Brick roads, adding much to the character and appeal of Bronxville, were built on the steepest parts of the Lawrence Park Hilltop, a National Historic District, early in the last century to provide more traction when going up and down the hill. Through the years, many have been paved over, but the Conservancy felt that these historic roads are such an important part of village history that we should make every effort to preserve the ones that are left. Brick roads not only add to the charm of the neighborhood, but also properly laid, last well over 100 years.
On September 8, 2014 Bronxville’s village trustees voted to approve the Conservancy’s request to restore and rebuild one of the village’s historic brick roads. The Conservancy agreed to buy and ship to Bronxville the bricks required to restore the road in return for the Department of Public Works installing the brick roadway.
The restoration on the portion of Park Avenue that leads down from the Hilltop — running eastward from Wellington Circle down to Tanglewylde Avenue — was completed in June 2016.
WATCH THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY
Paved with yellow brick nearly 100 years ago, a portion of Park Avenue — running eastward from Wellington Circle down to Tanglewylde Avenue — has developed an extremely uneven surface. It has become high-centered between deep tire-track grooves and underground water seepage creates icy conditions in winter and generally weakens the roadbed. Many of the bricks have cracked and cannot be salvaged.
Of concern to the Conservancy was the possibility that the Village Board, in weighing financial and other considerations, would pave over a road in a neighborhood that is in the National Register of Historic Places.
To underscore its commitment to preserve this very tangible part of our history, the Conservancy pledged $67,500 to buy and do the necessary research to locate suitable antique bricks nearly matching the originals. Due in large part to the Conservancy’s preservation efforts, on September 8, 2014, Bronxville Board of Trustees voted unanimously to restore the street by installing bricks. After paying for the cost of rebuilding the roadbed, controlling the water seepage, and creating an asphalt base, the Village will pay an additional $115,850 to cover the cost of installing the bricks.
Some of Bronxville’s most famous homes are in Lawrence Park and the brick and cobblestone lanes are part of the charm that has created this highly valued and well known area of the village. The brick and granite block roads on the steepest hills add much to the character and appeal of Bronxville as a community.
