A House With a Unique Provenance
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An application to raze a mid-century modern home at 46 Lincoln Road spurred an interesting discovery about its provenance.
Members of the Committee for Historic Preservation, who are charged with granting or denying the application, asked architectural historian Andrew Dolkart for his assessment of the house and Dolkart considered some research done by Scarsdale Village Historian Jordan Copeland and Leslie Chang.
The report shows that the house, which was built in 1954-56 by Norman and Edna Schreiber, was one of very few Modern style houses in what was then called Quaker Ridge Park. Edna had grown up at 73 Carthage Road, just a few blocks from the new house. Her father Harold Grossman was the attorney and treasurer for the Grossman Steel Stair Corporation in the Bronx, which was founded by his father. Harold Grossman paid to build the new house for his daughter and son-in-law.
Dolkart’s memo outlines some of the Modern features of the house including rectilinear massing, the use of natural materials and redwood siding and a dominant chimney at the back of the house, which he says is “reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Usonian houses.”
But who was the architect? Though the CHP previously knew that Francis Holbrook designed it, they were unable to find anything about his career. It turns out that he was a mechanical engineer rather than an architect and a member of the Black professional elite of his day. He had connections to the family of Lena Horne, he authored several published articles about mechanical engineering and was involved in professional organizations. He was well aware of the challenges that faced Black professionals and even published an article in a Harlem-based magazine called Opportunity about the difficulties of getting jobs or internships for Black engineers.
Though Dolkart cannot say with certainty how Holbrook came to design the house, he raises the possibility at Holbrook was involved in the construction of steel stairs. However, Dolkart does conclude that “Holbrook’s house at 46 Lincoln Road appears to the be the only historic house in Scarsdale designed by an African American.
Furthermore Dolkart says, “46 Lincoln Road is a very good Modern house. The house, which is almost entirely intact to its original design retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship. The house represents a style used only infrequently in Scarsdale. It was erected in the early 1950’s, a period when undeveloped section of Scarsdale, such as Quaker Ridge Park, were undergoing significant development, thus it is reflective of a broad trend in the development of the area. Although Francis C. Holbrook cannot be considered a “master,” the fact that a Black engineer designed a very fine Modern house in Scarsdale makes this a special, and probably unique house in the village.
Though the application to take down the house was on the agenda for the January 16 meeting of the Committee for Historic Preservation, it was not considered that night. Since only five of the seven members of the committee were present and the applicant required four votes for approval, the applicants opted to adjourn the application until the next meeting.
Fox Meadow Third Grader Distributes 300 Pizzas for a Smile
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A third grader from Fox Meadow School gave out 300 pizzas on December 19 to those in need. The pizzas were distributed from a truck and given away at Saint Joseph's Medical Center in Yonkers, at Hope, New Rochelle, and at the Church of St. Bernard in White Plains.
The donation, sponsored by the Saint Pio Foundation (aka The People of Hope), a Tuckahoe based not-for-profit organization, is part of the national initiative “Pizza for a Smile,” which aims at providing more than food: it is a way to forge community spirit and generate smiles, enabling the disadvantaged families to receive nourishing food in a family-like spirit of care and support. More than 2,000 pizzas have been donated nationwide since the initiative was launched from Los Angeles, on November 1, 2023.
Besides pizzas, donations included 300 boxes of Italian taralli snacks and mini panettones, in line with the Italian tradition.
Picture above: a bright, contagious smile from a woman receiving her pizza during the distribution at the Saint Joseph's Medical Center, in Yonkers, NY
Eight year-old Sebastian Lamonarca is the local Ambassador-at-Large of the initiative. “By sharing 300 pizzas, and other gifts like the taralli snacks and mini panettone, the Saint Pio Foundation intends to change the way we bring nourishment to those in need," said Founder and CEO Luciano Lamonarca. "We strive to feed not only the body but also the soul of those who are hungry. A pizza provides both nourishment and comfort, and we could not be prouder to borrow from our Italian culture and cuisine to help those that face significant hardships and spiritual challenges."
“Pizza for a Smile” is an initiative that intends to provide pizzas to those who experience the daily alienation so common to living a life of poverty in a materialistic world, and that can result in lives that are changed in meaningful ways that go far beyond the benefits of providing a single meal.
More information can be found at https://pizzaforasmile.org/
Scarsdale Foundation Bowl Committee to Select 2024 Honorees
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The 2024 Scarsdale Bowl Committee is looking for nominations for both the 2024 Bowl Award recipient and 2024 Spotlight Award recipient. The Scarsdale Bowl Committee seeks as many deserving candidates for consideration as possible.
The Scarsdale Bowl Committee will hold its first of several meetings dedicated to selecting this year’s honorees on December 17, 2023. Nominees for both the Bowl Award and the Spotlight Award are requested on or before December 15th.
The Scarsdale Bowl, under the auspices of the Scarsdale Foundation, has been awarded annually since 1944, to an individual (or, in exceptional cases, to a married couple or domestic partners) who have given “unselfishly of their time, energy and effort to the civic welfare of the community.” The founding donors of the Bowl believed that “many who serve generously and voluntarily, without office, honor, or publicity, are those deserving of having their names permanently inscribed on the Scarsdale Bowl.” The Scarsdale Bowl Award is an enormous honor bestowed on a Scarsdale resident in recognition of his or her volunteer public service in the community over the course of some decades. The Bowl itself, with the honorees engraved names, is permanently displayed at the Scarsdale Public Library.
