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yonkers
SULLIV
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Y O N K E R S
Yonkers is convenient, affordable, and offers opportunity for almost every residential or commercial investment.
It’s why some of the biggest projects in the region are happening here, and why you should be here too.
Accessible You can get there from here, and easily so. Four Metro North stations serve Yonkers. Five
major highways connect Yonkers with all points of the compass. Bus transportation is also extensive,
including express routes to New York City. Whether you are moving people or materials, it’s easier in
Yonkers than almost anywhere else.
Kingston
Desirable Our downtown waterfront district continues to grow, with thousands of new luxury high-rise
apartments offering stellar views of the Hudson River, gourmet restaurants, and a 25-minute train ride to
midtown Manhattan. We are home to cultural amenities such as the Hudson River Museum, colleges such
as Sarah Lawrence, shopping centers such as Ridge Hill and Cross County, and entertainment ranging from multiplex cinemas to the
Empire City Casino with its newly-expanded gaming and restaurants.
Mayor Mike Spano
Livable Unlike many other comparable cities, Yonkers is growing in population. It’s no wonder, because we have some of the
ULSTER
best-rated schools in the Poughkeepsie
region and a crime rate so low that we are ranked as one of the safest cities in the nation. We offer
housing for all incomes, ranging from luxury waterfront high-rises, to affordable houses and apartments in long-established and
stable neighborhoods.That’s why Yonkers has been named one of the “Top 100 Best Places to Live” by Livability.com.
DUTCHESS
Investable The range of opportunity in Yonkers is astounding. We are Westchester’s retail center, from the Central Avenue
Middletown
ORANGE
shopping corridor,
Newburgh to the newly-renovated Cross County Shopping Center, to the upscale Ridge Hill complex, to the big-box
neighborhood alongside the New York Thruway. We offer a large inventory of commercial, industrial, medical, and new-economy
spaces. The Nepperhan Valley corridor once housed major factories, but now offers perfect space for warehousing, manufacturing,
offices, and showrooms. We haveBrewster
one of the region’s largest office parks, as well as two hospitals, several neighborhood shopping
areas, and numerous locations that are perfect for
residential development.
PUTNAM
Workable We want your business, and we’ll make every
WESTCHESTER
Mount Kisco
ROCKLAND
effort to bring it here. Talk to us about technical assistance,
financial incentives, and a fast approval process.
Ossining
Nyack
FAIRFIELD
Nanuet
White Plains
Stamford
Paramus
Hackensack
BERGEN
YONKERS
NEW YORK CITY
LONG ISLAND
location
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at a glance
Y O N K E R S
Yonkers has a strong economic
foundation. We offer an outstanding
customer and employee base, and a
location where you will enjoy the
benefits of the regional economy.
Demographics With nearly 200,000
people, Yonkers is New York’s fourth largest
city. Our location adjacent to New York City
provides the economic advantages of the
nation’s biggest city, while also being the
gateway to the Hudson Valley suburbs.
Population With a labor force of 90,000
people, 18,000 businesses, and a median
household income of $57,000, Yonkers has a
strong economic base. About 47% of our
housing units are occupant-owned.
Approximately 30% of adults have a college or
post-graduate degree and more than 80%
have a high school diploma or higher.
Age Range Nearly 25% of our residents are
aged 18 or less, which explains why our school
system continues to grow at a time when many
others are shrinking. Seniors make up 15% of
the population, with the rest being between
18 and 65 years of age.
Diversity Yonkers is a diverse city, with 31%
of residents foreign-born and 46% of
households speaking a foreign language. Our
school students are proficient in 53 languages!
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Y O N K E R S
Much has happened since Henry Hudson’s Half Moon
dropped anchor off of present-day Yonkers in 1609, from the
Dutch settlers who gave Yonkers its name, to the immigrants
who continue to arrive in our city today.
rich history
We’ve long been the home of innovators and inventors. Elisha Otis
invented the safety elevator here in 1854 and built his first factory in
Yonkers. Edwin Armstrong invented FM radio in 1912, erecting his
antenna on the Palisades across the river from his Yonkers home.
