Statement on Yonkers' Alexander Street Redevelopment Plan

YONKERS – The following statement by Scenic Hudson was issued at a presentation by the City of Yonkers at City Hall, 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007.

The Alexander Street Master Plan Area is a redevelopment initiative that will have a major impact on the Yonkers waterfront for generations to come. Due to the massive scale of this proposed plan, it is only fair that the broad community of Yonkers enjoy benefits from the project.

Green open space

Residents have been outspoken about their need for green open space along the river. Scenic Hudson is advocating for residents, when it calls for 30 percent of proposed developments to be reserved for green open space. This amount of green open space is vital to creating a new waterfront that attracts people and creates a vibrant community with lasting economic opportunity. The current plan as presented does not provide this meaningful level of Hudson River access, and in stating its amount of open space, the plan inappropriately counts existing parks, roads and rights-of-way.

Views of Hudson River and Palisades

The current plan would have significant negative impacts on views of the Hudson River and Palisades, which residents have said they treasure. Constructing 18 apartment towers that would reach heights of up to 30 stories will not preserve these important views. It is important to realize that this proposed master plan will create a precedent-setting redevelopment standard for Yonkers that the community will have to live with for the next 50 to 100 years.

Creating a long-lasting redevelopment standard with proper public input

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the City of Yonkers to create a new identity for its waterfront, marking a transition from industrial to a thoughtful mix of residential and commercial uses. Consequently the review process needs to be open and strongly welcoming of community input through public hearings held throughout the city's First District, which encompasses this proposed redevelopment area.

Scenic Hudson believes this initial presentation on December 20, 2007, in the midst of the holiday season is not a good approach for informing and engaging the citizens of Yonkers.

Following this meeting tonight, Scenic Hudson will continue working with its partners in the City of Yonkers in advocating for:

1. Free and open access to the river for all citizens
2. Eliminating visual impacts that restrict views of the Palisades and Hudson River
3. Alexander Street Master Plan regulations should consider Yonkers' unique topography as the second hilliest city (after San Francisco) in the United States
4. Development of a waterfront park system in half-mile increments along the Alexander Street Master Plan area consisting of green open space and recreational areas
5. Setting master plan parameters for a 100-foot setback for all proposed development
6. Encouraging mixed-use development, consisting of commercial, retail and institutional uses that promote economic development and the creation of new employment options
7. Encouraging the development of buildings that are within the height and density mix of the Downtown Waterfront Master Plan, which limits building heights to nine stories

Scenic Hudson also will call for residents to have a 90-day public-comment period on the Alexander Street Master Plan. Scenic Hudson will be encouraging all Yonkers citizens to participate in this public-comment effort, including attending public hearings to speak out for the healthy and economically vibrant waterfront they desire.

Scenic Hudson works to protect and restore the Hudson River and its majestic landscape as an irreplaceable national treasure and a vital resource for residents and visitors. A crusader for the valley since 1963, we are credited with saving fabled Storm King Mountain from a destructive industrial project and launching the modern grass-roots environmental movement. Today with more than 10,000 ardent supporters, we are the largest environmental group focused on the Hudson River Valley. Our team of experts combines land acquisition, support for agriculture, citizen-based advocacy and sophisticated planning tools to create environmentally healthy communities, champion smart economic growth, open up riverfronts to the public and preserve the valley's inspiring beauty and natural resources. www.scenichudson.org

###