FOX 5 NY on the Yonkers Renaissance
The revitalization of New York’s fourth-largest city is underway. Yonkers, located in Westchester County along the majestic Hudson River, has a lot of love.
CITY OF YONKERS ACCEPTING 2019 NOMINATIONS FOR MAYOR MIKE SPANO’S ANNUAL “WOMEN OF DISTINCTION” AWARD
Award Ceremony Held Annually in Yonkers to Commemorate Women’s History Month
YONKERS, NY – March 4, 2019 – Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano today announced that the City of Yonkers is accepting nominations for the city’s annual “Women of Distinction” Award, presented each year during March to celebrate Women’s History Month. The annual “Women of Distinction” Award recognizes Yonkers women who have served their local community and positively impacted the lives of Yonkers residents. The public can nominate a Yonkers resident as a woman of distinction at www.YonkersNY.gov.
“So often it is our women who give so much of themselves to ensure Yonkers becomes a better city in which to live, work and play. They are our community leaders, educators and agents of social change,” said Mayor Mike Spano. “I encourage our Yonkers residents to nominate the heroes in their lives for our Women of Distinction Award.”
The deadline to submit a nomination is Wednesday, March 20; the award ceremony will be held on Thursday, March 28 at 6:00 pm at Yonkers City Hall (Ceremonial Courtroom, 4th Floor).
About Women’s History Month
Women’s History Month originated in 1981 when Congress passed a resolution requesting President Reagan to commemorate “Women’s History Week.” The President proclaimed the week beginning on March 7, 1982 as the first Women’s History Week and the nation continued to designate a week in March as Women’s History Week until 1987 when the month of March was officially declared “Women’s History Month.” Learn more atwww.womenshistorymonth.gov.
NANCY LIEBERMAN CHARITIES TO OPEN NEW BASKETBALL COURT IN YONKERS
What: Nancy Lieberman Charities in partnership with WorldVentures Foundation and Sport Court, has teamed up with the City of Yonkers to provide a brand new Dream Court to community of Yonkers. John Barton Park sits on half an acre in the city with a playground, swings and beautiful sitting area. Dream Courts are top-quality, multipurpose play spaces built in underserved communities so children have a safe area to shoot hoops, socialize and learn about teamwork and good sportsmanship. Programming funded through a Rotary Grant will begin on the court after the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.
Who: Nancy Lieberman Charities, WorldVentures Foundation and Sport Court® — builds top-quality, multipurpose play spaces in underserved communities so children have safe areas to socialize, play games and learn about teamwork and good sportsmanship. To date, there are 70 courts nationwide.
When: Tuesday, February 26, 2019
3:30 pm – Ribbon Cutting
Where: John Barton Park
High St., Yonkers, NY 10701
Media Opportunities: Nancy Lieberman, Nancy Lieberman Charities founder and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer who made history in 2018 by becoming the 1st Female Head Coach of a Men’s Professional in the BIG3 for team Power, former Sacramento Kings assistant coach in NBA.
Mayor Mike Spano, City of Yonkers
Councilwoman Shanae Williams, City of Yonkers
Pete Spano, Lead Fundraiser
Yonkers Youth
YONKERS MAYOR SPANO ANNOUNCES CALL TO LOCAL ARTISTS FOR SAW MILL RIVER DAYLIGHTED PARK
Artwork to Be Displayed at City’s Newest Public Space, Phase III of the Saw Mill River Daylighting Project
YONKERS, NY – January 24, 2019 – Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, in collaboration with the City’s Department of Planning & Development, is calling for submissions of art to be displayed at the Phase III of the Saw Mill River Daylighting Park at New Main Street. The call to artists aims to connect residents and visitors with original works of art, inspire creativity and continue the revitalization of Yonkers’ waterfront district.
“Yonkers is quickly becoming a destination City for artists to live, work and exhibit,” said Mayor Mike Spano. “Daylighting III is one of the most unique urban revitalization projects in New York State. By local artists contributing to the space, it will only enhance this new and exciting downtown destination for our residents.”
