Greenburgh Town Clerk Judith Beville and I met with Cab Calloway’s daughter yesterday. Cecelia Calloway is seeking assistance with a project to preserve the Cab Calloway house at 1040 Knollwood Road as a historical landmark. Greenburgh played an important role in music, jazz and the arts during the last century. It is our hope that we can prevent the house from being demolished. If you’re interested in working with us in our efforts to save the Calloway House and to preserve the property as a historic landmark please e mail me at pfeiner@greenburghny.com and Judith Beville at jbeville@greenburghny.com. The following is a letter received from Cecilia Lael Calloway today.
PAUL FEINER
Hi-De-Ho Paul Feiner,
I am Cecelia Lael Calloway, the daughter of Cab Calloway and I’m seeking your assistance with a project that I strongly believe will benefit the Town of Greenburgh in several ways. My father, Cab Calloway, called Greenburgh home for many years. He truly loved living in this town and he often said he would like to have his legacy kept alive here. I want to acquire the house on Knollwood Road and use it as base to celebrate his life, music, and legacy. I envision this location being used to preserve an important piece of Greenburgh’s history, provide many educational opportunities to learn about the cultural and musical history, and provide a location to feature jazz performances, dance, sculpture, display memorabilia from Dad’s life, photographs, story telling and a functioning recording studio.
Your support would be such a great honor to me, my family and dad. I believe it is imperative to save, preserve and operate the old Calloway home where I met so many great celebrities visiting Dad. My associates and I are embarking on preserving the energies and spirits of celebrities and friends of yesterday who visited dad in celebration at our old home.
Here are just a few of these legendary performers who spent time at the house:
Duke Ellington, Lena Horne, Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis Jr., E. Simms Campbell. dinners with Dizzy Gillespie, Loentyne Price, Pearl Bailey, Slappy White, Gordon Parks, Eddie Haywood, Nipsie Russell, Michael Jackson, Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, big parties with the Harlem Globe Trotters, Lionel Hampton, Panama Francis, Dave Brubeck, Billy Eckstine, Roy Campanalla and Cab’s band members; Milt Hinton, Fletcher Henderson, Chuck Berry, Cozy Cole, and the great producer of Hello Dolly, David Merrick.
The house is currently for sale and I understand developers have shown interest in acquiring the property for possible subdivision, meaning the demolition of this historically valuable location. We need to move quickly to make this dream happen. I believe the best vehicle for maintaining this location on a longterm basis would be to form a local charitable organization or foundation that would:
1. Operate exclusively for charitable, educational, and civic purposes as referred to in Sections 501(c) (3) and 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code, generally referred to as “exempt purposes”.
2. To promote and fund the preservation of Cab Calloway name, likeness, music history and legacy locally and worldwide.
3. To produce fund raising events, activities and concerts for the Calloway house revival and preservation.
4. To purchase, renovate and expand the old Calloway home (1040 Knollwood Rd., White Plains, N.Y.) with showcase rooms, sound recording and music facility for continuous Calloway operations and projects
5. To sponsor multi-media, music and arts programs and projects for underprivileged youth, youth at risk, the school system, the local historical and arts organizations, and places of Higher learning such as colleges and universities.
Of course, these are preliminary ideas, but I think with your help, and the help of any interested groups and citizens, we can preserve this important piece of Greenburgh’s history. If this dream is to become reality, time is of the essence, the clock is ticking and the wrecker’s ball is looming nearby.
I hope you will join me in getting the word out to those who might be interested in making this happen.
Sincerely,
Cecelia Lael Calloway
-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Feiner
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 3:27 PM
To: Paul Feiner
Subject: agenda
Town of Greenburgh
Work Session Agenda of the Greenburgh Town Board
Tuesday – June 17, 2008
(All Work Sessions are Televised Live on Cablevision Channel 76, Verizon 32 and are streamed live. Work Sessions and Town Board Meetings will be aired each Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting at 7:02am and 4:45pm. Each segment will run for approximately 6 to 7 hours, depending upon the length of the two meetings.)
