NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (May 6, 2026) — New Rochelle is considering a plan that would tear down three of the four remaining beach clubs on Davenport Neck and replace them with luxury housing, a proposal that has alarmed neighborhood residents, those who rely on the affordable clubs and proponents of affordable housing.
The Surf Club, the Green Tree and the VIP Club are on the chopping block. The Davenport would be the sole remaining beach club.
City officials, including Development Commissioner Adam Salgado and City Manager Wil Melendez, are expected to attend the third in a series of community conversations about the future of Davenport Neck on Monday, May 11, at Trinity Elementary School Auditorium, 180 Pelham Road, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The proposal also calls for enhancing marinas on Davenport Neck to include housing. Davenport residents have raised concerns about density levels in the new zoning proposal, while some New Rochelle residents have objected to the loss of three affordable clubs.
Beach clubs have been a fixture on Davenport Neck for decades, part of a long transformation of the peninsula from Native American encampment to Gilded Age estate land to waterfront recreation. With the advent of the steamboat, New Rochelle became an enormously popular waterfront destination by the mid-1800s, and Davenport Neck drew the summer homes of wealthy families. In the decades that followed, the mansions gave way to country clubs and marinas. The conversion of beach clubs to luxury housing is not new — Beckwith Pointe was previously converted to luxury condominiums.
For questions about the event, contact Kevin Kain, Director of Planning & Sustainability, at 914-654-2191 or kkain@newrochelleny.gov.
This article was prepared with the assistance of AI tools under the direction and editing of Robert Cox.
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