Celebrating Yonkers

CELEBRATING YONKERS ADVERTORIAL RE SOURCE GUIDE

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FAIRFIELD COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL | WESTCHESTER COUNTY BUSINESS JOURNAL | AUGUST 23, 2021

New Marketing Campaign Celebrates Yonkers’ Remarkable Riverfront Renaissance. concert, kayaking on the river or simply enjoying the spectacular views of the Palisades, the Yonkers riverfront has something for everyone. With this exciting new marketing campaign, we are letting everyone know that Yonkers On The River is the place to be,” said Mayor Spano.

The new campaign, which will run through the end of the year, is the next generation of the highly successful Generation Yonkers campaign that has positioned Yonkers as the region’s next go‑to urban center. As the City of Yonkers has evolved, so has the marketing campaign over the years. Now in its eighth year, the Generation Yonkers campaign is credited with putting Yonkers on the map and contributed to the city’s tremendous growth which has seen more than $4 billion in private investment and over 9,100 multifamily units planned, completed, under construction and approved for developments.

Attending the June 28th press conference were L‑R: Jessica Ardrey, Yonkers Waterfront/Downtown BID; Kelly Chiarella, Yonkers Office for the Aging; John Mueller, Yonkers Police Commissioner; Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano; Brigitte Griswold, Groundwork Hudson Valley; Wilson Kimball, Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers; Roddy Wildman, Warburton Galerie; Sara Brody, Yonkers Waterfront/Downtown BID; Steve Sansone, Yonkers Parks & Recreation Commissioner; Jesse Montero, Yonkers Public Library; Lisa McKay‑Harris, Yonkers Parks & Recreation Deputy Commissioner; Henry Djonbalaj, Yonkers IDA Board; Roberto Espiritu, Yonkers Mexican Chamber of Commerce

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s one of the world’s great rivers, the majestic Hudson has long been attracting attention from early explorers to major industries to today’s residents who live in the growing number of residential towers that dot the Yonkers riverfront.

The Hudson is now the focus of a new and innovative marketing campaign unveiled today by Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano to celebrate the city’s remarkable riverfront renaissance where residents can live, work and play. The goal of the campaign is to rebrand the Yonkers riverfront which has emerged as a vibrant and diverse community that is attracting new residents, restaurants and shops.

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The theme is Yonkers On The River with the tagline Go Anywhere From Here. The tagline has an aspirational meaning for anyone, with endless options for career, home or play. It also refers to Yonkers unmatched accessibility with two Metro‑North train lines, easy access to all major highways and parkways, only 40 minutes to every major airport in the Tri‑State region and only 20 minutes to Grand Central Terminal.

“The incredible revitalization under way in our city’s riverfront community is nothing short of extraordinary. Whether you’re dining at one of our award‑winning restaurants, taking in an outdoor

The Yonkers On The River marketing campaign, which was developed by the Westchester‑based communications and advertising agency Thompson & Bender, features an integrated media mix including social, digital, TV, outdoor and signage. Yonkers On The River signage is being prominently displayed along the Yonkers riverfront and throughout parts of the city. The Generation Yonkers website is updated with a new domain: YonkersOnTheRiver.com which will be displayed on all advertising and signage. The website features testimonials from residents who live along the riverfront as well as businesses that are located there.

The Yonkers riverfront is drawing significant private investment by major residential developers such as RXR, Extell, Avalon, Hudson Park, Apex, Ginsburg Development, AMS Acquisitions and Confier Realty.

The residential boom underway along the Yonkers riverfront is being driven by the business‑friendly climate created under the leadership of Mayor Spano as well as the work of the Yonkers Industrial

CELEBRATING YONKERS | AUGUST 23, 2021

Celebrating Riverfest & Yonkers Arts Weekend.

Mayor Mike Spano admires Yonkers on the River signage installed along the Yonkers Pier.

Development Agency (IDA) which provides financial incentives to development projects.

