Mayor Spano’s State of the City described an incredible vision for the future of NY State’s 3rd largest city, but the message of “a growing city with a small town feel” was lost as Mr. Spano unveiled the plan to transform this suburb of NYC into its formidable competitor, with long-time residents eventually becoming casualties of urbanization.
Mayor Spano’s speech was preceded by a video featuring himself and the CEO of Great Point Studios, Robert Halmi, Jr., “driving” through London, then segued to aerial views of Yonkers, including the [flagship] Lionsgate Studio at Wells Avenue and various other points of interests around Yonkers, like Untermyer Gardens, the Downtown Riverfront, Boyce Thompson Center, and Trevor Park. The video presentation was comparable to any large city campaign inviting tourists, and potential residents, to come experience Yonkers for themselves. Even this long-time resident was awed by the presentation.
There’s no denying that Mayor Spano revealed many great projects that are scheduled or that have already been completed throughout Yonkers. The course has been set, which residents are often reminded of by the City Council and Boards’ resolutions approving projects and variances that favor new developments while also telling Yonkers citizens that urbanization is inevitable. Hence, I can’t help but wonder what awaits the existing generational families who already live in Yonkers, especially when the evening’s theme was attracting people from other cities to “Destination Yonkers”, “Hollywood on the Hudson”, and “MGM Empire City Resort & Casino”.
The Yonkers’ renaissance ignores the concerns of its life-long, moderate-income renters and homeowners, who are being priced-out of their neighborhoods because of rising rents and increasing property taxes, by instead focusing on attracting a transient population of renters with annual six-figure incomes (according to a recent census, the median income for Yonkers’ residents was $81, 816 in 2023). Mayor Spano did mention the PILOT Homeownership Program, which will afford middle-income families an opportunity “to build generational wealth” by becoming owner/landlords of 2-family homes that rent one unit to a tenant in order to defray mortgage costs. However, houses will be built on only 9 parcels of land and eligible applicants will not be limited to Yonkers’ residents, as such programs are funded by the federal government not the local municipalities. Furthermore, though corporate developers and conglomerates will create employment opportunities before and after construction, there are no assurances that the majority of hirees will be Yonkers’ denizens.
Editors Note: The Yonkers Ledger Welcomes Readers to Submit their own view of the State of the City. Stories can be submitted here: https://yonkersledger.creativeopen.net/submit-your-story/
