Politics & Government

Town Will Seek Eatery Proposals for Chappaqua Train Station—Again

New Castle officials will once again call on potential tenants to present proposals for a restaurant at the Chappaqua train station.

"We had hoped to have a tenant in the train station by the summer," said Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein.  "But, that is no longer going to happen."

The town's been going around on this issue for three years. 

In 2012 the Town posted a Request for Proposals for a food service operator to lease the Chappaqua train station depot. The Flying Pig's former chef made one, but later dropped it as repair and renovation work was begun at the station.

Then two others expressed interest—Via Vanti! and Burdock Natural Cafe.
While the repair work went on, Via Vanti! got permission to run a commuter coffee/breakfast concession at the station.

Town and Via Vanti! officials discussed the restaurant but had disagreements over issues such as public access to the station's rest rooms during restaurant hours. 

Other applicants came forward. The town board in early 2014 heard presentations from Via Vanti!, Peter and Erin Chase, and Ladle of Love, and then issued an RFP for formal proposals. On May 20 they picked Ladle of Love. 

Carla Gambescia of Via Vanti! and the Chases objected. They set up a Facebook page and a webpage called Our Station Our Town and mounted a petition drive that could have triggered a referendum, arguing that the process the Town Board went through was neither transparent nor ethical and requesting a new round of formal proposals.

"We also asked them to give more specifics as to what they wanted to restrict in the space and what they wanted to see done with the space," they wrote on their website. "We look forward to seeing the revised RFP."

Town board members issued a statement defending their actions but decided early this month to scrap their decision and call for proposals again.

Greenstein said a new RFP would come out "in the near future".


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