Ossining Train Station Building on the Market

The Metropolitan Transit Authority is seeking tenants to set up retail businesses, stores or restaurants in train station buildings at the Ossining, Peekskill, Port Chester and Tarrytown Metro North stops.

“The buildings are underutilized as it is,” Majorie Anders, an MTA spokesperson told Patch. “It would be good for the villages and for the railroad to have a little more vibrant occupancy than currently exists.”

Transforming these 19^th and 20^th century stone and brick buildings, once meant for ticket booths and waiting rooms into businesses has already been done at other stations. Via Vanti is the restaurant at the Mt. Kisco train station, and it’s been around for more than a decade, Anders said.

They’re also aiming to expand the project to even more stations. Poughkeepsie’s stop, as well as those along the Long Island Railroad are already being discussed. To prepare, the MTA has invested a lot of money into restoring these buildings before putting them on the market. Anders said Tarrytown’s stone building got a $3.2 million restoration.

Royal Properties in Bronxville is handling the leases. On its website, each property is detailed from the type of suggested tenant—to a suggested pricea—to rent the buildings on a 10-year lease. For the Ossining station, built in 1910, the suggested price is $20,000 per year.

Some customers Patch spoke with at the Ossining train station support the new use of the brick building.

“A restaurant here might be very nice,” said Erwin Rosenfeld, a commuter. “There’s a restaurant at the Pleasantville station, which is a very good one.”

Half of Ossining’s brick building houses a concession stand that’s been serving coffee, newspapers and refreshments to commuters for a decade. A married couple owns and operates the shop every weekday morning. Right now they lease the building on a month-to-month basis, but it’s possible that they might not be able to afford the new annual asking price. Its owner declined to comment until he submits a bid later this month.

With many loyal customers, who the stand’s owners have gotten to know personally, some commuters say they’d be outraged.

“I think it’s horrible,” said Iris Finkelstein, a commuter and long-time Ossining resident. “This building is very special for anyone who commutes to the city and in particular this wonderful couple, who for many years have provided wonderful sustenance to all of the commuters.”

Another commuter, Lucy Garcia, said it would be terrible.

“He’s part of the commute. He tries to get to know every commuter,” she said.

As for the tenant, there is no guarantee his or her customers would have access to parking. Also, the tenant couldn’t make any changes to the building’s appearance and would be required to provide coffee to commuters every morning from 6 to 11 a.m.

“They can’t take over the building and do whatever they want with it,” said Anders. “There are some restrictions.”

Commuters, however, will be able to use the seating area inside and the building’s restrooms, she added.

Anyone can submit requests for proposals by August 5. To learn more about the situation at the Ossining train station, be sure to click on the accompanying video story. 

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