Last month on July 8, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that Yonkers will receive $10 million in funding, as the ninth-round Mid-Hudson winner of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI).
The initiative—a cornerstone of New York State’s economic development program—helps downtown neighborhoods expand in sectors like redevelopment, job creation, and economic and housing diversity. Other Hudson Valley cities that won DRI funding include Ellenville and Rockland.
“Yonkers, Ellenville, and Rockland are all unique, vibrant hubs of economic activity and culture. Their proximity to New York City as well as many natural wonders gives residents and visitors a taste of all our great state has to offer,” Governor Hochul says in a statement.
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Governor Hochul’s office describes Yonkers as being “defined by innovation and reinvention,” and commends the city’s effort to reclaim its waterfront following the daylighting of the Saw Mill River.
The governor’s office also mentions Great Point Studios and its partnership with Lionsgate as helping “establish Yonkers as a growing hub for film and media production, earning the City the nickname ‘Hollywood on the Hudson.’”
“Yonkers is a city rich in history and culture, and this $10 million investment through New York State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative is an exciting opportunity to build on the momentum we’ve created downtown,” Mayor Spano says. “These projects will strengthen our cultural identity through the arts and entertainment, create new job opportunities, and make our downtown an even more vibrant destination for residents and visitors.”
Plans for the Future
Mayor Spano adds that over the next six months, the Yonkers community will undergo a “public scoping process,” so that local government can field suggestions from residents, businesses, cultural organizations, and other stakeholders. “This investment should reflect the vision of the people of Yonkers, and their voices will help shape the projects that move forward.”
Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins also applauded the initiative. “I have long known all that Yonkers has to offer – it is not only my home, but part of the lifeblood of Westchester County,” he says. “Yonkers is a critical economic and cultural engine for Westchester, and when Yonkers succeeds, all of Westchester benefits.”
“This $10 million dollar investment will help reconnect neighborhoods to the Hudson River waterfront, improve walkability and public spaces, and create new opportunities for recreation, culture, tourism and our creative economy,” County Executive Jenkins adds. “It is an investment not only in the future of downtown Yonkers, but in the continued growth and vitality of Westchester County as a whole.”
Related: Yonkers City Hall Undergoes a Major Restoration Project
