The number of people with disabilities who use wheelchairs or other wheeled mobility aids is increasing. The National Institutes of Health estimates that 3.6 million Americans need wheeled devices.These statistics are likely to increase proportionally in the future. This creates an apparent demand for housing space fit for wheelchairs, yet most American homes aren’t up to the task. Adapting a house to be wheelchair-friendly is an inclusive act that invites people living with disabilities to be welcome in your home. Disabled or aging people may have difficulty living in a house that hasn’t been adapted to accommodate them, so some homeowners modify their property to make life easier. What happens when the time comes to sell that house? What is the resale value of an accessible home?
This also creates another block in the accessible housing picture and might increase its value. Welcome to accessible design.
Adapting to disability
A range of adaptations must be considered when renovating a house in line with wheelchair usage. Military.com highlights a range of these home improvements. They go from installing wheelchairs and ramps to widening doorways, and they also include creating larger carports and accessible switches throughout the home.
And there’s a scale of how much to do.
As a rule of thumb, try to do more. Making the house accessible will help wheelchair users and people diagnosed with other types of disabilities.
Individuals diagnosed with mobility-affecting conditions such as cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis will benefit from a wholly inclusive and accessible home. If you can put a full range of accessibility changes in, you’ll widen the appeal of your disability-friendly home.
Further adaptations to become Wheelchair-Friendly.
Ensuring a home is fully accessible and comfortable is the first step in creating a disability-friendly home. However, you can take steps to enhance the house’s independence. One way of achieving this is by dropping counters and even windowsills. This is part of the renovation project.
Including these features enables people who use wheelchairs to enjoy a fully independent life to the same extent as their counterparts who do not need those adaptations.
Having handles and ramps is one step in the bathroom. However, creating an entire wet room will take the effort to another level.
Accessible homes are worth more in the real estate market. Given the generally low level of accessible housing stock, any genuinely disability-inclusive properties that provide a high level of independence to owners with disabilities will attract higher home prices.
According to Abilities, the adaptations can add value to the home. Elevators and stair lifts can act as luxury features and add considerable ROI on installation. Furthermore, according to BHG, many adaptations that make a home genuinely accessible are subject to state and federal subsidies.
You can attract tax rebates for many changes that will convert a house into a disabled-friendly space, one of the critical demands of the modern housing market.
You’ll also be doing a bit of good. Accessible homes are in short supply, and adding them to the housing market means tackling the challenge one house at a time. Your forever home may one day be passed over to a family with your needs.
What happens at resale?
Life situations change, and at some point, homeowners who modify their property for accessibility will need to sell it. The resale value of an accessible home depends on several factors.
Suppose the home is located in a community with a relatively higher percentage of older or disabled people; accessibility modifications may increase a home’s resale value. Such features are also increasingly appealing to the 35-to-55 age group, and the opposite may be true in an area full of young families.
The degree of modifications and the cost of reversing them also affect the resale value of an accessible home. Many improvements, such as levered door and faucet handles and broader doorways, appeal to buyers of any age or situation, and other changes may not be particularly costly to reverse.
Lowered light switches, for example, can be raised relatively quickly, and grab bars can be removed. However, some changes will require substantial expenditures to modify. An example would be growing counters, stovetops, and sinks that have been lowered to accommodate the wheelchair. Ask general contractors.
A professional agent who knows the neighborhood and the value of accessibility modifications can guide you through marketing and pricing your home. She will learn how to present your home to potential buyers for whom these accommodations will be attractive features and how to negotiate with a buyer who does not need them.
The wet-over-dry rule in NYC prevents apartment owners from putting wet spaces (bathrooms & kitchens) over dry areas such as living rooms on floors below. The rule prevents water damage and mitigates risks when leaks do occur. The wet over dry rule in NYC is not a law, code, or regulation. However, it is just a rule that most condos and co-ops follow and respect in their alteration agreements. Most renovations can be executed with board approval, but when moving the plumbing, you must find creative ways to get the green light. Once you start changing the pipe, and it becomes unique and specific to each apartment, it becomes challenging to determine where underlying issues might be.
Combining two apartments is popular in New York. However, one reason these projects can end up with funky footprints is rules like wet over dry. You can circumvent the Board’s wet-over-dry rules by expanding the kitchen and putting the dishwasher within the footprint of the old bathroom.
Is the wet over dry rule a regulation or law?
Neither. This rule is not a law nor a city regulation. The wet over dry rule in NYC is a rule most condo and co-op buildings follow. They diligently respect that rule in their alteration agreements.
This rule prohibits putting wet spaces over dry areas on the floors below.
