The New Huguenot Luxury Residential High-Rise Is A Family Affair

NEW ROCHELLE, NY —Based on outward appearances, the sleek and contemporary new Huguenot building downtown doesn't seem like a mom-and-pop business, but once through the spotless glass doors, it starts to become clear that this is a different sort of place than the luxury towers that have dramatically changed the New Rochelle skyline in the past few years.

Despite the sleek modern look of the brand-new residential building, the family that owns the Huguenot takes pride in running the property like a small business on a grand scale.

"The Huguenot is proud to be a family owned and operated company," the Huguenot website boasts. "We understand that you aren't just renting an apartment, but making a home. It is our mission to provide our tenants with an unparalleled experience, so that each time they walk through the door, they always feel that they've come home."

The claim sounds like a well-polished marketing spiel, but the promise is unexpectedly genuine. When Patch caught up with building owner Frank Chechile at a recent Huguenot open house, he was busy helping a tenant track down an important package that FedEx delivered to the building's automated locker system.

"We're a full-service organization," Chechile joked, but he said that his parents who built the business from humble beginnings wouldn't have it any other way.

Chechile explained the Huguenot origin story from the roof deck of the recently opened luxury high-rise.

"My parents ran a gas station right over there for years," he said pointing toward Main Street. "Just as an investment, they bought some property across the street. My dad did all the maintenance and mom did the books and collected the rent checks."

Chechile said convincing his parents to move forward with the ambitious project on the patch of property where they once spent their work week renting U-Haul trucks, required a promise to maintain that same spirit of personal connection that the couple practiced as neighborhood small business owners. That promise was kept in striking contrast to the nearby large development projects that have become prolific in the downtown corridor.

In fact, Chechile's son lives on-site and manages the high-rise residential building.

Steel and glass skyscrapers seem to sprout up almost daily in New Rochelle and some see parallels to the recent development rush that changed Brooklyn forever and, in many cases, gentrified neighborhoods and priced out longtime residents. Chechile said development here is taking a much different course. Despite New Rochelle's convenience to Manhattan, he said he is seeing surprisingly few new tenants who regularly commute to New York City.

"The appeal of living in New Rochelle is living in New Rochelle," Chechile said. "The train station is just minutes away, but we aren't seeing a lot of people from Manhattan looking to relocate. We are seeing a lot of people from other areas in New Rochelle who are excited about being part of a downtown revival."

The Huguenot is also becoming somewhat of an incubator for the next generation of small business owners. The couple who will run the soon-to-open coffee shop, Casaroma, in the building's retail space, are also residents at the property. Yaretsy Flores and Kevin Rucker said in addition to selling a damn fine cup of joe, the new venture will focus on culture, community and collaboration, making the small business a perfect fit in the big building with a neighborly vibe.

If Chechile takes an obvious joy in telling the story of his parents building a future in the city he has a special connection to, when he switches gears to show off the Hugonot's amenities and technological marvels, he takes on the demeanor of a house-proud new homeowner as he points out the plans for the rooftop community space and the amenities of the spacious top floor apartments.

Knowing your landlord on a first name basis has its advantages, but the Huguenot is a far cry from renting an attic room from a retired widow. The six-story newly built residential building features amenities that include a free pet salon, a fitness center complete with Peloton bikes and rooftop community areas with fire pits, grills and a view of both the Manhattan skyline and the Long Island Sound.