In Elmsford, It Takes a Village With History

Relatively Affordable Westchester Community Has Small-Town Perks
 
By
Melanie Lefkowitz

After superstorm Sandy, when many residents were stranded at home without power, 
Elmsford village workers delivered them firewood from fallen trees and dry ice 
so they could keep their houses warm and their food fresh. Police officers 
visited them twice a day to make sure they were safe.

“Little things like that are what people really appreciate,” says Robert 
Williams, the mayor of the central Westchester village. “Those are things that 
little communities can do, and it’s why people like it here.”

The diverse and relatively affordable community of Elmsford, which is about 1 
square mile and has a population of around 4,700, enjoys many perks of its small 
size. Residents tend to know each other. Local officials are easily accessible 
and volunteerism is widespread.

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The Centennial Clock, installed in downtown Centennial Plaza in 2010. Photo: 
Claudio Papapietro for The Wall Street Journal
When Elmsford’s Michael Anthony Arciola, a 20-year-old Army soldier, was killed 
in Iraq in 2005, the community rallied around his family. A procession of police 
and firetrucks escorted his body from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware back to 
Elmsford and nearly 1,000 people attended his memorial service.

“We’re not separate entities here—we’re one big family,” Mr. Williams says. “We 
all participate with each other, we all help each other out—the civic 
associations, Rotary and Kiwanis, private school, public school—in good times 
and bad times.”

Residents also prize Elmsford for its central location. The village, part of the 
town of Greenburgh, is around 25 miles from Manhattan, with easy accessibility 
to the New York State Thruway, Interstate 287, the Sprain Brook and Saw Mill 
River parkways and the Tappan Zee Bridge. White Plains is minutes away, as are 
the amenities of Irvington, Dobbs Ferry and Tarrytown.

The many highways have a downside, however, as truck traffic can back up through 
the village along Route 9A. The village recently added traffic-safety features 
and lighting, among other improvements, to its downtown, which includes many 
independently owned establishments along Routes 9A and 119.

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The Elmsford Reformed Church and Cemetery contains graves of Revolutionary War 
veterans. Photo: Claudio Papapietro for The Wall Street Journal
Initially named Storm’s Bridge and later Hall’s Corners, for prominent 
residents, the area was renamed Elmsford in 1870 in honor of a massive elm tree 
that dated to the Revolutionary War era.

Historic structures include the Elmsford Reformed Church, built in 1793. It has 
an adjacent cemetery with graves of Revolutionary War veterans.

Elmsford doesn’t have a Metro-North station, but residents who commute into 
Manhattan can take buses or drive to nearby train stations in Irvington or White 
Plains. The ride to Grand Central Terminal from Irvington, which is around 4 
miles from Elmsford, takes 40 minutes.

A handful of hotels can be found within the village, as well as industrial and 
commercial parks. Much of the Knollwood Country Club, with pools, a clubhouse, a 
golf course and dining, also lies within Elmsford.

 Despite its small size, the village is served by three school districts: 
Elmsford, Greenburgh Central and Valhalla.

Elmsford’s population is diverse—46% of residents are white, 20% are black and 
10% Asian, according to 2010 census data.

Single-family houses in Elmsford range from around $300,000 for a small starter 
house to more than $1 million for homes in the affluent area bordering the 
Knollwood Country Club, says Eleanor Rice, a broker with Houlihan Lawrence.

“We have in Elmsford the most modestly priced homes in central Westchester,” Ms. 
Rice says, adding that of 23 active listings in Elmsford, 16 are less than 
$500,000.

Many residents’ families have lived in the village for generations.

“Elmsfordians, we call them—second generation, third generation,” says Mr. 
Williams, whose mother grew up in Elmsford and who moved there himself in 1980. 
“We are lifers.”

 Parks: Massaro Park, on Cabot Avenue, is a Greenburgh town park with pools, 
tennis courts and a ball field. The Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, 
a working farm with hiking trails and educational programs, is in nearby 
Pocantico Hills.

Schools: According to state data, 83% of students who entered high school in 
Elmsford in 2009 met or exceeded state standards for proficiency in English 
Language Arts and 90% in math four years later, compared with statewide results 
of 81% and 84% for English and math, respectively.

The Roman Catholic Our Lady of Mount Carmel School has classes from 
prekindergarten through eighth grade.

Dining: The 38-year-old Pete’s Saloon & Restaurant is on West Main Street. 
Casaletto Ristorante, on South Central Avenue, serves Italian cuisine. The 
Eldorado Diner is also on West Main.

Shopping: Small shops and services, including bakeries, delis and pharmacies, 
can be found along Routes 119 and 9A. Additional shopping can be found in nearby 
White Plains.

Entertainment: The Westchester Broadway Theatre offers plays and concerts. The 
Westchester Skating Academy provides public ice skating, lessons and hockey.