In other words, homeowners renovating their apartments are not allowed to change their layout so that areas that require plumbing are directly over dry areas that don’t use the water lines on the floors below. For example, you can’t have your bathroom directly over your neighbor’s living room. This reduces the risk of damage in case of a leak and prevents mold.
Most buildings in NYC have a wet-over-dry rule in place. However, building a wet space over a dry area is legal if your building allows it. You should always browse your building’s alteration agreement to confirm their approval. For example, some buildings, such as closets or hallways, might be exempt if the dry space is not habitable.
Where does the wet over dry rule come from?
Architect Elliot Glass was the first to develop the wet-over-dry rule. He became known for being stricter than NYC’s Department of Buildings, and the laws he once instituted in New York are now almost universally seen and followed in alteration agreements.
Why do management companies enforce the wet over dry rule?
The boards of Co-Ops and condos require owners to follow the wet over dry rule to minimize the risks of water damage. This also reduces the cost of water damage to the floors below if a leak occurs. As a result, in most buildings in New York, all the apartment lines will have the same floor plan.
For example, 9A will have the same layout as 10A. The property manager enforces this wet-over-dry rule through the alteration agreement. This is a document that owners and contractors sign before starting any work on their unit.
From an insurance standpoint, it is sometimes hard to prove which party is liable for water damage. Insurance companies might not fully cover costs for the building or individual apartment owners.
Less risk in wet over wet buildings
Apartments of the same line are frequently built on top of each other in identical layouts. This helps each building line on top of each other. Consequently, water leaks will generate less damage if they spill over a wet zone. Indeed, most bathrooms will be tiled areas with drainage and more water-resistant than a living room with hard floors.
Can an apartment buyer get approved for an exception to the wet-over-dry rule before purchasing?
No. A buyer should not sign a contract assuming the Board pre-approves the renovation plans. This has nothing to do with the wet-over-dry rule. Co-op and condo board members volunteer their time for the benefit of the current owners, not to make prospective buyers happy.
It is too risky to ask a co-op board for such an exception. Indeed, coop board meetings have the right to approve any potential buyers. In other words, Coop. The Board can reject any purchaser for any reason.
Coop boards do not have to disclose the reason for their choice. In fact, they never do so for liability reasons.
A co-op board interview tests a buyer’s qualifications. It’s also the opportunity to ask all the uncomfortable questions. If the co-op board thinks a given buyer is a troublemaker, the Board may reject that buyer.
How to convince a Coop. Board to grant an exception regarding the Wet over dry rule
Most management companies advise boards that authorizing wet-over-dry construction is an unnecessary risk. However, some boards decide that it’s a risk worth taking with the proper mitigants. Some management company advisory boards include a policy in the alteration agreement that should be reviewed and updated annually.
1) Demonstrate strong waterproofing measures
Boards and Management companies are hesitant to approve exceptions to the wet-over-dry rule. However, they sometimes grant special approvals if the renovation includes reliable waterproofing measures and flood alarms. An example is cement-based flooring, such as Wonderboard, in all shower and bathtub areas.
We also recommend treated paper behind walls and titles. This prevents moisture from entering the walls and floors. We also recommend installing a dishpan to catch water from any potential leaks.
2) Expand the wet area rather than move it
Another suggestion is to ask a Board to expand a wet area rather than move it to a different location. For example, a Board could be flexible in developing a bathroom by transforming a nearby closet into a shower. Or a Board could approve installing a washing machine in a cabinet nearby the kitchen or bathroom.
2) Make sure you insure the building (co-op. or condo) on the policy
Boards will be more flexible in providing an exception to the rule if you add the building to your insurance policy. Indeed, the Board does not want to be in the middle of insurance claims or a lawsuit between neighbors. Some insurance companies won’t allow you to name your co-op or condo as an insured party.
Sitting on the border of New York and Connecticut, Armonk, NY is a hamlet in the town of New Castle in Westchester County. Armonk can keep property taxes lower than its Westchester neighbors with various companies (IBM, Swiss Re, M.E. Sharpe) headquarters. This feature makes it desirable for those looking to reduce their monthly costs. The land is hilly and filled with forests and boasts the highest point in Westchester county. There was a great deal of new construction in Armonk in the last few decades, creating a diverse housing stock of condos, townhouses, and larger single-family homes, primarily north and west of the Armonk business district.
Population
Just under 5,000 people live in Armonk’s 6.1 square miles of rolling hills, and its lack of a train station keeps it from being overrun by commuters (the nearest is a 10-minute drive away).
Still, the village’s walkable business district, new restaurants, and first-rate schools increasingly draw young families from Manhattan.
