation to the two New York baseball teams’ approach to winning games. “I’m a Yankees fan, so I love the grand slam home run,” he said. “But with the Mets, you get a lot of singles and walks.” Which strategy is better depends on the situation, he said. Nevertheless, Miller said, there are some “green shoots” in evidence in Stamford. Colliers has been appointed exclusive leasing agent for two Class-A office towers in downtown Stamford. The properties — 300 Atlantic St. and 177 Broad St. are an integral part of RFR Realty’s Stamford portfolio. Miller, Jonson and Colliers President Ted Koltis are handling the nearly 500,000-square-foot assignment. 300 Atlantic is a 295,000-square-foot property near the Stamford train station and near I-95, while 177 Broad is a 200,000 square-foot office building near the Stamford Town Center and the city’s bustling arts and entertainment area. For all the uncertainty over the future of its commercial real estate sector, Miller said, “Stamford has been a real mecca for highend businesses in the region and in the state, for some time. And once businesses start looking more closely at what we have to offer, we think we’ll see more growth here.” WCBJ
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| By Bridget Gibbons
A look at Westchester’s advanced manufacturing sector in 2021 BY BRIDGET GIBBONS
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s we quickly approach the oneyear anniversary of the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is impossible to ignore the impact that the crisis had not only on the residents of our county, but on our economy as well Last year, as we found ways to support area businesses through grants, educational webinars and the like, County Executive George Latimer was already looking ahead and put into motion the Westchester County Economic Development Strategy, Recovery and Implementation plan. This strategy focuses on promoting the fastest-growing sectors in our county and spurring workforce development. One of the areas where we are poised to see the most amount of growth this year is advanced manufacturing. “Manufacturing and advanced manufacturing has been a staple in the Westchester business landscape for decades, and we have been amazed at the strength of this sector, especially in the wake of the ongoing health crisis,” Latimer said. “The Office of Economic Development’s sector-focused
strategy makes us better poised to help our existing manufacturers continue to grow and expand, while also attracting new businesses to the county.” Strength through turbulence Unlike many business verticals, advanced manufacturing businesses have shown resilience through the pandemic. These companies have been able to persist, and in many cases grow, because of their involvement in the response. Many of the jobs that are part of these businesses are well-paying jobs that have a tremendous impact on the economy. “Many, or most, of the manufacturers in Westchester have very specific, niche-oriented businesses, which has enabled them to thrive in the marketplace,” said Jim Irvine, director of corporate education, Westchester Community College. “The outlook for the future of advanced manufacturing in our region is bright.” Diversity, digitization and innovation When you think of manufacturing, you may think of large industrial plants, smoke stacks and assembly lines. But processes
are changing — they’re becoming more digitized, specialized, cleaner and need a much smaller footprint. In Westchester, our advanced manufacturing landscape is diverse, including: PTI, which is a leading equipment manufacturer of package inspection equipment; Micromold Products, which manufactures plastic fluid handling products; Metalized Carbon Corp., which focuses on self-lubricating machinery components; Bantam Tools, which manufactures desktop milling machines used to make printed circuit boards and aluminum parts; and Magnetic Analysis Corp., which has been advancing the science and technology behind nondestructive testing for over 90 years. Throughout the years, these companies have incorporated technology and digitalization to make their businesses more competitive. Advancements such as the use of big data, the internet of things and automation are having a tremendous impact on the sector. We’ll see the impact of this revolution continue over the next five to 10 years. And for anyone fearing that automation will mean displacing jobs and workers, it actually will
have the opposite effect. Automation is augmenting these jobs and taking work that may have been exported and keeping it here. Westchester’s workforce The Hudson Valley has become a true hub for advanced manufacturing, with Westchester serving as the heart of the region with a diverse and growing industry. With 28 higher education institutions and award-winning public schools, our workforce aligns with many of these businesses’ needs. Metro New York is also home to the largest STEM workforce in the country. In addition to the skilled labor, the education infrastructure provides a great foundation for individuals looking to enter this field. For example, Westchester Community College has offered training in advanced manufacturing since 2016. This series of three short-term workforce training modules builds skills in safety, CNC machining, tooling milling and lays the groundwork for the advanced manufacturing sector. There are several important skills that individuals interested in this field should possess. “First and foremost, individuals must have a keen interest in working in the
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industry. Students have an interest and aptitude for technical processes,” said Teresita B. Wisell, vice presidentand dean of workforce development and community education at Westchester Community College. “Moreover, students with an aptitude for applied mathematics, science and technology are strong candidates.” While many view Westchester’s proximity to Manhattan, Connecticut and New Jersey as a feather in our cap in terms of attracting talent, it also is helpful to manufacturers from a logistical standpoint: we have easy access to the Port of New York and New Jersey for shipping, as well as multiple airports and freight rail service.
Infrastructure, now and the future
Identifying a need and addressing it When recently speaking with established advanced manufacturers in our county, we quickly discovered a workforce development issue: There are over 50 open positions for machinists, which is impacting their ability to grow and expand. Our team jumped into action and we are working on a solution to address this issue alongside our partners throughout the county. We are learning about the skills needed, what is currently being done to fill these positions and putting together a solution to address this workforce issue. Room to expand Earlier in the year, PTI expanded its footprint and now occupies approximately 28,000 square feet at 8 Skyline Drive in Hawthorne, nearly four times the size of its original offices in Tuckahoe. Bantam Tools moved to Peekskill in 2019 from Berkeley, California, because Westchester offered an affordable alternative. As a result of the pandemic, the company has announced it is looking to grow its workforce to meet the demands for its products, as so many designers and engineers are working remotely and can use their products from their homes. There are numerous real estate opportunities for businesses looking to relocate or expand in Westchester County, especially those in value-added manufacturing. When thinking about real estate in terms of advanced manufacturing, it’s not about huge square footage, it’s about uses of personnel and use of the space. We are confident that we have everything these businesses need to continue to thrive in 2021 and beyond. Bridget Gibbons serves as County Executive George Latimer’s director of economic development. In this role, she is focused on attracting and retaining businesses and talent in Westchester. For more information, visit westchestercatalyst.com.
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t one point in time, Bridgeport was home to 20 movie theaters. Sadly, the city’s last commercial big screen venue, Showcase Cinemas, shut down in February 2020. And while the Bijou Theatre and Klein Memorial Auditorium have film projection capabilities, those venues only occasionally hosted screenings for festivals or special events. However, movies are returning to Bridgeport this summer with the inaugural edition of the Bridgeport Film Festival. Jason A. Coombs, a New York City-based actor/filmmaker, is the festival’s artistic director and he views the event as a means to reimagine his Park City hometown. “I’m from Bridgeport and originally grew up here,” Coombs said. “My family still lives here and I’m back here because of the pandemic. And Bridgeport has a negative reputation for all sorts of reasons, but that doesn’t translate to the Bridgeport that I know.” In considering ways to give back to his community, Coombs recognized that film was an underrepresented segment of the arts community, especially in terms of arts education. Coombs connected with Christina Smith, president and CEO of Groundwork Bridgeport, a nonprofit focused on socioeconomic regeneration, who shared his enthusiasm for cinema. Coombs joined the Groundwork Bridgeport Board of Directors. “I was interested in doing a film fest as a social revitalization activity to provide a sense of community and activities,” Smith said. “And then I met Jason, by happenstance, two years ago, when he was planning a film academy for students connected with him. And we came back to revisiting this idea of doing a film fest, given all of his experience in the film industry.” The new festival is being produced under the Groundwork Bridgeport auspices. Coombs began planning an event that offered diversity in subjects and filmmaking talent. “We’re taking submissions from a lot of different categories,” Coombs said. “We’re doing narrative, documentary, environmental films, music videos — and we have a cool idea by Christina to have lockdown diaries — films made during the quarantine.” Coombs posted an invitation for submissions on the online FilmFreeway.com platform that has brought in submissions from filmmakers across the U.S., plus overseas inquiries from the U.K., Iran and Iraq. He is seeking to keep the festival slate to short films with a maximum of 25 minutes of running time, which would enable a wider schedule of viewing choices.
Jason A. Coombs, artistic director of the Bridgeport Film Festival. Contributed Photo.
However, there is also the question of Covid-19’s impact on this endeavor — long-established film festivals have pivoted to virtual presentations since the health crisis took root. While Coombs is planning an online aspect for the festival, he is eager to have an in-person event. “Right now, the date is tentatively July 23-25,” he said. “It’s kind of a penciled-in date, just because of the pandemic — we’re still trying to figure out what that’s going to look like in four or five months.” For a venue, the festival is being planned for The Knowlton, an artists’ studio complex in Bridgeport. “In order to make it as safe and accessible as possible, we’re thinking we should maybe do an outdoor event,” Coombs said. “We’re trying to figure out if we’re going to maybe do a drive-in or have an outdoor setup with tables and chairs.” Even with the uncertainty of the pandemic, the festival is already creating a buzz in the film community — Coombs has received roughly 200 submissions that he is reviewing, and he expects more through the April deadline for entries. As for the Groundwork Bridgeport mission of economic development, Smith envisioned the festival as a vehicle to bring people back to Bridgeport. “There are people who are reluctant to come into the city,” she said. “But if we can do more things like the film festival and other events, the goal is to attract people here that would patronize stores and other venues and activities in the city. That would result in a level of economic development for local businesses and supporting foot traffic.”
PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO EMPLOYEES DURING COVID-19 RECOVERY You need to make sure that they’re healthy and you need to make sure that there’s a sense that you as an employer have their best interests at heart. However, you will find there are circumstances with the potential for employer liability. There are quite a few State, Federal and NYC employment laws you need to be very sensitive to in terms of whether you can compel somebody to come to work…” (Excerpted from the Westchester County Business Journal, Aug. 3.)
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Good Things TWO INSURANCE COMPANIES IN SHELTON MERGE DiMatteo Insurance in Shelton merged in early 2021 with ACBI Insurance, also in Shelton, and relocated to ACBI’s headquarters at 2 Corporate Drive, Shelton. Both the firms have been serving the Greater Bridgeport area for more than 75 Years. Together ACBI and DiMatteo Insurance have created one of the largest insurance firms in Connecticut with more than 3,000 clients and 40 employees. Daniel F. Keane of Fairfield, president of ACBI Insurance, in announcing the merger said, “I am very pleased to have Kim DiMatteo of Bethany and Rob Lesko of Shelton and their team joining forces with ACBI. The DiMatteo name has been synonymous with the construction industry in Fairfield County for over 30 years. Kim is currently the president of the Fairfield County Home Builders Association and a director of the state and national associations devoting much of her career to the construction business. In addition, Rob has been involved with the Shelton community for many years and currently serves as Chairman of the Board of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce. We look forward to many successful years together.” ACBI Insurance, founded in 2004, represents clients in more than 40 states and is an industry leader in brokerage and consulting services for the banking and real estate industries and custom and self-funded employee benefit programs. The company has been recognized nationally as a Best Practice Insurance Firm for the past five years and in 2017 was selected by Reagan Consulting and the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers as the No. 1 insurance broker in its revenue category in the United States. DiMatteo Insurance has been a member of the Shelton business community for many years and provides insurance services to a significant number of contractors throughout Fairfield and Westchester counties and New York City. The firms will conduct business as ACBI Insurance with Keane holding the title of president and CEO and DiMatteo as senior vice president. Together, the firm will represent many of the national and regional insurance carriers.
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BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF STAMFORD Boys & Girls Club of Stamford (BGCS) will celebrate and reimagine women’s futures in leadership as it hosts, virtually, International Women’s Day #ChooseToChallenge on March 8 at 7 p.m. International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global celebration of women’s social, economic, cultural and political achievements. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. BGCS CEO, Rowena Track, will moderate conversations with distinguished women leaders, including Indra Nooyi, former chairman and CEO of PepsiCo; Margaret Keane, CEO of Synchrony; Kathleen Silard, president and CEO of Stamford Health; and Juanita James, president and CEO of Fairfield County Community Foundation. “The powerful stories of their achievements, commitments to raising awareness about women’s equality and their efforts to accelerate gender parity will inspire others to join International Women’s Day - #ChooseToChallenge,” said Track. Each panelist will share how they overcame their life challenges and how they believe women and girls can shape a gender-equal world post-Covid-19.
Boys & Girls Club of Stamford, founded in 1927, provides an experience that assures success is within reach of every young person who walks through its doors. Typically, the club serves more than 550 Stamford youth daily and has
a membership of 1,600 youth. Currently, it operates at 50% capacity to maintain Covid guidelines. To register for the celebration, visit http://bgcastamford.org/ InternationalWomensDay21.
BRIDGEPORT FILM 2021
Groundwork Bridgeport, a local community-based organization, has announce dthe first annual Bridgeport Film Fest debuting in July. The festival will take place over three days and will offerboth in-person and virtual screenings, as well as guest speakers from the film industry and creative workshops for both youth and adults.Led by Artistic Director and Groundwork Bridgeport Board member Jason A. Coombs, it will highFCBJ
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light the diversity of the film community in Bridgeport and the surrounding regions by showcasing films directed by more than 50% women and POC (proof of concept) filmmakers.In a concluding ceremony prizes will be awarded to winning films chosen by a panel of expert jurors including, Patrick Wimp, Sarah Ann Masse, and AJ Mattioli. Reflecting Groundwork Bridgeport’s mission to “educate, engage and revitalize,” the festival will provide scholarships for two
Bridgeport high school students looking to pursue higher education in the arts. The Bridgeport Film Fest is currently seeking corporate sponsors and w ill be accepting submissions from local and international filmmakers until May 202. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or submitting your film, reach out to bptfilmfest@groundworkbridgeport.org.For more information, visit bridgeportfilmfest.org or check out the festival’s facebook and instagram pages.
LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY LAUNCHES THE ROOSEVELT SCHOOL A nationally ranked university, Long Island University in Brookville, Long Island, with a presence in Westchester County through remote classes recently announced the formation of The Roosevelt School, enrolling students beginning fall 2021. The Roosevelt School will prepare students for careers in international relations, diplomacy, leadership, service and policy making at multinational corporations, foundations, think-tanks, nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies around the globe. The school is named after the Roosevelt family and inspired by the legacies in diplomacy, conservation and social justice of the 26th President of the U.S., Theodore Roosevelt; the 32nd President of the U.S., Franklin Delano Roosevelt; and former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. “Long Island University is proud to further build upon the exceptional heritage of the Roosevelts,” said Long Island University President Kimberly R. Cline. The school offers an undergraduate degree in international relations and diplomacy and a 5-year Bachelor of Arts degree and an MBA in international relations and diplomacy. Theodore Roosevelt’s great-grandson Tweed Roosevelt, chairman of the Theodore Roosevelt Institute and professor at Long Island University, will serve as chairman of The Roosevelt School. Tweed Roosevelt has taught at Harvard University and Columbia University’s School of Business. He holds an AB from Harvard College, an MBA from Columbia University and Doctorate of Humane Letters from Misericordia University. He is also a founder and president of the Society of Presidential Descendants. Since the turn of the century, Long Island University has been directly linked with the Roosevelt families. It offers more than 250 degree programs, with a network of 270,000 alumni that includes industry leaders and entrepreneurs across the globe.
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MILLION AIR HELPS TRANSPORT DOGS FROM PUERTO RICO
Steve Durante
DURANTE RENTALS HIRES INDUSTRY VETERAN
L: A SATO Project volunteer holds new arrival from Puerto Rico. R: The Levene family of Chappaqua greets their new dog, Zena.
Million Air Westchester in West Harrison, the luxury fixed-base operator (FBO) at Westchester County Airport, hosted The SATO Project, which united rescued dogs and their new families over Valentine’s Day weekend. The Sato Project of Brooklyn, collaborating with Wings of Rescue, airlifted 75 dogs to the FBO’s hangar where they were received by loving families. The flight was part of the “Love is in the Air” mission to save more than 500 at-risk shelter pets during the week of Valentine’s Day
‘VOICES FOR CHANGE’ GRANT PROGRAM The very real concerns about the U.S. economy, the pandemic, racial equity, women’s rights, health care and more affecting everyone has motivated ArtsWestchester in White Plains to create three $10,000 grants for artists whose projects fit the criteria of the new grant program called “Voices for Change.” According to Janet Langsam, CEO, ArtsWestchester, “It’s part of the organization’s effort to broaden the civic conversation. As an artist, you can elevate the discourse. Say it in art. Or music. Or even dance. Partner with a community organization and opt in to Voices for Change.” Find out how to submit a proposal by the April 5 deadline, visit https://artswestchester.org/grants/ voices-for-change.
with support from Tito’s Handmade Vodka and the spirits company’s Vodka for Dog People program. All of the dogs were rescued from the streets of Puerto Rico, saved from a severe hoarding situation, abandoned or pulled from overburdened animal shelters impacted by recent earthquakes. The Sato Project in this past decade, has rescued, rehabilitated and flown more than 5,000 dogs to the Northeast. “We were very grateful for the opportunity to host The SATO project and
provide the space for this loving union between Westchester families and their new pets,’’ said Roger Woolsey, CEO of Million Air, an award-winning network of luxury executive FBO terminals spanning four continents and headquartered in Houston. “The work that this organization does is nothing short of miraculous and we were proud to play our small part in this effort,’’ he said. Dozens of volunteers arrived at Million Air on Saturday, Feb. 13 to help unload the animals and unite them
with their new families. Allison and John Levene of Chappaqua and their children, were there to pick up Zena, who was rescued as a tiny pup from a plastic bag dumped by the side of the road. Zena, now four months looking healthy and happy, rewarded her new family with plenty of kisses. There is a stray dog epidemic in Puerto Rico, where an estimated 500,000 roam the streets and municipal shelters average a 94% to 96% euthanasia rate.
A COMMUNITY VALENTINE The Greenwich-based Parsonage Cottage Senior Residence “To My Valentine” project, which wasl aunched three weeks before Valentine’s Day, was intended to show its residents that people care. “… I wanted to do something that would demonstrate care and respect for them,” said Penny Lore, who has served as executive director at Parsonage for nearly 20 years. The Greenwich community responded with donations numbering more than 800. Lore and the Parsonage Cottage staff created individual baskets for each of the 38 residents and gift bags for the 20 staff members. “This is a perfect example of when love is viewed as a verb; its focus is on giving, not receiving,” said Lore. “We are so touched and overwhelmed by the generosity of our community.” The donations included greeting cards, many of which were handmade,
Steve Durante has joined Durante Rentals in New Rochelle as chief sales officer. He will provide strategic leadership and direction to both the inside and outside sales teams and be responsible for creating and executing a sales strategy focused on increased market share and long-term revenue growth. With 27 years of sales and management experience in the construction equipment industry, Durante most recently served as the New York City district sales manager for a multibillion-dollar global equipment rental company responsible for five consecutive years of double-digit growth. “After twenty years, it’s great to work with my brother, Steve, again,” said CEO Anthony Durante. “The knowledge and experience he has acquired during his career will be instrumental in the development of our sales team and will bring a synergy to our inside and outside teams.” With locations throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, Durante Rental’s geographic footprint since 2009 continues to expand throughout the tri-state area. The company rents, sells and services equipment to a wide range of customers working in general construction.
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chocolate and other candy, decorated cookies, chocolate-covered pretzels, miniature bottles of Kahlúa, hand-crocheted hearts, origami, jokes from kids, balloons and even chatterboxes (the beloved paper fortune tellers). Parsonage Cottage Senior Residence is an affordable home for Greenwich
older adults to age in place, near friends and family, remaining in the town they call home. Recently updated, the Cottage has 34 bright, spacious single rooms and three double rooms, all with large private baths. Residents are allowed to bring their own furniture to create a familiar home environment. FCBJ
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Good Things FARM PROJECT GROWS ITS LEADERSHIP TEAM Poughkeepsie Farm Project (PFP) recently promoted staff to leadership roles and diversified its board with new members in an effort to expand upon its mission to ensure food security for thousands of Poughkeepsie area residents. PFP also developed a strategic plan to better serve its constituents while emphasizing sustainability and food justice in its programming, Since 1999, PFP’s impact grew substantially when it began serving Madeline Henriquez 70 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shareholders from three acres of leased farmland on the Vassar College campus. Today, the project functions as a member-supported 15-acre farm in the city of Poughkeepsie that annually serves 7,000 children and adults through in-school and farm-based educational programming. PFP also donates up to 40,000 pounds of food each year to Hudson Valley residents through its Food Share program and provides fresh produce to more than Lydia Hatfield 500 households participating in the farm’s CSA. Newly appointed Executive Director Madeline Henriquez brings 17 years of experience working in the nonprofit sector addressing gender-based violence, health care reform, infant and maternal health, community and economic development. In 2016, she helped launch and manage E arth, Wind & Fuego LLC, a social enterprise cafe and catering company with a mission to train and Lauren Kaplan hire Poughkeepsie residents who face societal, mental and physical barriers to employment. Poughkeepsie has a poverty rate of more than double the rate found in Dutchess County and more than 23 percent of the city’s households receive food stamps/SNAP benefits compared to 8 percent in the rest of the county. The newly created staff positions include Executive Assistant Lydia Pat Lang Hatfield; Lauren Kaplan, farm communications and CSA director; and Pat Lang, farm production director. Three new members will be joining Kelsey Ponesse on the PFP Executive Board. They include, Vice Chair Evelina Knodel, Treasurer Jennifer Creedon and current board member Jennifer Killian, who has taken on the position of board chair. In addition, two new board members: Willa Zhen and Estafany Umbach have Jennifer Creedon joined PFP.
