Westvale, New York

"Westvale" as an identity probably evolved in the early 20th century; it refers to the area west of Wescott Reservoir, accessed by, but mostly south of, West Genesee Street (since the Village of Solvay was to the north). Farther west was Fairmount, which developed earlier than most of Westvale, where the land was held off the market. The "Avery Tract" lay between the reservoir and the City of Syracuse. The Avery Tract became part of the Village of Solvay. The core of Westvale was farmland retained by a major landowning family of New York State, the Schuylers. he branch holding title to much of the property was the Parsons, recalled by Parsons Drive, a centerpiece residential boulevard with a grassy median, off West Genesee Street.^{[citation needed]}

A few Westvale houses predate suburban development. The Parsons farmhouse was replaced by development at the end of the 20th century. West Genesee Street has a few late 19th century residences. Early 20th century streets show houses in styles of the period, especially the 1920s and 1930s. After World War II, development was rapid, and most houses of Westvale now date from the later twentieth century. Westvale Plaza, one of the earliest suburban "malls" of the region, appeared in the Avery Tract shortly after World War II. It is extant as a "strip mall," while Fairmount Fair, immediately beyond Westvale to the west, came later. Its interior pedestrian concourse was roofed over about 1967, making it the first indoor, climate-controlled shopping mall in Central New York.^{[citation needed]}

The stretch of West Genesee Street between the Avery Tract and Fairmout was spared commercial development through the political activism of the Westvale-Avery Club, a men's organization.

The majority of Westvale census-designated place is in the Westhill Central School District. A portion is in the West Genesee Central School District^[7]

Westvale was once part of the Village of Solvay school district. Cherry Road School originally served grades K-8, thereafter students walked to Solvay High School. Since 1962, however, the majority of Westvale has been served by the Westhill Central School District.^{[citation needed]}