Real Estate Deal to Renovate Yorktown Historic House

A deal has been negotiated to award a contract to Mark Franzoso of Franzoso Contracting for the for the price of $150,000. 

Yorktown town board members agreed last week to sell the deteriorating town-owned property, which has been controversial over the last two decades. 

The home, an 1840s farmhouse named for the tenant farmers who built it and the couple who once lived there, is located at 3147 Old Yorktown Road. Yorktown realtor Will Primavera brokered the deal on behalf of the town and told town board members Mark Franzoso of Franzoso Contracting will be paying $150,000 in cash for the house and property. In addition, there will be no contingencies in the contract. 

Primavera said Franzoso, whose company is located in is Croton-on-Hudson, is "turning out to be a real benefactor to the [Yorktown] community."

"There are all these benefits to the town," Primavera said of the deal. "I think he's given a fair price given what it's going to cost."

Franzoso's plans include restoring the barn and the house, using "green materials." The restored barn would be then made available to small theatre groups, seniors citizens, Yorktown schools for events and other non-profit groups for meetings, fundraisers and entertainment. 

In addition, the property would be subdivided to allow the contractor to build a second house on the site and either sell it at market value or make it available for rent.

"My plan would be to restore the house to a pristine condition, inside and out, using only the highest grade materials which, while green and state-of-the art, would show total respect to the history and original look of the house," Franzoso said in his proposal to the town.

Town board members , which had fallen into disrepair in the 20 years since it was bequeathed to the town of Yorktown in the will of Helen Bernstein.

Since the town took over the home two decades ago, it's presented somewhat of a challenge for the town – considering whether it should be kept by the town or how best to dispose of it.

Two years ago, the Adams-Bernstein House was among a number of town-owned properties that were put through a public auction. It was sold at the  for $170,000, but the highest bidder Hugo Rivas backed out of closing, losing his deposit.

Primavera had  to have the property serve as a Yorktown Visitors Center and the office of the Yorktown Chamber of Commerce. He also envisioned the space to be shared with the Yorktown Museum. Then,  and have it developed for affordable housing. That offer also was also turned down.

"I have been working for more than nine years to solve the dilemma of this once-beautiful home falling into disrepair as our town’s most dilapidated building," Primavera told Patch .

The Adams-Bernstein house was built around 1830 and features 2,284 square feet, three bedrooms, one bathroom and a working fireplace. In addition there is an old barn on the property, built around the same time, where at the turn of the last century, calves and cows were sold. The property has 6.327 acres, of which 3.702 acres are protected by a conservation easement. 

The town received two offers on the property, but the second offer, according to Primavera, offered less cash and no guarantee the prospect would save the house. 

Primavera said it would take Franzoso about a year and half to restore the house.

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