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ANOTHER PARTNER FOR RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE Smart D2 Playrooms, a lifestyle playroom brand that designs high-end playrooms and gives back to the community through its Flower Power Fund has partnered with Ronald McDonald House of the Greater Hudson Valley. The partners plan to remodel the existing 10-year-old playroom at the house. The playroom is dedicated in memory of Jamie Levy, the niece of Ronald McDonald House Board Chairman Rich Landau whose family named the room in her honor. Smart D2 Playrooms co-founders Denise Davies and Karri Bowen-Poole are going to completely transform the space into a vibrant, modern educational playroom for the families served by the Ronald McDonald House. “Smart D2 Playrooms started the Flower Power Fund initiative as a way to give back to our community and every year we will transform a playroom for a nonprofit organization,” said Davies. “We are thrilled to work with Ronald McDonald House this year and be a part of their anniversary celebration
while helping to make a difference in the community,” added Bowen-Poole. Smart D2 Playrooms is on a mission to change the way kids play. Their products are designed by child-development experts who understand how to engage children in all types of play and learning. “As we celebrate our 10-year anniversary of keeping families together and facilitating access to the best pediatric medical care in our community, we are thrilled that Smart D2 Playrooms is donating their talent to remodel our playroom for the children who will call the house their home,” said Christina Riley, house executive director. Located on the campus of Westchester Medical Center the house is just steps away from Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. Since opening in 2011, more than 2,000 families have called it their home and more than $5 million out-of-pocket lodging and meal costs were saved.
Evelina Knodel
LOCAL WEALTH ADVISORS JOIN NATIONAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT FIRM
Kelsey Ponesse
Estafany Umbach
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Siller & Cohen Family Wealth Advisors in Rye Brook has joined Hightower, a national wealth management firm that supports registered investment advisors with enhanced operational and client service capabilities. An $830 million wealth management business, Siller & Cohen provides multigenerational financial planning, investment management and estate planning services to highnet-worth individuals and families. Joining Hightower enables Siller & Cohen advisors and staff to access the firm’s technology, investment management, vendor relationships and business support services, helping the group’s advisors provide efficient, attentive and enhanced service to clients.
Founded in 1988 by Randy Siller and Jeffrey Cohen, Siller & Cohen specialties include estate planning, active tax management, risk management, business exit and succession planning, comprehensive financial planning and planning for clients facing divorce. “We are looking forward to leveraging Hightower’s integrated business services,” said Siller. A nationwide firm, Hightower offers its 115 advisory businesses in 33 states a range of services designed to catalyze and accelerate growth, including technology, compliance, accounting, payroll, human resources, investment management, capital and business development consulting.
EXPLORING ASSISTED LIVING IN A COVID-19 WORLD Westchester County elder law attorney Anthony J. Enea, member of Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano LLP in White Plains and Somers, will welcome Grace Ferri, marketing director at United Hebrew of New Rochelle, for a special episode of his “Talking Seniors” podcast on March 3 addressing long-term care in a Covid-19 world. Titled “Is Assisted Living a Viable Housing Option for Seniors?” the podcast explores different housing options for seniors, how the pandemic has significantly impacted those in nursing homes and
what steps facilities are taking to keep residents safe in these challenging times. “We have all felt the effects of the pandemic for some time now,” said Enea, who has spent 35 years protecting the rights of seniors, the disabled and their families. …I look forward to Grace’s insights on how the assisted living community has adapted and what can be done to keep our loved ones safe.” Listeners may tune in to Talking Seniors at talkingseniors.buzzsprout.com.
VP NAMED AT ULSTER INSURANCE SERVICES A subsidiary of Ulster Savings Bank in Kingston, Ulster Insurance Services Inc. recently announced the promotion of Steve Gadaleto to vice president. Gadaleto had joined the bank in 2000. “Steve has continued to improve the efficiency and customer experience for Ulster Insurance. Under his leadership, his team has exceeded their revenue goals for the past two years,” said Bill Calderara, president and CEO of Ulster Savings. A New Paltz resident, Gadaleto will work closely with staff to deliver excellent service and meet the objectives of their clients while improving the efficiency and profitability of the insurance agency. A 2010 graduate of SUNY Ulster with an associate’s degree in business management, Gadaleto received his Registered Health Underwriter (RHU®) and Registered Employee Benefits Consultant (REBC®) designations from the American College in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
Steve Gadaleto
Ulster Savings Bank is a mutual savings bank with assets of $1.041 billion. Its 14 branches are located in Kingston, Lake Katrine, Gardiner, New Paltz, Newburgh, Phoenicia, Poughkeepsie, Red Hook, Saugerties, Stone Ridge, Wappingers Falls, and Woodstock, with additional mortgage lending offices in Orange, Dutchess and Westchester counties.
TWO GOLF CLUBS TEEING OFF TOGETHER Heritage Golf Group, headquartered in California, announced a long-term leasehold interest in Knollwood Country Club, a Tillinghast golf club with great history, tradition and enthusiastic membership. Knollwood is the eighth property to join the Heritage Golf Group portfolio of private country clubs and high-end daily-fee golf clubs in the past year.
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“This traditional full-service club fits nicely into our overall growth strategy to invest in high-quality private clubs in community environments,” said Mark Burnett, Heritage Golf Group’s CEO and President. “We look forward to partnering with the members to build on tradition and transform the club into an environment that reflects on the past and is inviting to the future.” John Cavaliere has been hired as general manager of the club. He has many years of experience running private country clubs after starting his hospitality career with Marriott. Located about 25 miles north of Manhattan in Elmsford, the club features an 18-hole championship golf course with a unique and optional 19 th hole, a short par-three to end the round. The course was designed by Albert W. Tillinghast, Seth Raynor and Charles Banks. Heritage is finalizing plans to modernize the dining areas as the first phase of the multimillion-dollar club reinvention. Founded in 1999, Heritage Golf Group’s current ownership and leadership team brings years of diverse and successful experience operating golf and country clubs. The Heritage clubs are located in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, South Carolina, Florida and Wisconsin.
HOMESENSE COMES TO TOWN Dan Zelson of Charter Realty & Development Corp., headquartered in Rye Brook, leased 27,677 square feet in Tri-City Plaza located at 30-35 Talcottville Road, in Vernon, Connecticut, to Homesense. The property is owned by DLC Management Corp. Homesense, part of the TJX Companies based in New York City, recently opened its facility, which offers a shopping experience for on-trend home merchandise from around the world at great value. Homesense complements its sister store, HomeGoods, also located within TriCity Plaza.
ARTISTS OF INSTAGRAM VIRTUAL CONVERSATION Hosted by the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, “The Artists of Instagram: Everything You Always Wanted to Know and Aren’t Afraid to Ask,” is a Bruce Presents virtual webinar Thursday, March 4 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. It will showcase four artists who have not only built substantial followings on Instagram, but also represent a revolution in terms of how we define what makes someone a successful contemporary artist. The artists include Daisy Collingridge whose draped and tufted sculptures serve as evocative representations of the body and soul; Lauren Ko, a baker whose visually exquisite edibles challenge traditional definitions of art itself; actor-filmmaker Sarah Ramos whose teenage pursuit of celebrities grew into a provocative visual meta-commentary; and artist-musician Láolu Senbanjo whose breathtaking take on Afromysterics caught Beyoncé’s eye. These artists are singular in their approach and collectively representative of a generation for whom Instagram is a key element of their practice. The program will be moderated by Bruce Presents co-producer Leonard Jacobs; a Q&A session will follow. Admission is free for museum members and $20 for nonmembers; students receive a 20% discount. To register, visit brucemuseum.org or call 203-869-0376, ext. 311.
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Láolú Senbanjo
Sarah Ramos
Sculptor Daisy Collingridge.
Baker and Author Lauren Ko.
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Good Things WEDC OPENS NEW SBA WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER IN THE MID-HUDSON VALLEY The Women Enterprise Development Center (WEDC) in White Plains recently announced that it has been awarded a federal grant to launch a Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Women’s Business Center (WBC) in the Mid-Hudson Valley. Already a designated Women’s Business Center for Westchester County since 2003, this new grant will allow WEDC to expand its training programs and services for small businesses in the Mid-Hudson Valley. WEDC opens the door to business ownership for low- to moderate-income women and minorities and helps them maintain profitable businesses to support themselves and their families. The Mid-Hudson Women’s Business Center will offer a full range of programs and services in English and in Spanish, including the WEDC 60-Hour Entrepreneurial Training Program (ETP), Path to Entrepreneurship programs, Inclusive Community Accelerator, individualized counseling, workshops and webinars, M/WBE Certification Assistance, networking events and advanced business training and assistance with accessing capital through its collaboration with the Business Outreach Center (BOC). As Covid-19 closure guidelines continue to roll-out, WEDC’s federal grant will benefit small businesses in the Mid-Hudson Valley in critical need of training and technical support as they are faced with a series of new challenges. These include immediate need for funding, business models adjustment and operations’ restructuring to provide goods and services in compliance with Covid-19 guidelines.
CELEBRATING A NEW LOOK
Pediatric Cancer Foundation, which is headquartered in Mamaroneck, has launched a new brand for the organization. As the foundation enters its 50th year of funding research for clinical trials to help eradicate children’s cancer, it is expanding its global outreach to include a nationwide campaign. Check out its new logo and visit its new website at pcfcares.org or contact info@pcfcares.org.
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WATERSTONE PARTNERS WITH VNS
Traci E. Alexander
AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST JOINS BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF MOUNT VERNON Rendering of Waterstone of Westchester.
Waterstone of Westchester in White Plains, a new independent senior living community, is partnering with the Visiting Nurse Service in Westchester (VNSW) to offer its residents added care should they need it. “We’ve partnered with VNS Westchester because they are, quite simply, the largest and best home health care
providers in the region,’’ said Margaret Minichini, Waterstone Westchester executive director. “While most of our residents are active and independent, it’s a comfort to know that they will have access to high-quality care right in their own community if need arises.’’ Founded in 1901, VNS Westchester is annually accredited by CHAP (Community
Health Accreditation Program). Timothy P. Leddy is its president and CEO. Located on Bloomingdale Road, the five-story senior residence will include 132 apartments, an underground garage, an indoor pool, spa and other amenities as well as large apartments and a wide variety of floorplans. It is expected to open in January of 2022.
RAVEIS CHARITABLE FUND RAISES $325,000 The William Raveis Charitable Fund (WRCF) in Shelton raised a total of $325,000 for the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation (Damon Runyon) and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in 2020. The WRCF has raised nearly $3 million for Damon Runyon since 2015, benefiting some of the most promising scientists conducting cutting-edge research to find a cure for cancer. For the first time, the Damon Runyon Board of Directors offered to donate a dollar-for-dollar match up to $125,000 for the funds raised by WRCF’s annual Ride + Walk event, which was virtual this year. Also, in an effort to further its commitment to a cure for cancer, WRCF diversified and donated a portion of its proceeds to the Dana Farber Institute, which is committed to providing adults and children with cancer with the best treatment available today while developing tomorrow’s cures. “We are astounded by the innovative scientists from both institutions whose dedication to their work does not waiver — even under the unprecedented circumstances of the pandemic,” said Meghan Raveis, the director of FCBJ
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the WRCF. “There is still cancer to fight and we followed their lead by remaining steadfast in our fundraising commitment to the cause with new and creative ways.” The WRCF has raised nearly $3 million for Damon Runyon over its six-year collaboration allowing for the funding of 16 scientists who are researching 10 different types of cancer at nine different institutions in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. Since 1946, this organization has invested nearly $375 million and funded more than 3,750 young scientists, including 12 Nobel Laureates. Founded in Boston in 1947, the Farber Cancer Institute blends leading science
and exceptional care into transformative medicine. Dana-Farber is a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and federally designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center. Since its founding in 2004, the William Raveis Charitable Fund has been on the forefront of raising money to support communities across the Northeast that are impacted by cancer. William Raveis Real Estate CEO and Chairman William Raveis founded his company more than 45 years ago and turned it into a real estate powerhouse with more than 4,200 sales associates across 135 offices in nine states.
Dr. Traci E. Alexander has joined the staff of the Boys & Girls Club of Mount Vernon as director of development. She will be responsible for leading the club’s plan to generate resources and support for one of the leading youth development organizations in the greater New York metro area. A prominent media pioneer, award-winning journalist and professor in the fields of communication and leadership development for more than 30 years, Alexander’s work in fundraising and business development has been dedicated to advance social justice for women of color and to support undeserved and marginalized communities. She has helped raise visibility and fundraising campaigns for nonprofit organizations across the country. “Our club has had a meaningful impact on the lives of thousands of current and former youth in the Mount Vernon community for over 100 years and we have ambitious plans to grow in the future” said Rob Potack, club board chair. “It is critically important for our organization to have a development executive with an entrepreneurial spirit, fundraising know-how and a successful track record of raising awareness and funding….” Alexander was the first African American woman to anchor the evening news for ABC in central Louisiana. Over the course of her career, she has interviewed hundreds of high-profile leaders, including President Barack Obama. She is also the creator and executive producer of the LITerature Lounge that supports her mission to increase the number of men and women of color to attain an advanced degree in higher education. “We are very fortunate to have someone with such a tremendous background, connections, accomplishments and experience join us to lead our development plans,” said Mel Campos, club CEO.
NY ORAL SURGEONS DEVELOP TRUETEETH Four oral surgical groups composed of esteemed board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the New York metropolitan Area have joined together to launch TRUETEETH, a same-day dental-implant procedure that provides eligible candidates with immediate implants. Spearheading the launch of TRUETEETH is Dr. Joshua Gish, of Premier Care Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Long Island Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Associates. “Our team has taken a procedure that we’ve been performing for over
a decade and perfected the technique, resulting in the premier same-day dental-implant protocol. We are thrilled to offer this same-day procedure to patients.” Gish said. The TRUETEETH surgical procedure is currently performed at 10 locations on Long Island and Westchester, including four Long Island oral and maxillofacial surgery associates offices, Levittown oral and implant surgery and Westchester Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Associates.
The TRUETEETH procedure uses state-of-the-art technology that allows board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeons to place dental implants and deliver a full set of teeth in one procedure without having to go through multiple surgeries or the need to wear inconvenient and uncomfortable dentures. Patients who go through the TRUETEETH surgical procedure have limited disruption in their everyday life and have an immediate result – along with a new sense of confidence. For more, visit trueteeth.com.
JUNIPER CAPITAL PARTNERS DEBUTS HOTEL NYACK Hotel Nyack, previously The Time Nyack Hotel in New York’s Hudson Valley made its debut Feb.18 under the ownership of Juniper Capital Partners LLC of Dallas, Texas, and Hyatt’s Joie de Vivre lifestyle brand. Located in Rockland County, Hotel Nyack will provide picturesque views of the Hudson River and is primed to welcome guests and locals with the Joie de Vivre brand’s joy-driven service. In addition, Juniper Capital Partners (JCP) has appointed international hospitality management company, Real Hospitality Group, Inc. (RHG) to oversee the operations of the hotel. “At Hotel Nyack, guests are able
to immerse themselves in the vibrant town that offers art, culture, history and nature,” said Lawrence Bain, JCP managing partner. “With a commitment to the Nyack community and our guests, we were drawn to Hyatt’s Joie de Vivre playfulness and deep respect for its neighborhoods and Real Hospitality Group’s industry-leading performance. We believe installing these two groups as an extension of our team will bring a bright, successful future for the hotel.” The 133-room hotel with loft-style accommodations housed within the framework of a four-story, former facto-
ry, has plans to renovate several portions of the hotel, including its culinary offering. An urban stopover, it is less than an hour drive from New York City. Juniper Capital Partners is an investment firm with a predisposition toward distressed or out-of-favor assets with attractive valuations. Juniper’s investments typically require substantial repositioning and Juniper is active in all aspects of the investment process, including the origination, structuring, underwriting, management and sale of its interests. To learn more about Joie de Vivre Hotels, visit jdvhotels.com.
KATONAH MUSEUM HONORS FORD FOUNDATION PRESIDENT Ford Foundation President Darren Walker will receive the Katonah Museum of Art 2021 Himmel Award on Saturday, April 3 in recognition of his pivotal role in supporting the arts and social justice. The Himmel Award and Conversation is an annual event in recognition of creators, conceivers, radical thinkers and risk-takers that provoke new thinking in art and design. It is named in honor of Betty Himmel who has been instrumental in defining the direction and mission of the Katonah Museum of Art (KMA) and who continues to be an arts advocate and community leader. Walker and Katonah Museum of Art Executive Director Michael Gitlitz will discuss Walker’s depth of experience in the nonprofit world and his transformative Information for these features has been submitted by the subjects or their delegates.
work with the Ford Foundation to address structural, societal changes during this period of social and political disruption and challenges posed by the pandemic. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions during the program scheduled on Zoom from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Fully tax-deductible tickets are $50 KMA members; $75 nonmembers at tinyurl. com/4svudshq. Under Walker’s leadership, the Ford Foundation, an international social justice philanthropy with a $14 billion endowment and $600 million in annual grant making, became the first nonprofit in U.S. history to issue a $1 billion social bond in the US capital markets with proceeds used to strengthen and stabilize nonprofit organizations in the wake of Covid-19. Prior to joining Ford, Walker was vice president at the Rockefeller Foundation and in the 1990s he was chief operating officer of Harlem’s largest community development organization, the Abyssinian Development
Darren Walker
Corporation. Educated exclusively in public schools, Walker was a member of the first Head Start class in 1965 and received his Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Juris Doctorate degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. His awards, honorary degrees and inclusion on leadership lists are numerous. Most recently, Walker was named Wall Street Journal’s 2020 Philanthropy Innovator.
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Facts & Figures
ON THE RECORD
30 Gray Property LLC, Yonkers. Seller: Mikevin Management III LLC, Yonkers. Property: 36 Gray Place, Yonkers. Amount: $1.1 million. Filed Feb. 17.
Domusa LLC, Wilmington, Delaware. Seller: Stuart I. Grimshaw, et al, Greenwich, Connecticut. Property: 42 Hurlingham, North Castle. Amount: $796,696. Filed Feb. 18.
955 Mamaroneck Ave LLC, New Rochelle. Seller: Heeler LP, Bridgehampton. Property: 955 Mamaroneck Ave., Mamaroneck. Amount: $1.1 million. Filed Feb. 16.
L.V. Acquisitions Unlimited LLC, Scarsdale. Seller: Point 62 LLC, et al, White Plains. Property: 53 Henderson Ave., Yonkers. Amount: $283,000. Filed Feb. 16.
B and F 59 LLC, New York City. Seller: Jon Thomas Buscemi, et al, Bedford Corners. Property: 144-148 McLain St., Bedford. Amount: $2.3 million. Filed Feb. 18.
Luna Real Estate Holdings LLC, Sleepy Hollow. Seller: Renzo Zucconi, Ponte Vedra, Florida. Property: 23 Young Place, Eastchester. Amount: $710,000. Filed Feb. 17.
Erica Heckle, Gardiner, New York vs. Matrix Absence Management Inc., Hawthorne, 21-cv1463-VB: Fair Labor Standards Act. Attorneys: Molly A. Elkin and Hillary Lebeau.
Heritage Hills Society Ltd., Somers. Seller: Heritage Hills Holdings LLC, Somers. Property: 51 Heritage Hills Drive, Somers. Amount: $1.2 million. Filed Feb. 17.
Madison Bay LLC, Great Neck. Seller: Hillside Bd LLC, Scarsdale. Property: 401 Nuber Ave., Mount Vernon. Amount: $255,000. Filed Feb. 19.
Jodi Smith, Richfield, MN vs. Nurture Inc., White Plains, 21cv-1534: Class action, contract. Attorney: Charles J. LaDuca.
House of B and R LLC, Scarsdale. Seller: One Hickory Lane LLC, Scarsdale. Property: 1 Hickory Lane, Scarsdale. Amount: $7.1 million. Filed Feb. 18.
NCJJ Renovation LLC, Corona. Seller: U.S Bank Trust N.A. Property: 19 Belknap Ave., Yonkers. Amount: $302,072. Filed Feb. 17.
Switch Ltd., Las Vegas vs. Lunavi Inc. and Green House Data Inc., Orangeburg, 21-cv-1539-VB: Patent infringement. Attorney: Frederick L. Whitmer.
JPS Edgewood LLC, Rye Brook. Seller: Annemarie Kambeitz, Rye Brook. Property: 6 Edgewood Drive, Rye. Amount: $1.8 million. Filed Feb. 17.
NJCC Fund #5 REO Subsidiary LLC, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Seller: Vanessa Watkins, Yonkers. Property: 130 Glenwood Ave., 45, Yonkers. Amount: $314,415. Filed Feb. 16.
Shanelle Deli & Grocery Corp., Mount Vernon vs. U.S. Department of Agriculture, 21-cv-1590CV: Food Stamp Act. Attorney: Benjamin Sharav.
Memac 1 LLC, Putnam Valley. Seller: Tri-Vee Realty Corp., Wappingers Falls. Property: 1879-1889 E. Main St., Yorktown. Amount: $3.2 million. Filed Feb. 18.
North Terrace LLC, Mount Vernon. Seller: Di Leo Realty Corp., Yonkers. Property: 330 Terrace Avenue North, Mount Vernon. Amount: $600,000. Filed Feb. 18.
Mye LLC, Bellmore. Seller: Kenneth Sena, et al, Croton-on-Hudson. Property: 19-21 Finney Farm Road, Cortlandt. Amount: $4.7 million. Filed Feb. 16.
North Terrace LLC, Mount Vernon. Seller: Di Leo Realty Corp., Yonkers. Property: Locust St., Mount Vernon. Amount: $200,000. Filed Feb. 18.
Reliable Safety LLC, Eastchester. Seller: John A. Carey, et al, Eastchester. Property: 11 Hunter Drive, Eastchester. Amount: $1.4 million. Filed Feb. 18.
Search for Change Inc., Valhalla. Seller: Ralph J. Curcio, Carmel. Property: 106D Village Road, Yorktown. Amount: $180,000. Filed Feb. 18.
SHP VI Greenburgh LLC, Madison, New Jersey. Seller: CRP/ CSH Greenburgh LLC, Washington, D.C. Property: 715 Dobbs Ferry Road, Greenburgh. Amount: $56.1 million. Filed Feb. 19.
Town of Harrison, Harrison. Seller: Kyoshin USA Inc., Harrison. Property: 14 Calvert St., Harrison. Amount: $950,000. Filed Feb. 18.
