Christina Gilmartin

Communications Director, City of Yonkers

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.

$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.

Join the City of Yonkers on Wednesday, October 24 as Multi-Year Renovation Project

Kicks Off to Revitalize the Old Putnam Railroad for Economic Growth

What:                      On October 24, the Yonkers Greenway will break ground to transform an abandoned section of the Old Putnam Railroad into a revitalized park that will feature art installations, gardens and playgrounds for members of the community to enjoy.

When the entirety of the Yonkers Greenway is complete, it will once again link Yonkers to New York City with a two-mile walking and biking path. The Yonkers Greenway will also increase accessibility and encourage economic growth in surrounding areas.

Over the last four years, the City of Yonkers has been committed to developing the project through community engagement from a variety of private and public partners such as Groundwork Hudson Valley, a community-based environmental non-profit, and Bank of America.

Other partners who helped bring the Yonkers Greenway to life include the Environmental Protection Agency, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the Westchester Community Foundation, Impact 100 Westchester, the Ronald McDonald House

Charities, and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

When:                      October 24, 2018

                                     Media Check-in / Interviews: 1:30 p.m.

                                     Groundbreaking & Photo Opp: 2:00 p.m.

Where:                    52 Lawrence Street, Yonkers, NY, 10701

Who:                        Mike Spano , Mayor, City of Yonkers

                                   Jeff Barker , New York State President, Bank of America

                                   Brigitte Griswold , Executive Director, Groundwork Hudson Valley

                                   Michael Sabatino ,Majority Leader, Yonkers City Council

Yonkers Rated as One of the Top U.S. Cities Exhibiting LGBTQ Inclusion in Municipal Law & Policy

YONKERS, NY – October 12, 2018 – The Human Rights Commission Foundation, in partnership with the Equality Federation Institute, this week released its sixth annual Municipal Equality Index (MEI), the only nationwide rating system of LGBTQ inclusion in municipal law and policy, scoring the City of Yonkers with a perfect 100. Yonkers was one of four cities in New York to receive a perfect score and one of 78 nationally.

“Our administration works tirelessly toward full equality amongst our residents and employees,” said Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano. “We are once again extremely proud to continually be part of the growing list of communities with a perfect score on the Municipal Equality Index. Our rating reflects diversity as Yonkers’ greatest strength and the respect we have for one another, regardless of who you love.”

Yonkers was specifically recognized for its non-discrimination laws; municipal services; law enforcement and leadership of LGBTQ equality.  June 2018 marked the first time Yonkers hosted a pride festival, attracting hundreds of visitors and residents from the area.

Michael Sabatino, Yonkers City Council Majority Leader stated, “I am proud to know that Yonkers was one of 78 cities nationwide to score a perfect score on the Municipal Equality Index.   We can attribute this to the hard work of Mayor Spano’s administration and the Mayor’s LGBTQ advisory board.   Yonkers is truly a diverse city where our residents are respected and embraced regardless of their ethnicity, religion or their sexual orientation.   We promote a safe environment that allows everyone to co-exist and creates an atmosphere that allows all to contribute to the betterment of the City of Yonkers. Our first pride festival was a huge success having been supported by the community at large.  Congratulations to all.”

The 2018 MEI reveals that cities across the nation are not waiting for their states to extend vital protections to the LGBTQ community, nor are they intimidated by some state elected officials threatening to deny cities the ability to extend fully-inclusive protections to their residents and workers. This year, 78 cities earned perfect scores for advancing fully-inclusive policies and practices — at a time when the nation has been seeing a record number of anti-LGBTQ measures proposed by state elected officials bent on promoting discrimination.