Town Board will hear presentation for “Chappaqua Station, Farm-to-Town” from Chases
Saturday, November 1, 2014
by Christine Yeres
In its work session on Wednesday, November 5, the Town Board will hear a presentation from Peter and Erin Chase of their vision for the Chappaqua train station as a “farm-to-town” restaurant-bar-and-local produce space. Theirs was the only “response for proposal” submitted to the Town. According to the agenda for the work session, the 20-minute presentation is scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m.
Find the entire RFP—published on the Town’s website—by clicking HERE.
From the RFP:
Mornings
Monday through Friday
4:30am-11:30am:
We will offer fresh fruit, croissants, bagels, muffins, egg sandwiches, coffee, tea, fresh juices. Customers will place orders in the newly designed baggage storage room (currently operating as Café La Track).
From there they can enjoy their breakfast in the main room, outside on the terrace, or on their way to the next stop.
Saturday and Sunday (Brunch) 8am-11:30am:
Same offerings as above.
11am-2pm:
We will infuse the regular breakfast offering with creative lunch/brunch offerings.
In general we will curate and make available a best of offering from local farms and our very own farmers market. This will be incorporated both daily and support our “Family Night” offering.
Lunch and Dinner
Monday through Friday
11:30am-5pm:
Panini, gourmet salads and sandwiches, and soups.
5pm – 10pm:
Above items together with assorted tapas, cheese and charcuterie plates, gourmet salads, soups, raw bar (shrimp, oysters, clams), and fish, meat and pasta of the day and desserts. Small production wines and local craft beers will be offered.
Saturday and Sunday
2pm-5pm: same lunch offerings as above (brunch will be served from 11am-2pm).
5pm-10pm: Family Nights—similar offerings as dinner above, with the addition of a family-style farm meal.
In general we will curate and make available a best of offering from local farms and our very own farmers market. This will be incorporated both daily and support our “Family Night” offering.
Christine, thank you for the link. I am not on facebook and after many tries could not find it on the town’s website.
Town, why is it hidden ????
Editor’s Note: The town website is not in the least “intuitive”—I had a hard time finding myself. That’s why I provided a direct link to it in the article. Here is the link again:
http://www.mynewcastle.org/images/SiteImages/LAtest_News_PDFs/9.2014_RFP_train_station.pdf
I was so disappointed when we lost Via Vanti but I must say, this looks great. Just what we need in town ! Thank you Chases for all your efforts.
Heard that Via Vanti will be in the newly expanded Marianis in Armonk. Good news too
and all the best to Carla !!
Yup Carla opened a new place at Mariani”s in Armonk. Something different from Via Vanti but still her touch. Sorry we lost that chance to have her here. Here”s hoping we don’t make the same mistake again.
I have followed this developing story for some time, even though I live far away, in Washington State. I grew up in Chappaqua, and my dad was the station master there from 1942 to 1958. I spent many happy hours there, helping out and talking with people who gathered there. It was actually a somewhat social spot, with folks waiting for trains, and other locals who just came by, so there was usually lots of good-natured talk going on. Having visited now and then over the past several years, it was kind of sad to see that the station was pretty much empty most of the time. So, I hope the new venture is successful, and that Chappaqua Station will “spring back to life.”
Good luck!
Dave W.
Agree w Dave. The zero energy at the train station building is not the way it one was and not the way it has to stay. Though it is kind of symbolic right now of the downtown doldrums. Here’s to changing that! Best of luck to the Chases.
I just listened to the Chases proposal to the TB at their work session. I am scratching my head at Lisa Katz’s questions and at her tone toward this proposal. Did she read the actual proposal ? Why would she compare this concept which includes a raw bar to a Starbucks, and in such a derisive manner? She voted against Carla’s proposal and now she is denigrating this one ?
She really is off the mark and I find no explanation for her position.
On the other hand, I appreciated Jason Chapin’s thoughtful and positive comments.
Wonder why the TB is once again behind the eight ball when it comes to the electric service at the train station. This is not new news. It was part of Carla’s proposal.
Town administrator Jill Shapiro’s comment that “the town is not in the restaurant business” was too cute by half and another example of covering their behinds, or her behind. At least she delivered it with a rare smile.
This board should work in a positive and supportive manner with the Chases to bring this to the station. I hope that Adam will not try to chisel them to death. That seems to be his business mojo. It does not serve a small town.
How can they now be in the third round of train station proposals and still be uninformed about whether the restaurant service they say they want can even happen with the electrical limitations?
In may the board selected a Grab ‘n Go concept as being in the best interest of the town. This was purely take out. Then the concept morphed into a small plate/ wine bar that apparently had been given the go ahead by someone at board. Problem was, the health code (and who would pay for compliance) had not been fully taken into account by the board or Leslie. End result, that lease was a waste of assets as it could not be legally put into effect. Now the town has the Chases who are willing to invest to bring it to code. The stumbling block, the electrical can’t handle even minor expansion. The town should have understood this before wasting what must now be well over $20,000 on legal fees relating to lease the station. It could be $25,000 or $30,000 for all we know. That money would have been far better spent on addressing the electrical. At least that would have been productive. Fortunately for taxpayers the renovations with Love at 10514 never got going. Leslie made it clear she was spending nothing on reno and the town could have been on the hook for paying for the electrical work. We should all thank the permissive referendum people for stopping the crazy train. It is one thing to renovate the electrical knowing what you are getting into. It is another to be forced to do so under a breach of contract threat under an ill conceived lease. The rescission of the lease was a godsend.