Submissions should be sculpture-themed and should relay themes of environmental awareness, such as the paramount role of the Saw Mill River influencing the return of wildlife native to the area. Another encouraged theme is Veterans due to the presence of the City’s Department of Veterans’ Services, located across from the park.
Public artwork from local artists has been a key component at Daylighting I at Van der Donck Park and at Daylighting II at the Mill Street Courtyard which has brought attention to Yonkers as a new arts and cultural center.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Artists should submit a proposal that includes a narrative describing how their work conveys the theme, specifications such as medium, size, and weight, and the Photoshop rendering of the sculpture. Artists should also include their artist statement, bio, and website. All artists must send progress photos of their work during the duration of its production.
Each artist is responsible for bringing their sculptures on site for execution on Tuesday, April 30, 2019. Personal tours of the park will be provided if requested on weekdays between the hours of 2-4PM. The City will be accepting only one sculpture submission per artist.
The submission deadline is February 11th by noon and must be sent to : CallForArtists@yonkersny.gov. Visit www.YonkersNY.gov/Sculpture for more details.
Artists will be notified on Friday, February 22 if their artwork has been selected.
The Daylighting of the Saw Mill River is a multi-phase development which encompasses new urban river and parks through the heart of downtown Yonkers. Prior to the completion of these projects, the Saw Mill River was buried for nearly a century beneath the City through the 1890s-1920s. The first phase of the daylighted river near the City’s train station, now known as Van Der Donck Park, was completed in 2012 and Phase II at the Mill Street Courtyard was accomplished in 2016. Completed in 2018, Daylighting III is a forward-looking, public oasis that provides the community with accessible green space and an opportunity to connect with the newly uncovered river.
CITY OF YONKERS AWARDED $1.25 MILLION GRANT FOR SAW MILL RIVER DAYLIGHTING PHASE 4 BY MID-HUDSON REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
YONKERS, NY – December 19, 2018 – The City of Yonkers this week was awarded a $1.25 million grant for the continued daylighting of the Saw Mill River by the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council. The grant will help fund Phase 4 of the multi-phase revitalization project which includes a new urban river and parks through the center of downtown Yonkers.
“The daylighting of the Saw Mill River has provided a tremendous boost to Yonkers’ economy, helping to spur economic development, create jobs and bring new businesses to our downtown,” said Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano. “With this new grant, Yonkers will continue to build inviting public parks, uncover the buried river and revitalize the city.”
Mayor Spano continued, “New York State has been instrumental to the success of not only the daylighting project, but Yonkers as a whole. I want to thank Governor Andrew Cuomo, our State Delegation and the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council for their continued commitment and investment in Yonkers.”
Phase 4 of the Daylighting of the Saw Mill River proposes continuing the return of the Saw Mill River to its natural state by ‘daylighting’ it. The river was once buried in a concrete flume throughout downtown in the 1890s-1920s. The City of Yonkers plans to build on the major ecological, economic and educational impacts of earlier Daylighting phases, which have been nationally and internationally acclaimed. Phase 1 and 2 spurred $500 million of housing and mixed-use projects, plus an additional $500 million approved or proposed developments including the $190 million Rising/RXR Realty mixed-use development with 440 units being constructed on the south edge of Phase 1 now known as Van der Donck Park. Several other major residential developments are also under construction, approved or being proposed, continuing the downtown transformation. The daylighting has attracted new restaurants and high-quality tech jobs including 185 employees at the new headquarters of tech giant IAC Applications.
On November 14, 2018, Daylighting Phase 3 was officially completed, which creates a gateway river-themed 1.25 acre park along the Nepperhan Avenue arterial. Phase 3 is a seamless river walk park with the adjacent Phase 4, which will unearth the river near the Chicken Island parking lot, recently purchased by AMS Acquisitions, which plans to construct a major mixed-use redevelopment that will create hundreds of construction and permanent jobs.
The grant award comes from the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation’s (EFC) Green Innovation Grant Program, which previously funded Phase 1, 2 and 3. This EFC grant coupled with the 2016 award of $2.4 million from Empire State Development’s Capital Program now gives Yonkers a total of $3,650,000 for the Phase 4 project.