U.S. DISTRICT COURT White Plains Local business cases, Feb. 17 - 23 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission vs. Joseph Cimino, Warwick, 21-cv-1375-CS: Securities fraud. Attorneys: Richard S. Hong and Richard R. Best.
Timothy Conklin, Orange County vs. Empire Resorts Inc., Monticello, et al, 21-cv-1595: Fair Labor Standards. Attorney: David A. Tannenbaum.
DEEDS Above $1 million 2325 Realty Associates LLC, Larchmont. Seller: 2325 Realty Inc., Larchmont. Property: 2325 Boston Post Road, Mamaroneck. Amount: $2.4 million. Filed Feb. 19.
Items appearing in the Fairfield County Business Journal’s On The Record section are compiled from various sources, including public records made available to the media by federal, state and municipal agencies and the court system. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information, no liability is assumed for errors or omissions. In the case of legal action, the records cited are open to public scrutiny and should be inspected before any action is taken. Questions and comments regarding this section should be directed to: Larry Miles c/o Westfair Communications Inc. 701 Westchester Ave, Suite 100 J White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3407 Phone: 694-3600 • Fax: 694-3699
Below $1 million 39 Cedar Street LLC, Yonkers. Seller: Barbara M. Merritt, Yonkers. Property: 39 Cedar St., Yonkers. Amount: $75,000. Filed Feb. 16. Anmatt Properties LLC, Port Chester. Seller: Mary Ann Vaccaro, et al, Port Chester. Property: 413 Franklin St., Rye. Amount: $485,000. Filed Feb. 16.
Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Seller: Pedro Martinez, et al, Yonkers. Property: 62 Eastwind Road, Yonkers. Amount: $510,000. Filed Feb. 16.
JUDGMENTS H Weiss LLC, Armonk. $9,333 in favor of Chemical Methods Associates LLC. Filed Feb. 12. Italia Outdoor Living Pavers Inc., New Rochelle. $4,162 in favor of Colucci Carting LLC, Middle Island. Filed Feb. 12.
LIS PENDENS The following filings indicated a legal action has been initiated, the outcome of which may affect the title to the property listed. Bruce, Robert, et al. Filed by Freedom Mortgage Corp. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $326,450 affecting property located at 314 Depew St., Peekskill 10566. Filed Feb. 17. Raymond, Nicholas A., et al. Filed by Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $408,000 affecting property located at 18 Knollwood Ave., Elmsford 10523. Filed Feb. 12. Ridenhour, Albert, et al. Filed by Carrington Mortgage Services LLC. Action: seeks to foreclose on a mortgage to secure $428,008 affecting property located at 4 Robert Rinaldi Lane, Briarcliff Manor 10510. Filed Feb. 12.
HUDSON VALLEY BUILDING LOANS Below $1 million Bam Properties Inc., Mahopac, as owner. Lender Gino Labruzzo, Mahopac. Property: Mount Hope Road, Carmel. Amount: $250,000. Filed Feb. 8. Ricoflow Equity LLC, Highland Falls, as owner. Lender: Finance of America Commercial LLC, Charlotte, North Carolina. Property: 45 McManus Road South, Patterson 12563. Amount: $23,100. Filed Feb. 9. Everestv Inc., Brewster, as owner. Lender: Westchester Modular Homes Construction Corp., Brewster. Property: 3 Isabella Court, 18 and 20 Sophia Lane, Brewster. Amount: $338,332. Filed Feb. 12. Everestv Inc., Brewster, as owner. Lender: Westchester Modular Homes Construction Corp., Brewster. Property: 5 Isabella Court, Brewster. Amount: $346,533. Filed Feb. 17. Sohlberg, Emma Sue, et al, New York City, as owner. Lender: Primelending. Property: 130 O’Neil St., Kingston. Amount: $198,630. Filed Feb. 2.
westchester county
Barrie, Alyssa Danielle, West Hurley, as owner. Lender: Sawyer Savings Bank., Saugerties. Property: 2271 Route 28A, Olivebridge 12461. Amount: $220,000. Filed Feb. 3. Garvilla, Brian J., et al, Pine Bush, as owner. Lender: Walden Savings Bank, Montgomery. Property: in Shawangunk. Amount: $320,000. Filed Feb. 4. Cassar, Laura, et al, Saugerties, as owner. Lender: Rondout Savings Bank, Kingston. Property: 1387 Glasco Turnpike, Saugerties 12477. Amount: $281,000. Filed Feb. 4. McMenemy, Alexander Paul, et al, Saugerties, as owner. Lender: Ulster Savings Bank, Kingston. Property: 1535 Route 9W, Esopus 12429. Amount: $515,500. Filed Feb. 5. Schlauch, Eric, et al, Califon, New Jersey, as owner. Lender: Ulster Savings Bank, Kingston. Property: 139 Sparkling Ridge Road, Gardiner 12561. Amount: $960,000. Filed Feb. 9. Ashokan Accommodations LLC, Kingston, as owner. Lender: FTF Lending LLC, Cleveland, Ohio. Property: 176-180 Leggs Mills Road, Lake Katrine 12449. Amount: $160,000. Filed Feb. 16. Affuso, Erica, Marlboro, as owner. Lender: Wallkill Valley Federal Savings and Loan Association, Walden. Property: 42 Reservoir Road, Marlborough. Amount: $240,000. Filed Feb. 17. Schneider, Christopher Jr., Ruby, as owner. Lender: Mid-Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union, Kingston. Property: 181 Serenity Drive, Saugerties 12477. Amount: $340,000. Filed Feb. 18.
DEEDS Above $1 million 132 Lindsley Avenue LLC, Kingston. Seller: Hunt Slonem, Brooklyn. Property: 208 Delaware Ave., 89-133, and 132 Lindsley Ave., Kingston. Amount: $2.3 million. Filed Feb. 16. 78-88 Spring Street Corp., Kew Gardens. Seller: Tubby Row LLC, Millerton. Property: in Kingston. Amount: $1.8 million. Filed Feb. 12. Beacon Loft LLC, Beacon. Seller: Niche Modern LLC, Beacon. Property: in Beacon. Amount: $1.3 million. Filed Feb. 10.
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Black Creek Propco LLC, Poughkeepsie. Seller: Black Creek LG LLC, Lawrence. Property: 30 Black Creek Road, Esopus. Amount: $7 million. Filed Feb. 19. Chateau Round Hill LLC, New York City. Seller: Christopher Fadden, Cold Spring. Property: 101 Round Hill Road, Cold Spring 10516. Amount: $5 million. Filed Feb. 16. Kevin Beacon LLC, Beacon. Seller: Niche Modern LLC, Beacon. Property: in Beacon. Amount: $1.2 million. Filed Feb. 10. Kingston Village Propco LLC, Poughkeepsie. Seller: Kingston Village LLC, Lawrence. Property: in Kingston. Amount: $38 million. Filed Feb. 19. Kingston Waterfront Propco LLC, Poughkeepsie. Seller: Kingston Waterfront LLC, Lawrence. Property: in Kingston. Amount: $11.5 million. Filed Feb. 19. Lakeshore Villas Propco LLC, Poughkeepsie. Seller: Lakeshore Villas LG Associates LP, Lawrence. Property: 557 Broadway, Esopus. Amount: $24.5 million. Filed Feb. 19. Philermos Realty LLC, Brooklyn. Seller: Ross Myles Mahopac LLC, Mahopac. Property: 604 N. Lake Blvd., Mahopac 10541. Amount: $4 million. Filed Feb. 9. Plank Road LLC, New York City. Seller: Jo-Mary Realty Corp., Phoenicia. Property: 575-585 Plank Road, Shandaken. Amount: $1.4 million. Filed Feb. 10.
Below $1 million 1354 Rte 9W LLC, Marlboro. Seller: DMK Development LLC, Scottsdale, Arizona. Property: 1354 Route 9W, Marlborough. Amount: $160,000. Filed Feb. 4. 155 Lauren Tice LLC, Saugerties. Seller: Diplomat Property Manager LLC, Atlanta, Georgia. Property: 155 Lauren Tice Road, Saugerties. Amount: $200,000. Filed Feb. 10. 180 Developers LLC, Ellenville. Seller: Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, D.C. Property: 1195 Ulster Heights Road, Wawarsing. Amount: $80,000. Filed Feb. 10. 202 Clinton LLC, New York City. Seller: Robert Latimore, et al, Kingston. Property: 16 Sylvester St., Kingston. Amount: $145,000. Filed Feb. 8.
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Facts & Figures 2096 Rt 22 LLC, Long Island City. Seller: Province of Meribah Society of Mary Inc., Mineola. Property: 2096 Route 22, Patterson 12563. Amount: $250,000. Filed Feb. 10.
AMP Property Management LLC, Highland Mills. Seller: Philip Kim, et al, Brooklyn. Property: 28 Brady Road, Saugerties. Amount: $245,000. Filed Feb. 16.
231 and 239 Lime Ridge Road LLC, LaGrangeville. Seller: Lime Ridge Properties LLC, Poughquag. Property: 231 Lime Ridge Road, Beekman. Amount: $800,000. Filed Feb. 8.
APJL Construction LLC, Kingston. Seller: Eileen A. Polk, Tillson. Property: 185 Fairview Ave., Kingston. Amount: $85,000. Filed Feb. 12.
243 NR Realty LLC, Poughkeepsie. Seller: Rajiv Narula, Poughkeepsie. Property: in Poughkeepsie. Amount: $240,000. Filed Feb. 10. 2722 West Main Street LLC, Wappingers Falls. Seller: R and R Properties of Wappingers Falls LLC, Wappingers Falls. Property: 2722 W. Main St., Wappingers Falls 12590. Amount: $400,000. Filed Feb. 11. 30 Angiel LLC, Brooklyn. Seller: Kerensa Demarest, Saugerties. Property: 30 Angiel Lane, Saugerties. Amount: $790,000. Filed Feb. 9. 300 Briggs LLC, Rockville Centre. Seller: Giuiseppe Lombardo, et al, Tannersville, Pennsylvania. Property: 300 Briggs Highway, Wawarsing. Amount: $300,000. Filed Feb. 10.
Ashokan Accomodations LLC, Kingston. Seller: Bobby L. Staccio, et al, Lake Katrine. Property: 176-180 Leggs Mill Road, Ulster. Amount: $160,000. Filed Feb. 16. At the Orchard LLC, Milton. Seller: Kyle A. Frano, Accord. Property: 3024 Route 213E, Marbletown. Amount: $289,000. Filed Feb. 2. Barger Properties LLC, Marlboro. Seller: Marlboro Free Library, Marlboro. Property: 1263 Route 9W, Marlborough. Amount: $185,100. Filed Feb. 4.
Chateau Cell Tower LLC, New York City. Seller: CF Diversified Corp., Cold Spring. Property: Vineyard Road, Philipstown 10516. Amount: $995,000. Filed Feb. 17.
Black Olive Group LLC, Olivebridge. Seller: Ronald Bergeron, et al, Olivebridge. Property: in Olive. Amount: $58,000. Filed Feb. 19.
Community LD LLC, Forest Hills. Seller: Stephen Addelson, Glendale. Property: in Saugerties. Amount: $8,000. Filed Feb. 3.
Black Olive Group LLC, Olivebridge. Seller: Ronald Bergeron, Olivebridge. Property: in Olive. Amount: $130,000. Filed Feb. 19.
CRBJ Properties LLC, Somers. Seller: Katelyn R. Collins, Carmel. Property: 120 Fox Run Lane, Carmel 10512. Amount: $120,600. Filed Feb. 18.
Black Olive Group LLC, Olivebridge. Seller: Ronald Bergeron, Olivebridge. Property: in Rochester. Amount: $12,000. Filed Feb. 19.
600 Route 28 LLC, Kingston. Seller: Vy Kingston LLC, Great Neck. Property: in Kingston. Amount: $340,000. Filed Feb. 18.
BLW Associates LP, New York City. Seller: Jonathan Schachter, et al, Port Ewen. Property: 286 John Joy Road, Woodstock. Amount: $615,000. Filed Feb. 18.
Accord LLC, Accord. Seller: Carolyn J. Ferolito, et al, New Vernon, New Jersey. Property: 2 Tow Path Road, 17 Devour Lane, and Granite Road, Rochester. Amount: $625,000. Filed Feb. 10. All Perfect Management LLC, Brooklyn. Seller: Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, D.C. Property: 61 Tanglewylde Road, Putnam Valley 10537. Amount: $221,500. Filed Feb. 17.
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CAPC USA Fund I LLC, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Seller: NJCC-NYS REO Subsidiary LLC, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Property: 571 Route 376, Hopewell Junction. Amount: $135,000. Filed Feb. 8. CAPC USA Fund I LLC, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Seller: NJCC-NYS REO Subsidiary LLC, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Property: 166 Shenandoah Road, Hopewell Junction 12533. Amount: $191,500. Filed Feb. 8.
33 Furnace St KC LLC, Kingston. Seller: Robert Leonardo Sr., Kingston. Property: 33 Furnace St., Kingston. Amount: $249,900. Filed Feb. 9.
86 Washington Holding LLC, Poughkeepsie. Seller: Eighty Six Washington LLC, Poughkeepsie. Property: in Poughkeepsie. Amount: $360,000. Filed Feb. 10.
CAPC USA Fund I LLC, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Seller: NJCC-NYS REO Subsidiary LLC, New Brunswick, New Jersey. Property: 300 Ketchamtown Road, Apt. C12, Wappingers Falls 12590. Amount: $50,000. Filed Feb. 8.
Bordi Lane LLC, Poughkeepsie. Seller: Bordi Three Properties LLC, Highland. Property: 159 Vineyard Ave. and 14 and 25 Bordi Lane, Lloyd. Amount: $525,000. Filed Feb. 19. Bordi Lane LLC, Poughkeepsie. Seller: John Bordi Jr., et al, Highland. Property: in Lloyd. Amount: $975,000. Filed Feb. 19. Brian C. Ginty Inc., Kingston. Seller: Llobet Properties LLC, Kingston. Property: 325 Albany Ave., Kingston. Amount: $500,000. Filed Feb. 3.
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Deal House Capital Fund I LLC, Mamaroneck. Seller: Krista Di Stasi Rizzo, Highland. Property: 77 Grand St., Lloyd. Amount: $90,000. Filed Feb. 9. DMC12 Corp., Rock Tavern. Seller: Wa12 LLC, The Village, Florida. Property: Wallkill Ave., Shawangunk. Amount: $175,000. Filed Feb. 8. DRTG Development LLC, Kingston. Seller: IPA Asset Management LLC, Farmingdale. Property: 10-30, 32-36, and 21-29 Gray Lane, Kingston. Amount: $999,950. Filed Feb. 11. E2F Properties LLC, Rye Brook. Seller: Mark J. Polchinski, Mahopac. Property: 130 Union Valley Road, Mahopac 10541. Amount: $282,000. Filed Feb. 4.
Empire State RE LLC, Ridgefield, Connecticut. Seller: Tristate Capital Group Inc., Washington, New Jersey. Property: in Rochester. Amount: $468,000. Filed Feb. 4.
Kua Propco LLC, Seattle, Washington. Seller: Kingston-Ulster Commerce Park LLC, Kingston. Property: Ulster Landing Road, Kingston. Amount: $217,000. Filed Feb. 16.
Federal National Mortgage Association. Seller: David N. Barlow, et al, Pawling. Property: 63 W. Deer Trail, Pawling 12564. Amount: $330,000. Filed Feb. 8.
Laughing Gnome LLC, Accord. Seller: Sonia H. Kortright, Kingston. Property: in Rochester. Amount: $299,000. Filed Feb. 19.
Gnobby Gnome LLC, Peekskill. Seller: Escapes Realty LLC, Woodstock. Property: in Esopus. Amount: $140,000. Filed Feb. 11.
Lime Ridge Farms Inc., Poughquag. Seller: Olivia Altschuler, Poughquag. Property: in Beekman. Amount: $375,000. Filed Feb. 10.
Goats and Acorns LLC, Saugerties. Seller: Snowshoe Trail Properties LLC, Constantine. Property: in Saugerties. Amount: $360,000. Filed Feb. 11.
Marcococo LLC, Kingston. Seller: Catskill County Homes LLC, Kingston. Property: 118 E. Stout Ave., Esopus. Amount: $160,000. Filed Feb. 18.
Gold Score Properties Inc., Washingtonville. Seller: Deal House Capital Fund I LLC, Mamaroneck. Property: 77 Grand St., Lloyd. Amount: $90,000. Filed Feb. 9.
Mill Hook LLC, Hoboken, New Jersey. Seller: Chaits Inc., et al, Accord. Property: in Rochester. Amount: $635,000. Filed Feb. 8.
Goukiyo Inc., Great Neck. Seller: Ronald Scocozza, Poughquag. Property: in Rosendale. Amount: $40,000. Filed Feb. 11. Grace Place LLC, Napanoch. Seller: 7180 LLC, Kingston. Property: 7180 Route 209, Wawarsing. Amount: $150,000. Filed Feb. 18. Henry Hearth and Home Realty LLC, LaGrangeville. Seller: Robert D. McCoy, et al, Poughkeepsie. Property: 104 Daley Road, Poughkeepsie 12603. Amount: $160,000. Filed Feb. 10. JRF h111 LLC, Kerhonkson. Seller: Lauren Kelley, et al, Portland, Oregon. Property: 111 Sundown Road, Rochester. Amount: $520,000. Filed Feb. 17. KAO Holdings LLC, Cortlandt Manor. Seller: John Scoppa, et al, Milton. Property: 170 Milton Turnpike, Marlborough. Amount: $238,000. Filed Feb. 5. Kehoe Corp., Walden. Seller: John A. Felicello Jr., et al, Marlborough. Property: in Marlborough. Amount: $70,000. Filed Feb. 10. Kua Propco LLC, Seattle, Washington. Seller: Besicorp Services Inc., Kingston. Property: Cascade Drive, Kingston. Amount: $75,000. Filed Feb. 16.
Millerton Super Inc., Millerton. Seller: Robert D. Trotta, Millerton. Property: in North East. Amount: $26,000. Filed Feb. 8. Mountain Mod LLC, Montclair, New Jersey. Seller: Youssef Tarik, et al, Montclair, New Jersey. Property: 33 Hill 99, Woodstock. Amount: $275,000. Filed Feb. 17. Partition Property LLC, Saugerties. Seller: 102 Partition Street Corp., Saugerties. Property: in Saugerties. Amount: $131,000. Filed Feb. 12. Phoenicia Festival of the Voice Foundation, Phoenicia. Seller: The Northeast District of the Wesleyan Church Inc., Queensbury. Property: in Shandaken. Amount: $148,300. Filed Feb. 12. Pitaso Realty Corp., Bronx. Seller: Joanne Ostrander, Shokan. Property: 7-9 Staples St., Kingston. Amount: $88,400. Filed Feb. 9. Promed Consulting Inc., Mahopac. Seller: Jill Sidolfi, Hopewell Junction. Property: 528 Fox Run Lane, Carmel 10512. Amount: $112,000. Filed Feb. 17. PSES Group Corp., Bayside. Seller: Mary Lapolla, Wappingers Falls. Property: Lattintown Road, Marbletown. Amount: $170,000. Filed Feb. 19.
Ricoflow Equity LLC, Highland Falls. Seller: Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. Property: 45 McManus Road South, Patterson 12563. Amount: $363,450. Filed Feb. 9. Rock City Ventures Inc., Woodstock. Seller: Danielle Ballantine-Drake, Oxford, United Kingdom. Property: 20 Ballantine Road, Woodstock. Amount: $384,000. Filed Feb. 3. Sanstorn Holding Inc., Marlboro. Seller: Patricia Schmid, et al, Tolland, Connecticut. Property: in Marlborough. Amount: $31,000. Filed Feb. 10. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, D.C. Seller: Joan Marie Link, Carmel. Property: 10 Meadowlark Drive, Carmel 10512. Amount: $257,516. Filed Feb. 16. Site-ing LLC, Los Angeles, California. Seller: Lela Houston, et al, New York City. Property: 1022 Woodland Valley Road, Shandaken. Amount: $475,000. Filed Feb. 17. Smithfield Presbyterian Church, Amenia. Seller: Carol T. Kemmerer-Coon, Amenia. Property: 397 Shuman Road, Stanford. Amount: $300,000. Filed Feb. 8. Speculaab LLC, Sunnyside. Seller: Michael Thomas, et al, Kingston. Property: 11 Lucas Ave., Kingston. Amount: $355,000. Filed Feb. 2. Teakettle Spout LLC, New York City. Seller: Robert R. Fraleigh, Jensen Beach, Florida. Property: in Rhinebeck. Amount: $650,000. Filed Feb. 10. Upstate Rehab Corp., East Setauket. Seller: Wells Fargo Bank N.A. Property: 5868 Route 209, Rochester. Amount: $216,725. Filed Feb. 9. Vasquez-Porter LLC, Wappingers Falls. Seller: KBL Properties Inc., Wappingers Falls. Property: 16 Alda Drive, Poughkeepsie. Amount: $365,000. Filed Feb. 9. Yaya Enterprises LLC, Bloomington. Seller: Pamela Fernandez, Washingtonville. Property: in Kingston. Amount: $170,000. Filed Feb. 19.
Facts & Figures BUILDING PERMITS Commercial Bruneau, Stevenson, Westport, contractor for self. Construct eightfoot-high fence at 4514-4518 Main St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $3,200. Filed Jan. 4. Carey Danillo Donaldson, Bridgeport, contractor for Godspeed OK LLC. Convert hair salon to juice bar at 2527 Main St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $3,000. Filed Jan. 22. Curtis, Tiesha, Bridgeport, contractor for self. Install counter, flooring and new kitchen with hood at 1540 Stratford Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $4,000. Filed Jan. 29. Desco Pro Builders, Ellington, contractor for Porter and Chester Institute. Perform interior demolition work only at 156 Boston Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $40,000. Filed Jan. 8. Ericsson Inc., Plano, Texas, contractor for American Tower Corp. Add three new antennas, replace existing antennas, add six remote radio units and replace three, add two surge arrestors and feedlines at 1069 Connecticut Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: N/A. Filed Jan. 15. George Samuels, Bridgeport, contractor for the city of Bridgeport. Repair sheetrock and ceiling tiles from water damage in five bathrooms at 1330 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $4,500. Filed Jan. 19. Pinto Pools Inc., Stamford, contractor for Stuart Brown. Construct in-ground swimming pool and safety barrier at 5 Martin Dale, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $99,000. Filed January 2021.