Over the past two years, the Yonkers IDA has provided financial incentives to development projects representing a total private investment of approximately $1.1 billion. The developments are projected to create approximately 2,700 new residential units, 234,400 square feet of commercial and industrial space and approximately 3,450 in construction, permanent and part‑time jobs.

Ten percent of all new residential units are set aside for affordable housing.

In addition to the residential boom along the riverfront, Yonkers riverfront is also attracting

movie studios. Lionsgate Studios, whose films include The Hunger Games, Knives Out, La La Land and John Wick to name a few, is nearing completion of a $100 million TV and film studio at the iPark site. The 109,000‑square‑foot entertainment complex is expected to bring more than 400 full‑time jobs to the area. Other major movie companies are expected to announce plans soon to open studios along the Yonkers riverfront. Since the Spano Administration took office in 2012, the city’s streamlined and film‑friendly office has brought in more than $2.5 million in revenue.

In addition, the city recorded nearly 2,000 film days, competing with the likes of New York City and Long Island City as a premier film production location.

Riverfest, presented by the Yonkers Downtown BID, the largest one‑day festival in Westchester County, will be held on Saturday, September 18, from noon to 7 pm, along the majestic Hudson River.

Riverfest, which is celebrating its 28th year, brings together more than 15,000 people with its broad appeal as it celebrates community. The festival, held just as summer turns into autumn, is a great time to gather with friends and family to listen to music from every era and to sample delicious foods. Enjoy inspired performances from jazz and soul to hip‑hop, rock and more.

“Riverfest brings together the very best Yonkers has to offer. It’s the perfect place to enjoy food, art, music and the spectacular views of the Hudson right on our Downtown Waterfront,” said Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano This fall Yonkers will also host its 7th annual Yonkers Arts Weekend (YAW) festival on Saturday, October 23.

The festival is a one‑day event, filled with exciting new programs, workshops, exhibitions and more. Since its inception in 2014, YAW has created a prominent arts district in Yonkers.

YAW attracts more than 10,000 visitors a year to city galleries, the Carpet Mills Arts District, Hudson River Museum and Untermyer Gardens. This year, YAW will showcase a wide range of exhibitions, free art workshops, and musical performances across four dynamic venues including: • Pop‑up galleries & workshops in the Downtown Waterfront District • 18th Annual YoHo Artist Open Studios at the historic Alexander Smith Carpet Mills, and now designated the Carpet Mills Art District • Untermyer Gardens, music by the Untermyer Performing Arts Council • Hudson River Museum — new programs and workshops

The campaign includes branded signage along the Yonkers waterfront and into the downtown.

#YonkersOnTheRiver   | YonkersOnTheRiver.com CELEBRATING YONKERS | AUGUST 23, 2021

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Jose Taveras, MD, FACC; Stuart Moser, MD FACC, Ricard Greif, MD, FACC and Richard Feldman, MD, FACC

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CELEBRATING YONKERS | AUGUST 23, 2021

About the Daylighting of the Saw Mill River at Larkin Plaza The Saw Mill River was buried beneath the City of Yonkers at the beginning of the 20th Century. “Daylighting” the river is returning the river to a more natural, open-air condition, providing many community and ecological benefits – a focus of Yonkers’ plan for social and economic progress.

PS&S created an award-winning design that included daylighting of the river within a beautiful new urban park. It features two dynamic pools and three strategically placed waterfalls, a diverse habitat filled with aquatic life transformed from an old parking lot. The design also preserved the existing underground flume. Peak flows will be diverted to the flume, to avoid potentially hazardous flooding in the urban park and make economical re-use of the existing, viable asset.

Our expertise and commitment to excellence have helped us evolve into a leading architecture and engineering firm in the region. We have designed phases two and three of the Saw Mill Daylighting project – Mill Street Courtyard, which rendered both vehicular and pedestrian bridges over the river, as well as River Park – all of which provide our neighborhoods with family and community-focused landmarks in the heart of Yonkers.