Commute to Grand Central via Metro North
Armonk, New York has no train station but many commutes via neighboring Chappaqua’s train station. The more challenging train commute to New York City helps to keep the town filled with more local workers.
Grand Central 45m. by car
LGA 40m. by car
Westchester County Airport 10m. by car
Boundaries
East to West Byram Lake Road to Whipporwill Road
North to South Bretton Ridge Road to Orchard Road
Nearby Neighborhoods Bedford Hills, Chappaqua, Thornwood, Greenwich
The array of food and cultural options; hanging out in Armonk Square on Main Street, a development with a mix of specialty shops, restaurants, and apartments.
What To Expect: A dizzying spectrum of retail and real estate options.
Main Street, studded with mom-and-pop shops, offers everything from doughnuts to bicycles. Nearby lies Armonk Square—a relatively new retail hub with a mix of restaurants, specialty shops, and residences. This area includes apartments, gated communities, and free-standing homes on lots up to a half-acre.
Farther from the town center, you’ll find multi-acre estates.
The Lifestyle: Unpretentious luxury living in the country.
The new downtown has more of a Hamptons than Westchester vibe with its high-end fashion boutiques and gourmet food shops. And if you want a highly private 10-acre property with a pool, a tennis court, and gated security, you can find it.
But the community is still close-knit, reliably coming together for charming events like Frosty Day with cocoa and face painting every winter.
Unexpected Appeal of Armonk, NY: The hamlet’s Revolutionary War–era history.
The iconic Smith’s Tavern on Bedford Road was the wartime headquarters for the local militia and is now a museum. Benedict Arnold’s co-conspirator, Major John André, was held in a local barn before hanging in 1780 in nearby Tappan, N.Y.
The Armonk Market: Lots of square footage and relatively new construction.
Occasionally buyers can find modest properties, like a 1960s split-level ranch. But the market tends to be dominated by sprawling colonials built sometime during the past few decades.
You’ll Fall In Love With The burgeoning food and cultural scene.
Armonk, NY, offers a wood-fired Neopolitan pizzeria, a premium grocer with a craft beer bar, innovative farm-to-table and New American restaurants (one with a James Beard award), a wine store from the former Blue Hill at Stone Barns wine director, plus a top-notch theater company and nationally famous fall arts festival.
Ardsley, located in Westchester County in New York, is a small town with a population of 4,502. Its zip code is 10502, roughly 22 miles from New York City, and the 351st largest community in New York State. The village is part of the town named Greenburgh, but don’t confuse it with Ardsley-on-Hudson, which is part of the town known as Irvington. Ardsley, NY, is not on the Hudson Valley River, surrounded by the Sprain Brook and Saw Mill River parkways, and it is near Dobbs Ferry, Yonkers, Irvington, and Scarsdale.
While technically not a river town, Ardsley is considered one by its residents and neighbors. Ardsley borders Dobbs Ferry and Scarsdale, and the city does not have a Metro-North station. Still, many residents travel to the nearby Dobbs Ferry, Scarsdale, Hartsdale, Hastings-on-Hudson, and White Plains stations, giving them flexible commuting schedules. Ardsley school ratings have increased dramatically in recent years, making it a desirable place for many families.
If you speak to Ardsley residents about their town, they will talk to you about their sports teams. It’s also one of the best common school districts in Westchester.
Girls’ and boys’ varsity teams have recently won state championships. Ardsley Little League at McDowell fields is also significant. The town supports the home sporting events, and you can feel the spirit and energy of the crowd.
The Town Feel
People cite this compact, beautiful village with a close-knit community as an escape from the chaos of city life, namely in New York City. The houses are on tree-lined streets with excellent curb appeal and are stately and manicured.
The one-square-mile village has a town square known for its tall clock at the corner of Ashford Avenue and Route 9A.
Home Ownership and Housing
91% of Ardsley residents own a home, not a rental. That’s a pretty big deal. Therefore, it suggests that Ardsley is a village where (most) people from New York City move to settle down or to raise a family.
It is a safe, low-crime-rate suburb close to the city, but it is still far enough to offer that small-town feel people seek.
The types of homes in Ardsley are varied. Colonials, as expected, rule the neighborhood, but there are a surprising number of split-level houses, Capes, and ranches.
The high rate of homeownership is due to properties designed for single-family homes. Because most adult residents are college-educated, they support education so their children can receive the best school experience. The median sale price of a house is between $695,900 and $768,000. Thus, Ardsley can be an expensive place to settle down.