Candidates must be Scarsdale residents who do not currently hold elected office; to access the Bowl Award nominee recommendation form, please visit this URL.
In addition, the Scarsdale Foundation will continue the tradition it began last year and present a second award, called the Spotlight, to honor an individual or an organization that has made a significant impact and brought about positive change in one targeted sphere of community engagement.
The Spotlight Award recognizes a Scarsdale resident or institution that has focused on moving the needle in one particular area.
Candidates must be Scarsdale residents or institutions, and individuals may not currently hold elected office. To access the Spotlight Award nominee recommendation form, please visit this URL.
This year, the Scarsdale Foundation Bowl Dinner will be held on April 11th at Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club. The dinner will pay tribute to the honorees while celebrating the spirit and culture of volunteerism in Scarsdale. Funds raised at the dinner will enable the Foundation to continue its mission of quietly but effectively helping local individuals and community organizations through student scholarships and project grants. Most significantly, the Scarsdale Foundation has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships during the past ten years to Scarsdale’s high school graduates in their sophomore, junior and senior years of college.
The 2024 Scarsdale Foundation Bowl Committee members are: Randi Culang, Carl Finger, Tim Foley, Ronny Hersch, Sharon Higgins, Lori Kaplan, Angela Manson, Susan Ross, Cynthia Samwick, Ryan Spicer, Stephanie Stern, and Xue Su. Erika Rublin is serving as Chair, with Leah Dembitzer serving as Secretary and Isabel Finegold serving as Treasurer. Elyse Klayman, a Scarsdale Foundation Trustee, will serve on the committee as a liaison, along with Suzanne Seiden, President of the Scarsdale Foundation Board.
We look forward to gathering on April 11th to recognize all that makes Scarsdale a special place to live, and to benefit generations to come.
Questions? Please reach out to Erika Rublin, Bowl Chair at erublin@gmail.com. Additional information about the Scarsdale Foundation can be found at www.scarsdalefoundation.org.
How Scarsdale Became Scarsdale: Watch the Movie Online
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Did you know that:
-In the 1840’s what we now know as the Bronx was originally named Westchester?
-Caleb Heathcote, who purchased Scarsdale in 1701, actually lived in Mamaroneck?
-2,200 residents of Scarsdale served in WWII and 80 lost their lives?
-Scarsdale did not have its first female mayor until the 1980’s?
These are just a few of the surprises you’ll discover in a new movie written and narrated by Scarsdale Village Historian Jordan Copeland, that is now available to view online on the Scarsdale Historical Society website.
The 50-minute film, How Scarsdale Became Scarsdale, “explores the far-sighted decisions, community institutions, and unusual circumstances that transformed Scarsdale from a sparsely populated farming area to a prominent, sought-after suburb.”
It traces the development of the Village from a landlocked farming community, to an early home for commuters to the Village we now know.
A proposed building that was never built in Fox Meadow.
Surprisingly, much of what was built between 1910 and 1940 still stands today – and you’ll recognize many landmarks in the historic photos shown in the film.
In addition to exploring the geographic development of the Village, Copeland explains the formation of the original Town Club, which formed a “shadow government” and founded the non-partisan system that still governs the town today.
Downtown Scarsdale remains unchanged.
This free film is available online and will enrich your knowledge of the Village you now call home.
Community Bulletin Board
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Community Bulletin Board:
See notes below from the library, the PTA Scholarship Fund and the Scouts
Read-A-Thon
Participate in the Friends of the Scarsdale Library Read-a-Thon to benefit the library.
Scan the QR code below to get started.
Give to the SHS PTA Scholarship Fund for College
The Scarsdale High School PTA Scholarship Fund for College helps to defray freshman-year tuition costs for students in need of financial assistance by providing grants to graduating Scarsdale seniors for their freshman year of college.
Every Scarsdale household recently received an appeal to support the Scarsdale High School PTA Scholarship Fund for College. While our community is generally one of means, there are families here affected by hardship, such as illness, divorce, and business collapse, which can have devastating effects on a family’s ability to pay for college education. We expect student needs to be significant again this year.
The Fund is administered under strict rules of confidence, and all money raised directly benefits qualified students. Scholarship funding comes solely from donations by Scarsdale residents, businesses, PTC, PTA’s and other local organizations.
You can learn more about and donate to the SHS PTA Scholarship Fund for College by visiting https://www.scarsdaleschools.k12.ny.us/scholarshipfund. Donations, which are tax-deductible, may also be mailed to Scarsdale High School PTA Scholarship Fund for College, 1057 Post Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583. Please contact Beth Cukier at shsptascholarshipfund@gmail.com with any questions. Thank you in advance for your support!
Scout Uniforms Needed
Do you have Scout uniforms or camping gear gathering dust? Troop 4 has recently experienced a growth spurt - we now have over 35 members, many of whom are new to Scouting. If you have uniforms or gear (sleeping bags, sleeping pads, backpacks, etc..) you want to donate, please contact Heather Kolb at hroitb@aol.com.