Yonkers named seventh safest U.S. city
A new survey from WalletHub has named Yonkers among the 10 safest U.S. cities. Across the border in Fairfield County, Bridgeport was ranked as the nation’s 80th safest city.
WalletHub analyzed 184 cities in a 39-item data set ranging from assaults per capita to unemployment rate to road quality. Yonkers ranked seventh in the nation for overall safety, as well as ranking in second place for WalletHub’s “home and community safety” category and fifth place and fifth for fewest traffic fatalities per capita. Yonkers was the sole Westchester city to make the WalletHub list.
Meet Westchester’s Top Women in Business: 19 Top Executives, Entrepreneurs, Government, and Nonprofit Leaders
Christina Gilmartin
Communications Director, City of Yonkers
BY DAVID LEVINE
Politics has been branded as many things. For Christina Gilmartin, it’s “a different type of entertainment.” And she should know. Gilmartin, who oversees the press, social media, marketing, public relations, and external communications for the City of Yonkers and Mayor Mike Spano, previously worked in communications for TV networks. “You use the same skillset, though my crisis-communication skills have been honed here more than in my previous positions,” she laughs.
Gilmartin has always been interested in politics, minoring in political science in college. “I grew up in a household where politics was talked about every day,” she says, adding that her mother was active in Yonkers politics, and the young Gilmartin would tag along with her to meetings and events.
Today, part of Gilmartin’s role is to successfully build public support for initiatives that the mayor is passionate about, such as the Rebuild Yonkers Schools and Ban the Barges campaigns. And she is proud to represent women in her field. “Government tends to be a male-dominated industry,” she says. “We are just starting to see women come to the top, which is a validation that women are just as smart and valuable, and have different and unique points of view than the men in the room.” She also knows the playing field is far from level. “There is still a lot of work ahead of us,” she says.
8 apartment buildings in Yonkers sold for $12.3M: ‘Yonkers is on the rise,’ broker says
YONKERS – Eight rental apartment buildings in the city, with a total of 81 units, have recently been sold for $12.3 million in a package deal, according to NuRealty Advisors, a commercial real estate brokerage firm in Yonkers.
The seller was Rhodium Capital Advisors of New York City, and the buyer was Canvas Blue Development of Scarsdale, according to NuRealty.
Michael Nukho, NuRealty’s principal real estate broker who represented the seller, said he has seen a large influx of investors coming to Yonkers from New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut.
“The reason is Yonkers is on the rise. Values are rising as investors see (Yonkers’) proximity to New York City,” he said. “They see the capital invested in the Yonkers downtown.”
Lukasz Przybylek, NuRealty’s associate real estate broker who represented the buyer, echoed Nukho, saying that so far, the rising interest rates haven’t caused investment slowdown.
As developers and investors flock to Yonkers, the city’s apartment rents are steadily rising.
As of October, the average rent for an apartment in Yonkers is $1,913, up 2 percent from the previous year when the average rent was $1,870, according to RentCafe, a nationwide internet listing service.
The 12.3 million, 81-unit package:
156 Woodworth Ave. — 26 units
50 Fairview St. — 6 units
52 Fairview St. — 6 units
54 Fairview St. — 7 units
12 Orchard Place — 8 units
20 Orchard Place — 8 units
28 Orchard Place —10 units
138 Orchard St. — 10 units
Source: NuRealty Advisors
YONKERS MAYOR MIKE SPANO ANNOUNCES THE SALE OF “CHICKEN ISLAND” TO DEVELOPER AMS ACQUISITIONS LLC
$16 Million Sale of Six Acre Property Allows for Continued Revitalization of Downtown Yonkers
Rendering of Chicken Island Master Plan (Photo: AMS Acquisitions)
YONKERS, NY – October 29, 2018 – Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano today announced the sale of the downtown parcel commonly known as “Chicken Island” to developer AMS Acquisitions LLC.
AMS Acquisitions agreed to purchase the six acre property from the City for $16 million. AMS and the City have signed a letter of intent for the sale of the property, with AMS paying an $800,000 deposit. The balance of the funds will be paid once the sale is approved by the City Council.