With our integrated planning and design services, we are your single source for architectural and engineering excellence.

Please visit us at www.psands.com and explore how we can transform your next project into a reality.

One Larkin Plaza 2nd Floor, Yonkers, NY 10701

William Schneider, PE wschneider@psands.com 914.509.8600

92 Main Street Yonkers, NY 10701 On The Yonkers Waterfront

Delivery available with

CELEBRATING YONKERS | AUGUST 23, 2021

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WESTCHESTER HOTELS NEED A PROPERTY TAX BREAK!

t’s a tough time to be a hotel owner, and excessive property taxes based upon municipalities’ rosy assumptions about value are making it worse.

Hospitality revenues are sharply down in the wake of the pandemic and new concerns about the Delta variant. We make a general distinction in lodging between “leisure” and “business” oriented hotels, but both have been severely impacted over the past year for different reasons. Many of the draws that attract leisure travel remain closed or at limited service; international travel is a shadow of what it was; and a massive share of business travel has been replaced – perhaps forever – by the realization that virtual meetings are sometimes equally effective.

Many hotels in cities and suburbs around the country have either closed permanently or are struggling to break even. Owners are in many cases seri-

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ously delinquent on their property tax bills with little to no formal relief being voluntarily offered by most local municipalities or the State, and the prospect of onerous interest and penalties stacking up.

Many of us remember when we could easily identify nearly all the hotels in Westchester on one hand. In the few years leading up to the arrival of Covid, more than 1,000 hotel rooms had been added to the County’s inventory, mostly for limited service properties in the southern portion of Westchester, with more in the works. Despite occupancy rates becoming healthier, average daily rates according to industry reporting was unimpressive even before Covid.

With the current market of increased supply and limited demand, prudent owners have cut costs wherever possible to break even. Full service hotels with amenities like bars, restaurants, and

room service lowered the point from 47% occupancy to just 30% last year, nationally, by eliminating dining, much of housekeeping, and other expenses.

It remains to be seen whether these are short-term fixes that permit a property to limp along in the hope of better days, or whether overall demand may never return to what it once was given the fundamental shifts in lifestyles and technology that have occurred since 2020.

No single area of cost for a Westchester hotel is both more pernicious to reaching profitability and yet also more feasible to achieve without the loss of workforce and amenities than property taxes. With an informed property tax analysis, appropriate data support, and persuasive advocacy presented by experienced legal counsel, many hotels may begin adding back jobs and occupancy levels and building back the Westchester economy.

David C. Wilkes, CRE, FRICS, an attorney, is a senior-level partner in the tax certiorari law firm of Herman Katz Cangemi Wilkes & Clyne, LLP, with offices in Westchester, Manhattan and Long Island.

CELEBRATING YONKERS | AUGUST 23, 2021

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idge Hill is the top destination in Yonkers for shopping, food, and fun! The family-friendly outdoor center features an inviting Town Square and green space, beautiful tree-lined streets, and a play area for children. In addition to an enticing mix of popular fashion, sports and technology retailers like Apple, Uniqlo, Sephora, and L.L. Bean, the center is home to LEGOLAND® Discovery Center, a 12-screen Showcase Cinema de Lux, Rockin' Jump Indoor Trampoline Park, iFLY Indoor Skydiving, and Whole Foods Market. Dining options are plentiful with delicious restaurants including The Cheesecake Factory, Yard House, Texas de Brazil, Public Pizza, and Lefteris Gyro.

Ridge Hill hosts a year-round calendar of events including a weekly farmer’s market,

CELEBRATING YONKERS | AUGUST 23, 2021

outdoor movies on the lawn, live musical performances, holiday programs, and much more. The property also features a growing art collection including seven murals (and counting!) perfect for taking a selfie or simply enjoying the view.

Whether celebrating a special event, enjoying some leisure time, savoring a meal, or running an errand, Ridge Hill is the place to be — there’s always something happening on the hill!

