Port Chester OKs Land Purchase to Improve Edgewood Park

Port Chester has decided to buy a residential property on Grace Church Street to improve community access to the village's Edgewood Park.

The village Board of Trustees on Monday night followed through with a recommendation of the Port Chester Park Commission from June to buy the property and authorized the purchase of 201 Grace Church St. The price: $300,000.

The purchase is being funded through cash on reserve to buy park land and funds paid to the village by developers. 

Park Commission members, in recommending the purchase, said it's rare for a property that is directly adjacent to a park to come on the market. They said the site, if made part of the park, would improve access to the park and improve safety for residents using the park.

While Park Commission members have suggested the property could be used as parking for Edgewook Park, Mayor Dennis Pilla said the village will take a close look at details of exactly how to use the site once the land has been purchased. The property, which includes a small house, came on the market over the summer.

The property was listed on the CJ Pagano & Sons real estate brokerage web site for sale at $375,000. The house is described as an 1.5-story, 1,152-square foot, two-bedroom Cape Code style single family home built in the 1930s.

Park Commission members say the land purchase will help improve safety for Edgewood Park users because current parking in the area is very limited on the very busy Grace Church Street.

With the village Board of Trustees approval, it's now up to the village manager and village attorney to complete the purchase.