“Seven years ago the Chicken Island redevelopment plan was dead,” said Mayor Spano, referring to a former plan to build a minor league baseball stadium on the site. He added, “Now we have a workable plan, backed up with hard dollars that the City can use in the short run to fund our schools and essential services, and in the long run we will collect many millions of real estate and income taxes plus take another giant leap forward in revitalizing the downtown.”
“The City has tried for more than 40 years to develop Chicken Island without success,” said Spano, adding, “This is a game changer for Yonkers, because it proves economic development and a growing tax base is possible beyond the waterfront.”
“This plan is hard evidence that Yonkers has turned around and that it is where investors and residents see a bright future,” said Mayor Spano. Mayor Spano also noted that the plan will require that ten percent of all units be affordable and rented to persons with moderate incomes.
Mayor Spano added, “AMS Acquisitions has proposed a comprehensive development we feel will provide our city with new opportunities that will attract local and regional visitors to Yonkers and truly make us a destination. We are excited to finally put for bricks and mortar on the ground.”
AMS Acquisitions’ vision for “Chicken Island” is it to become the epicenter of the downtown, with a concentration of shopping, dining and experiential retail, coupled with multifamily buildings, an office component and a luxury hotel.
“Downtown Yonkers is in the midst of a renaissance,” said Michael Mitnick, Principal, AMS Acquisitions LLC. “AMS is invested heavily in the growth and expansion of this incredible and unique market. An abundance of culture, diversity and history, combined with a beautiful natural landscape, and robust development is fueling the success of this City.”
Coined “Chicken Island” in the late 1800’s when a small island in the Saw Mill River was used as a local chicken farm, the six acre site is located to the north east of Yonkers City Hall. The site is zoned D-MX (downtown mixed use zoning) a high density zone permitting development up to 25 stories and which permits a wide variety of uses including retail, restaurant, office, colleges, personal service establishments, residential as well as many other alternatives. AMS Acquisitions’ development of “Chicken Island” will complement the building of the new Fire Station 1 on New School Street and the soon-to-be completed Phase III of the Saw Mill Daylighting along New Main Street.
AMS Acquisitions LLC (AMS) is a real estate investment firm which focuses on the acquisition and development of retail, residential, and office properties in the New York Metropolitan area. Since forming in 2012, AMS has built a portfolio of approximately 1,500,000 square feet throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. AMS’ development portfolio consists of an excess of $1 Billion in total capitalization. AMS’ expertise in multiple asset classes gives it the ability to understand and unlock value on both ends of mixed-use projects. Some of AMS Acquisitions’ current holdings include mixed use properties in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, New Jersey and Yonkers, including 86 and 92 Main Street.
Mayor Mike Spano and Celebrity Chef Christian Petroni Officially Kick Off New Generation Yonkers Campaign at Special Reception at Fortina Restaurant in Yonkers
New Marketing Campaign Showcases Why Yonkers
Has All the Right Ingredients for Business Success
YONKERS, NY (October 24, 2018) – Celebrity Chef and 2018 Food Network Star Christian Petroni today joined with Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano to officially kick off the next generation of the Generation Yonkersmarketing campaign.
And they did so with plenty of dough!
To celebrate the kickoff of the Gen Y campaign, a special reception was held today at Chef Petroni’s popular Fortina restaurant at the Boyce Thompson Center in Yonkers, where Mayor Spano donned a chef’s apron, rolled up his sleeves and helped Chef Petroni make the “Gen Y Pie” — a new pizza pie which will be on the menu of Fortina. Ingredients for the Gen Y Pie include: Butternut Squash, Fresh Mozzarella, Kale, Red Onion, Aleppo Pepper and strips of Speck Prosciutto in the shape of a Y.
Chef Petroni, who was recently named co-winner of the hotly contested 2018 Food Network Star competition, is no stranger to fame. He’s also won Season Four of the Food Network’s “Chopped” series and served as a judge on that show and on “Beat Bobby Flay.” And just this week it was announced that Chef Petroni will be a judge on the Food Network’s “Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge.” Fortina restaurants are also located in Rye, Stamford, Armonk and Brooklyn.
Chef Petroni is among the small business owners and residents of Yonkers who appear in the Generation Yonkers marketing campaign that is positioning the city as the region’s next hot urban center to live, work and play.
