Yonkers Advances $10M Downtown Waterfront Revitalization Initiative

The City of Yonkers is moving forward with plans to reshape its downtown waterfront through a $10 million New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative award, with an open call for projects set to begin Sept. 10.



The initiative, known as the Hudson Gateway Connector, is intended to build on years of public and private investment in downtown Yonkers by advancing new development, improving connections to the Hudson River and supporting additional housing, businesses and public amenities.

Yonkers was selected as the Mid-Hudson Region winner in the ninth round of the state's Downtown Revitalization Initiative. The city's DRI area includes more than 17,000 residents and encompasses a downtown waterfront that has undergone significant redevelopment in recent years. The plan envisions further connecting downtown neighborhoods to the Hudson River through expanded public access, walkable streetscapes and new cultural and recreational destinations.

A Local Planning Committee will oversee development of a Strategic Investment Plan establishing goals, revitalization strategies and recommended projects. The planning process will also evaluate whether the DRI boundary should be extended north toward Glenwood Avenue and the Metro-North North-Glenwood station.

Among the statewide DRI program's goals are attracting new businesses, expanding shopping, entertainment and services, creating a variety of housing opportunities, increasing local tax revenue and improving downtown quality of life. Yonkers' waterfront vision also calls for more than two miles of continuous river esplanade once the waterfront walkway is completed.

Open Call for Projects

Of particular interest to the real estate and development community, Yonkers will open a call for projects on Sept. 10, with submissions due Oct. 16. The Local Planning Committee will evaluate proposals and recommend projects to New York State, which is expected to award up to $9.7 million in grants to projects that advance the downtown vision.

Eligible projects can include the development or redevelopment of real property for mixed-use, commercial, residential, nonprofit or public uses, as well as streetscape and transportation improvements, parks and plazas, recreational trails, façade and building improvements and other public-realm projects.

Projects will be evaluated on factors including readiness, their potential to catalyze additional public and private investment, community benefits and cost effectiveness. Projects are expected to be capable of breaking ground within two years of receiving funding. Private-sector projects require a minimum match of 25% of total project cost.

The planning process comes as downtown Yonkers continues its transition from its industrial past toward a mixed-use waterfront district. New York State cited recent housing, business and cultural investment, along with projects such as the daylighting of the Saw Mill River and the growth of film and media production, as part of the momentum supporting the city's DRI designation.