A STATEMENT FROM YONKERS CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT LESNICK, MAJORITY LEADER ANNABI, MINORITY LEADER MCLAUGHLIN, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS BARBATO, GRONOWSKI, AND MCDOW ON THE SFC PROJECT
YONKERS, NEW YORK: APRIL 21, 2009 – THE MAJORITY OF THE YONKERS CITY COUNCIL HAS SUPPORTED THE FULL SCOPE OF THE SFC PROJECT TO TRANSFORM OUR DOWNTOWN SINCE IT WAS INITIALLY PRESENTED. SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, WHILE PERFORMING ITS DUE DILIGENCE ON BEHALF OF THE TAXPAYERS, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS RESPONDED THOROUGHLY, TIMELY, AND POSITIVELY TO SFC DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS INCLUDING THE MASTER DEVELOPMENT DESIGNATION AGREEMENT (MDDA) AND THE STATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY REVIEW ACT (SEQRA) MILESTONES. OUR GOAL THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS IS TO PROVIDE RETAIL, RESIDENTIAL, AND OPEN SPACE OPPORTUNITIES TO AN AREA OF OUR CITY THAT HAS NOT YET LIVED UP TO ITS POTENTIAL.
RECENTLY, THE COUNCIL WAS INFORMED BY THE ADMINISTRATION THAT IT HAD NEGOTIATED A MINIMUM DEVELOPMENT PLAN WITH THE DEVELOPER. WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A DOWNTURN IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR SFC TO BUILD THE $1.6 BILLION PROJECT IN ITS ENTIRETY, WE ARE DISAPPOINTED THAT THE MINIMUM DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT INCLUDE PLANS FOR RESIDENTIAL HOUSING AND A VIABLE ATTRACTION TO DRAW PEOPLE TO THE DOWNTOWN. CURRENTLY, WE ARE REVIEWING THE LAND DISPOSITION AGREEMENT AND WILL NEGOTIATE USING THE FOLLOWING FRAMEWORK:
1) ENSURE THAT RETAIL, RESIDENTIAL, AND PARKLAND / PUBLICLY-ACCESSIBLE LAND REMAIN PROMINENT ELEMENTS OF EACH PHASE OF THE DEVELOPMENT;
2) ENSURE THAT THE INVESTMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS IS PROPORTIONATE TO THE INVESTMENT OF PRIVATE FUNDS;
3) ENSURE THAT THERE ARE SUFFICIENT ATTRACTIONS TO DRAW PEOPLE TO THE DOWNTOWN;
4) MAKE CERTAIN THAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A COMPONENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND THAT WORKERS ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THEIR INCOMES WITH BETTER PAYING JOBS; AND
5) ENSURE SUFFICIENT SAFEGUARDS FOR THE TAXPAYERS OF YONKERS SHOULD THE DEVELOPER DEFAULT OR FAIL TO OBTAIN FINANCING IN THESE TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES.
THIS COUNCIL WILL PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE INPUT ON THE ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSAL OVER THE COMING MONTHS. WE ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS, ESPECIALLY THE FORMAL LEGAL HEARING ON MAY 5TH AT 7:00 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS. AS ALWAYS, THE PUBLIC SHOULD FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US DIRECTLY WITH THEIR VIEWS ON THE ADMINISTRATION'S MINIMUM DEVELOPMENT.
REVIEW THE LDA AND RELATED DOCUMENTS AT HTTP://WWW.CITYOFYONKERS.COM/INDEX.ASPX?PAGE=2025
Adam H. Brill
Director of Communications
Office of the Yonkers City Council President
Yonkers City Hall
40 S. Broadway Rm. 403
Yonkers, NY 10701
(914) 377-6064 (direct)
(914) 329-8152 (blackberry)
(914) 964-1949 (fax)