Items appearing in the Fairfield County Business Journal’s On The Record section are compiled from various sources, including public records made available to the media by federal, state and municipal agencies and the court system. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information, no liability is assumed for errors or omissions. In the case of legal action, the records cited are open to public scrutiny and should be inspected before any action is taken.
Prime Renovations LLC, Riverside, contractor for Joseph T. DeMaio. Build retaining wall at 19 Overlook Drive, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $12,000. Filed January 2021. Swimm Pools Inc, Darien, contractor for Nathaniel August. Construct a new spa at 180 Stanwich Road, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $75,000. Filed January 2021. Weglarz Construction Inc., Ridgefield, contractor for Raymond Bartoszek. Remove existing roof and re-roof 343 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich. Estimated cost: $57,800. Filed January 2021.
Residential 440 Round Hill Rd Trust, Greenwich, contractor for 440 Round Hill Road Trust. Refurbishment of house at 440 Round Hill Road, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $500,000. Filed January 2021. Balic, Dino, Greenwich, contractor for Dino Balic. Repair damage from fire at 6 Hemlock Drive, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $240,000. Filed January 2021. Banks Brothers Services, Cos Cob, contractor for Brett Sigler. Update bath at 10 Chestnut St., Cos Cob. Estimated cost: $10,000. Filed January 2021. Davenport Contracting Inc., Stamford, contractor for 78 Cedar Cliff Road LLC. Construct new single dwelling at 78 Cedar Cliff Road, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $3,500,000. Filed January 2021. Donovan McTaggart, Bridgeport, contractor for Guillermo Cardona. Reviewed need permit at 871 Sylvan Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $8,800. Filed Jan. 5. Edison Rojas, Bridgeport, contractor for Maria Flores. Perform exterior fire-damage repairs to roof and build closetand other interior fire-damage repairs at 279 Pulaski St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $62,000. Filed Jan. 22. Edwards, Shiena, Bridgeport contractor for Shiena Edwards. Replace roof covering at 136 Overland Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $0. Filed Jan. 25.
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Galluccio, Nikola, Greenwich, contractor for Nikola Galluccio. Install new gas fireplace at 8 Mayo Ave., Greenwich. Estimated cost: $2,000. Filed January 2021. Gillespie Design & Build LLC, Cos Cob, contractor for Sheila Kantor. Relocate laundry room, remove woodburning stove and close family-room fireplace at 16 Tod Lane, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $20,000. Filed January 2021. Green Power Energy, Annandale, New Jersey, contractor for O’Neil Webb. Construct knee wall to support rafters at 86 Woodmont Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $2,981. Filed Jan. 5. HE Carpentry, Stratford, contractor for Celia Cruz. Perform a kitchen renovation at 68 Mencel Circle, Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $6,350. Filed Jan. 13. The Home Depot USA, Atlanta, Georgia, contractor for Tram Ngruyen. Replace windows at 25 Court Circle, Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $1,073. Filed Jan. 11 The Home Depot USA, Atlanta, Georgia, contractor for Ena Ragin. Replace windows at 173 Virginia Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $1,107. Filed Jan. 11 The Home Depot USA, Atlanta, Georgia, contractor for Chartale Deraly. Replace windows at 1816-1818 North Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $11,339. Filed Jan. 11 The Home Depot USA, Atlanta, Georgia, contractor for Natasha Borrero. Replace windows at 167169 Kent Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $3,405. Filed Jan. 11 The Home Depot USA, Atlanta, Georgia, contractor for Roxanne Romney. Replace one windowsat 4000 Madison Ave., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $8,002. Filed Jan. 11 JC Construction Service LLC, Danbury, contractor for Andrew Coke. Perform siding, trim and insulation at 156 Cottage St., Bridgeport. Estimated cost: $12,500. Filed Jan. 7. Loparco Associates, Greenwich, contractor for Anissa Nouhi. Change garage to family room and construct new car garage at 128 N. Old Stone Bridge Road, Cos Cob. Estimated cost: $250,000. Filed January 2021.
Mackey Contracting & Carpe, Greenwich, contractor for Pragya Sapkota. Install new stairs to office, add lights and outlets and reconfigure fireplace smoke at 186 Field Point Road, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $40,000. Filed January 2021. MMR Construction Inc., Stamford, contractor for Doug and Jenny Heffer. Remodel kitchen at 23 Boulder Brook Road, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $75,000. Filed January 2021. Newfield Contracting, Stamford, contractor for Cate Nutting. Remodel master bathroom, construct new shower and install new fixtures at 3 Putnam Hill, Unit 3H, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $22,000. Filed January 2021. Northwind Designs, Monroe, contractor for Meghan K. Gefaell. Renovate garage at 1 Ford Lane, Old Greenwich. Estimated cost: $19,500. Filed January 2021. Peerless Consulting Corp. Old Greenwich, contractor for Tamara Wing. Add master closet and new stairs to attic at 8 Ridge Road, Cos Cob. Estimated cost: $300,000. Filed January 2021. Petti, Danni, Greenwich, contractor for Danni Petti. Remove existing roof and re-roof 259 Bruce Park Ave., Greenwich. Estimated cost: $9,800. Filed January 2021. Romano, John, Stamford, contractor for Brian Matthews. Remove wood columns and kitchen cabinets at 11 Deer Lane, Greenwich. Estimated cost: $7,500. Filed January 2021. Sal Development, Greenwich, contractor for N. Fugelsang. Renovate bedrooms and bathrooms and add laundry room at 19 Indian Head Road, Riverside. Estimated cost: $38,500. Filed January 2021. SLS Construction, Greenwich, contractor for Colleen Frayne. Remodel kitchen and bathroom at 25 W. View Place, Riverside. Estimated cost: $40,000. Filed January 2021. Trepovich Handyman, Norwalk, contractor for Charles S. and Elsa R. Spencer. Remove existing roof and re-roof 14 Field Road, Riverside. Estimated cost: $17,085. Filed January 2021.
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Usaty, Robert J., Danbury, contractor for Halsam Company. Remove existing ceiling and replace acoustical tiles at 68-90 E. Putnam Ave., Greenwich. Estimated cost: $7,500. Filed January 2021. Vinylume Inc., Stamford, contractor for Rudy Funke. Remove asphalt shingles and install new shingles at 159 Riverside Ave., Greenwich. Estimated cost: $24,320. Filed January 2021.
COURT CASES Bridgeport Superior Court Connecticut Transit District Consortium, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by Cherise Trotter, Bridgeport. Plaintiff’s attorney: Cooper Sevillano LLC, Bridgeport. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendants and sustained severe damages and injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBTCV-20-6102517-S. Filed Dec. 16. Keyana Deborah, et al, Bridgeport. Filed by Jose Rosa, Fairfield. Plaintiff’s attorney: Miller Rosnick D’Amico August & Butler PC, Bridgeport. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendants and sustained severe damages and injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBTCV-21-6102864-S. Filed Jan. 4. Post East LLC, et al, Westport. Filed by Marlene Paolini, Wilton. Plaintiff’s attorney: Pavano Dombrowski LLC, Windsor. Action: The plaintiff was lawfully on the premises controlled and maintained by the defendants, when she exited her vehicle and was caused to fall into a deep hole in the parking area and sustained painful injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV-21-6102781-S. Filed Dec. 28.
Parallel Post Real Estate, Stamford. Filed by Series 2017-BNK6 180 Hawley Lane LLC, Stamford. Plaintiff’s attorney: Lewis LLC, Stamford. Action: The plaintiff was assigned the mortgage property of the defendant. The defendant defaulted on the terms of the agreement and has failed to pay the plaintiff the amount due. The plaintiff claims foreclosure of the mortgage, possession of the property premises, monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV-216102599-S. Filed Dec. 21. Jones, Jeffrey, et al, Stratford. Filed by Erin McMahon Unis executor of the estate of Christine H. McMahon, Scarsdale, New York. Plaintiff’s attorney: McEnery Price Messey & Sullivan LLC, Milford. Action: The plaintiffs were pedestrians who suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendants’ car and sustained severe and painful personal injuries and death. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FBT-CV-21-6102900-S. Filed Jan. 5.
Danbury Superior Court Garcia-Ramos, Mario, et al, Danbury. Filed by Marlin Feliz, Bethel. Plaintiff’s attorney: The Flood Law Firm LLC, Middletown. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendants and sustained severe damages and injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBD-CV-21-6038046-S. Filed Jan. 4. Gianna Nicole, et al, Woodbury. Filed by Roy Chan, Brookfield. Plaintiff’s attorney: Berkowitz and Hanna LLC, Shelton. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendants and sustained severe damages and injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBDCV-21-6038125-S. Filed Dec. 21.
Questions and comments regarding this section should be directed to: Larry Miles c/o Westfair Communications Inc. 701 Westchester Ave, Suite 100 J White Plains, N.Y. 10604-3407 Phone: 694-3600 • Fax: 694-3699
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Facts & Figures Marcos, Cristopher, et al, Pawling, New York. Filed by Scott Snow, Danbury. Plaintiff’s attorney: Berkowitz and Hanna LLC, Shelton. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendants and sustained severe damages and injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBD-CV-20-6038018-S. Filed Jan 8.
Papia, Ginamarie, et al, Whitestone, New York. Filed by Carmen Tutillo, Stamford. Plaintiff’s attorney: The Pickel Law Firm LLC, Stamford. Action: The plaintiff suffered a collision allegedly caused by the defendants and sustained severe damages and injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FST-CV-216049941-S. Filed Dec. 21.
Kirol, Evelyn M. and Charles P. Kirol, Fairfield. Seller: PPG Development LLC, Dunmore, Pennsylvania. Property: 650 Beach Road, Fairfield. Amount: $750,000. Filed Jan. 14.
Silvay, David, et al, Sherman. Filed by Brian Brindise, New Fairfield. Plaintiff’s attorney: Berkowitz and Hanna LLC, Shelton. Action: The plaintiff was lawfully on the premises of the defendants when he was attacked by the defendants’ dog causing him severe injuries. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. DBDCV-21-6038158-S. Filed Dec. 23.
Redwood Construction and Consulting LLC, Bethel. Filed by Stonebridge Partners LLC, Stamford. Plaintiff’s attorney: Aleksandr V Fromzel, Stamford. Action: The plaintiff and defendant entered a contract with which plaintiff agreed to perform construction services on a property. The plaintiff performed its obligation in full, however the defendant failed to pay the amount agreed upon. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FST-CV-216049776-S. Filed Jan. 6.
The Soli Family Statutory Trust, Stamford. Seller: Ingi A. Soliman and Aly Hemdan Abdalla, Stamford. Property: 60 Strawberry Hill Ave., Unit 706, Stamford. Amount: $10. Filed Jan. 7.
Stamford Superior Court Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. et al, Ridgefield. Filed by Stephen Wagner, Millersville, Pennsylvania. Plaintiff’s attorney: Motley Rice LLC, Hartford. Action: The plaintiff bought a drug from the defendant without being warned that the drug is associated with and can cause necrotizing fasciitis of the perineum, also known as Fournier’s gangrene. The defendants’ behavior was negligent and wrongful in connection with the development, testing, packaging, promoting, marketing, distribution, labeling, and/or sale of the prescription drug Jardiance and plaintiff suffered damages. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FST-CV-216049685-S. Filed Dec. 23. Deccan Value LLC, et al, East Hampton. Filed by John Malik, Stratford. Plaintiff’s attorney: Mitchell & Sheahan PC, Stratford. Action: The plaintiff and defendant entered into a contract, which the defendant breached by improperly diverting and retaining the plaintiff’s wages causing the plaintiff monetary damage. The plaintiff seeks monetary damages in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs and such other further relief the court deems appropriate. Case no. FST-CV-21-6049964-S. Filed Jan. 8.
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DEEDS Commercial 2150 Post Road Realty LLC, Westbury, New York. Seller: Reservoir Associates LLC, Boston, Massachusetts. Property: 2150 Post Road, Fairfield. Amount: $10. Filed Jan. 11. 38 High Street Corporation LLC, Stamford. Seller: Anthony T. Vitti, et al, Stamford. Property: 38 High St., Stamford. Amount: $360,000. Filed Jan. 11. Apple Tree Terrace, Cos Cob. Seller: Marlene Gifford, Chester, Vermont. Property: Palmer Hill Road, Greenwich. Amount: $1,575,000. Filed Jan. 7. Beach Walk Homes LLC, Fairfield. Seller: 781 Valley Road LLC, San Diego, California. Property: 781 Valley Road, Fairfield. Amount: $350,000. Filed Jan. 11. Bolling Place LLC, Greenwich. Seller: Jonathan W. Sparks and Sandra A. Crawshaw-Sparks, Greenwich. Property: 5 Bolling Place, Greenwich. Amount: $0. Filed Jan. 6. JAM at Milbank LLC, Greenwich. Seller: Rocket and Rosie LLC, Vero Beach, Florida. Property: 215 Milbank Ave., Unit East, Greenwich. Amount: N/A. Filed Jan. 6.
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Maione, Michael and Evin Maione, Old Greenwich. Seller: Wilmington Savings Fund Society, Chicago, Illinois. Property: 15 Carriage Road, Greenwich. Amount: $1,275,000. Filed Jan. 5.
Residential Anderson, Drew and Emma Dupont, Brooklyn, New York. Seller: Sevil J. Becklo, Norwalk. Property: 29 Betts Place, Norwalk. Amount: $479,000. Filed Jan. 8. Barrett, Sarah E., Bethel. Seller: Alicia J. Nilson, Brookfield. Property: 171 Jeniford Road, Fairfield. Amount: $120,000. Filed Jan. 14. Beatty, Kevin and Karen Beatty, Greenwich. Seller: MM Deer Lane LLC, Armonk, New York. Property: 6 Deer Lane, Greenwich. Amount: $6,400,000. Filed Jan. 4. Blair, Michael W. and Edith M. Blair, Fairfield. Seller: Donald V. Barrett, Fairfield. Property: 768 Sasco Hill Road, Fairfield. Amount: $4,170,000. Filed Jan. 12. Boral, Paul Michael, Fairfield. Seller: William Griffin Curtin and Alicia Paglia Curtin, Fairfield. Property: 1052 Valley Road, Fairfield. Amount: $740,000. Filed Jan. 13. Como, Jennifer, San Mateo, California. Seller: Andrew David Seibert and Elizabeth Kraft Seibert, Greenwich. Property: 1 Lita Drive, Greenwich. Amount: $1,800,000. Filed Jan. 4. DeMaria, Christopher and Allison DeMaria, Fairfield. Seller: William Sharrock and Bridget K. Sharrock, Fairfield. Property: 160 Joan Drive, Fairfield. Amount: $557,000. Filed Jan. 15. Donato, Marisa, Bronx, New York. Seller: Karla L. Fernandez, Stamford. Property: 61 Seaview Ave., Unit 77, Stamford. Amount: $460,500. Filed Jan. 8.
Dostmann, Felix, Greenwich. Seller: Isabel K. Lawless, Greenwich. Property: 992 North St., Greenwich. Amount: $664,000. Filed Jan. 8.
Ivan, Stephen Mark and Victoria Haave, Norwalk. Seller: Mark A. Weed, Norwalk. Property: 13 Arbor Drive, Norwalk. Amount: $379,000. Filed Jan. 11.
Eliezer, Kethia, Stamford. Seller: Elba Quinones, Stamford. Property: 65 Glenbrook Road, Unit 4H, Stamford. Amount: $210,000. Filed Jan. 7.
Judice, William Keith and Michelle Judice, Riverside. Seller: Lee Schwartz and Gabrielle Schwartz, Riverside. Property: 132 Lockwood Road, Riverside. Amount: $3,900,000. Filed Jan. 7.
Eraclio, Kimberly and Jeremy Barowsky, Greenwich. Seller: John M. Lucarelli and Cheryl Makrinos, Greenwich. Property: 57 Old Mill Road, Greenwich. Amount: $10. Filed Jan. 6. Fedeli, Josh and Lauren Drysdale, Stamford. Seller: Barry J. Kapteina and Cynthia Kapteina, Stamford. Property: 66 Mary Violet Road, Stamford. Amount: $949,900. Filed Jan. 11. Feliz, Steven, Bronx, New York. Seller: Hermigida T. Pinales-Rivera, Norwalk. Property: 310 Ely Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $270,000. Filed Jan. 11. Fernandes, Nicholas A. and Caitlin E. Gilhuly, Fairfield. Seller: Victor Mandanas, Fairfield. Property: 56 Perry St., Fairfield. Amount: $790,000. Filed Jan. 12. Fleurancy, Iphonise, Stamford. Seller: Scott C. Shuler and Monica A. Shuler, Stamford. Property: 287 Hamilton Ave., Unit 1D, Stamford. Amount: $230,000. Filed Jan. 11. Geyer, Kane and Heather Cotter, Greenwich. Seller: Simona Casarini, Cos Cob. Property: 137 Clapboard Ridge Road, Greenwich. Amount: $2,500,000. Filed Jan. 5. Giannios, Emmanuel Alexandros, Stamford. Seller: Maryann P. Smith, Orland Park, Illinois. Property: 36 Cerretta St., Unit 33, Stamford. Amount: $329,000. Filed Jan. 12. Grimaldi, Philip R., Carmel, New York. Seller: Rainer Falkenstein and Connie Falkenstein, Stratford. Property: 32 Hackett Circle North, Stamford. Amount: $10. Filed Jan. 11. Hanyen, Scott and Tiffany Hanyen, Jersey City, New Jersey. Seller: Christian Dahlberg, Stockholm, Sweden. Property: 11 Palmer Lane, Riverside. Amount: $2,395,000. Filed Jan. 8. Herzog, Christopher and Marie Barbera, Fairfield. Seller: R. Kelsey Biggers and Martha C. Biggers, Fairfield. Property: 2345 Redding Road, Fairfield. Amount: $1,550,000. Filed Jan. 13.
Kelly, Victoria L., Norwalk. Seller: Diane E. Koziol, Norwalk. Property: 50 Aiken St., Unit 312, Norwalk. Amount: $270,000. Filed Jan. 8. Kurjiaka, Tyler and Lizabeth Kurjiaka, Fairfield. Seller: Frank A. Ciminello and Roxanne C. Abder, Fairfield. Property: Lot 8, Map 5494, Fairfield. Amount: $980,000. Filed Jan. 12. Lebrun, Robert A. and Nicole Lucas, Norwalk. Seller: Ryan C. Hope and Lien Thi Hong Hope, Norwalk. Property: Unit 1, Silvermine Crossing, Norwalk. Amount: $375,000. Filed Jan. 12. Lu, Yan and Yingxin Chen, Rye, New York. Seller: Mary Patricia Whalen, Old Greenwich. Property: 1525 E. Putnam Ave., Old Greenwich. Amount: $288,000. Filed Jan. 6. Lu, Yanfeng and Eric Sung, Norwalk. Seller: Yuefei Xie and Qi Tan, Charlotte, North Carolina. Property: 200 Main St., Norwalk. Amount: $665,000. Filed Jan. 12. Lyons, Richard, Stamford. Seller: Joseph Reid and Diane Reid, Stamford. Property: 11 Horseshoe Lane, Stamford. Amount: $615,000. Filed Jan. 12. Maccarella, David and Sol Maccarella, Stamford. Seller: Robert DeGracia, Glen Ridge, New Jersey. Property: 850 E. Main St., Stamford. Amount: $10. Filed Jan. 8. Magnotta, Jon, Norwalk. Seller: Anna May Jerusavage, Stratford. Property: 70 Toilsome Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $200,000. Filed Jan. 12. Mairech, Rabia, Fairfield. Seller: Sarah F. Horan and Mary Elizabeth Sublette, Fairfield. Property: 2273 Easton Turnpike, Fairfield. Amount: $329,500. Filed Jan. 12. Munoz-Sagastibelza, Maria and David Enrique Ford, Jersey City, New Jersey. Seller: John Lombardi and Mario Lombardi, Norwalk. Property: 360 Phaiban Lane, Stamford. Amount: $299,000. Filed Jan. 8.
Murai, Sholchi and Takako Murai, Old Greenwich. Seller: Justin K. Burns and Valerie G. Burns, Riverside. Property: 7 Chapel Lane, Riverside. Amount: $1,725,000. Filed Jan. 6. Newhall, Nathan and Alessandra Newhall, Norwalk. Seller: Patricio E. Maldonado and Jessica M. Maldonado, Norwalk. Property: 25 Powder Horn Road, Norwalk. Amount: $680,000. Filed Jan. 8. Peiris, Sanjeewa and Withanage Sughani C. Perera, Fairfield. Seller: N. Kyle Fournier, Fairfield. Property: 2561 N. Benson Road, Fairfield. Amount: $458,000. Filed Jan. 13. Smith, Patrick M. and Jody E. Longeran, Norwalk. Seller: Joachim F. Petzold, Ridgefield. Property: 46 Bartlett Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $472,000. Filed Jan. 11. Villasenor, Ellen, Wilton. Seller: Rita Sullivan, Norwalk. Property: 105 Richards Ave., Unit 1501, Norwalk. Amount: $310,000. Filed Jan. 12. Walsh, Steven, Stamford. Seller: Sandesh H. Gawanda and Smita S. Gawande, Stamford. Property: 25 Second St., Unit A2, Stamford. Amount: $350,000. Filed Jan. 7. Wang, Yuqi and Stewart P. Farr, Old Greenwich. Seller: Christopher Theriot and Irene Theriot, Cos Cob. Property: 18 Wyndover Lane, Cos Cob. Amount: $1,175,000. Filed Jan. 8. Zemola, James F. and Christine A. Zemola, Fairfield. Seller: James P. Martin and Pamela J. Martin, Evans, Georgia. Property: 25 Dudley Drive, Fairfield. Amount: $860,000. Filed Jan. 11.