Others appearing in the campaign include:
Jay and Jen Gorinson, new residents who recently moved to River Tides at Greystone luxury rentals on Warburton Avenue in Yonkers;
Ray Wilcox, Managing Partner of ThePowerLab, an innovative co-working space in Southwest Yonkers;
Tameka Breaux, a Registered Nurseandresident of Hudson Park luxury rentals who recently moved from Brooklyn to Yonkers;
Emanuel Arenas, owner of The Little Ranch, a western apparel store on South Broadway in Yonkers;
Brent Delman, owner of the The Cheese Guy, a Yonkers-based business whose cheese products are sold in stores locally, regionally and nationally including Whole Foods and Fairway.
In the ads running on TV, radio, digital and print, Chef Petroni says, “Yonkers is in the center of a renaissance. That same energy that started happening in Brooklyn about 10 years ago is happening here.”
Here are what others featured in the campaign are saying about Yonkers:
- “Living in Yonkers you get the best of both worlds. It’s right in the middle of everything. ”
— Jay and Jen Gorinson
- “Yonkers is a great place to run a business. It’s the hub of innovation.”
— Ray Wilcox
- “Yonkers is like the best-kept secret. It’s going to be the new Brooklyn.”
— Tameka Breaux, RN
- “Yonkers is a wonderful place to do business. We’ve partnered up with other small startups.”
— Brent Delman
- Yonkers is a very welcoming city. It’s a really central location. ”
— Emanuel Arenas
“The Generation Yonkers campaign has transcended our local community. Since we started this campaign in 2015, it has helped our city attract new residents and businesses and contributed to the transformation now under way in Yonkers,” said Mayor Spano. “Our message has reached new businesses, young families and millennials across the region because they can relate to those who have invested in Yonkers and can attest to the burgeoning renaissance happening here. The latest iteration of our GenY campaign is the next step in telling our story of how Yonkers has arrived and is THE place to live, work and play,” he added.
Now in its fourth year, the Generation Yonkerscampaign, which was created by the Westchester-based advertising agency Thompson & Bender, is an integrated mix inclusive of broadcast, digital/mobile and event marketing. Media partners include Altice, News12, iHeart Radio, Verve, Inspiria, Facebook/Instagram and Yonkers Progress. Media activation includes :30 second TV spots that will run on News 12 and across Cable Networks such as Bravo, Comedy Central, CNBC, ESPN, TLC, TNT and Food Network, to name a few; :30 second radio spots on Z100 and WHTZ-FM, along with an endorsement campaign led by Skeery Jones of the Elvis Duran Morning Show; Video/Pre-Roll tactics; Metro-North Interior Car Cards along the Harlem Line; Facebook/Instagram ads; and targeted print.
The majority of media activity will run consistently for 7 – 8 weeks. This includes all broadcast and most Digital/Mobile media. Events are flighted throughout the campaign timeframe. The campaign’s MTA (Metro North) activity will start on November 15thand run through the holiday timeframe. As the Generation Yonkerscampaign evolves, the media mix has expanded to now include a mobile location media partner as well as emerging media such as IP Addressable Digital media and OTT Digital Smart TV media. In addition, the Generation Yonkerswebsite (www.generationyonkers.com) has been updated with new videos and other features.
The City of Yonkers is currently undergoing a remarkable economic renaissance with $2.5 billion in commercial and residential projects under construction including more than 5,000 multi-family residential units.
Media Contacts:
Christina Gilmartin
Communications Director, Office of the Mayor
City Hall: 914-377-6208
Cell: 914-512-4017
Christina.gilmartin@yonkersny.gov
Dean Bender
Thompson & Bender
(914) 762-1900 ext. 13
Office of Economic Development
87 Nepperhan Ave., Suite 308
Yonkers, NY 10701
Call: 1-844-GenYNow
Email: GenY@yonkersny.gov
Mayor’s Office of Film and Photography
City Hall
40 S. Broadway, 2nd Floor
Yonkers, NY 10701
Call: 914-377-6043
Email: FilmYonkers@yonkersny.gov