August 2012 - Empire State Development - New York State

The Project:
City of Yonkers - Saw Mill River Daylighting Property Acquisition Capital (X917)
August 16, 2012
Size – The project involves the acquisition of six properties (multiple tax parcels along
the north side of New Main Street from Nepperhan moving west past Ann Street).
ESD Involvement - A $8,000,000 reappropriation was included in the FY 2012-2013 New
York State budget.
Grantee Past ESD Support – ESD is currently administering a $10 million Executivesponsored
grant for the City of Yonkers Downtown Waterfront Initiatives, which
includes the first phase of daylighting of the Saw Mill River. The first phase is
anticipated to be complete in Summer 2012. In addition, the City was awarded a
$5,404,000 Restore NY III grant for renovations of the former library and a $3,505,000
Restore NY III grant for renovations and new construction in the Philipse Manor Historic
District. Both Restore NY III projects are underway. The City anticipates that the
Philipse Manor Historic District project will be complete in Spring 2013 and the former
library project will be complete in Fall 2013.
Beneficiary Past ESD Support – This is the first ESD-administered grant to NMSDC.
Completion – March 2013
Activity – The project involves the acquisition, via condemnation, of six properties
located on New Main Street in downtown Yonkers. NMSDC, on behalf of Yonkers, will
perform the property acquisitions.
A portion of the Saw Mill River currently flows through a flume that is located beneath
and/or behind the buildings on these properties. Following the acquisition of these
properties, these properties and property already owned by Yonkers will be cleared and
redeveloped as waterfront open space as a continuation of the Saw Mill River
daylighting that has already occurred.
Results – The project will allow the City to increase the length of the Saw Mill River that
is being daylighted or unearthed. In the 1920s, the Army Corps of Engineers buried the
Saw Mill River in order to manage sanitation and floods. In December 2010, Yonkers
began construction on the first phase of daylighting, which consisted of an 800-foot
stretch of the Saw Mill River. Yonkers plans to daylight one-half mile of the river to
create a unique public access destination and an anchor for a major expansion of
downtown Yonkers.
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