Mount Kisco, New York
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mount Kisco is both a village and a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 9,983 at the 2000 census. The Village of Mount Kisco was incorporated in 1875 and was partly in the towns of Bedford and New Castle. In 1978, the village chose to become a town in its own right and joins several villages in the state that have made a like choice. The Town of Mount Kisco is coterminous with the village.
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 8.1 km² (3.1 mi²), all land.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 9,983 people, 3,993 households, and 2,447 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,231.5/km² (3,194.0/mi²). There were 4,103 housing units at an average density of 506.1/km² (1,312.7/mi²). The large number of small businesses, retail stores, and financial and medical offices swells the daytime population to more than 20,000. The racial makeup of the village was 77.79% White, 5.99% African American, 0.28% Native American, 4.24% Asian, 9.03% from other races, and 2.67% from two or more races. 24.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 3,993 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the village the population was spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 37.0% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $55,420, and the median income for a family was $68,219. Males had a median income of $45,428 versus $40,040 for females. The per capita income for the village was $32,424. About 7.4% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.0% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Commercial hub
Situated in the center of northern Westchester County, Mount Kisco is often referred to as "the commercial hub" of northern Westchester. Often, people from surrounding towns and counties come to shop at the village's array of stores. It has been said that the population of the village doubles on key shopping days.
The shopping corridors are on South Moger Avenue, Main Street/Route 117, and the site of the former Manufacturer's Outlet Center, which today houses a Target, an A&P grocery store and several small businesses that were temporarily displaced by the construction of Target and A&P. One side effect of the village's commercial viability has been its steady increase in car traffic since the mid-1990's. This is in addition to an increase in development in the surrounding towns. Congestion is a common complaint among village residents.
Recently there has been controversy over the eviction of several popular stores and eateries in the South Moger Avenue district. Raised rents forced the vacancy of Villarina's, an italian deli, which moved to Chappaqua where store space is actually cheaper. Mount Kisco Deli, a kosher deli, moved to White Plains (the storefront space has since been replaced with an Ann Taylor, which combined the former deli's square-footage, with that of another recently-departed store called Tanos). Sam Goody, the Woodworker's Toy Store, and Round the Corner Cafe closed their doors with no relocation possible. A Bank of America replaced Sam Goody's former space, and acquired the square footage formerly occupied by Villarina's. At the center of the controversy is New York City-based Friedland Properties, which claims that it is following normal market values, while critics have alleged that it is throwing out decent stores in search for more upscale stores.
[edit] Famous residents
- Publisher and TV personality Bennett Cerf spent much of his time in Mount Kisco, where he had an estate.
- Michael Eisner was born in Mount Kisco.
- Rabbi Chaim Michael Dov Weissmandl re-established the Nitra Yeshiva of Slovakia in Mount Kisco after World War II.
- Dar Williams, singer-songwriter and folk-pop musician, was born in Mount Kisco.
- John Schneider, actor, was born in Mount Kisco.
- Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr., publisher of The New York Times, was born in Mount Kisco.
- DMX owns a house near Mount Kisco.
- Singer Rob Thomas lives in Mount Kisco.
[edit] Trivia
- The well known American Girl "Samantha"'s house in the American Girl book series is based on a house on Route 133 in Mount Kisco.
- The movie Ragtime was filmed in Mount Kisco.
- The movie Fatal Attraction had scenes filmed inside the actual Mount Kisco Police Department headquarters.
[edit] External links
- Official website
- Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce
- InTown Westchester Magazine
- The Journal News, the local newspaper
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