FORECLOSURES Capital One Bank (USA) NA. Creditor: US Bank NA, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 1 Thornwood Road, Stamford. Mortgage default. Filed Feb. 9. Gotfried, Benjamin, et al. Creditor: Blacksquare Real Estate Inc, Salt Lake City, Utah. Property: 3071 North St., Fairfield. Mortgage default. Filed Feb. 16. J&J of Connecticut LLC, Creditor: DeRaffele Manufacturing Company Inc, Stamford. Property: 3350 Post Road, Fairfield. Mortgage default. Filed Jan. 29.
Facts & Figures LIENS Federal Tax Liens Filed Arcuri, Eugene S. and Carolyn J. Arcuri, 34 Pemberwick Road, Greenwich. $2,490, civil proceeding tax. Filed Feb. 4. Arcuri, Eugene S. and Carolyn J. Arcuri, 34 Pemberwick Road, Greenwich. $2,665, civil proceeding tax. Filed Feb. 4. Imbrogno, Robert and Anna Imbrogno, 168 Tuckahoe Lane, Fairfield. $8,059, civil proceeding tax. Filed Feb. 10. Medrano, Patricia N., 26 Belden Ave., Unit 2314, Norwalk. $48,408, civil proceeding tax. Filed Feb. 8. Pardo, Julio and Carla F. Pardo, 1 Trolley Place, Norwalk. $8,199, civil proceeding tax. Filed Feb. 22. Richards, Christine, 20 Ave. A, Norwalk. $4,864, civil proceeding tax. Filed Feb. 22. Ulrick, Joseph, 235 Grumman Ave., Norwalk. $5,400, civil proceeding tax. Filed Feb. 22.
MORTGAGES Anderson, Drew and Emma Dupont, Norwalk, by Frank J. Mac Phail. Lender: Guaranteed Rate Affinity LLC, 1800 W. Larchmont Ave., Chicago, Illinois. Property: 29 Betts Place, Norwalk. Amount: $431,100. Filed Jan. 8. Andrade, Edison F., Stamford, by Corinne M. Abbott. Lender: Warshaw Capital LLC, 2777 Summer St., Suite 306, Stamford. Property: 309 Thunder Hill Drive, Stamford. Amount: $450,000. Filed Jan. 7. Beatty, Bruce G. and Kathleen A. Beatty, Norwalk, by Arline Bessette. Lender: People’s United Bank, Property: 37 Stonybrook Road, Norwalk. Amount: $304,000. Filed Jan. 7. Becker, Richard F. and Allison J. Becker, Norwalk, by Louis Pittocco. Lender: Home Point Financial Corp., 9 Entin Road, Suite 200, Parsippany, New Jersey. Property: 31 Styles Lane, Norwalk. Amount: $340,000. Filed Jan. 6.
Blandford, Jeanne C. and John N. Blandford, Stamford, by Jeffrey Arlen Spinner. Lender: Quicken Loans LLC, 1050 Woodward Ave., Detroit, Michigan. Property: 63 Middle Ridge Road, Stamford. Amount: $520,000. Filed Jan. 7.
Hanyen, Scott and Tiffany Hanyen, Greenwich, by Steven W. Russo. Lender: Bank of America NA, 101 S. Tryon St., Charlotte, North Carolina. Property: 11 Palmer Lane, Riverside. Amount: $1,800,000. Filed Jan. 8.
Chiusano, Alyson, Stamford, by David P. Lasnick Lender: US Bank National Association, 4801 Frederica St., Owensboro, Kentucky. Property: 37 Woodway Road, Unit B7, Stamford. Amount: $199,000. Filed Jan. 6.
Hill, Christopher and Lisa Hill, Norwalk, by William Zurzy. Lender: Success Mortgage Partners Inc., 1200 S. Sheldon Road, Suite 150, Plymouth, Michigan. Property: 3 Midwood Road, Norwalk. Amount: $358,159. Filed Jan. 6.
Denver, Zachary, Greenwich, by Frances Sena. Lender: Loandepot. com LLC, 26642 Towne Centre Drive, Foothill Ranch, California. Property: 55 Locust St., Unit B, Greenwich. Amount: $528,000. Filed Jan. 7.
Malloy-Zaleski, Suzanne, Stamford, by Gerald M. Fox. Lender: Newrez LLC, 1100 Virginia Drive, Suite 125, Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. Property: 637 Cove Road, Unit A4, Stamford. Amount: $127,500. Filed Jan. 6.
Eliezer, Kethia, Stamford, by Stephen J. Schelz. Lender: CrossCountry Mortgage LLC, 6850 Miller Road, Brecksville, Ohio. Property: 65 Glenbrook Road, Unit 4H, Stamford. Amount: $189,000. Filed Jan. 7.
Marzano, Matthew J., Fairfield, by Gary L. Seymour. Lender: Loandepot.com LLC, 26642 Towne Centre Drive, Foothill Ranch, California. Property: 157 Veres St., Fairfield. Amount: $450,000. Filed Jan. 7.
Eyster, Jerry M. and Joan Ward Eyster, Fairfield, by Anny Polanco. Lender: Webster Bank NA, 145 Bank St., Waterbury. Property: 628 Mill Hill Terrace, Southport. Amount: $250,000. Filed Jan. 11.
McKinney, Scott and Courtney McKinney, Greenwich, by Dina Tornhelm. Lender: TD Bank NA, 2035 Limestone Road, Wilmington, Delaware. Property: 1 Cross Ridge Drive, Riverside. Amount: $2,000,000. Filed Jan. 7.
Fornero, Pamela and Robert Kulesh, Greenwich, by Erin Spiess Chang. Lender: JPMorgan Chase Bank NA, 1111 Polaris Pkwy., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 642 Lake Ave., Greenwich. Amount: $1,868,600. Filed Jan. 8. Gentile, Silvia Alina and Ernest Joseph Gentile, Greenwich, by Jeremy E. Kaye. Lender: First Republic Bank, 111 Pine St., San Francisco, California. Property: 6 Orchard St., Cos Cob. Amount: $402,000. Filed Jan. 8. Gonias, Jason, Norwalk, by Dennis Bujdud. Lender: CrossCountry Mortgage LLC, 6850 Miller Road, Brecksville, Ohio. Property: 8 Huckleberry Drive South, Norwalk. Amount: $450,000. Filed Jan. 7. Greger, Matthew S. and Nancy L. Greger, Norwalk, by Nicholas R. Mancini. Lender: Loandepot.com LLC, 26642 Towne Centre Drive, Foothill Ranch, California. Property: 98 Comstock Hill Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $326,000. Filed Jan. 6. Halatchev, Radka and Kalin Halatchev, Norwalk, by N/A. Lender: Loandepot.com LLC, 26642 Towne Centre Drive, Foothill Ranch, California. Property: 11 Bedford Ave., Unit 04, Norwalk. Amount: $176,400. Filed Jan. 6.
Medina, Ramon and Michele A. Richards, Stamford, by John R. Fiore. Lender: Sound Federal Credit Union, 888 Washington Blvd., Stamford. Property: 27 Northill St., Unit 5A, Stamford. Amount: $100,000. Filed Jan. 6. Orloski, Adam C. and Maureen L. Orloski, Norwalk, by Aleksandr Y. Troyb. Lender: Guaranteed Rate Inc., 3940 N. Ravenswood, Chicago, Illinois. Property: 149 Water St., Unit 27G, Norwalk. Amount: $145,000. Filed Jan. 8. Palmer, David M. and Kimberly G. Palmer, Fairfield, by Maria C. Miller. Lender: Third Federal Savings and Loan Association, 7007 Broadway Ave., Cleveland, Ohio. Property: 580 Hillside Road, Fairfield. Amount: $200,000. Filed Jan. 7. Passero, Eric, Stamford, by Marc J. Grenier. Lender: Wells Fargo Bank NA, 101 N. Phillips Ave., Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Property: 5 Halliwell Drive, Stamford. Amount: $600,000. Filed Jan. 8.
Pepe, Erica L., Stamford, by Harvey Melzer. Lender: Savings Bank of Danbury, 220 Main St., Danbury. Property: 377 Glenbrook Road, Unit 4, Stamford. Amount: $282,400. Filed Jan. 6. Pon, Diana Y., Fairfield, by Aaron Charney. Lender: JPMorgan Chase Bank NA, 1111 Polaris Pkwy., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 60 Chapel Hill Drive., Fairfield. Amount: $298,700. Filed Jan. 8. Radwan, Oliver, Fairfield, by Chris Barreto. Lender: Wells Fargo Bank NA, 101 N. Phillips Ave., Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Property: 402 Ruane St., Fairfield. Amount: $500,000. Filed Jan. 7. Reynolds, Maureen and Elias B. Reynolds, Fairfield, by Herbert Mendelsohn. Lender: JPMorgan Chase Bank NA, 1111 Polaris Pkwy., Columbus, Ohio. Property: 29 Carriage Drive, Southport. Amount: $662,000. Filed Jan. 8. Riendeau, Matthew, Fairfield, by Barbara C. Friedman. Lender: GE Employees FCU, 265 Sub Way, Milford. Property: 14 Orchard Hill Lane, Fairfield. Amount: $200,000. Filed Jan. 7. Rockett, Charles J. and Serbesina Z. Thaci, Fairfield, by Kirsten E. Bennett. Lender: William Raveis Mortgage LLC. 7 Trap Falls Road, Shelton. Property: 497 Westport Turnpike, Fairfield. Amount: $228,000. Filed Jan. 11. Ross, Jay Kevin and Debra J. Ross, Fairfield, by Donald E. Wetmore. Lender: Flagstar Bank FSB, 5151 Corporate Drive, Troy, Michigan. Property: 121 Osborne Hill Road, Fairfield. Amount: $313,600. Filed Jan. 8. Sanchez, Michael, Norwalk, by Dennis Bujdud. Lender: CrossCountry Mortgage LLC, 6850 Miller Road, Brecksville, Ohio. Property: 13 Frances Ave., Norwalk. Amount: $373,117. Filed Jan. 7. Sheldon, Nathan P. and Beth A. Sheldon, Norwalk, by Scott Rogalski. Lender: Freedom Mortgage Corp., 907 Pleasant Valley Ave., Suite 3, Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Property: 6 Swale Road, Norwalk. Amount: $396,250. Filed Jan. 7. Sisca, Gerarda A. and Giuseppe Sisca, Fairfield, by Corinne Abbott. Lender: Freedom Mortgage Corp., 907 Pleasant Valley Ave., Suite 3, Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Property: 78 Oakwood Drive, Fairfield. Amount: $417,175. Filed Jan. 8.
Vadhan, Neel, Stamford, by N/A. Lender: Amerisave Mortgage Corp., 3525 Piedmont Road Northeast, Suite 600, Atlanta, Georgia. Property: 850 E. Main St., Unit 526, Stamford. Amount: $341,600. Filed Jan. 6. Williams, Rufos, Stamford, by Jeffrey G. Lane. Lender: Quicken Loans LLC, 1050 Woodward Ave., Detroit, Michigan. Property: 14 Waverly Place, Stamford. Amount: $223,000. Filed Jan. 8.
NEW BUSINESSES AMA Capital Partners, 484 Pacific St., Third floor, Stamford 06902, c/o Rick Brock. Filed Jan. 20. AMA CP Holdings, 484 Pacific St., Third floor, Stamford 06902, c/o Rick Brock. Filed Jan. 20. AMA Securities, 484 Pacific St., Third floor, Stamford 06902, c/o Rick Brock. Filed Jan. 20. Code Ninjas Stamford, 111 High Ridge Road, Unit 6, Stamford 06905, c/o SRM Learning LLC. Filed Jan. 21. Connected Risk Solutions, 6 Landmark Square, Fourth floor, Stamford 06901, c/o BRP Speciality Wholesale LLC. Filed Jan. 20. Funderworks, 5 High Ridge Park, Unit 2D, Stamford 06905, c/o M2 Fundraising LLC. Filed Jan. 21. Harbor Cutz LLC, 105 Harbor Drive, Unit 117, Stamford 06902, c/o Juan A. Mendez. Filed Jan. 22. Harbor Point Organic LLC, 14 Harbor Point Road, Stamford 06902, c/o Parviz Shakiban. Filed Jan. 22.
PATENTS Acoustical listening area mapping and frequency correction. Patent no. 10,932,079 issued to Todd Welti, et al. Assigned to Harman International, Stamford. Embedding a database in a physical object. Patent no. 10,926,471 issued to Jonathan Levine, et al. Assigned to Xerox, Norwalk. Internet reachability detection and internet high availability for multihomed network devices. Patent no. 10,931,569 issued to Sandeep Shanbhag. Assigned to Harman International, Stamford. Lane detection. Patent no. 10,928,524 issued Zeng Yang, et al. Assigned to Harman International, Stamford. Loudspeaker system and configurations for directionality and dispersion control. Patent no. 10,932,037 issued to Riley Winton, et al. Assigned to Harman International, Stamford. Method and apparatus for automatically connecting a mobile device and an output device. Patent no. 10,931,666 issued to Peter Zehler. Assigned to Xerox, Norwalk. Release fluid composition. Patent no. 10,928,754 issued to Varun Sambhy, et al. Assigned to Xerox, Norwalk. Vacuum transport having jetting area allowing periodic jetting of all nozzle. Patent no. 10,926,557 issued to Matthew McLaughlin, et al. Assigned to Xerox, Norwalk.
Universal Home Solutions LLC, 100 Research Drive, Suite 7, Stamford 06906, c/o Nelta Glaudin. Filed Jan. 21.
Associate, Global Stock Selection Research Engineering (Greenwich, CT): Conduct & facilitate financial quantitative strategy research in collaboration with researchers & portfolio analysts. Build distributed systems to perform complex quantitative research tasks, as well as analysis tools for analyzing large-scale economic data sets. Conduct object-oriented design using Python or Java. Work with Numpy or Pandas libraries, as well as statistical data analysis. Req’s Bachelor’s degr plus 3 yrs exp. Mail resume to: AQR Capital Management, LLC, ATTN: S. Rao, 2 Greenwich Plaza, Greenwich, CT 06830. Must Ref: DR-AQR-009. AQR is an Equal Opportunity Employer. EEO/VET/DISABILITY
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LEGAL NOTICES 99 Cleveland Drive LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 1/12/2021. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Barnard Doran, 30 Grand Street, Croton On Hudson, NY 10520. General Purpose #62770 MFB Ortho Services LLC Art. of Org. filed with NY Secretary of State on January 15, 2021. Office located in WESTCHESTER COUNTY. Secy. Of State designated as agent upon which process may be served. Secy. Of State shall mail a copy of any process against it served upon him/her to: 27 Foothill Rd. Bronxville, NY 10708 (the LLCs primary business location). LLC may engage in any lawful act or activity for which a limited liability company may be formed. #62771 Bofabri Realty LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 1/8/2021. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Francesco D. Nesci, 2 Beechtree Dr., Larchmont, NY 10538. General Purpose #62772 Notice of Formation of The TriFocal Advisor, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 9/22/20. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Company, 80 State Street, Albany, New York, 12207-2543. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. #62773 Paula Lincoln LLC, Art. of Org. filed with SSNY 3/5/2020. NY office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent for process. SSNY shall mail copy of process to: c/o The LLC, 145 Westchester Ave., Tuckahoe, NY 10707. Any lawful act or activity #62774 BB & H LI LLC Filed 4/15/20 Office: Westchester Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 570 Taxter Road, Suite 550, Elmsford, NY 10523 Reg. Agent: USA Corporate Services Inc, 19 W 34th St Ste 1018, New York, NY 10001. Purpose: All lawful #62775
Monticello Venture Capital LLC. Filed 10/27/20 Office: Westchester Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 34 Norm Ave, Bedford Hills, NY 10507 Purpose: All lawful #62776 Notice of formation of Rossana Valentino Textiles, LLC. Art.of Org. filed with the SSNY on Jan. 6, 2021. Office: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 137 Cedar Lane, Bronxville, NY 10708. Purpose: Any lawful purpose #62777 Notice of formation of Limited Liability Company (LLC): C. F. S. Consortium, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed on January 5, 2021. The LLC is located in Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: the principal business location of LLC at 104 N. Lawn Avenue, Elmsford, NY 10523. Purpose: any lawful business activity. #62778 Christian Schreib Architect, PLLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 1/11/2021. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Christian P. Schreib, 657 Forest Ave., Rye, NY 10580. Purpose: Architecture #62779 Notice of Formation of Kotah's Cakes, LLC. Arts of Org. filed with NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 10/9/2020. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 342 Westchester Ave. Port Chester, NY 10573. Purpose: any lawful activity. #62780 Notice of Formation of Lighty Lockhart, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 11/04/2019. Offc. Loc: Westchester Cty. SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 104 N. Lawn Ave. Elmsford NY, 10523. Purpose: any lawful purpose. #62781
Notice of Formation of Pancake Punch LLC filed with SSNY on 11/18/20. Offc. Loc: Westchester Cty. SSNY desig. as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 100 Fisher Ave #506 White Plains, NY 10602. Purpose: any lawful purpose. #62782 Sean's Lawn Care & Property Maintenance, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 12/28/20. Office: Westchester County. United States Corporations Agents, Inc. designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to United States Corporations Agents, Inc. at 714 13th Avenue, Ste 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. #62783 7 Victoria Lane LLC, Art. of Org. filed with SSNY 9/19/2019. NY office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent for process. SSNY shall mail copy of process to: c/o The LLC, 145 Westchester Ave., Tuckahoe, NY 10707. Any lawful act or activity. #62784 Notice of Formation of The DiMartino Group, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 12/28/2020. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to The DiMartino Group LLC, 445 Tarrytown Rd. Suite 1160, White Plains, NY, 10607. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. #62785 Mako Apparel LLC. Art. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/06/20. Office: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 125 King St., Chappaqua, NY. 10514. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. #62786
Notice of Formation of Noop Innovations, LLC Art. Of Org. filed with SSNY on 1/10/21. Offc. Loc: Westchester Cty. SSNY desig. as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 188 Murray Avenue, Larchmont., NY 10538. Purpose: any lawful purpose. #62787 Notice of Formation of Lady & The Plant LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 1/07/21. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Lady & The Plant LLC, 40 Smith Street, Chappaqua, NY 10514. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. #62788 Notice of Formation of Barone Highview LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/07/2021. Office location: Westchester County. Princ. Office of LLC: 20 Highview Avenue, Port Chester, NY 10573. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the address of its principle office. Purpose: Any lawful activity. #62789 BCS Cleaning Services LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 11/18/2020. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 50 Guion Pl., apt. 2E, New Rochelle, NY 10801. General Purpose #62790 Notice of Formation of F.L.Y. Fully Love Yourself, LLC Art. Of Org. filed with SSNY on 10/19/2020. Offc. Loc: Westchester Cty. SSNY desig. as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: United States Corporation Agents, Inc. 7014 13th Avenue, suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228 Purpose: any lawful purpose. #62791
Notice of Formation of Terra Ferma NY, LLC Art. Of Org. filed with SSNY on 2/1/21. Offc. Loc: Putnam Cty. SSNY desig. as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, PO Box 124 Armonk NY 10504. Purpose: any lawful purpose. #62792 Notice of Formation of NSCH Enterprise, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 1/28/21. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to NSCH Enterprise LLC, 9 West Prospect Avenue, Suite 210, Mt Vernon, New York 10550. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. #62794 Notice of Formation of SCM Real Estate Management, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 1/28/21. Office location: Westchester County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to SCM Real Estate Management LLC, 9 W Prospect Ave., # 210, Mt Vernon, New York 10550. Purpose: any lawful purpose. #62795 Notice of Formation of Home Makers NY LLC. Home Makers NY LLC (the “LLC”) filed Articles of Organization with the New York Department of State on 2/01/21. Office location: Westchester County. The New York Secretary of State is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and is directed to forward service of process to 77 Tunstall Rd, Scarsdale, NY 10583. Purpose: home restoration #62796 Hartsdale Optical, LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 11/12/2020. Cty: Westchester. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 14 Ashington Dr., Ossining, NY 10562. General Purpose. #62797
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Notice of Formation of 115 West Lincoln LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/05/2016. Office location: Westchester County. Princ. Office of LLC: c/o Daniele Dimatteo 139 Valentine Street, Mt. Vernon, NY 10550. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the address of its principle office. Purpose: Any lawful activity. #62798 The Annual Return of the Mucci Family Foundation for the year ended December 31,2020 is available at its principal office located at c/o Shulman Jones & Company, 287 Bowman Avenue, Purchase, New York 10577 for inspection during regular business hours by any citizen who requests it within 180 days hereof. Principal manager of the Foundation is: Robert Mucci Dated: February 2021 #62799 LHDVM, LLC. Filed 10/9/20 Office: Westchester Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 709 Bedford Road, Bedford Hills, NY 10507 Purpose: All lawful #62800 Brown Ave LLC. Filed 11/10/20 Office: Westchester Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 14 Brown Avenue, Rye, NY 10580 Purpose: All lawful #62801 68 Sherwood Drive Associates, LLC. Filed 9/16/20 Office: Westchester Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 399 Knollwood Road, Suite 318, White Plains, NY 10603 Purpose: All lawful #62802
NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LLC. NAME: BIANCA'S SUNSHINE LLC Articles of Organization were filed with NY Secy. Of State on 12/24/20 with existence on 12/28/20. Office location Westchester County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to Theodore Mottola, 6 Saldi Lane, Valhalla, NY 10595, principal business location. Purpose: any lawful purpose. #62804 Notice of Formation of TRAVEL TOGETHER WITH LIZ LLC, Art. of Org. filed with SSNY on 2/12/21. Offc. Loc: Westchester Cty. SSNY desig. as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC: 44a Black Spring Road, Pound Ridge, 10576. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. #62805 Taylor and Taylor Financial Services USA LLC, Appl for Auth filed with SSNY 1/21/2021. Office location: Westchester County. LLC formed in DE 4/28/17. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail process to: c/o The LLC, 411 Theodore Fremd Ave., Ste 206, Rye, NY 10580. DE address of LLC is c/o Capitol Services, Inc., 1675 S. State St., Ste. B, Dover, DE 19901. A copy of the Cert. of Form. on file with State of DE, Div.of Corp., 401 Federal St., Ste. 3, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. #62806
37 Lamplight Street Associates, LLC. Filed 10/20/20 Office: Westchester Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 399 Knollwood Road, Suite 318, White Plains, NY 10603 Purpose: All lawful #62803
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ARTSNEWS MARCH 2021
A PUBLICATION OF ARTSWESTCHESTER SPONSORED BY:
Arts Award honoree The Village of Sleepy Hollow Wishing Wall mural (photo credit: Tim Grajek)
Every Artist Loves A Wall
A2
WESTCHESTER COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • ARTSNEWS
From the County Executive Dear Readers, Thank you for taking a few moments to read this March edition of ArtsNews. As we patiently await our return to “normal,” and life on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic, I want to encourage all of you to continue to take advantage of the opportunities that we do have before us. Our friends at ArtsWestchester have continued to grow and change with these uncertain times, allowing us the chance to explore the Arts from the comfort of our own homes. ArtsWestchester has continued to provide a robust schedule of strong programming offered by arts groups throughout the County, including: • an exhibition that focuses on fiber art (see page A12) • an upcoming work of monumental public art in downtown White Plains (see page A14) • new original theater works (see pages A18-19) Everyone needs a bit of an escape from time to time, and there are so many wonderful programs to explore right here in our own County. ArtsWestchester and the fantastic programming they provide should serve as a reminder that we still have much to be thankful for, and that we will emerge from this pandemic with a greater appreciation for all that we have. Sincerely, George Latimer Westchester County Executive The work of ArtsWestchester is made possible with support from Westchester County Government. George Latimer
MARCH 2021
Contents A6
A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE 2021 ARTS AWARDEES
A11
MARSHA ON THE MOVE
A12
WITH EVERY FIBER
A14 A16
A REFLECTIVE GATEWAY TO DOWNTOWN WHITE PLAINS ARTIST RELIEF FUND NEARS ITS GOAL
A18
EVEN IN THE PANDEMIC, NEW THEATER WORKS ENDURE
A20
ARTISTS: 8 TIPS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING ARTWORK WITH AN IPHONE
A23 A24
ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES
A27
BAROQUE AND BEYOND FESTIVAL GOES HYBRID
A26
CAMPAIGN TO “RESTART THE ARTS” IN WESTCHESTER
A31
ARTS CALENDAR
WESTCHESTER ARTS GROUPS WIN PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL GRANTS
Benjamin Boykin
Chairman, Westchester Board of Legislators
County Executive
WESTCHESTER BOARD OF LEGISLATORS José Alvarado Nancy E. Barr Catherine Borgia Terry Clements Kitley S. Covill Margaret A. Cunzio
Vedat Gashi Christopher A. Johnson Damon R. Maher Catherine Parker MaryJane Shimsky Colin Smith
David Tubiolo Ruth Walter Alfreda A. Williams Tyrae Woodson-Samuels
31 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains | 914.428.4220
Janet T. Langsam
Chief Executive Officer
Thanks to our generous supporters
O ARD F LEG IS BO
ST
HE
D
GANIZE
Board President
John R. Peckham Board Chairman
ArtsNews Editor & Communications Manager
Sydney Mitchell
Rocío De La Roca
Graphic Designer & Creative Manager
Contributor & Communications Associate
Katelynn DiBiccari Graphic Designer
ArtsNews (artsw.org), your guide to arts and culture in Westchester County, NY, is published by ARTSWESTCHESTER, a private, not-for-profit organization established in 1965. The largest of its kind in New York State, it serves more than 150 cultural organizations, numerous school districts, hundreds of artists, and audiences numbering more than one million. The goal of ArtsWestchester is to ensure the availability, accessibility, and diversity of the arts in Westchester.