2:00p.m. Special Meeting of the Town Board
2:15p.m. Nancy Gold – Historic Hudson River Towns
Frank Jazzo ---
CAB CALLOWAY HOUSE PRESERVATION EFFORTS
2:45p.m. Leslie Scheiblberg – Contracts for Sculptures Displayed at DeSanti Plaza
3:00p.m. Bob Reninger – Broadview Civic Association and Questions Related to
Library Construction, Traffic, etc. (Tim Lewis, Al Regula, Genie Contrata,
Chief Kapica)
3:45p.m. Greenburgh Housing Authority – Councilwoman Brown
4:15p.m. FAST Swim Team and TDYCC – Councilwoman Brown
4:45p.m. Executive Session
5:30p.m. Adjourn
East Hartsdale Farmers Market Jazz Series – Performances to Date
June 28th – Pete Benway and Members of Royalty
July 19th and September 6th – Westchester Harp Ensemble
August 2nd – Julie Corbalis
October 11th – Ceasar Cantori
We are looking for more jazz artists! Please contact Judith Beville, Town Clerk at: 9931500
June 24, 2008 Work Session – Tentative
Paper Streets: Follow-up
RFP for Vending Machines
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31 comments:
A Comfortable Classic Home On Quiet Cul De Sac
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 2½
Style: Colonial
Square Footage: 2,380
Traditional, 4 Bedroom Colonial With Shuttered Windows & Rocking Chair Front Porch
Lovingly Maintained - Move-In Condition - Ultra Quiet Cul de Sac Location
Classic colonial with brick & shingle exterior and shuttered windows
Comfortable, covered, rocking chair front porch
Large, living room with picture window
Family room with picture window, brick fireplace & hardwood floors
Formal dining room with hardwood floors
NEW kitchen w/granite countertops, maple cabinets, breakafst area & door to deck
Master bedroom with dressing room & private bath
All NEW baths with granite countertops.
Hardwood floors throughout the home
NEW central air conditioning.
NEW furnace & NEW water heater.
Bright, clean, 3 room walkout basement suite with door to yard
Abundant closets & storage areas.
King size outdoor deck.
Neatly manicured property w/mature shade trees.
Quiet, traffic-free cul de sac - ideal play street
40 minutes to NYC - 5 minutes to Tappan Zee Bridge
Irvington School District
Town of Greenburgh park & pool privileges
Note: This home is in East Irvington, a neighborhood characterized and surrounded by many of the areas most valuable woodland preserves and parks. Within walking distance is the 200 acre Taxter Ridge Park Preserve and nearby is the 50 acre East Irvington Nature Preserve and the Taxter Road Park - playground & athletic field.
These are two separate topics that should be posted individually. Mr. Feiner, please edit.
"Contracts for Sculptures Displayed at DeSanti Plaza"
Please do not pay even a penny for sculptures with taxpayer money. If you get grants, fine, but taxpayer money needs to be allocated towards baseline services like roadway and sewer mantenance. Sculptures in one little area of the town won't help any of us who have to look at roadway weeds and clogged storm drains throughout the town. (Doesn't the town have a street-sweeper and some weed-wackers?!)
just what greenburgh needs - another property off the tax rolls!
Wait one minute what about mom mabley house and above all Roy Campanella.
How many other stars lived here in Greenburgh.
Will cab's daughter also ask to make his home in Long Beach LI a historic sight.
Let's face it there are many important people who lived in Greenburgh has anyone in their family asked for the same favor.
And let's not forget that great Cab Calloway song, "Minnie the Moocher".
Lest we forget the great Tom Carvel, whose creation lives on today not only in Greenburgh, but around the country, even if imitated by others. Save his house and the initial business site?
Hey Paul this is the most crazy thing that I have ever heard.
There have been many great performers living in many parts of the town will this be considered in their honor too.
Give us a break//////////
This should have never been put unto the blog because it serves no purpose for the betterment of town problems or town issues.
Many radio and television stars have frequented my home throughout the years does my home qualify for this consideration.
In todays world many people in one way or another contributed something to make a better world should their home be considered part of history
Please Paul don't even consider going in that direction.
.
Oh yes what about Carvel you did nothing to help this great e
stablishment.
The original store was built on Central Ave.
Instead of trying to save the building which IS a landmark it will be demolished.
Yes that's part of our history.
It should have been picked up and placed at a far corner of the property instead of a rubble pile.
You kept saying that Mickey's stand on Jackson ave. was a landmark but it wasn't. now it is back in the zoning boards hands to get a new ruling.
Carvel not a landmark but Mickey is.
Give us a break and do some homework before you make crazy statements.
Carvel should have been something to fight for but nothing was done the only thing that O"Shea demanded was a plaque placed somewhere on the property...BIG DEAL.
Well at least Taxte Ridge Park is being used for something,,,,That is selling a home nearby...
But I think that the article is misleading.
WHERE IS THE PARK....
It should read next to a dump.
What about preserving Scarsdale Farms, the home of the great journalist Walter Winchell? Those folks could really use an exemption from property taxes.
Cab's house should be added to the list of local landmarks. The house should be preserved. If the house is maintained and preserved, it could also be lived in and kept on tax rolls.