Home prices are among the most expensive in Westchester County and rank among the most expensive places to buy in the U.S. Therefore, this isn’t the place to look for housing bargains. Few homes are for sale in Ardsley, suggesting that people stay here for a long time. To back up that claim, about 75% to 80% have lived in their single-family homes for at least five years.
The downside of wanting to live in Ardsley is that purchasing a house here is prohibitively expensive. Those who can’t afford to live here move to Dobbs Ferry, where home prices are slightly lower. However, it is possible to live in Ardsley by purchasing a condo or renting an apartment. Houlihan Lawrence says condominium prices generally range from $400,000 to $675,000.
Lastly, renting a one- or two-bedroom apartment ranges from $1,500 to $2,000.
Ardsley Demographics
Residents in Ardsley are wealthy and educated. About 65% of adult residents have completed a 4-year college degree, and many have received a master’s degree, an M.D., a law degree, and a Ph.D. According to city data and DATA USA, the median household income for Ardsley residents is $132,778 a year for those who work in a white-collar profession. Here is the average age of Ardsley residents:
The average age of a resident in Ardsley is 55 years old.
The breakdown is that 19% are between 45 and 54 years old.
And 16% are between 55 and 64 years old.
Ardsley’s population is older, mainly comprised of married couples with children. Although residents are primarily Caucasian, the area is also racially diverse. Many Asians live here, as do people of Irish, Italian, Russian, Polish, and German descent.
The School System
The Ardsley Union Free School District serves students in grades K-12. It is one of the best middle school districts in Westchester, NY, and here’s why. According to the Department of Education, Ardsley public schools spend $26,712 per student, and the average school expenditure in the U.S. is $12,383.
The elementary, middle, and high schools are public schools rated 8, 9, and 9 concurrently on GreatSchools.org.
And according to Niche, the site ranked the Ardsley school in Westchester at #33 as the best school district in New York with many students. It has 2,261 students throughout the grades and a student-teacher ratio of 12 to 1.
The student-teacher ratio is 20 to 7 at the highly-rated and acclaimed Bronx High School of Science. In the Ardsley school system, 77% of students are at least proficient in math, and 76% are proficient in reading. The school offers A.P. classes.
Don’t worry about someone burglarizing your house. Ardsley has a meager crime rate. The crime is ranked on a scale of 1 (common crime) to 100 (high crime)
• Violent crime is 7.5. vs. the U.S. average is 22.7. • Property crime is 16.3. vs. the U.S. average is 35.4.
Public Transportation
Due to the high salaries that Ardsley residents have, most of them work in New York City, where the average income is about the same as in Ardsley. Ardsley is thus a commuter town. One downside is that it takes Ardsley residents longer to get to work if they work in New York City. Getting to New York Grand Central Terminal from Ardsley takes roughly 30 minutes, and the national average for people who commute to work is 26.4 minutes.
Residents ride the Metro-North train station to get to Manhattan from Ardsley, NY, and vice versa; the town is such an escape—and a small leafy enclave—that it doesn’t have a train stop.
The closest Metro-North station is Dobbs Ferry, but many residents also utilize farther stops, which gives them more flexible commuting schedules.
A limited number of parking permits are available at the Dobbs Ferry station. Contact the Village Clerk’s office at 914-693-1550 for more information. The downside is limited parking, and parking permits are hard to get.
Thus, those who use Metro-North do not drive alone to the train station; they are accompanied by someone who can guide them there and drop them off.
New York City is available via the Ardsley-on-Hudson train station, served by Metro-North Railroad’s Hudson Line, and the Hartsdale train station and Scarsdale station, served by Metro-North Railroad’s Harlem Line.
Life in Ardsley: Outdoor Activities and More
Ardsley, NY, is picturesque, with verdant hills, winding roads, and plenty of green spaces. The village’s offerings are more than expected from such a small village. It has nine parks with over 60 acres of parkland.
Six are small parks, and four have playgrounds, athletic fields, and significant areas for picnics and gatherings. There are also hiking trails and a chain of lakes and reservoirs for fishing enthusiasts. Ashford Avenue is part of the main street, which connects the towns of Scarsdale and Dobbs Ferry.
Located at the eastern end of Ashford Avenue is the Louis Pascone Memorial Park. The park is an enormous grassy hub filled with basketball and tennis courts, a skate park, picnic areas, and playgrounds. Here, at the park’s pavilion—think Gilmore Girls—with summer concerts.
The village even has its branch of the Westchester County Library System.
Many residents attend a community center and annual events, including the Fireman’s Carnival, Egg Hunt, and Ice Cream Social.
