Pelham Developer Buys Mount Vernon West Train Station

Pelham-based MacQuesten Companies has purchased the Mount Vernon West station on Metro-North’s Harlem Line.

Company officials said the acquisition reaffirms and expands their already significant investment in the economic revival of the City of Mount Vernon.

“This is an underutilized property that cries out for revitalization,” said company President Rella Fogliano in the announcement. “The key to revitalizing and re-imagining our urban areas is capitalizing on the mass transit opportunities that are already in place. I can’t think of a more strategically well-placed station than Mount Vernon West.”

While the station’s platforms belong to Metro-North, the building itself has been privately owned since it was sold in 1959 by the New York Central Railroad. It has a number of commercial tenants including a Chase Bank and several small businesses.

MacQuesten bought the property from Davenis Realty Inc. for $3 million. The closing was July 14.

At just 13.1 miles, Mount Vernon West is the closest station in Westchester County to Grand Central Terminal -- a 22-minute ride.

Company officials said the City of Mount Vernon is eager to transform the area from industrial uses to residential and retail development. A re-imagined Metro-North station will serve as the focal point for a renaissance of a large surrounding area.

When it opened, Mount Vernon West was considered a gem among the suburban stations north of Grand Central, Fogliano said. It was designed for the New York Central Railroad by architects Warren & Wetmore, who also designed the now-demolished White Plains station and the Yonkers station on the Hudson Line that has been fully renovated by Metro-North.

“Over the years, the area around Mount Vernon West became industrialized, and as time went on, the station suffered from a combination of factors, including insufficient maintenance and decreased ridership,” she said. “But with today’s emphasis on mass transit-oriented development, we see a bright future for this location.

Re-imagining Mount Vernon West is part of a comprehensive approach to the revival of this area, and we are proud to be leading the way.”

Joseph Apicella, MacQuesten’s Managing Director of Development, said the company will be exploring a range of options for the station from renovation to demolition, adding that thorough environmental and historical reviews will be conducted.

MacQuesten is now nearing completion on The Modern, an 11-story, 81-unit affordable housing complex located at 130 Mount Vernon Avenue – just a block from Mount Vernon West. And last year, MacQuesten purchased a former gas station site next to the train station where it expects to build a residential tower. The city is currently considering a zoning change from industrial to residential for that area.

“This is an exciting time for Westchester’s cities, and Mount Vernon is very much a part of the revitalization and renewal trend that has been rapidly accelerating for the last several years,” Apicella said. “Having two train lines providing quick access in and out of Manhattan gives it a huge advantage.”

PHOTO: Mount Vernon West Train Station/contributed