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Michael J. Minihan
Mary Alice Franklin
Director, Marketing & Communications
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CO
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COU NT Y
Joseph and Sophia Abeles Foundation, Alexander Development Group, Anchin, Block & Anchin, AvPORTS, Bank of America, Benerofe Properties, Berkeley College, Bloomingdales, The Thomas & Agnes Carvel Foundation, Con Edison, Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts, Entergy, Ethan Allen Interiors, The Examiner, Galleria White Plains, Ginsburg Development LLC, Houlihan-Parnes Realtors, LLC, Inspiria, Jacob Burns Foundation, The Journal News, Key Bank, Kite Realty, The Liman Foundation, M&T Bank, Macy's, Marx Realty/Cross County Shopping Center, MAXX Properties, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Pace University, Peckham Industries, Inc., People's United Bank, Reckson, A Division of SL Green Realty, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Ridge Hill, TD Bank, Venu Magazine, Wells Fargo, Westchester Family, Westchester Magazine, Westchester Medical Center, Westfair Communications, White Plains Hospital, Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker LLP
Debbie Scates Lasicki
STER C O U N
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/ArtsWestchester | @ArtsWestchester
MARCH 2021
A3
WESTCHESTER COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • ARTSNEWS
FROM THE CEO by Janet Langsam, ArtsWestchester CEO
A Hero in Her Own Time Vinnie Bagwell is finally coming into her own, and all her the Arts and a commission for a $1 Million sculpture, Victory admirers (I am one of them) couldn’t be happier. I might even Beyond Sims, an 18’ angel in New York City’s Central Park. And be bold enough to say that this may be her year. On April 7, finally, after a 12-year slog, her tour de force – her Enslaved ArtsWestchester will bestow upon her its Artist Award, given Africans’ Rain Garden sculptures are finally finished and will be annually to an extraordinary artist previewed at the Yonkers Public who has created a significant body Library beginning in March. She wanted to tell the stories of work (see page A6). But that’s So here’s the thing about Vinnie of her people. She wanted to not all. She has been awarded the Bagwell…She has a will of iron. inaugural Jorge and Darlene Perez She has a gift of talent. And like elevate them with her art." Prize of $30,000 from Americans for most successful New Yorkers,
Artwork by Vinnie Bagwell (photo courtesy of the artist)
Don’t miss Janet’s weekly blog posts at: thisandthatbyjl.com
A4
WESTCHESTER COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • ARTSNEWS
MARCH 2021
feature
She managed to build a place of honor for African Americans that went missing for 400 years.”
Above: Vinnie Bagwell works on one of her Enslaved Africans’ Rain Garden sculptures (photo by Jonathan Lewis) Right: Artwork by Vinnie Bagwell (courtesy of the artist)
MARCH 2021
WESTCHESTER COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • ARTSNEWS
A5
Rendering of the Enslaved Africans’ Rain Garden (courtesy of the artist)
she’s gonna do it her way. As a child, she was visually impaired. She grew up in Yonkers until age 10, when her parents, both artistic, moved to Greenburgh. She always loved to write and draw, and after graduating from Woodlands High School and Morgan State University, she found her niche as a writer. That was until she met Barbara Segal, a Yonkers sculptor, and found her calling. Discovering sculpture, and learning how to make it, became her driving passion. She traveled her own path, finding mentors along the way. But deep down, there was another mission in her mind. She wanted to tell the stories of her people. She wanted to elevate them with her art. When Vinnie first approached me about her project I was, let’s say,
cautiously optimistic and frankly hopeful. Hers was a vision that we at ArtsWestchester shared. There is no memorial or place of tribute in Westchester for the slaves who contributed so much to the growth of this county as there should be. I think she may have recognized in me a soul sister, that is to say, someone like herself who tends to get into “good trouble.” She wasn’t asking ArtsWestchester for money. (That would come later.) She had secured a seed grant that she wanted to entrust to us to administer for her. I suppose to sum it all up, Vinnie is a hero. She managed to build a place of honor for African Americans that went missing for 400 years. A kid from Yonkers, a black woman, brings a symbol of social justice to her place of birth in America. That’s a wow.
A6
WESTCHESTER COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • ARTSNEWS
MARCH 2021
feature
A Round of Applause for
2021 ARTS AWARDE Benjamin Boykin
President’s Award
As an esteemed government leader and Chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators, Benjamin Boykin has sponsored legislation and numerous bills to protect the safety, security and quality of life for the residents of Westchester County. Chairman Boykin is very active in Westchester’s community and is a steadfast supporter of the non-profit sector. He served as a member of the White Plains Common Council for fourteen years and as a member of the White Plains School Board. Education, youth services, childcare, hunger, affordable housing and the arts are all causes about which he is passionate. In fact, when it comes to the arts, he thinks outside the box. Even during a time when the arts and culture sector was struggling to survive during COVID-19, Boykin championed an increase of $250,000 for ArtsWestchester’s already successful Art$WChallenge grant program, for both the 2020 and 2021 budget years. Last year alone, the matching grant program leveraged more than $757,000 in funds from private donors for 84 Westchester organizations, which was matched by $353,753 in County funding. Chairman Boykin’s longtime support of the arts runs deep. From JazzFest White Plains to the White Plains Outdoor Arts Festival, he knows how music and art enlivens cities and counties and heals hearts and minds. His 40-plus years as a business executive gives Boykin a unique perspective on government operations, and today he is serving his fourth term on the County Board of Legislators, as Chairman since 2020. During his career, Legislator Boykin has worked extensively with educational and not-for-profit organizations, recognizing early on that public-private partnerships work the best, providing valuable benefits for the economy. Boykin has been a White Plains resident for more than 30 years and believes in giving back to his community. He is a member of the White Plains Outdoor Arts Festival, Meals-on-Wheels of White Plains, a member and District Leader of the City of White Plains Democratic Committee, the Black Democrats of Westchester County and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Boykin has been a CPA for 47 years. He is married to Carsandra Spearman Boykin and has two daughters.
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WESTCHESTER COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL • ARTSNEWS
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spotlight Dr. Judith Schwartz
Emily & Eugene Grant Arts Patron Award
very year, leaders from Westchester’s arts and usiness community ather to celebrate the ellar accomplishments ArtsWestchester’s rts Award Honorees an event that ecognizes artists, ultural organizations, ducators and civic aders who enrich the ultural life of the County, s communities and s citizens. This year’s rtual celebration takes ace on April 7 at 6pm, nd can be viewed at rtsw.org/artsaward.
A professor, curator, critic, author, lecturer, artist and collector, Dr. Judith S. Schwartz lives and breathes the arts – the ceramic arts that is. Her love of ceramic sculpture and studio pottery began as a ceramics student at Ohio State University, where she first started collecting ceramic artwork from artist colleagues. Her support of ceramic artists, and artists in general, has never wavered. With thousands of pieces in her collection, including works by Howard Kottler, Viola Frey, Peter Voulkos and Robert Arneson, Dr. Schwartz has always had a collector’s eye and a soft spot in her heart for artists. As an educator, Dr. Schwartz served as Professor in the Department of Art and Art Professions at New York University, where she taught studio classes and mentored doctoral students. She pioneered research on the use of satire in ceramic work and turned it into a book, Confrontational Ceramics, a study of the history of the use of clay as a tool for social commentary. The book so inspired ArtsWestchester, where Dr. Schwartz is a board member, that the organization mounted an exhibition of the same name curated by Dr. Schwartz. Her leadership in the arts has enriched the many boards on which she has served, from the Clay Art Center in Port Chester to the International Academy of Ceramics in Geneva. Dr. Schwartz initiated a project for the International Academy of Ceramics, called "Ceramic World Destinations," a searchable online resource for ceramic lovers around the world. When not travelling to China, Japan, Korea and places near and far, she and her husband Marty open their Armonk home to arts groups who enjoy their hospitality and stellar art collection.
Turn the page for more 2021 Arts Award honorees!
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2021 Arts Award Honorees, con't.
The Westchester Chordsmen Arts Organization Award
Since 1953, The Westchester Chordsmen Chorus has served Westchester through song. The Chordsmen is a renowned male chorus dedicated to the singing of the finest a cappella music. Their repertoire extends to Broadway, doo wop, contemporary and more, all in the Barbershop style. Their commitment to musical excellence as well as to having a good time makes them the perfect outlet for creating a unique sound loved by audiences of all ages. The Westchester Chordsmen is made up of more than 60 men, aged 16-91, from Westchester County and beyond who foster the well-established Barbershop tradition of quartet and chorus singing. The Westchester Chordsmen welcome all voices to its group, from veteran vocalists to those who are just getting started. They perform at countywide concerts, free community events, senior and rehab centers, and also perform for anniversaries and special events. They even perform private Singing Valentines. The group also competes at the regional and international levels. The Westchester Chordsmen present an annual Youth A Cappella Festival, free singing lessons programs, scholarships and more, including its annual OVERTONES Magazine. The Chordsmen are the only Westchester Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society.
Vinnie Bagwell
Artist Award
Vinnie Bagwell is an American sculptor. Bagwell, a representational-figurative artist who casts in bronze and bronze resin, uses traditional bas-relief techniques as visual narratives to expand her storytelling. Bagwell was born in Yonkers, and raised in the Town of Greenburgh. An alumna of Morgan State University, she began sculpting in 1993. She has since won 20 public art commissions around the United States and is credited with reframing public art to include historic Black images. Presently, The Enslaved Africans’ Rain Garden –an urban-heritage, public art project for Yonkers – is slated to be installed in spring 2021. Bagwell is also developing the conceptual design for The Sacred Place of My Ancestors, an African burial ground located in Montgomery, NY. In addition, the City of New York has released $1M in funding to enable her to commence Victory Beyond Sims to replace the J. Marion Sims sculpture on Fifth Avenue in Central Park. Vinnie Bagwell has won numerous awards during her career. Civic engagement is the keystone to her practice. In 2020, she won the Americans for the Arts inaugural Jorge and Darlene Perez Prize ($30K) for her civic-engagement practices. She is passionate about her work, and continues to pursue public art commissions.
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The Village of Sleepy Hollow Wishing Wall
Community Award
In early fall of 2020, in the midst of the pandemic and when the Village of Sleepy Hollow was unable to hold its second annual multicultural festival, it undertook an ambitious and complex community mural project entitled The Wishing Wall. People from all throughout the community came together to transform a 520’ long, 10’ high, old, curvy concrete wall, (a relic of the GM assembly plant) into an inspiring expression of hope and unity alongside the Hudson River. For four weeks, more than 250 local residents, from children to seniors, contributed to the design and painting of the mural — including planners, artists, writers, arts educators and volunteer painters of all ages. Paint was donated, artists of all kinds were welcomed and peoples' ideas and wishes painted upon the wall. Now many new volunteers want to be involved in future projects and The Wishing Wall has become a catalyst to expand community arts programming and a signal of the value placed on public space by the Village.
Jazz Forum Arts: Jitterbugs Program
Sophia Abeles Arts Education Award
In February 2020, the Jazz Forum Arts team was exploring hot to outreach to younger audiences. Within their mission to enhance the appreciation of Jazz, America’s preeminent indigenous musical art form, the jazz-focused family music program Jitterbugs was born. Jazz Forum Arts planned for in-person classes; then COVID hit. Instead, the organization launched Jitterbugs online in May 2020 as monthly 30-minute sessions for families with 2-5 year-olds. The lead teacher was Jody Redhage Ferber, a musician and educator whose young children were avid participants. Jitterbugs sold out its first class and held nine more for 150+ families. Each session had a special theme, including improvisation, percussion, Brazilian Jazz and rhythm. Redhage Ferber complemented her approach with guest artists: saxophonist Tia Fuller, percussionist Valtinho Anastacio, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, pianist Pablo Mayor and others. In 2021, Jazz Forum Arts paused the early childhood program and launched a six-week winter series (through March 27) with a New Orleans Jazz theme, aimed at children aged 4-9 and their families. These workshops are led by guitarist and educator Matt Butterman. The plan is to continue this program seasonally and refresh the early childhood program. When the Jazz Forum is able to reopen, Jitterbugs: Jazz for Kids will hold in-person sessions at the club.
Turn the page for more 2021 Arts Award honorees! Photos: Ben Boykin: photo by Leslye Smith; Wishing Wall: photo by Tim Grajek. All other photos are courtesy of the honoree.
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2021 Arts Award Honorees, con't. Elijah Goodwin
Larry Salley Photography Award Photographer Elijah Goodwin has a passion for nature, science, water, flowers, animals, the wilderness, biology and the beauty in our environment that is often overlooked. His goal is to help others to appreciate this beauty through his photography. Goodwin is also a lover of fantasy and science-fiction, an influence that is evident in some of his dreamy landscapes. Goodwin strives to create images that have high aesthetic quality, but also that move beyond the aesthetic. In his nature photography, he creates images that go beyond illustrating the beauty of the natural world, creating images that also illustrate a scientific concept, interesting behavior or a conservation concern. In his fine art digital images, he creates multi-layered photographs steeped in symbolism that attempt to express a scientific concept or human truth. Goodwin has exhibited his photographs at the Blue Door Art Center, Ossining Arts Council Firehouse Gallery, the Art Gallery at the Rockefeller Park Preserve, A. I. Friedman Gallery, Greenburgh Public Library and more.
(Photographs by Elijah Goodwin)
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spotlight
MARSHA ON THE MOVE Monthly Web Feature When Business Council of Westchester President Marsha Gordon, is not advocating for businesses in the County, she can be found at the cinema or theater. Read Marsha's reviews on ArtsWestchester's "As a Matter of Art " blog: artsw.org/artsblog.
Marsha on the Move: Audubon (Amazon Prime) Audubon is a gorgeous documentary about the life and paintings of John James Audubon. This amazing artist and cataloguer of American birds was devoted to capturing these creatures in their most natural habitat. The film shows fantastic birds, as well as Audubon’s paintings ...but most of all, it showcases the extraordinary life of a man who was devoted to his passion. It also looks at the resulting challenges for his family life, and ultimately a triumph – the completion of work, and the opportunity to leave a legacy for America. I will be sure to visit the New York Historical Society as soon as I can so I can view his work with new appreciation. To my bird-loving friends, enjoy. Two birds up for this film!
Kate Ashby Appointed as Artistic Director of RiverArts
RiverArts recently announced the appointment of its new Artistic Director, Kate Ashby. She will join Managing Director Josh Suniewick in the company's dual leadership structure. In her new role, she will oversee all the company’s artistic activities, including its multi-village Studio and Music Tours, Artist Conversations, Music Program, Chamber Music Series, Summer Camps and Annual Dance Concerts. As a professional dancer and choreographer, Ashby danced with Pilobolus, Robert Battle and Merce Cunningham Repertory Group before the start of a substantial arts management career with companies such as Paul Taylor Dance Company, Merce Cunningham Dance Company and Bernstein Artists Management. Most recently, she worked with Primo Artists Management, coordinating engagements for classical conductors and soloists who perform with national and international orchestras. She returns to RiverArts after serving as the company’s Music Program Director from 2014-2018.
CENTER FOR DIGITAL ARTS OFFERING CREDIT AND WORKFORCE TRAINING COURSES Fulfill your dream, whether on campus or online, at the Westchester Community College Center for the Digital Arts Peekskill Extension and take courses in Graphic Design, Digital Filmmaking, Drawing, Digital Imaging, Digital Photography, and more. Get a workforce training certificate in 3D Animation, UX Design, Social Media Marketing and Digital Photography, visit our Maker Space, and create a 3D print. At the Center for Digital Arts you’ll get started on your portfolio, meet other artists, and develop a network within the rich artist district of downtown Peekskill.
REGISTER NOW! 914-606-7300 ▪ sunywcc.edu/peekskill peekskill@sunywcc.edu Audubon Havell Edition Pl. 12, Baltimore Oriole by John James Audubon/W. H. Lizars (photo source: facebook.com/Audubonthefilm)
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feature
by Frank Matheis The new group exhibition at the Pelham Art Center, With Every Fiber, is testimony to the infinity of creativity. Fiber art uses textiles such as fabric, yarn and natural and synthetic fibers with a focus on both the materials and the hand labor involved. Like all art forms, fiber art communicates some form of message, emotion or meaning beyond the literal use of the materials.