Carvel!! Yes! I wrote to Carvel corporate years ago about the condition of that place. I wished that they would have stepped in and demanded the franchise owner to do something about it. The business suffered because of the condition of the place!!! Corporate didn't care one thing about it.
What a shame!!!! Tom must be rolling in his grave....
You have got to be kidding the Cabs house should be renovated and live in and pay taxes.
The owner does not want to have it developed nor pay the taxes.
They seem to want the best of two worlds.
The town should have intervened with what should have been a great landmark, the Carvel on Central Ave.
Tell me what does the town know about landmarks.
They were trying to say that MIckey's frankfurter stand was a landmark.
Nuff said......
Yesterday going to the state park on Ridge I passed OLd Farm Rd. and remembered as a child watching tv commercial where there was a lady by the name of Betty Furnace who was the spoke person for a refrigerator.
She lived on Old farm Road in Greenburgh.
Should not her home be considered a landmark too..
When will this nonsense stop.
Try Betty Furness.
Save Cab Calloway House and have a "recording studio" and a "showcase".
Anyone check the zoning?
Sorry about the spelling but what is good for the goose is good for the gander.
Let's put our heads together to check out who else lived in Greenburgh,whether in the arts or in any other walk of life.
What did Cab calloway do to benefit the residents of Greenburgh.
What has Mikey's frankfurter stand done to benefit the residents that the town was saying that it was a landmark.
Has the historic society been notified of this stupid request.
Every home has a history whether good or bad do we request that it become a landmark.
There was many a battle fought on my property in Edgemont should I claim it as historic.
If one picks up the history of Edgemont almost every piece of land was engaged in a battle.
Can we all claim a tax reduction????
Make Bernstein's house tax exempt!
IT is authentically historic! Bob Bernstein was the first one to take Paul Feiner at his word ("If you don't like it, sue me.") which is at least as revolutionary as anywhere George Washington slept.
maybe in the coming greenburgh guide to historic homes, it will also provide directions to Taxter Ridge, the scene of an epic legal battle that still rages.
pAUL TAKE THIS GARBAGE OF THE BLOG.
It seems that freebees never end here in Greenburgh in one form or another
.
What we want to hear from Brown is that the money due the town will be paid up with interest.
Second that every tenant in the complexes show their tax return to see if they are eligible for freebees.
Enough is enough.
To many excuses are made for this group but now it has to stop.
I'm quite sure the state and the federal governments will be notified for mishandling of tax payers money.
No more excuses we heard and have seen enough.The cover ups have got to stop.
In reading all that is asked for to make Cab's house a landmark
I think that services will be duplicated since many of them are publicized by the center.
Who is kidding who???
This comment section on this blog concerning this request should not have gone this far.
Our town government has become a big joke.
Wake up folks. Taxes are going higher and with the town trying to take so caled homes off the tax role we will have to pay more and more.
Why is it that this town makes things much easier for some than others.
Are we not all equal?
all are equal
some are more equal than others.
Has anyone driven by the Odell House? I've been living in Greenburgh for over 20 years and I can not believe that this historic structure has been left to fall apart. I have never been in it because it has never been open to the public.
This is REAL history folks. REAL historic events took place there.
What is this nonsense to make this Cab's house a special historic place? Damn! Mary J Blige was living in College Corners for a bit. Hell! Let's turn her former home into a youth center.
odell house is owned by the arrogant and pompous sons of the american revolution. these so called patriots have allowed the building to stand there in a deplorable condition for years wrapped in hideous cheap tarps.
so much for america the beautiful.
By the way the Odell house is being refurbished. Go take a look before you comment further.
Enough of this nonsense about CABS HOUSE.
What did he do that others have not done?
My home belonged to a person of interest but I would have never in a million years decided that it should be a landmark.
Who cares who lived where or who they were.
Do they put money in our pockets no but they want to remove the house off the tax role which means they will be hurting my pocket.
What did he give to the world?
Entertainment well how many of us are left that remember him and how many followed his career .
So he lived in Greenburgh so did many other stars live in Greenburgh.
Why should they be forgotten ?
its being refurbished?
at a snail's pace.
it still looks like a dump.
and for years the absentee owners just let it sit there with ugly tarps and debris in the yard.
the owners are haughty and filled with the so called self importance of their ancestors.
What happened at this past work session.
How convient not to have this session televised.
We the public want to be advised as to what happened and what was said concerning the topics listed on this blog.
We are owed this much.
What was decided with Cab Callawy's house.
The session was not televised.
How about showing the rerun of this weeks' work session in its' entirety.
We deserve to know what took place since there were many important issues.
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