Just six years earlier Yonkers resident Leo Baekeland invented the first
plastic (Bakelite), a good thing since all those radios would need cases.
We’re not just about work. In 1888 John Reid and a few friends laid out
America’s first golf course, naming it St. Andrew’s after the famous
course in Scotland. Our St. Andrew’s continues to challenge duffers to
this day. We’ve also been home to various cultural icons, including Ella
Fitzgerald, Gene Krupa, Jon Voight, W.C. Handy, Sid Caesar, and Mary
J. Blige. Let’s not forget Stephani Germanotta was born in Yonkers.
That was before we knew her as Lady Gaga.
Yonkers developed as an industrial powerhouse during the 20th century.
Not only did Otis continue to build his elevators here, but the largest
carpet mill in the world operated in the Nepperhan Valley. Fortunately
as times changed, Yonkers changed with them. Today there is no more
Otis Elevator Factory, but the property is used by Kawasaki to build
subway cars that are used by transit systems the world over. The carpet
mills are now home to dozens of new businesses ranging from artists‘
studios, to warehouses, to light manufacturing, to service industries.
Today where the Half Moon anchored more than 400 years ago are the
new-media specialists of Mindspark and the bio-engineers of
ContraFect Corp. Our Industrial Development Agency helped
Mindspark and ContraFect expand alongside the waterfront.
Our story continues, and we want you to be part of it.
Y O N K E R S
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Yonkers is growing – thanks to families
expanding and newcomers moving in.
All are attracted by an outstanding
quality of life and the promise of an
even better future.
Outstanding Neighborhood Safety
In 2010 Yonkers was rated the second safest
small city in the nation. We consistently rank
among the safest cities. Yonkers property
crime rates are about half the national average
and 25% lower than in New York City.
Diversity of Housing Yonkers prides
itself on providing housing that is affordable
for all income levels. We have luxury riverfront
high rises, leafy suburban-style single-family
neighborhoods, and multi-family housing at
every level. Yonkers is actively promoting the
funding of affordable housing for people with
lower incomes.
A Commitment to Education More
than 26,000 students attend the 38 public
schools in Yonkers, which also has several
parochial schools and a charter school. U.S.
News and World Report recently ranked
Yonkers High School as 24th in the nation.
Yonkers is fortunate to be home to a
nationally-recognized public-private
partnership that raises funds to provide
students assistance for college readiness.
quality of life
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Y O N K E R S
pro business
Yonkers is committed to working with
investors, developers, and business
owners. We’re eager to discuss financial
incentives, planning assistance, and any
other help we can provide. Yonkers
wants business – your business.
Companies that have benefited from
City and IDA incentives
Residential
Hudson Park and Collins II
Warburton Lofts
Whitney Young Manor
Cromwell Tower
Grant Park
Teutonia Hall
Highland Senior Housing
Shopping and Entertainment
Empire City Casino
Westchester’s Ridge Hill
Cross County Shopping Center
Macy’s
Healthcare
WESTMED
St. Joseph’s Hospital
St. John’s Riverside Hospital
Elizabeth Seton Pediatrics
Commercial and Industrial
Hudson Scenic Studios
Mindspark
Instock Cabinets
Sound Associates
Kawasaki
Kimber Manufacturing
ContraFect
Other
Sarah Lawrence College
Westchester School for Special Children
Animal Specialty Center
Consumers Union
Y O N K E R S
Yonkers offers a terrific lifestyle for singles, families, seniors, or those just passing through.
Start with Empire City Casino and Yonkers Raceway. One of the largest casinos in the northeast, Empire City offers 5,300
slot machines and electronic table games. Now it has even more restaurants ranging from gourmet cuisine to intimate pub
style. Of course there’s still horse racing on one of New York’s most historic tracks.
Need a place to stay, or hold meetings and events? You have a variety of choices ranging from national brands such as
Marriott and Hampton Inn, to local mainstays such as the Royal Regency.
Our shopping choices are overwhelming.
Besides having a multiplex cinema and dozens of trend-setting restaurants, Westchester’s Ridge Hill has retail ranging
from Lord & Taylor, to LL Bean, to Whole Foods. For the kids there is the Northeast’s only Legoland.
