All buyers looking at Westchester condos for sale know about the Ritz Carlton of White Plains NY. Among White Plains NY Condos for sale the Ritz Carlton is at the pinnacle on the luxury scale. Just a block from City Center (1-5 Renaissance Square) the Ritz Carlton is at the center of everything. Getting much closer to the center of town would be difficult. You can easily leave the car behind and walk to shopping, fine dining, entertainment and the train.
Located in the heart of downtown at 20 North Broadway in White Plains NY – the Broadlawn is one of the most desirable cooperatives in White Plains. The central location of the Broadlawn helps make it special. It lies within a block of the White Plains City Center, and Trump Tower. you can easily leave the car behind and walk to shopping, fine dining, entertainment and the train. Rated a walker’s paradise by WalkScore.com - the area ranks a 97 out of 100 with respect to walkability. The commute to Manhattan is 33 minutes on the Harlem Line. With the likes of New York transplants such as BLT Steakhouse and Level 42at the Ritz Carlton just a short stroll away, the lifestyle at the Broadlawn has a distinctly urban upscale feel. The White Plains Performing Arts Center is also just a short walk away. As for shopping the Westchester mall as well as the City Center mall along with major supermarkets including Whole Foods are all a comfortable walk away. In spite of being in near the center of the downtown, the area across from Tibbets Park creates an oasis of peace and quiet. It’s a world apart from the hubub despite its very central location.
Yes, I know its Christmas day – but New Year’s Eve is just a week away…and its not too soon to think about where you will be when 2011 becomes a memory and 2012 is born.
For those who don’t know the history – downtown White Plains used to be a fairly quiet place. During the housing boom the downtown became built up an is now thought of as a mini-me Manhattan. Following the opening of Trump Tower and the Ritz Carlton – a new tradition was born. White Plains initiated a new tradition of celebrating New Years Eve in the heart of the downtown – including its own ball drop. The festivities include live music from 10:30 PM to 12:30 AM. It is a fun-filled event for the entire family. Last year I was downtown at around 11 PM and was watching as all the downtown residents started walking en masse towards the music. Parents with children in tow, and extended families all getting together as a large community. Its a terrific way to meet your neighbors and just have a great time with the whole family. At the stroke of midnight the ball drops and it is topped off by a fireworks display that literally lights of the entire sky.
For those who want to make an entire evening of it and eat out – here are some suggestions….
BLT Steakhouse White Plains - in the heart of the downtown in the Ritz Carlton – $125 pp. First seating 5:30 – 7 PM, Second seating after 9 PM.
Morton’s Steak House – Downtown White Plains – Maple Ave.
Black Bear Saloon & Wicked Wolff Tavern – Downtown White Plains – Mamaroneck Ave. are hosting a New Years Eve Bash. The doors open at 9 PM. Tickets are $50 pp and include an open bar.
© 2011 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com – All rights reserved.
An event full of tradition that the whole family can enjoy! The Nutcracker Ballet is being performed at the White Plains County Center this weekend. Sponsored by Westchester County Parks as well as the Westchester Ballet Company, this event is always a crowd pleaser. Kids and adults alike can create holiday memories. Several performances are scheduled, so working this one into your busy holiday schedule should be fairly easy:
For more information – you can call 995-4050
© 2011 Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com – All rights reserved.
As White Plains NY condos go, Jefferson Place offers a great deal in the way of amenities for the money. The Residences of Jefferson Place is a condominium complex with a split personality. The complex spans on square block between Livingston Ave. and Rutherford Ave. in White Plains, NY with units on 300 Mamaroneck Ave. and 31 Greenridge Ave. Jefferson Place is located a scant half -mile from heart of the downtown including the White Plains City Center. The city side – facing Mamaroneck Ave. is an eight-story urban mid-rise with a sophisticated brick façade. The suburban side of the complex on Greenridge Ave. gives a bow to the Highlands community where it resides.
The following is an update of the sales stats at Jefferson Place. Prices have come down nicely over the past few years and for those interested in buying, I would strongly suggest that you get moving. The gift of super-low interest rates can not last forever and combined with the prices that we now see, this is a gift. If you qualify to buy – I have to ask what an EARTH are you waiting for???? Housing is highly cyclic. Those who miss out on this crazy low market will be kicking themselves for years to come. This is literally a once in a lifetime opportunity in the housing market.
Small Business Saturday had its debut last year. But they are upping the publicity and ante this year. In my opinion – a program like this is a step in the right direction. In Washington they jawbone about supporting small business – but talk is not action. Yet small business, including bricks and mortars have traditionally been the backbone of American exceptionalism and success. They need and deserve our patronage and support.
Our love affair with big-box stores and rock bottom prices has come at a price. Service? What’s that? Knowledge of the product? You’ve got to be kidding me? In addition there have been bankrupt businesses, lost jobs that paid decent wages and less money coming into the community. Consider this: when you spend $100 with a local merchant, $68 returns to the community. When you buy at a national chain – only $43 is returned to the community. Thats a 37% difference in direct economic stimulation.
Many homeowners in lower Westchester have been hoping to downsize but stay local. In some cases, the children are gone but these empty nesters have careers that keep them local or perhaps some have grandchildren that live in the area and they wish to stay near family. Particularly after the big storm that we had yesterday – downsizing to something a bit easier to manage feels right for those who have been struggling with Nor’ Easters and hurricanes. We now seem to be having the storm of the century every six months – and tackling all the resulting issues can be a lot of work. I know it is – because I own my own home….
No one has a crystal ball so determining when a market is going to hit bottom is pretty much like shooting craps. Sooooo – anyone trying to TIME THE BOTTOM is clearly a gambler. Its not savvy, its not cool or even all that smart – and yes…it is RISKY to try to time the bottom.
People think that if they haven’t made a decision to buy that no decisions were made. That makes them feel “safe”. NOT TRUE. The buyer made a decision and that decision was to punt. So in reality, the buyer is rolling the dice that the market will decline more or at least not improve. They are also gambling that interest rates will remain at record lows. As one famous blogger (Lenn Harley) puts it to her buyer clients “The market will bottom six months before you decide its time to buy a home.”
Over the past few months I have written several times about the now infamous Gedney Farms vs. FASNY issue. For those not in the know – the private French American School (FASNY) is seeking a special permit to build a 1200 student K-12 campus in the Gedney neighborhood. I have been on record as being against the project. I have written a couple of posts to this effect outlining my concerns for the neighborhood and the implications for the future building prospects on other large tracts of land that have yet to be developed.
Gotta admit – Fall is my favorite time of year. It is a time of new beginnings and fresh starts. I look at the fourth quarter of the calendar year as the first quarter of the next year…and I think others feel the same way. About a week ago I was at Carlson’s Floral and Gift on route 100B on Dobbs Ferry Road in the White Plains PO. They are always ahead of the curve. The early signs of fall were there – but summer hadn’t quite left the building. The flowers below were of the late summer variety. The Mums weren’t quite blooming, the Halloween pumpkins hadn’t arrived – yet some of the trappings of fall – like our pumpkin friends in the photo on the right had made their appearance. Carlson’s is a great store for quality arrangements and the displays can be really uplifting after a long hard day. I took these photos with my iPhone and will go back to take some more photos as the fall season gets under way!
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