The Norwegian-born, Brooklyn-based curator and artist Anki King assembled the fiber art of seven women of diverse heritage and artistic styles. They are united in one thing: the materials used. The exhibition presents the works of artists Victoria Idongesit Udondian, Mary Ann Lomonaco, Joy Curtis, Ruby Chishti, Mary Tooley Parker, Jessica Lagunas and Liz Whitney Quisgard. The juxtaposition of their rich collective work is at once stylistically divergent, yet harmonious as King managed to bring balance to this exhibition. Each piece emanates singularly while connecting to the polyphonic collective. King explained the thematic: “Like with my own work, this is a sorely emotional or loved-based collection. There is something so tactile and familiar [about fiber art]. In the new ways it is used, it brings you to an almost confused state. You recognize the fabrics, and how they are used in these new surprising ways.” She added: “With every fiber, there is passion. The artists give everything they have to say.” The result of what they had to say is a show in which fiber exudes power with sharp perspective. Visitors are greeted by a massive installation by Victoria Idongesit Udondian, a Nigerian born artist and Guggenheim fellow. Her dramatic sculpture, Onile-Gogoro, consists of dark, twisting, meandering tentacles that reach from floor to ceiling. She used repurposed clothes, fabric, wire, metal, rod, resin and bicycle tubes to create a commanding sculpture with distinct similarities to African dreadlocks. A series of five elaborate headdresses by Mary Ann Lomonaco display distinct tribal allusions. She starts with cotton kitchen mops, which she dyes and decorates colorfully with intricate glass bead work, feathers and other objects like grommets and soda can tabs. The headdresses, bold in both detail and design, each are reminiscent of a prancing Amazon rainforest bird. Two hanging fabric sculptures by Brooklyn-based artist Joy Curtis are earthy and organic, even skeletal, both in essence and tone. Her freeform and flowing pieces are generously saturated in vivid dyes of indigo, Osage orange, cochineal, walnut, madder and procion. She twists cotton, intermingled with wax, metal, spandex, sea sponges and raffia to create a striking effect. Ruby Chishti, a Pakistani-American artist, created a series of sculptures with recycled fabric, thread, wire mesh and other materials. She plays with elements of disorder with purposely raggedy fabric and subdued colors, yet manages to exude warmth and harmony in the seeming disorganization. There is visual conflict between apparent chaos and the essence of domiciles and dwellings, in some way reminiscent of
Mop with Fancy Plumage by Mary Ann Lomonaco (photo credit: Frank Matheis)
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dollhouses or hives. Mary Tooley Parker pays homage to the African-American women quilters of Gee’s Bend—a small, remote, Black community in Alabama, where women have created hundreds of unique quilt masterpieces that are now famous. Yet, these individual quilter artists are virtually unknown. Parker now honors them by stitching their portraits in handsome hooked tapestries. Jessica Lagunas, originally from Guatemala, is showing a series of small Pin Loom Hair Weave tapestries, made of the artist’s own hair, silk thread and brass rods. The finely weaved, small rectangular pieces have a Zen-like, ethereal quality, with diverse patterns. The exhibition also displays a wall full of 91-year-old Liz Whitney Quisgard’s project titled Hundreds of Circles. The work consists of what she calls “yarn with bling.” Quisgard’s colorful, whimsical pieces, made mostly of acrylic yarn, accentuate the power of the With Every Fiber show at the Pelham Art Center. Her work lightens the load and brings joy, happiness and fun to this exhibition, which is a welcomed reprieve during these hard pandemic times. With Every Fiber is on view in-person and online through April 3. Upcoming virtual studio tours by exhibiting artists include Ruby Chishti (March 11), Mary Tooley Parker (March 25) and Jessica Lagunas (April 8). Plants and Animals by Joy Curtis (photo courtesy of Pelham Art Center)
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spotlight
A Reflective Gateway to Downtown White Plains by Kathleen Reckling Soon, commuters and residents in White Plains will enjoy a new work of public sculpture at 50 Main Street, a Ginsburg Development Company (GDC) property. Artist Georgi Minchev was awarded a commission for the site through an international competitive selection process that was sponsored by GDC and managed by ArtsWestchester. Minchev’s large-scale sculpture, A Fragment of Something Bigger, is a site-responsive work with a reflective surface that explores dynamic play between positive and negative space. Positioned at a highly trafficked corner across from the White Plains MTA Metro North Station, the playful yet elegant work of art is destined to become the City’s answer to
Chicago’s Cloud Gate (affectionately referred to as “the bean”) by Anish Kapoor, CBE, RA. A Fragment of Something Bigger takes the form of a water droplet, interrupted with square voids. The piece is intended to inspire a quiet moment of reflection. The artist observes: “We perceive more images in today’s contemporary world compared to past periods. This is challenging to us. I decided to use combinations of the basic geometric figures, which are easy forms for the human brain to comprehend.” While the form is simple, the polished stainless steel literally reflects the changing landscape around it, mirroring the sky, buildings and the shifting times of days and seasons. Minchev, who maintains a practice as an
We perceive more images in today’s contemporary world compared to past periods. This is challenging to us. I decided to use combinations of the basic geometric figures, which are easy forms for the human brain to comprehend.”
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exhibiting sculptor, working primarily in large-scale outdoor works, is also a Professor of Sculpture and Theoretical Disciplines at St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria. GDC and ArtsWestchester received submissions from 36 highly qualified sculptors. Three finalists were identified from the pool and invited to create scale models. In addition to Minchev, the finalists were Piero Manrique of Mamaroneck and David Provan of Cold Spring. The sculpture is currently in production at the artist’s studio in Bulgaria, and will be installed in spring 2021.
Above: A Fragment of Something Bigger in progress (photo courtesy of the artist) Right: Rendering courtesy of the artist
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spotlight
ArtsWestchester’s Artist Relief Fund Nearing Its $25,000 Goal The consequences of COVID-19 on America’s arts sector are undeniable: a devastating $15.2 billion economic impact. This includes a 63 percent unemployment rate among artists and gig workers. Still, artists persist and continue their work. Knowing these creatives are at the heart of Westchester’s cultural community, ArtsWestchester began a relief fund to assist Westchester-based artists who have been negatively affected by the pandemic. Every $500 raised through its GoFundMe fundraising tool will become a grant for a local artist. With 96 percent of arts organizations having to cancel events this past year, the fund will nurture the growth of new work and help to sustain the artists who create them. To date, 25 artists have received grants since the Artist Relief Fund’s creation. Most recently, since the start of 2021, four artists were awarded grants: ceramic designer Adam Chau (Port Chester), visual artist
Maria B. Gallo (Eastchester), stage actor Jonathan Fielding (Irvington) and actor/playwright Brenda Withers (Irvington). The GoFundMe campaign for Artist Relief is nearing its $25K goal, in part thanks to internationally renowned 3D pop artist Charles Fazzino, who recently made a $5,000 donation to the Fund. In addition, Fazzino is donating the proceeds of his threedimensional fine art print “This Soon Shall Pass,” created in June of last year, to a variety of charitable organizations. Anyone who purchases a mini-print of the “This Soon Shall Pass” artwork can earmark their donation for ArtsWestchester using the code: “ArtsWestchester” when ordering directly through the gift shop page of the artist’s website or by emailing his gallery representative at dddgallery@aol.com. Artists can apply for grants online. The number of artists supported is a direct result of the funds raised.
Thanks to you... our Artist Relief Fund
has raised more than $23,143 for emergency grants to artists adversely affected by COVID-19!
Help an Artist Today. The number of artists we can support is directly dependent on how much funding is raised. So, please consider a gift today.
Donate Today
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Meet the first four Artist Relief Fund grantees of 2021: Jonathan Fielding Jonathan Fielding is a theater artist who has performed on Broadway (The Play That Goes Wrong, Noises Off, The Seagull) as well as regionally (The Old Globe, Penguin Rep, The Public Theatre of Maine). He also has a long history of performing and directing many shows with Amphibian Stage in Fort Worth, TX, his hometown. Fielding has been on television (Law and Order: SVU, Gotham, Castle Rock), and recently filmed a small role in Netflix’s upcoming Don't Look Up directed by Adam McKay. He holds a BFA from Texas Christian University and an MFA from Rutgers, Mason Gross School of the Arts.
Brenda Withers Brenda Withers is an actor and writer based in Irvington. Recent onstage credits include the McCarter, ART, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and Hartford Stage. Her plays include The Kritik, JORDAN, The Ding Dongs, and String Around My Finger and have been produced at places like Northern Stage, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Portland Stage (Clauder Prize), and Urbanite Theatre. She is a Huntington Playwriting Fellow, a co-founder of the Harbor Stage Company, and a grateful recipient of ArtsWestchester's generous support.
Borinquen Gallo Borinquen Gallo is an Italian-Puerto Rican artist whose work delves into themes of beauty, transformation, community, socio-cultural systems and structures through sculpture and installations made using a range of repurposed materials. Gallo received her BFA in Painting and Sculpture from the Cooper Union for The Advancement of Science and Art, and her MFA in Painting from Hunter College. She has exhibited in many galleries and museums, has received numerous awards, and has worked on curatorial projects with BAM Fischer and Pratt Institute. She is currently Visiting Associate Professor of Art and Design Education at Pratt Institute in New York.
Adam Chau Adam Chau is a graduate of the School of the Art Institute’s Designed Objects program. His current body of work integrates digital manufacturing with traditional studio ceramics. His research has been published in numerous arts publications. In 2018, he was awarded the NCECA Emerging Artist Award; In 2019 he was accepted into the International Academy of Ceramics. Chau has had solo exhibitions in the United States and China, and has participated in international projects and residencies in Italy, The Netherlands, Taiwan, and China. In 2017 Adam curated Reinvented, an exhibit featuring 13 international artists that create ceramics digitally, which travelled the U.S. to five locations for two years.
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feature
Even in the Pandemic, New Theater Works Endure by Michelle Falkenstein Last March, when Governor Mario Cuomo ordered the closing of all theatrical venues in New York as part of a plan to contain the spread of COVID-19, no one could have guessed that stages would remain dark for a year. Yet all along, many theaters have continued to produce new plays, keeping the creative fires burning for both playwrights and their own companies. This month alone, four Westchester-based theater companies are among those that are presenting new original works. While there are plans currently afoot to open live theaters with restrictions, and Congress recently passed a COVID-19 relief bill that included $15 billion for “Save Our Stages,” these, for the time being, can be enjoyed from the comfort and safety of home. Irvington Theater will stream four new plays as part of an Arts Incubator Short Play Fest from March 26-28.
“A short play festival was a way for us to address the desire that patrons have for new works as well as a wonderful way to celebrate emerging playwrights,” says Greg Allen, Irvington’s theater manager. The theater received more than two-dozen submissions for the festival. Offerings will include Guilt is A Mother by Rachel Yong, The Yellow Wallpaper by Sam Norman and Eliza Randall, Black and Blue by Samuel Harps and The Waiting Room by Alli Hartley-Kong. For several years, Westchester Collaborative Theater (WCT) in Ossining has invited its members to tour Ossining Arts Council’s June exhibition to see if any of the artworks inspired an idea for a short play. The following Spring, after reviewing submissions, WCT performs six or seven of the resulting plays as part of what it calls a “Living Art” event.
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Last year’s show was postponed, but on March 3, the seven new short plays selected in 2020 will be performed live, followed by rebroadcasts on March 13, 20 and 27. “Sometimes the play has very little to do with the artwork, which is part of the fascination of it, seeing which direction the writers go off on,” says Alan Lutwin, president of WCT. This year’s plays include The Bronze Lining by Tara Meddaugh, Glad Rags by Peter Andrews and A Pair of Pears by Schuyler Bishop. The 90-minute production features a docent-led tour of the art exhibition, which switches to a play when the docent comes to the artwork that inspired it. “Theaters are doing interesting things and being creative however we can,” says Adam David Cohen, artistic director of Arc Stages in Pleasantville. Arc will present a taped performance of Oh, Manhattan! on March 5 and 6 with a live introduction by Cohen. The play had its original run in 1998 at Upstairs at Rose’s Turn, a cabaret venue in the West Village. Cohen wrote the music for the show, with book by Kevin Laub, about two people who meet in a dog park and struggle to make a connection, unlike their dogs.
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“Dogs don’t have the same problems that we do with connectivity,” Cohen says. Cohen adjusted the play to accommodate the realities of the pandemic, adapting it for new audiences. Oh, Manhattan! was originally written for a male and female couple, but Cohen modified it to accommodate two female actors who live together. “I realized they could do a show without masks on,” he says. Hudson Stage Company in Armonk will stage a virtual reading of a new hour-long play, The Parrot Trap by Brenda Withers, on March 20. It's one in a series of short one-act play readings. “Our directors and actors are all getting happy because they can collaborate again,” says Producer Denise Bessette. “People who are stuck at home, binge-watching TV—this would be a nice healthy appetizer for you.” So despite the pandemic, theater companies are still presenting original works, giving playwrights an outlet for their creative energies and providing audiences with fresh stories to view. “We’re all in this together,” says Bessette.
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: s t s i t r A 8Tips for Photograph
spotlight
In preparation for ArtsWestchester’s Call for Artworks for a spring 2021 exhibition, photographer John Rizzo provided a Zoom workshop dedicated to photographing artwork for the digital experience. Viewers found this information so helpful that ArtsNews decided to provide a round-up of Rizzo’s best tips. While ArtsWestchester’s Call closes on March 3, this information can be applied to photographing artwork at any time.
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Shoot Photos in JPEG Format While recent iPhones save files in the “high efficiency” .HEIC format, .JPEG is still the most compatible format, a standard that has been around for years. The format default can be changed by going to Settings>Camera>Formats>Most Compatible.
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Consider the Background You should avoid putting your work in front of anything that is particularly busy or bright. This will attract the viewer’s eye, pulling them away from the work. Instead, it is best to go for a neutral setting that really showcases the artwork. To make a subject stand out, you can blur the photo’s background. This is possible when using Portrait Mode on iPhones 11, 11Pr, 11Pro Max, XS, XSMax, XR, X, 8Plus and 7Plus. For this to work properly, the subject should either be very far from the background or between two-to-eight feet from the camera with plenty of light.
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Find the Good Light
When possible, use light from a window when there is good cloud coverage in the sky. This natural light is the best light you can have when photographing your artwork. If possible, find that good light and bring your artwork there to photograph.
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If There’s No Good Light, Create It If you cannot find quality natural light, use a light source instead. A worklamp is inexpensive and can provide a great environment for you to photograph your work.. Place your light about two feet above the artwork, and at a 45-degree angle. You may even choose to use two lights so that you have broader, more even coverage. Using a sheet of diffusion material in front of your work lamp will soften the harshness of the light. Hold a white surface, such as a piece of foam core, opposite your light source. This will reflect the light into the shadows and balance out the light.
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Focus the Phone When the iPhone’s camera is facing the subject, touch the portion of the screen where the subject appears. This will tell the phone where it should focus. By holding a finger on the screen, the item will come into focus and the yellow square, indicating the area of focus, will blink.
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hing Artwork With an iPhone
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Adjust the Brightness Just next to the yellow square is a sundial. Sliding a finger along the sundial’s scale will adjust the photograph’s brightness. On Android, use the plus/minus icon.
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Hold Your Cell Phone as Steady as Possible Unlike heavier cameras that allow you to counterbalance their weight, a cell phone is very light. For that reason, it is important to be mindful of holding your phone steady. A Gimbal is a tool that allows you to stabilize your phone, which is particularly useful when shooting videos.
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Play With Editing Software
Computer software like Adobe Photoshop allow for significant editing of your photographs. However, there are also plenty of iPhone apps that allow you to adjust your photograph’s contrast, exposure, coloring and more. VSCO is a popular option. Play around with your editing and have fun!
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Visit artsw.org/artspicks for our Top 5 Virtual and In-Person Arts Picks. ArtsWestchester, with New York State Thruway Authority, commissioned the large-scale public artwork Approach by Fitzhugh Karol for the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge shared path (photo credit: Margaret Fox)
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Artist
spotlight
OPPORTUNITIES ArtsW.org is Westchester County’s guide for all-things-art. On its “Artist Opportunities” page, artists in all disciplines can find nearby working opportunities that will help to strengthen and further their careers. Below is a sampling of some upcoming opportunities. To get these opportunities sent directly to your mailbox, sign up here.
Armonk Outdoor Art Show Artist Application Armonk Outdoor Art Show welcomes artists to apply for a booth during its annual juried fine art and fine crafts show taking place on September 25-26. Of the applicants, 185 artists from across the country will be chosen to participate. Past exhibiting artists have had a wide array of specialties, including painting, mixed media, printmaking, photography, wearable art, sculpture and more. Deadline: March 15
ArtsWestchester Seeks Quarantine Art for 2021 Spring Exhibition ArtsWestchester is calling on artists and the public to submit creative works that were made during the COVID-19 pandemic for consideration in its spring 2021 exhibition. All creative projects, including works in all disciplines, are encouraged. This can include, but should not be limited to music, dance, photography, film, writing, painting and more. The exhibition will open in late April 2021 in ArtsWestchester’s gallery, with a parallel virtual presentation. Deadline: March 3
A Call for 3D Works Blue Door Art Center is seeking 3D artwork for its upcoming Off the Wall exhibition. The hybrid virtual and in-person exhibition will be on view from March 27 to April 24. Submitted works can be sculpture, glass works, ceramics, mobiles, fiber art, 3D assemblages of 2D work, and more. Artists may submit up to six works. Deadline: March 14
Armonk Outdoor Art Show (photo courtesy of Armonk Outdoor Art Show)
Open Grant Opportunity: Voices For Change ArtsWestchester recently announced the launch of a major new competitive artist grant program, Voices for Change, in which three artists will each be awarded grants of $10,000 to propose and actualize new works. Mid-Hudson Valley artists working in all disciplines are invited to submit proposals for work that encourages deep thinking about complex issues such as social justice, civic equity and the public good. Proposals should also include a collaboration with a service or cultural community-based organization. Deadline: April 5
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WESTCHESTER ARTS GROUPS WIN PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL GRANTS Hudson River Museum Receives Mellon Foundation Grant Hudson River Museum (HRM) recently announced that it is being awarded a $200,000 grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. HRM is one of only 14 organizations nationwide to receive the Art Museum Futures Fund, a relief initiative created to help sustain arts and cultural institutions with immediate funding during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of the fund is to recognize "visionary leadership, distinctive collections and commitment to community, as well as historically overlooked artists and histories."
Sing Sing Museum Awarded With Infrastructure and Capacity Building Grant The Sing Sing Prison Museum has been awarded a $364,746 grant for infrastructure and capacity building from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The funds will be used to restore the historic 1936 Powerhouse into a multipurpose program and exhibition space to be used for lectures, films, performances, seminars, displays and conferences related to criminal justice and the American penal system. This matching grant encourages private philanthropy to match federal funds and leverage private investment in the nation’s cultural institutions. The Museum is required to raise $1.1 million dollars to match NEH funding.
ArtsWestchester Receives National Endowment for the Arts Grant for Textile Exhibition ArtsWestchester has been awarded a $20,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support an upcoming exhibition, The Social Fabric: Common Threads and Uncommon Visions. The exhibition will feature new work and site-responsive commissions, featuring Hudson Valley-area artists who use textiles to explore issues of broad social consequence. According to ArtsWestchester CEO Janet Langsam, “textiles are approachable artifacts of daily life. Beyond the clothes we wear, textiles and their associations, tactile qualities and the labor-intensive ways in which they are made can trigger moments of nostalgia, or an increased social consciousness.”
Hudson Valley MOCA Awarded Grant for “Enlighten Peekskill” Project
Top of page: Omnipresent Future, a proposal for ArtsWestchester by artist Natalya Khorover Bottom of page: Hudson River Museum (photo courtesy of Hudson River Museum)
The National Endowment for the Arts has awarded Hudson Valley MOCA with a grant of $20,000 to support its ‘Enlighten Peekskill’ project. The Museum’s president, Dr. Livia Straus, explains: “'Enlighten Peekskill' is part of a NYS Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), whereby Peekskill Waterfront Green and the Peekskill MTA Station will be linked to Downtown Peekskill through illuminated sculptures. These light works will offer a safe walking route that simultaneously highlights the importance of the arts in culture and commerce.”
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Proud to Support ArtsWestchester We applaud your commitment to arts and culture in our community.
Stephen Machinski Partner and Practice Leader Arts and Culture 646.449.6336 smachinski@pkfod.com
pkfod.com
Matthew G. McCrosson, Partner 914.421.5698 mmccrosson@pkfod.com
Michelle S. O’Reilly, Partner 845.565.5400 moreilly@pkfod.com
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A R T S W E S T C H E S T E R S A V E T H E D AT E ARTSWESTCHESTER RALPH MARTINELLI MEMORIAL
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Get ready for the ArtsWestchester Ralph Martinelli Memorial Golf Outing on a championship course. Foursomes & sponsorships available by visiting
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For information: afabrizio@artswestchester.org
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spotlight
Baroque and Beyond Festival Goes Hybrid
by Rocio De La Roca
From March 5-14, Hoff-Barthelson Music School (HBMS) will celebrate the music of the Baroque period. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the school's Baroque and Beyond festival will offer a series of student recitals online this year via Zoom, as well as in person at the school’s location in Scarsdale. The festival has been part of the School’s “Festivals in Style” program for about 40 years and introduces students to specific periods of music. The hybrid presentation aims to accommodate all audiences. Participating students were asked to audition for a panel of the School’s faculty in order to perform during the festival. According to Kathryn Jones, Associate Dean at HBMS, the festival is a valuable learning opportunity that inspires stronger performances. Jones explains: “Our Baroque and Beyond festival provides students with the opportunity to become acquainted with the audition process. It's a true character-building experience.” Student soloists and ensembles will perform works by a wide range of composers. Most will be Germanic composers, including Bach, Telemann and Handel. The festival will kick off with an online flute performance of Bach’s energetic Sonata in E minor (March 5). Other festival highlights include Tambourin by French composer Francois Joseph Gossec (March 6) and the First movement (Vivace) of 'Sonata in A major' by Bach (March 13). Baroque and Beyond will culminate on March 14 with a concert that showcases viola and violin instruments in Handel's Concerto in B minor, as well as Bach’s solo violin composition Sonata 1 in G minor, Adagio and Partita No 1 in B minor, Sarabande and Double. In-person recitals will be reserved for the students' parents to ensure safety measures, however, all performances will be live-streamed via Zoom for anyone to view.