Westchester County is a county in New York State in the New York metro area. It lies to the immediate north of the New York City borough of the Bronx. Many of its villages and towns serve as bedroom communities for commuters to New York City, but Westchester is also open for business. Pepsico, IBM, MasterCard, Reader’s Digest, and other prominent corporations have headquarters here. But it’s not all work and no play. There’s plenty to see and do in the county.
Just 30 minutes from Manhattan lies Westchester County, the heart of the magnificent Hudson Valley. Our beautiful home offers a unique mix of charming country villages, picturesque waterfront towns, and sophisticated urban centers.
Westchester County has rich historical, cultural, and natural attractions, with thousands of acres of public parks, preserves, trails, golf courses, and gardens. Whether you’re looking for a rejuvenating day trip or a more extended getaway, we’re confident you’ll find a great time here.
River or Long Island Sound. Explore a Gilded Age mansion, a Revolutionary-era manor, or an extraordinary formal garden. Catch a performance at one of our historic theaters or an exhibit at our excellent museums. Westchester County is also home to Playland Amusement Park, where you can catch a thrill on our wooden roller coaster, the Dragon Coaster.
Our nationally accredited parks system boasts everything from picturesque nature trails and world-class golf courses to beautiful pools and beaches. There is truly something for everyone.
Westchester’s culinary scene is as spectacular as our scenery, with notable farm-to-table restaurants, prominent celebrity chefs, and a flourishing craft beverage industry. We can serve up whatever cuisine and atmosphere you’re craving — from refined bistros to historic inns, cozy neighborhood taverns to elegant waterfront dining rooms, from American classics to a wide range of global gastronomy.
Westchester county population
This county ranks number two (after NYC) for wealthiest areas in New York State and is the seventh wealthiest county nationally. Westchester has long been associated with “old money,” and some of the country’s most affluent families for generations have lived “upstate” to escape the crowds of New York City but close enough to the Big Apple for business or pleasure.
The county maintains its rural appeal with thousands of acres of parks and through a political system of townships containing villages containing hamlets that discourage large cities and preserves small municipalities.
Although Westchester is home to nearly one million residents, a town like Briarcliff Manor has a population of just under 8,000. Small businesses abound in the towns and villages, and you’ll need to visit the larger cities and towns like Yonkers, White Plains, and Mt Kisco to find national chain stores and malls.
European settlement of the area began with enormous tracts of farmland held by Dutch manor lords, and some of their place names continue to this day, such as Tappan Zee (the Tappan Sea), Peekskill (Peek’s Creek), and Verplank (from van der Planken, near the bridge). Other names honor the Native Americans who lived here, like Ossining, Mount Kisco (allegedly named for Chief Cisqua), and the Kitchiwan neighborhood of Ossining.
The political geography of Westchester confuses locals and visitors alike. The county has cities, towns, villages, and hamlets, many of which share names and sometimes overlap. ZIP (postal) codes don’t follow municipal boundaries, so the place names in street addresses often don’t match the city, town, or village where the lesson resides.
Old Croton Aqueduct. Go hiking or biking on the railway that tops the original (now defunct) water supply to New York City. The trail runs on the county’s western side, passing through Yonkers, Hastings-on-Hudson, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, Briarcliff Manor, Ossining, and Croton-on-Hudson.edit
Visit a farmer’s market or farmstand. Farms are scarce in this primarily suburban county, but agriculture is alive and well in the form of farmers’ markets. Find markets like Pleasantville, Tarrytown, Larchmont, Lewisboro, Pound Ridge, and Ossining.
You can still find a few orchards and farms in the county’s northern end that offer pick-your-own fruit and vegetables in season.
Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, in Sleepy Hollow’s Pocantico Hills village, promotes regional agriculture through educational programs, demonstration gardens, and greenhouses.
Taste local vintages. There are two wineries in the county. See Pleasantville.
You can enjoy the historic amusement park at Playland in the City of Rye (circa 1928).
Take sailing lessons at the Croton Sailing School, Senasqua Rd, Croton-on-Hudson, +1 800-859-SAIL.
Rent a kayak, take a guided tour, or launch your kayak/canoe. Annsville Creek Paddlesport Center, Route 6 & 202, Annsville Circle, Cortlandt Manor, +1 914 739-2588. A good starting point for paddling the scenic Hudson Highlands.
Follow Ichabod Crane’s route. Fans of Washington Irving’s Legend of Sleepy Hollow can follow the path of Ichabod Crane from the center of Tarrytown north into Sleepy Hollow. But don’t expect to find the “Western Woods” or anything else from the 1999 movie Sleepy Hollow.
Oakland Beach – Westchester’s small beach on the Long Island Sound, with restaurant Seaside Johnny’s right on the property.
Yonkers Raceway Casino and racetrack.
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