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BRONXVILLE, N.Y. Back in June, Dean Lombardo, his father Philip and brother Jeffrey purchased a dilapidated building located at 117 Pondfield Road in Bronxville. The Lombardos wanted to move all of their corporate enterprises to the new building, but Dean, in particular, wanted to relocate his art gallery Objects and Images in Fine Art there.
Dean Lombardo has been selling art in Bronxville for years but did extensive renovations to the new building, which began as a Shell gas station and was most recently a consignment shop.
"I am very fortunate," he said. "I represent a couple of painters who are world class and there is always a high demand for their work."
Despite a steady clientele and a proven product, Lombardo said moving to the new space was still a step he did not take lightly. His family submitted a site plan that would use the footprint of the existing building but expand upward.
In order for anything to be done with the property, the zoning had to be changed through the village board. The process seemed to be moving along, but then came summer, and with it, a reduced number of meetings.
"Things would have gone a lot more quickly if we did not have to change the zoning or if it was not the summer months," Dean Lombardo said. Despite the delays, Lombardo said he found Bronxville officials helpful. "It was a long process but everyone was cooperative.
Down the block, a new store Lisa Jones still has paper covering the windows. The owner of the store that bears her name, Jones said she will sell home and fashion accessories.
Although she is new to Bronxville, Jones, who hopes to open her store within the next week, is not new to the business. A store owner for more than six years, Jones owns one store in Princeton, N.J., and a second in New Haven, Conn.
Jones said there was very few changes made to her storefront located further west on Pondfield Road, but she still needed several permits from the village before she could open.
"It took longer than expected, but everyone tried to make it as easy as possible for us," Jones said, adding that she chose Bronxville because she wanted to have a location where there is pedestrian traffic. "There is such a great energy here."
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