Our Baroque and Beyond festival provides students with the opportunity to become acquainted with the audition process. It 's a true character-building experience.” – Kathryn Jones, Associate Dean at Hoff-Barthelson Music School A student performs at one of Hoff-Barthelson’s student recitals (photo credit: Steven Schnur)
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feature
Join the Campaign to “ReStart the Arts” in Westchester "ReStart the Arts in Westchester and Rockland Counties" is an effort being led by the Affiliate Committee of ArtsWestchester, whose members are leaders of arts organizations that serve as board members of the umbrella organization. Together with ArtsWestchester, they are asking state legislators for an allocation of $1 million. Laura deBuys, a committee member and The Picture House Regional Film Center CEO, stated that this funding would come at a critical time for the arts and culture business sector: "Our arts programs, which are vital economic stimulators, have been dormant for more than a year, operating virtually, and now require an enormous effort to restore, revive and reopen.“ If successful, funds would be distributed by ArtsWestchester to organizations through a call for proposals that focuses on each organization’s needs to restart the arts in their own communities and throughout Westchester and Rockland Counties. “The arts in Westchester pre-COVID produced a $172 million economic impact, in which 5,200 jobs were actualized,” according to ArtsWestchester CEO Janet Langsam. “In fact, over the past 25 years, the economic impact of the arts in Westchester has grown by 189%, supporting tourism but also supporting many of the restaurants and hospitality entities in the County. An investment in the arts is an investment well made. Far from being a handout, the arts in Westchester return $25 million in taxes to state and local governments.” New York State Assemblymember Thomas J. Abinanti explains:
“The arts are the heart of our Westchester community. The pandemic has put Westchester arts on life support. We need to pump State money into Westchester arts so they continue to inspire and drive the economy of our community.” It has also been widely reported that due to COVID, arts organizations are experiencing an estimated $15.2 billion negative economic impact nationally, and many have closed permanently. In Westchester alone, based on a recent survey completed by ArtsWestchester, 87% of arts groups surveyed reported that they were not faring well through the pandemic and two-thirds of local artists are unemployed. With the national creative worker unemployment rate estimated at 63%, cancelled fundraisers and cultural events, and shuttered theaters, the need has never been greater for targeted investment in the arts and culture sector. Waddell Stillman, President and CEO of Historic Hudson Valley says: “In addition to the economic impact, the arts also have the power to educate and to heal. The pandemic has taken a toll on our residents' mental health, particularly our children, seniors, and those living in isolated circumstances. Through the wealth of virtual programming created in the past year, cultural groups and teaching artists have kept populations engaged and provided an outlet during challenging times.” Dave Steck, an affiliate representative and CEO of Yonkersbased YoFi Arts explains: “Right now, there is a critical need for assistance, specifically for the arts communities in Westchester and
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Rockland Counties, which represent one of the State’s most artistically am fighting to see that it is funded. Investments in the arts have vibrant areas outside of New York City. Westchester and Rockland’s an enormous economic multiplying effect, creating jobs and lifting economy cannot recover unless we restart the arts.” The committee communities. This funding is vital to assisting in our pandemic acknowledges that federal PPP and Shuttered Venue funding will recovery.” help address payroll, leases and utility costs but won’t revitalize Eligibility for ReStart the Arts would include more than 150 the cultural sector programmatically. Says Genia Flammia, Board arts organizations and artists who are based in Westchester or President of Youth Theater Interactions in Yonkers: “Organizations Rockland County, were in operation prior to March 1, 2020, and who need to reconfigure and rebuild spaces, rewrite curricula, re-connect have received ArtsWestchester funding over the past five years. with audiences and artists, and develop new content and presentation Applications will assess need, viability, sustainability and previous models that respond both to social distancing and social justice.” disaster funding received. The ReStart the ArtsWestchester Arts grant program President Michael I strongly support ArtsWestchester’s 'ReStart the will help artists and art Minihan says, “The time Arts' initiative and am fighting to see that it is funded. organizations get back is now to invest in a on their feet and move sector that pays dividends Investments in the arts have an enormous economic forward. As they restart, back to the economy. multiplying effect, creating jobs and lifting communities. their audiences will be This critical investment This funding is vital to assisting in our pandemic recovery.” revitalized as well, staff will build local equity and will be rehired, artists economic strength in the – New York State Senator Peter Harckham will get back to work Hudson Valley Region and the quality of life and enable us to better in Westchester and Rockland will be on the road to recovery. As the support the new needs of the cultural industry in Westchester and arts return, so will the audiences, directing much-needed dollars to Rockland, positioning us for a better future. This opportunity could be other local businesses and restaurants, thus reviving all aspects of our a model for other regions. Right now, no other funder or agency has an neighborhood economies. opportunity that specifically targets this unique and important facet of New York State Senator Peter Harckham says: “I strongly support recovery.” ArtsWestchester’s ReStart the Arts initiative and Left: Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts (photo courtesy of Caramoor) Above: Tarrytown Music Hall (photo courtesy of Tarrytown Music Hall)
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ARTS AWARD A
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CELEBRATION HONORING
Hon. Benjamin Boykin PRESIDENT'S AWARD
Vinnie Bagwell
Jazz Forum Arts: Jitterbugs Program
The Westchester Chordsmen
Dr. Judith Schwartz
ARTIST AWARD
SOPHIA ABELES ARTS EDUCATION AWARD
ARTS ORGANIZATION AWARD
EMILY & EUGENE GRANT ARTS PATRON AWARD
The Village of Sleepy Hollow Wishing Wall
Elijah Goodwin
LARRY SALLEY PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD
COMMUNITY AWARD
Save the Date
APRIL 7 at 6pm 20
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upcoming virtual and in-person arts activities
March 2021 Arts Offerings Arc Stages presents a Oh Manhattan!, an original musical streamed live on March 5 and 6 at 8pm. The musical tells the story of two New Yorkers who find love at the dog-run, and learn several semi-valuable lessons along the way. Spring Acting Classes and Performance Workshops for all ages are also available. ArtsWestchester is providing an "Art of the Week" assignment every Monday on Instagram, ArtsMobile activities, Teen Tuesdays & Thursdays program and more. • Seniors! Get Fit With Broadway Dancer Miss Mamie: March 1 at 10am • Free Cartooning Workshop Part 2: March 3 at 4pm via Zoom
Livestream performance by David Fung and Dashon Burton presented by Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, 3/21 (photo credit: Elizabeth Schumann)
• Sheltering In Stanzas - An Evening of Poetry and the Arts:
March 4 at 7pm
Axial Theatre will debut “March Madness,” an all-virtual seasonal tribute to love and lovers on March 19 & 20 at 8pm. Both programs will be available for streaming through March 28, 2021 with tickets available for purchase. Bedford Playhouse’s Virtual Playhouse brings a selection of interactive programs, from comedies to environmental documentaries, author talks, weekly trivia for kids and more. Bethany Arts Community will present Ossining Black History &
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upcoming virtual and in-person arts activities Culture, on view from February 6 through March 5 (IN PERSON). To commemorate Black History Month, the exhibition will honor more than 190 years of economic, social, spiritual, political and education contributions made by the African American community of the Village of Ossining. Reservations are encouraged but not required. Gallery hours: Mon-Fri: 10am-12pm and 1-3pm. • Online Course - Reincarnations: Finding the Past in the Present: March 20 at 10am • Virtual Family Project- Photography Wheatpasting: March 20 at 4pm Blue Door Art Center presents a Black and White Photography Retrospective, featuring the work of 93-year-old Yonkers resident Omar Kharem through March 20 (IN PERSON). The center will also host a series of free art workshops for kids on Saturdays via Zoom. Hours: Sat: 1-5pm. Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts offers a variety of music and family programs. Audiences can enjoy new livestreamed concerts and past performances by world-renowned artists on youtube.com/caramoor. • Livestream- Dashon Burton, bass-baritone & David Fung, piano: March 21 at 3pm
JOURNALISM: BECAUSE REGIONAL NEWS MATTERS. WESTFAIRONLINE.COM
Center for the Digital Arts at Westchester Community College will host classes online and via remote learning. The Center offers digital arts education, including web development, 2D/3D animation, digital video and more. Click here for the full list of classes. Interested students should contact Dr. Sherry Mayo at sherry.mayo@sunywcc.edu or 914606-7385. • Coding for Kids: March 13-May 8 at 10am-12pm • Design Your Brand: March 2-23 at 6pm • Social Media Marketing: March 4-18 at 6pm • Quick Start to Adobe InDesign CC in 24 Hrs: March 6-27 at 9pm • Quick Start to Adobe Photoshop CC in 24 Hrs: March 20-April 17 at 9am-3pm • Social Media Measurement and ROI: March 25-April 8 at 6pm Clay Art Center has reopened its studios for open studio sessions by appointment (IN PERSON). The Center also offers virtual classes, artist lectures and demonstrations, as well as a virtual exhibition, Concepts in Clay: Artists of Color, which features the work of eight Black artists. • Learn To Use the Potter's Wheel Class: March 5 & 19 at 7pm • Family Wheel Night (Ages 9+): March 13 & 27 at 6pm • Clay Class: Handbuilding in a Pinch: March 6 at 1pm • Clay Class: Building with Supports & Armatures: March 7 at 1pm • Balanced Beauty Porcelain Works Exhibition: March 8-April 12 • Virtual Artist Talks: Syd Carpenter (March 8 at 7pm), Dustin Yager (March 23 at 7pm) Color Camera Club of Westchester will be presenting photographic programs via Zoom. Audiences can also visit the photography club's website to view an exhibit of images from its members. colorcameraclub.com • Awe + Artistic Voice. What's the big deal? With Karen Hutton: March 8 at 7:30pm • Drone Aerial Photography at its best: March 1 at 7:30pm
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for more arts events, visit artsw.org Copland House's virtual performance and conversation series, UNDERSCORED, offers premieres, revivals and classics by American composers. Each program includes a conversation, performance and live Q&A. • Underscored - November 19, 1828 by John Harbison: March 22 at 1pm Downtown Music at Grace is broadcasting its noon concerts of chamber music and a variety of genres on its YouTube page. • "Wherever The Road May Lead" A Walking Recital: March 3 at 12:15pm • Virtual Concerts: Abigail Fischer and Ruth Cunningham (March 17), Ivor Klayman • (March 31), Svetlana Ghorokovich and Irena Portenko (March 24) at 12:15pm
Funding Opportunities for Yonkers and Mount Vernon Artists and Arts Groups ArtsWestchester is now accepting applications for the 2021-2022 Mount Vernon & Yonkers Arts Initiative grant opportunities. These Initiatives are designed to help local artists and nonprofit arts and culture organizations in Yonkers and Mount Vernon create new work, build capacity and contribute to their city’s community-building and economic development efforts. Application assistance is available by contacting grants@artswestchester.org. Application Deadline: April 6.
Emelin Theatre is presenting a diverse roster of virtual events, including musical concerts and film screenings as part of its Film Club. • Livestream Concert: The Gibson Brothers: March 12 at 8pm • Mozart Concerto featuring Anne-Marie McDermott Friends of Music Concerts will offer a recording by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center for a period of five days. On March 20-26, pianist Anne-Marie McDermott will perform a Mozart Concerto. Greenburgh Arts and Culture Committee will host its Kids Short Story Connection series of Zoom writing workshops, beginning on March 13. Young writers aged 10-17 will work in a virtual, roundtable setting to develop their creativity, improve old stories and write new ones. For more information, contact Sarah Bracey White, (914) 682-1574 or via email at bracey0114@aol.com. The Ground Glass presents The Written Word, an online exhibition featuring photographs that expresses and interprets the written media in daily lives. The group’s online photography exhibition, Abstractions, is also still on view. thegroundglass.org Hammond Museum is offering suggestions on its website for what to read, watch,
Performance with Gibson Brothers recorded live for the Emelin Theatre, 3/12 (photo courtesy of band)
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upcoming virtual and in-person arts activities listen to and learn, as well as virtual workshops for teens and adults via Zoom, online book clubs, yoga classes for adults and more. For a complete list of programs, virtual classes and workshops, visit hammondmuseum.org. Hoff-Barthelson Music School will present an in-person and virtual Baroque and Beyond Music Festival on March 5-14. The festival will feature music of Germanic composers Bach, Telemann and Handel performed by the school’s students. Hudson Valley Museum of Contemporary Art is reopened by appointment, with an expanded exhibition of How We Live. Virtual tours and an in-depth Sculpture Trail Walk are available on the Museum’s website. Hours: Thursday-Saturday by appointment. • Climbing the Walls - A virtual theater, poetry and image project in collaboration with Studio Theater in Exile: On view now • Writing the Walls - A virtual poetry project in collaboration with Studio Theater in Exile that features poetic works that were inspired by artworks in the How We Live exhibition: Ongoing Hudson Valley Writers Center will present free readings throughout the month and a special offer on Slapering Hol Press chapbooks. A series of classes and readings, all on Zoom, are open for registration. For a complete list, visit writerscenter.org. • A craft talk/workshop with SuzanneParker: March 7 at 12:30pm via Zoom • Poetry Reading by Kazim Ali, Jill Bialosky, and Mark Wunderlich: March 10 at 7pm via Zoom • Generative Workshop with Mark Wunderlich: March 13 at 12:30pm via Zoom • Open Write via Zoom (Writers Group): March 13 at 7:30pm • Sanger Stuart Reading with Aaron Caycedo-Kimura & Matthew Thorburn (via Zoom): March 14 at 12:30pm • The Art of Paying Attention with Anna Potter on Zoom: March 14 at 12:30pm • How to Use Enjambment and Line Endings with Sean Singer via Zoom: March 20 at 12:30pm • Revision with Marie Fuhrman via Zoom: March 21 at 12:30pm • Editing & Revising Your Finished Poems for Publication on Zoom: March 23 at 5pm • Writing Lyrical Prose via Zoom: March 27 at 12:30pm • An Evening with Tommye Blount, Brian Komei Dempster, and Allison Hutchcraft (via Zoom): March 31 at 7pm
Irvington Theater presents Arts Incubator Short Play Fest, a free series of new work and works-in-progress by local playwrights on March 26-28. Jacob Burns Film Center screens new releases and repertory films in its Virtual Screening Room, and provides short films with related activities for kids. Jazz Forum Arts has launched Jazz Forum @ Home, a series of concerts that are live-streamed on Facebook Live every Saturday at 7pm, and Jitterbugs @ Home, which provides online jazz classes for kids aged 2-5. • Livestream Concert - Kenny Barron Trio: March 20 at 8pm John Jay Homestead's site offers interactive activities, such as children’s projects, a virtual tour and downloadable worksheets on its website. johnjayhomestead.org Katonah Museum of Art will present three new exhibitions this March: Still/Live, an exhibition that explores how contemporary artists working in photography, video, and new media are reimagining the genre of still life (IN PERSON). Admission is by advance reservation. Hours: Tues-Sat: 10am-5pm, and Sun: 12-5pm.
JOIN OUR CREATIVE FAMILY! Studios available for artists and creative businesses in ArtsWestchester’s historic building Spaces from 200-1400 Sq. Ft Private studios with incredible natural light, complete heat and AC, and wifi hookup. 1-2 year leases available
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CONTACT:
Cameron Bock cbock@artswestchester.org or 914.428.4220 x335
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for more arts events, visit artsw.org • Director's Series: The Future of the Museum: March 25 at 7pm • Still/Live Public Opening: March 16 at 10am-5pm Lyndhurst Mansion offers winter grounds passes to the property between the hours of 10am and 3pm as the property closes at 4pm (IN PERSON). Purchase passes here. Its online Voices of the Landscape exhibition is also available on its website. Mamaroneck Artists Guild (MAG) will present Visions - Creative Possibilities, an online group show of 2-D, 3-D and fine crafts, created by the MAG artists through March 31. • MAG Workshop Series - Art Critique Sessions: March 9 & 23 at 11am, March 10 & 24 at 5.30pm • MAG Workshop Series - How to Prepare Your Portfolio for Exhibition: March 21 at 2pm via Zoom Neuberger Museum of Art will present new exhibitions featuring works from the museum’s collections -- African Art and Culture (on view starting February 19), Then and Now: Modern and Contemporary Selections (on view starting February 19) and Color and Motion, Ideas and Dreams: Modern and Contemporary Caribbean and South American Art (on view starting February 28). Pre-recorded 20-minute guided meditations are available on its website, as well as weekly art-related projects and activities for kids. • Wellness Wednesday: Connections + Guided Meditation: March 3 and 11 at 1pm • Artist Talk Hank Willis Thomas: March 11 at 6:30pm Northern Star Quilters presents “Navigating Creative Wonderland,” a Zoom lecture by Katie Fowler, an improvisational art quilter who will share her creative process (March 16 at 7pm).
Virtual Chinese Brush Painting Workshop presented by Hammond Museum, 3/16 (photo source: hammondmuseum.org)
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for more arts events, visit artsw.org The Ossining Arts Council (OAC) and Westchester Collaborative Theater (WCT) will present the 2021 Virtual Living Art Event (LAE), a showcase of seven original WCT one-act plays inspired by selected OAC artworks. The performances will be live-streamed every Saturday in March. Pelham Art Center presents With Every Fiber, an exhibition of fiber works that communicate emotions and meanings beyond the literal context of the material through April 3 (IN PERSON). The Center also offers a series of virtual studio visits and workshops. • Art Journaling: March 14 at 1-3pm • Virtual Studio Visit: Ruby Chishti (March 11 at 5pm), Mary Tooley Parker (March 25 at 5pm) Pelham’s The Picture House offers film screenings via its virtual cinema and continues its Education at Home program, which presents short films with discussion questions and activities for students of any grade level. The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College’s online offerings include a range of live, recorded and curated events, education and entertainment.
BK Fischer
Sheltering in Stanzas:
Iain Haley Pollock
An Evening of Poetry & Art
Mar. 4, 2021, 7pm | ZOOM Event #westchesterpoetry
The Play Group Theatre's programs have been adapted for in-person social distance, and online participation for Spring 2021. Registration is now open for programs in Community Connection, Young Actor Co, Little Theatre, PGT Kids, Teen Co, On Camera, Musical Theatre Boot Camp, Design/Tech and Virtual Stage.
ALL ALL ALL TOGETHER TOGETHER TOGETHER NOW. NOW. NOW.
RiverArts' Composition Lab is a weekly virtual creative experience in which musicians ages 11 and older will explore elements of music composition and each write their own piece. The program will be held from March 9-April 13 at 6:30-7:45pm.
The Rye Arts Center will present Nature’s Art II: Geodes from the Let’s face it. No one has had it easy during thisLet’s pandemic. face it. No one has had it easy during this pandemic. Let’s face it. No one has had it easy during this pandemic. Your newspaper isApril reporting from the front lines thenewspaper local stories of Your is reporting from the front lines local stories of Collection of Robert R. Wiener, on view from February 11COVID-19 through We’ve hard atthework reporting on the public health crisis that’s Your newspaper is reporting from the front lines the local storiesbeen of and its painful shutdown. We thankCOVID-19 our talented andjournalists. its painful shutdown. We thank our talented journalists. COVID-19 and its painful shutdown. We thank our talented journalists. disrupted everyone’s lives. We’re proud of our brand of reliable, 30 (IN PERSON). A collection of rare gems, minerals and geodes, But we’ve lost business, too.as Like us, you’re probably saying is enough. But we’ve lost enough business, too. Like us, you’re probably saying enough is enough. But we’ve lost business, too. Like us, you’re probably saying enough is enough. timely, thorough local journalism. Let’s work together as businesses reopen. We’ve got the engaged audience Let’s work together as businesses reopen. We’ve got the engaged audience Let’s work together as businesses reopen. We’ve got the engaged audience well as complementary works from artists will be featured. The Center to share your advertising messages. Our ad staff stands ready to help. messages. Our ad staff stands ready to help. to share your advertising to share your advertising messages. Our ad staff stands ready to help. Our advertising also offers in-person and virtual classes in drawing, painting, ceramics Newspapers are your best investment Newspapers are yourdepartment best investmentis here to help promote your business. Newspapers are your best investment because we care most about local.because we care most about local. Hire us to assist you. because we care most about local. and more. Our audience, in print and online, is deeply engaged with community. • Tealight Candleholders Workshop: March 27 at 10am In short, Examiner readers are your potential customers. (IN PERSON) A trusted local news outlet is your best investment. • Make a Sloth with Polymer Clay Workshop: We’rePOWER. invested in your success. NEWSPAPER POWER. NEWSPAPER NEWSPAPER POWER. Print, Digital & Social Solutions for your advertisers. March 20 at 1, 2 & 3pm (IN PERSON) Print, Digital & Social Solutions for your advertisers. Print, Digital & Social Solutions for your advertisers. 914-864-0878
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Vinnie Bagwell's Enslaved Africans’ Rain Garden, a public-art project that honors the legacy of enslaved Africans who lived at the Philipse Manor Hall in Yonkers, New York, will be on view this March at the Yonkers Public Library. Design by Metro Creative Graphics, Inc. Design by Metro Creative Graphics, Inc.
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upcoming virtual and in-person arts activities
Make a Sloth with Polymer Clay Workshop at Rye Arts Center, 3/20 (photo source: ryeartscenter.org)
Steffi Nossen School of Dance is offering virtual dance classes this winter. Classes include modern, ballet, jazz tap, hip-hop, preprofessional programs and more. Through March, the School also offers virtual Moving Wheels and Heels Adaptive Dance Classes for people of all abilities. • The Dance Film Series: March 7, 14 & 21 Tarrytown Music Hall's “Night In With the Music Hall” series continues with weekly livestream concerts via its Facebook and YouTube pages. The Village Squares Quilters will host a Zoom lecture with Deborah Wendt on the topic of Egyptian tentmaker applique and the crafts and textiles of Egypt on March 9 at 11am. For information or to request the Zoom link, please email: vsq@villagesquaresquilters.com. Westchester Children’s Museum continues its virtual learning programs and resources, with STEAM activities for the whole family, an early literacy interactive program and more.
White Plains Public Library is open to the public and allows a limited number of patrons into the building to browse and borrow materials (IN PERSON). The library's web page also provides online resources for families. Library hours: Mon-Thurs: 10am-7pm and Fri-Sat: 1-5pm
Interested in Writing for ArtsNews? We want to hear from you!
To be considered, tell us about your interest/experience in the arts, and include a writing resume and three writing clips. When we have an article to assign, we may get in touch with you! Contact artswnews@artswestchester.org. No phone calls, please.
WE’LL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR YOU Complex medical conditions require comprehensive rehabilitation programs. Burke provides the essential expertise and resources to help you move forward. From inpatient to outpatient, we will remain your partner, dedicated to your maximum recovery. Learn more at Burke.org
REHABILITATION FOR LIFE
785 Mamaroneck Ave. White Plains, NY 10605
888-99-BURKE