Community center in Katonah highlights construction progress

Executive Director Clare Murray drops coins into the new foundation. NWCC PHOTOS

Laying concrete for the new addition’s foundation.

By JEFF MORRIS

The construction project that will expand the Community Center of Northern Westchester’s Katonah home is proceeding on budget and on schedule, according to the organization.

CCNW announced that since they turned the site at 84 Bedford Road, Katonah, over to contractor William A. Kelly and Co., “things are progressing quickly and changes are happening every day.”

In a series of photos, they showed concrete being poured for a new addition; a stripped-down exterior wall being fitted with new windows, doors and insulation; and completion of the concrete block structure housing a new elevator tower and stairwell.

All of this progress is visible to anyone passing the site, adjacent to the Katonah Shopping Center, now surrounded by a chain-link fence.

In addition, CCNW related the story of one of its dedicated volunteers, a retired contractor, who shared a tradition: “He used to toss a handful of coins into the foundation of every project as a symbol of good luck, prosperity, and love.” 

Inspired by his story, Clare Murray, CCNW executive director, took a few coins from one of their community donation jars and placed them into the foundation before the concrete was poured. “It felt especially meaningful knowing those coins came directly from the people who have made this dream possible — our extraordinary community,” Murray said.

The organization said it has made “significant progress” on its building expansion project, “an initiative fueled by community support and designed to better serve many of our neighbors in need.” 

Since the start of construction, the land has been cleared, water filtration basins installed, foundations poured and waterproofed, the elevator tower and stairwell walls have been erected, and interior work has begun on the renovation of the original building.

The expanded facility, more than double the size of the original building, will enhance access, increase storage and program space, and “help us meet our community’s needs with dignity and care.” 

CCNW had cared for thousands of neighbors with food, clothing, and programs from the original 3,500-square-foot facility for 28 years.

The long-delayed plan for CCNW to expand was facilitated in 2023 when, after five years of negotiations, the town of Bedford was able to arrange for the parcel it was leasing to the organization to be conveyed to it by New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection, which owned the land. That allowed the town to develop a long-term lease with CCNW.

Final approval for CCNW’s plans to expand the existing building was granted by the Bedford Planning Board in April 2024, and in September it granted site plan approval for a temporary location in Bedford Hills.

CCNW moved donations, food pantry, clothing boutique, some ancillary related services, and administrative offices to the temporary site, at 669 Bedford Road near Green Lane in Bedford Hills, in January. The move enabled a safer, faster project at the Katonah location.

The organization anticipated it would need to relocate for approximately 16 to 18 months. CCNW now confirms that it hopes to be back in its renovated home in March or April of next year.

For more information visit communitycenternw.org.