Located in Yonkers, at Exit 6A off the New York State Thruway and at the Tuckahoe Road West Exit from the Sprain Brook Parkway, Ridge Hill is easily accessible to all Westchester, Putnam, and NYC Metropolitan-area residents and visitors.

Learn more at www.ridgehill.com and follow @shopridgehill on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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A NEW FALL SEASON IS AROUND THE CORNER, AND THAT MEANS FAMILIES ARE GETTING READY FOR A NEW SCHOOL YEAR.

end them back in style! Cross County Center has everything you need for your one-stop Back to School shopping trip. With stores like Zara, H&M, Gap, Old Navy, Hollister&CO, Vans, Skechers and Ulta Beauty, there’s something for your teen, tween and everyone in between!

Some stylish trends to watch for include 2-piece matching sets for boys and girls, graphic tees with positive messages and cargo pants with tons of pockets (find all at H&M). Tween girls should be on the lookout for tiered dresses in floral patterns and stretchy beaded bracelets with their name or more positivity messages (shop Hollister&CO and Claire’s). Shop denim and athletic pants for tween and teen boys (Hollister&CO, American Eagle Outfitters and adidas).

Teen style is BIG — as in oversized

blazers, dresses and wide-legged pants. Flannel is returning for both guys and girls (shop all at Zara).

It’s almost boot season, so finish off this look with a new pair from Steve Madden or Aldo.

YOUR ONE-STOP SHOPPING CONTINUES AT CROSS COUNTY CENTER: FIND THE ESSENTIALS! • Shop Backpacks: Children’s Place, AX Armani Exchange, Claire’s, Finish line, Kid’s Footlocker, Forever 21, Gap, Guess, Macy’s, Spencer’s Gifts, Vans and Zara • Shop Face Masks: aerie, Aeropostale, American Eagle Outfitters, Finish line, Forever 21, Gap, Old Navy, Garage, Guess, H&M, Macy’s, Skechers, Steve Madden, Stop & Shop • Shop Shoes: Skechers, Vans, Steve Madden, Michael Kors, Aldo, Macy’s, Old Navy and GUESS

• Shop Athletic Shoes: adidas, Footlocker, Kid’s Footlocker, Footaction, Finish Line • Shop Beauty: Ulta Beauty carries over 500 brands and products including skincare, make-up, everyday cosmetics, nail polish, fragrances, bath and body, as well as hair styling tools (book your appointment now for a fresh fall cut & style at the Salon).

• Visit the Eye Doctor: Book an appointment now for your annual checkups! Visit Sterling Optical near Old Navy, Cohen’s Optical near Hyatt Place Hotel and Lenscrafters inside Macy’s • Make Your Own Lunch: Meal prep is made easy with a quick visit to Stop & Shop • Decorate the Dorm Room: Macy’s and Macy’s Backstage have the coolest bedding, wall décor,

storage, bath towels & accessories plus kitchen tools.

If you’re also headed back to the office, don’t worry - comfortable clothes aren’t going anywhere! Find the newest athleisure wear from stores like Express, aerie and Victoria’s Secret Pink. These wardrobe must-haves like leggings, tunic tops and open cardis can be dressed up or down for whatever occasion you need. A personal stylist is also on staff at Macy’s at Cross County and can help you pull your look together quickly and within whatever shopping budget you have.

Cross County Center features an outdoor shopping experience, best for your health and well-being and free parking year-round. Enjoy delicious dining from Shake Shack, Chipotle, Mito Asian Fusion, Carvel, Olive Garden and Longhorn Steakhouse. Refuel for this incredible back to school shopping trip at Starbucks.

ZARA SKECHERS H&M

IT’s

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HE L L O SCHO O L . . . We ’ r e bac k in s ty l e. O u td o o r s h o ppin g. Fr ee pa r k in g.

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Together, we can

create possibilities

For more information, please visit www.setonchildrens.org

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