The closing on Pleasantville”™s largest commercial property could help continue the revitalization of a previously forgotten area of the village and boost local businesses.
Zwilling J.A. Henckels L.L.C., a cutlery company that produces knives and cookware, closed on the Medical Laboratory Associates (MLA) property at 270 Marble Ave. Oct. 5, purchasing it from Stop and Shop Supermarket Co. for $7.5 million.
The 145,000-square-foot property had become vacant when MLA closed in 1997. Stop and Shop purchased it in 2001 hoping to build a supermarket on the site, but public opposition curtailed its plans.
Henckels, which was previously headquartered in Hawthorne, will use about 100,000 square feet of the property as warehouse space and the rest as office space. The company also plans to raise the roof to have more clearance, rebuild the front of the building, and employ 75 people at the site. Construction is set to begin immediately, with the facility to open sometime next year.
The move is a huge coup for the village, which has been looking for a buyer for years, frustrated with the eyesore MLA had become.
Marble Avenue itself has seen numerous improvements recently, since the village made several zoning changes as part of its master plan six years ago. Zoning districts were changed and modified, and the village streamlined its planning review process to make it easier for applications that came before the board.
A”™Mangiare, an Italian resident previously located in the old village section of Pleasantville, moved over to 59 Marble Ave. in the summer. Owner Luigi Dolgetta believes the improvements will help his business and the street as a whole.
“Henckels will generate taxes and will cause people to come by for lunch,” Dolgetta said. “It”™s a win-win for all of Pleasantville.”
Robert Hashim opened the third location of Louie and Johnnie”™s Cheesesteaks and Clam Bar at 501 Marble Ave. along the Thornwood-Pleasantville border this summer. Like Dolgetta, Hashim said Henckels coming into Pleasantville will be great for businesses.
“Hopefully other companies will come in and further stimulate the village economy,” he said. Hashim said he chose to come into Pleasantville because it”™s an area with a lot of diverse families and he felt he was filling a gap.
“No one was doing what we do,” Hashim said. “We wanted to do something different, offer something unique. The community has been great; there are a lot of nice people.”
In January, Ed Gaynor”™s Infinity nightclub opened at 404 Irvington St., located off of Marble Avenue. Gaynor”™s 8,000-square-foot club hosts bar and bat mitzvahs, Sweet 16 birthday parties and other gatherings.
“Pleasantville is a hub of Westchester,” Gaynor said. “It”™s a lovely little village, and the planning board expressed an interest in this type of place. There”™s really nothing like it.”
Gaynor also sees positives with Henckels coming to the village. Gaynor, who used to DJ for Henckels”™ parties, said the move will give Infinity exposure.
“The increased traffic will help,” Gaynor said. “There”™s no downside. I”™m glad to see them coming in rather than a supermarket that would congest the area. They are a proven company with a very good product.”
Mayor Peter Scherer said that the day the property closed would be a happy day for the village of Pleasantville.
“Our biggest commercial parcel has been vacant for 15 years,” Scherer said. “That obviously has a negative impact. It”™s disheartening to have that empty piece of property. This has been a high priority for me since I became mayor (in 2009).”
