New Rochelle, NY, June 22, 2023 – To enhance convenience, enjoyment, and community engagement at the train station, the City of New Rochelle is thrilled to launch ‘Commute-a ti’, an innovative program and experience for both residents and visitors. Highlighting local businesses and talent, Commute-a ti is a multi-faceted and diverse array of activations that will enhance and fill this historic space during peak travel hours multiple times each month from June through the end of September.
Commute-a ti kicked off this month and features
- Morning coffee, every Tuesday and Thursday from 6:30-9:30 AM at pop-up cafés, with steaming coffee from local purveyors rotating monthly beginning with Casaroma for the months of June and July and continuing with neighborhood favorites.
- Afternoon flowers, food & fun! On the second and fourth Thursdays from 3:30-7:30 PM, commuters will have the opportunity to bring home fresh bouquets, a culinary treat, or artisan-made wares from New Rochelle and Westchester local businesses that will rotate each month. The shopping experience on June 22 features fragrant blossoms from Araceli Flowers, delicious cookies and warm delights from The Draper Baker, exquisite jewelry and candles from Wynnen – and much more! Upcoming dates are July 13 and 27 and August 10 and 24.
- Exciting collaborations: A carousel of community-based programming, from informative installations to the works of local artists, will be on display at each activation, starting with an exhibit from New Rochelle High School Senior AP Art students.
The busiest stop on the Metro-North New Haven line and the only Amtrak station stop along the Sound Shore, New Rochelle’s train station is a prominent regional attraction, a true gem for the entire community. In May, the City announced a partnership with FXCollaborative to re-envision the entire transit center, with aesthetic upgrades and improved walkability, pedestrian flow, and bicycle access. The Commute-a ti popups are the first of many activations planned for the site.
"Beyond its vital importance as a transit center and gateway, our train station has the potential to serve as a true community hub,” said Mayor Noam Bramson. “Through this creative initiative, we hope to make the daily commute more enjoyable, while also inviting all residents to shop, appreciate local artisans, or just have a great cup of coffee."
"As we launch the Commute-a ti program in New Rochelle, we are not only enhancing the daily commute experience, but we are also driving economic development and growth within our city,” said Adam Salgado, Deputy City Manager and Development Commissioner of the City of New Rochelle. “The platform we are creating for local businesses, makers, and artists gives them opportunities to thrive and will be a catalyst for future innovation.”
“Commute-a ti brings much-needed amenities to commuters and travelers, and elevates the train station as a welcoming space for connections and gathering,” said Kathleen Gill, City Manager of the City of New Rochelle. “This activation is typical of what we envision for the station and the transit center as we begin the design process for its transformation.”
“A clever play on words, Commute-a ti (pronounced “community”) represents the meaningful link between the community and its commuters,” said Melissa Panszi Riebe, consultant and coordinator for the activation. “It incorporates the Spanish phrasing “a ti” meaning "and you", to welcome everyone who makes their way through the New Rochelle train station during their daily ongoings and business with a unique experience that will brighten their day.”
To learn more about the Commute-a ti program and upcoming events at the train station visit www.newrochelleny.com/events