The nearby Cross County Shopping Center’s recent renovation is evident in the expanded Macy’s and nearly one hundred
shops and restaurants.
If big box bargains are your thing, then in the Austin Avenue area you can find Costco, Home Depot, and Stew Leonards.
You can also cruise Central Avenue, which contains stores of every stripe and size, from Best Buy, to Bed Bath and Beyond,
to hundreds of specialty stores plus restaurants of every cuisine.
Our downtown Farmer’s Market is the oldest in Westchester, and has since been joined by two others. If it’s fresh and local,
you can buy it at our Farmers’ Markets.
stay & play
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Y O N K E R S
The day lasts as long as you want it
to in Yonkers, thanks to our variety
of educational, cultural and
entertainment offerings.
Hudson River Museum Containing a
newly-updated planetarium plus the
historic Glenview Mansion, the museum
offers science and history along with art.
Van Der Donck Park This is the
waterfront’s newest addition, creating a
landscaped promenade along the
newly-daylighted Saw Mill River.
Jazz & Blues at Dusk Presented by
the Yonkers Downtown Waterfront BID,
this yearly concert series brings the area’s
finest jazz and blues musicians to the
waterfront.
Riverfest Every September Yonkers
celebrates Riverfest, a festival of music,
food and fun on the Hudson.
Philipse Manor Hall Take yourself
back to colonial times with a walk through
this building that dates back to 1682.
Riverfront Library Don’t let the
magnificent Hudson views distract you
from the library’s extensive and up-to-date
collections.
lively culture
Y O N K E R S
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The energy of the city and the attractions of the suburbs
come together in Yonkers. It’s an active lifestyle that’s
hard to beat. From our waterfront promenade, to our
golf courses and pools, to our parks and bike trails, to
our historic sites, there’s always a place to go in Yonkers.
active lifestyle
Waterfront Start in Esplanade Park, where you can get a view of
the Palisades and George Washington and Tappan Zee bridges all
from one spot. Continue along the newly-created riverfront walk
that follows the Hudson.
Kayaking and Boating Kayaking and boating have never
been more popular in Yonkers, whether you join a club or do it on
your own at the public JFK Marina. A just-completed $1.8 million
overhaul of the marina makes it the perfect launch point for kayaks
and small boats.
Tibbits Brook Park A giant aquatic complex, complete with a
Lazy River and spray playground, is the centerpiece of this 161-acre
public park. It’s the perfect place to spend a hot summer’s day.
Golf Yonkers is home to two public golf courses, Sprain Lake and
Dunwoodie, as well as the private St. Andrews.
Biking and Hiking If bicycling is your thing you can’t do better
than the South County Trailway or Bronx River Pathway, which offer
Yonkers residents miles of well-maintained bike paths leading to
central Westchester. As for walking, there’s no better spot than the
43-acre Untermyer Park with its Hudson views and classical gardens.
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Y O N K E R S
Mayor Mike Spano
City Hall
40 South Broadway
Yonkers, NY 10701
914-377-6300
Mike.Spano@yonkersny.gov
Wilson Kimball,
Commissioner of Development
87 Nepperhan Avenue, 3rd Floor
Yonkers, NY 10701
914-377-6150
Wilson.Kimball@yonkersny.gov
Melvina Carter, President of
Yonkers Industrial Development Agency
87 Nepperhan Avenue, Suite 408
Yonkers, NY 10701
914-509-8651
Melvina.Carter@yonkersida.com
connect
It’s time you made your
Yonkers Connection.
Call or e-mail us today, because we
want to see how we can help you
bring your business to Yonkers.
www.yonkersny.gov
H I S T O R Y
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C U LT U R E
40 SOUTH BROADWAY
YONKERS, NY 10701
914.377.6000
www.yonkersny.gov
H O S P I TA L I T Y
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O P P O R T U N I T Y
87 NEPPERHAN AVE., STE. 408
YONKERS, NY 10701
914.509.8651
info@yonkersida.com
www.yonkersida.com