The New York herald., 1922-10-29
Anglo-Saxon Longing for
Ocean Largely Responsible
for County's Growth.
WATERFRONT is POPULAR
CentAr nf Population Working
Farther Inland-Is Now
East of Railroad.
By l.. W. PRINCE.
of Prince & Rlplev.

newly discovered territory was settled on
the edge OF the sea. Such settlements
were most favorable for trading and for
protection against enemies. Our Ameri-
can forefathers We're particularly a sea
loving people. and It Is their blood in our
veins that makes us thrill as we stand
and look out over an expanse of blue
water. :. Our lives are Influenced more
than we realize by those primitive In
stincts. and I believe the fundamental
longing for glimpse OF the sea Is re-
sponsible In a large way for the rapid
growth Of our Sound shore towns and
cities. "Is It on the water or near the
water?" Is a question put to every
realtor many times.
Westchester county's shore front Is
very limited--only about fifteen miles.
consequently. the supply Of actual
waterfront property is very small In
proportion to the demand. the result be-
Ing very high. almost prohibities prices
me desire to be on-or near the water
has caused these shore towns to start
at the waterfront and grow back toward
the hills. The center Of population in
these towns is further inland every
year, but even now the balance Is still
on the east side Of the New Haven
Railroad. The Importance of this shift
In population is that 1t shows without
question OF doubt that the hilIy sec.
tions, few miles back from the water,
are in line for very rapid growth during
the next five or ten years. Perhaps thu I
lest way to show the recent trend of tn
market and the kind Of properties mos \
In demand in this territory Is 20 consider
tho development of some OF these towns
individually. 4
Although they are often referred t,
as shore front towns the Pelhams shoul
rot be placed In this class. Pelhal
Manor has only about half mile 81
shore front and 1t is entirely absorb
by the, New York Athletic Club.
Travers Island. and two or three larsS
estate properties adjoining. The Pei
rams. consisting OF Pelham Manor,
Pelham Heights, Pelhamwood and Pei
Lam proper. have always been extremely
popular. Their nearness to New York
and the highly restricted nature Of tho
development have caused a rapid growth
snd now one begins to wonder what we
will do when all tho vacant plots are
gone.
Pelhams Lead IN Building.
The Pelhams have been the leaders
OF Westchester county In building activ-
ity during the last few years. The de-
mand seems constant for tho houses
built and centers around the $4,000
home. Pelham Is pretty much hemmod
In by Mount Vernon on the west, New
York city on the south and New Ro-
chelle on the north. so that its future
growth must necessarily be within this
sphere. I believe that the section be-
tween the Post road and the water front
will see rapid changes during the next
few years. Here there is some quantity
of unimproved property whereas tho.
other sections are getting pretty we'll
absorbed. Incidentally growth in this
direction is exactly the reverse of that
which Is taking place in the towns fur
ther out.
New Rochelle has a much broader field
for development than Pelham. 1t is
quite plain that the waterfront and ad-
jacent properties are built up almost
to the saturation point. and that all
future new development must be inland
The growth of the Webster Ridge SEQ
ton and the North avenue section have
demonstrated n definite trend in this
direction. New Rochelle is very cosmo-
politan in It's population, and it's form
of municipal Government is considered
OF such fine quality that it is being
copied by many other suburban cities.
1t offers wide choice of properties for
the homeseeker. from the modest six
room house of $4,000 or $4,000. to
the beautiful estate either on the shore
front or back in the hills. Although the
average sale price of property here Is
around $4,000 or $25.0o0. the market
has been very broad and has affected
almost every class of property.
Larchmont again is q town which
started at the waterfront and is spread
ing out rapidly into the hills. short
while ago the manor. that section be-
tween the Post Road and the water. was
considered to be about all Of Larchmont.
Now Larchmont Park. Larchmont
Center. Larchmont Woods. Larchmont
Gardens Chatsworth Heights, Howell
Park and other such developments in
dicate a trend westward. This is quite
natural as It is the only way that the
town can grow. Larchmont is quito
ideal as a shorefront town. It's beauti-
ful public park along the water. with the
private bathing beach, are valuable as-
sets.
Larchmonf Rail Service Better.
The spur OF the westchester & Boston
Railroad recently run into Larchmont
from New Rochelle is another important
factor IN stimulating the growth of this
section. L DelieVe tne pocsiDiltltS Ol
Larchmont are enormous. There Is
plenty of room for growth to the west
ward. and there is considerable unde-
veloped land within easy walking dis
tance Of the station. Larchmont offers
an opportunity to buy either the small
house In an excellent restricted SEQ
ton, or the frst class home Of the larger
type IN the Manor section. which Is one
OF the finest OF Westchester's water
front communities
Tho DEVELOPMENT Of Rye has differed
somewhat from tho other towns, and IL
has some very interesting features. The
distance between the railroad and the
water Is greater at Rye than at the
towns further south. This led to the
growth Of two separate and distinct SEQ.
tions. First, water front section, con-
sisting OF some large water front es-
tates on Milton Point, Forest avenue
and Manursing Island. and the estab-
lshment OF public bathing beach SEQ
ond thc,growth of a small village around
tho railroad. with largo estates on the
hills surrounding. Up 10 about two or
three years ago these two sections wero
distinctly separate units. Now they are
practically Joined together through the
process OF building large number OF
homes between the water front and the
village proper. At first this waterfront
section Of Rye was strictly a summer
resort, practically isolated in winter,
Now the majority of these cottages back
from the water are occupied all thu
...... ~-t.s~ vxNuax,nct 10. ~o.,,ft..s A.. :.