Palmer Avenue Streetscape Materials to Remain in Pine Brook Park For Project's Duration

With the Palmer Avenue Streetscape Project on standby for the past few months, residents of the Pine Brook section of Larchmont have been clamoring for an early end to delays that have held up construction for six months. 

Of immediate concern to residents is the bulldozer and construction materials that have taken up residence at the newly renovated Pine Brook Park, preventing them from utilizing a Tee Ball court for their children.

Though the long-awaited $1.7 million project to fix sidewalks and curbs in the village was originally slated to begin in October of last year, various procedural delays—including making sure that insurance and performance bonds were secured and that construction specifications and paperwork to be filed with the NY State Department of Transportation were completed by the contractor—as well as winter weather, put the project on hold, said village officials.

Former Pine Brook resident and Association member Ralph Engel said that equipment has been stored there since late last year in what was supposed to be a temporary arrangement.

"What we have is a beautiful playground of a redone park and everything looks like hell because of the construction equipment," he said.

Though village officials gave the go-ahead for the park to be utilized as a staging area—or a place for equipment and materials to be assembled before use—in the fall, they did not anticipate the delays that followed.

"I know that the loss of the use of the playing field has upset many residents, but it is the best staging area available. Unfortunately, the project start date was delayed," said Trustee Lorraine Walsh.

"The village has demanded that the appearance of the area be improved immediately by the contractor." 

With no further hurdles at the moment, work on the Streetscape began yesterday, and is expected to take five months for completion, said Walsh, at which time the equipment that is an eyesore to residents will be removed.

"The contractor has promised that the ball field and any other areas of the park damaged by their use will be restored to a condition better than when the project began," she said.

"We are looking forward to the completion of this project and the improvement to our streetscape and park."