Re-build and re-invent: The watchwords for the city of Yonkers to move development forward

Re-build and re-invent are the watchwords for the city of Yonkers to move development forward despite a national economy that remains in slow gear. Re-invention starts with the city's downtown waterfront, where buildings that once housed the world's biggest elevator factory are becoming home to cutting edge developers of internet, bio-technology, and communications products. "If you had to name one deal that summarizes what is happening in Yonkers today, it would be Mindspark's move to I-Park, which is the new name for the former Otis elevator factory," said Yonkers mayor Mike Spano who chairs the city's Industrial Development Agency. "The exposed brick, high ceilings, and large floorplates provide great space for companies looking to get away from the traditional corporate home," Spano said. "Not to mention the great views of the Hudson River." Mindspark, formerly located in White Plains, moved to its new Yonkers headquarters with incentives provided by the Yonkers IDA, expanding its workforce which now includes more than 100 high paying tech industry jobs. Although Kawasaki still uses much of I-Park to assemble light rail cars, the remaining space is increasingly attractive to new-economy companies. As higher paying jobs move in, so do ancillary uses. Recently the Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) opened a pop-up gallery to showcase art by recent F.I.T. graduates. A few blocks from I-Park is the former city jail, recently purchased by art collector Daniel Wolf and architect Maya Lin. Wolf plans to house his collection there, while Lin plans to design a new floor of studio lofts. The purchase and renovation of the 1926 building was also assisted by the YIDA. "The waterfront's time has come," said YIDA president Ken Jenkins, "The old industrial and semi-industrial uses are going to give way to housing, restaurants, and other uses that capitalize on the Hudson River. We are reinventing the downtown, and rebuilding what is the greatest stretch of available waterfront in Westchester." Yonkers has won urban planning awards for the daylighting of the Saw Mill River, which involved ripping up a parking lot that had been built over the river many years ago to expose the waters, and building a linear park along its banks. "Where you once had nothing but parked cars, we have wildlife including the recent sighting of a beaver and glass eels that come thousands of miles from the Sargasso Sea to spawn here," said Spano, "Investors want an attractive environment for residents and workers. We are creating that." The city recently broke ground for the next two phases of the daylighting, which will expose new sections of the river and create a promenade that will run up to the city hall area along New Main St. Another great opportunity for investors is taking place as the city issues a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the 13 acre "Chicken Island" property that lies between Nepperhan Ave. and New Main St. Previous plans called for the property to become a minor league baseball stadium as part the SFC mega-development plan. SFC is now focusing on a mid-rise residential project along the waterfront and has relinquished its right to Chicken Island. Spano said the RFQ will be wide open with regard to a vision for the tract of land. "We want to hear what developers feel makes the most sense," Spano said. "The baseball stadium never had good economics behind it. Let's hear what investors think makes the most sense. We may want to refine a plan, but at the core it has to be something that a developer believes will be viable." Development isn't limited to the city's downtown and waterfront. The city is seeing a spate of hotel development, ranging from the South Westchester Executive Park near the Hastings border, to the Cross County Shopping Center in the city's southern zone. Jenkins expects a third nationally-branded hotel plan will be announced within the next two months. "The Marriotts, Sheratons and Hyatts have realized that Yonkers is a great place to access both the Hudson Valley and New York City markets," said Jenkins. Yonkers recently kicked off a new regional advertising campaign, dubbed "Generation Yonkers" to attract investors. "When investors come here they like what they see," said Spano. "We want to encourage them to take that first look." The $350,000 initial phase of the campaign will utilize regional print, web-based media, and radio, and Spano expects it will be carried into the fall. "We are serious about investment, and even more serious about offering reasonable incentives to developers," said Spano. "Despite a choppy economy we are still seeing a steady stream of development in Yonkers. Our goal is to keep it going."