Village Board Supports Preservation
of Manor Inn
by Judy Silberstein
( August 5, 2002) At their Monday, August 5th meeting,
Larchmont's Village Board indicated their support for
preserving the Manor Inn. Residents were invited to
address the Board to suggest steps the Village might
take.
One resident summed up the issues: Click
to view a video clip. Most of the other speakers
were members of the Manor Inn Steering Committee, a
Larchmont group recently formed to raise funds to purchase
and preserve the Manor Inn as an affordable residence
for seniors. They outlined their plans and asked for
the Board to publicly endorse preservation of the structure.
Bob Cumella exhorts the Board to support preserving
Manor Inn.
Following discussion, Mayor Ken Bialo asked fellow
Board members for their views on preserving the Inn.
The Mayor, Deputy Mayor Chris Verni, and Trustees Liz
Feld and Mike Wiener indicated thier support for preservation.
With the exception of Liz Feld, the "ayes"
were all qualified with concerns for the financial future
of the Inn and how preserving it might impact the owners
and the neighbors. As a close neighbor of the Manor
Inn, and on advice from the Village Attorney, Trustee
Marlene Kolbert recused herself from the discussion
and the vote.
The informal polling does not commmit the Board to
any financial or other specific action, however such
action will be considered, perhaps at the next meeting
on September 9.
Steering Committee member Kathy Brenner said she was
"thrilled with the result." Though the Board
did not act on a proposal to provide "seed money"
to help the Steering Committee with its fund raising
activities, their vote of support will enhance the Committee's
ability to obtain funds from County and private sources,
said Fred Baron, President of the Historical Society.
Contacted after the meeting, Trustee Feld noted that
she has been assisting with fund raising efforts and
believes the Steering Committee has set obtainable goals.
She added, "I feel strongly that the Board and
the leadership of the community have a moral responsibility
to look after our seniors. To let this opportunity go
by would be a tragedy."
The Belvedere Hotel from the postcard
collection of James H. and Constance Levi
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