Achievements
Booming Downtown Waterfront
Under Mayor Spano’s leadership, Yonkers is experiencing a historic residential building boom. From Azorim’s rising 250-unit tower to new developments on Prospect Street and Alexander Street, the city’s waterfront is becoming one of the most sought-after addresses in the region. In 2023, the Yonkers IDA helped secure $802 million in new private investment.
Hollywood on Hudson
Since Great Point Studios opened its Lionsgate Studios in January 2022, it has shot eight productions. Great Point also has studios throughout the city including 90 Warburton Avenue, and 134 Woodworth Avenue which features a 4Wall LED studio. Including the new Media Pro campus at 150 North Broadway opening in July, Yonkers will now have 10 stages open and 6 more about to go under construction. When completed, the city will have 245,000 SF of purpose-built stages and over 1,000,000 SF of support space. According to the Mayor’s Office of Film, permits for filming generated a total revenue of $5.45 million since 2014 with 1,510 days of filming—at both public and private non-studio properties throughout the city.
Safer Streets
A key to the city’s resurgence is a focus on public safety. Crime in Yonkers is down 24% since 2011, a trend that starts with having the best police department. In 2023, the city opened the Police Departments’ state-of-the art AWARE Room, which allows officers on the street, citywide, to coordinate data in one central location. If someone is assaulted on the street, the police can get a visual of the perpetrator. YPD is also launching its first-ever all-purpose Drone this spring, serving as a first responder. The drone will provide a bird’s eye view of incidents in real time, providing officers on the ground with a visual of the situation before they arrive. The advantage here is unmatched compared to traditional emergency response.
Outstanding Schools
Yonkers teachers and students worked so hard to achieve a 91% graduation rate, so don’t they deserve new schools to replace some of those buildings that are nearly 100 years old? This September, Yonkers recently opened the first new school in a generation. The Justice Sonia Sotomayor School is the first of its kind in the District, featuring multi-functional spaces that will be accessible to the community, without the need to open the entire campus after school hours. The city also opened the new Yonkers Film & Television Production Academy. With the support of Great Point Studios, Yonkers Public Schools will build a new generation of innovators ready for workplace employment in a variety of film and production industries with project-based practical learning.
Revitalizing Neighborhood Parks
Yonkers continues to transform, innovate and create safe, accessible improvements to its neighborhood parks. For years, Yonkers renovated just one or two parks a year. Now dozens are updated each year to accommodate evolving outdoor activities. Pickle ball courts can be found at four of the city’s parks. Thanks to Yonkers Parks Department, over 140 trees have been planted over in southwest Yonkers this year alone, along with more perennial plantings, pollinator gardens and shade structures. City partner Groundwork Hudson Valley received a $5 million grant to plant more trees and boost youth education and job training to fight the impacts of climate change. No wonder that for the 37th consecutive year, Yonkers has been designated a TREE CITY USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation.
Vibrant Arts Community
Like the film industry, Yonkers arts are more vibrant than ever. Yonkers Arts Weekend returns with a two-day festival in May. The city is unveiling a new public art in collaboration with Ray Wilcox and Yonkers Arts, displaying the colorful tapestry and talent of its residents. The Hudson River Museum keeps delivering as the premier cultural anchor and tourism magnet for the region. Its West Wing is fully-operational, featuring world-class exhibition galleries with stunning views of the Hudson River and Palisades. Yonkers is also home to the 1.5 million square foot Carpet Mills Arts District.