Grand and Green, Families Come to Stay in Rye's Hillside Neighborhood

– By Robin Jovanovich –

Some neighborhoods luckily never change. Described as “the garden spot of Westchester Co. New York” in a June 26, 1869 public auction offering, close to 1,500 people came up by train from New York to bid on Rye's first development. The former 68-acre Tuttle Farm was renamed Rye Park and subdivided into 24 two- to four-acre lots by one Andrew Wilson. He laid out the streets – Grandview and Evergreen Avenues, Broadway and Park Avenue.

Other than two of the street names changing, Broadway became Hillside Road and Park Avenue became Elizabeth Street, the bucolic delights Wilson described – “a broad avenue winds through the center by easy ascent, gracefully among rocks embowered amid evergreens, and shaded by forest trees” - exist today.

The residents don't remember it ever being called Rye Park, but they agree it's a special neighborhood.

Ellen and Bob Shafer have enjoyed living in an English Tudor on Evergreen Avenue since 1981. “Turnover isn't high for good reason,” said Ellen. “We're only the third owner of this home.

It's wonderful to watch the changes. We brought our four children up here and big families continue to be raised here.

I love the range of home styles, the unbeatable convenience and the spacious yards.”

The charming 1892 Queen Anne Victorian at 15 Hillside Road, with the inviting porch, just beckoned Suzanne and John Adams 10 years ago. “We were living in Indian Village and needed more room. We loved the convenience of Indian Village, but we have that here and more.”

Mimi and Kevin Burke moved to the grand dame of the neighborhood, 135 Grandview Ave., 17 years ago from Loudon Woods. They too had outgrown their house. The former summer home built in 1901 is a mix of styles, Colonial for one. “Kevin and I liked the fact that the lots are larger than most neighborhoods, but it's still very much a neighborhood,” said Mimi. Their stately home has a name, “Green Acres.” The fact that the Burkes only have an acre and a third has never really bothered them. They love the house and have made only modern improvements to it over the years.

“I love the annual neighborhood parties, the fact that kids can play in the streets, the proximity to everything and that many of the same families are still here,” said Mimi.

Suzanna and Andrew Keith, 4 Cope Circle, off Hillside Road, said they were drawn to the neighborhood six years ago because “it's a real neighborhood, yet private, and you are not on top of your neighbors.” She said that when neighborhood issues arrive, residents band together. They enjoy the annual potluck dinners to welcome new neighbors and stay in touch with longtime ones.

A dozen years ago, Jim and Mary Ann Sullivan bought a converted 1900 carriage house on Grandview, which they have transformed into a grand English country house. Jim says he loves the character of the neighborhood – “great houses, wide streets and good-sized properties.”

Jane and Bob Mickatavage live in a 74-year-old Tudor that was built by a builder for himself and later owned by Mayor Clay Johnson. They've been there 34 years. Bob does remember hearing the neighborhood was once called Deer Park. (Another neighbor said it was commonly referred to as Grand/Green.)

“It's a relatively quiet neighborhood considering its located near 287, Rye Country Day and the train station,” said Bob. He loves that the neighborhood sits on the brow of a hill and that it's filled with children, close to 100 by the latest estimate.

Stacy and Ben Koenig are celebrating their fifth year at 100 Evergreen Ave., originally a caretaker's cottage that was expanded into a carriage house in 1902. “We moved from the Upper West Side. I'm a city girl, no patience for driving. The convenience is a big plus,” said Stacy. The past several years their driveway has been the site of a Halloween parade. “It's so much fun for all the kids. But what I love most about the neighborhood is that it's a mixed age neighborhood and that many couples who raised their families here have stayed. This is a special place.

And none of the houses look like one another. I know, I have a great view of the neighborhood from my second floor in the winter when the trees are bare.”