Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano delivered his State of the City Address on March 13 at the Riverfront Library and declared it’s “Our Time” for Yonkers.Spano pointed to a bright future for the city and highlighted the achievements under his leadership.
The Yonkers Middle High School Singers and our Yonkers Eagle Scouts helped open the ceremony along with the Pipes & Drums of the Police Emerald Society of Westchester.
“So how do I energize our city more than ever before? I see this time as a chance to build upon the foundation we’ve created for ourselves. We now can stand on the summit with little in our way and declare, this is OUR TIME – our time to hit our stride and our time to reach our fullest potential.
“Crime is down 24 percent since 2011. And we intend to keep it down. In 2023, we opened the Police Departments’ state-of-the art AWARE Room, which allows officers on the street, citywide, to coordinate data in one central location. It’s how if someone is assaulted on the street, we can get a visual of the perpetrator. And see where he fled, and if he got into a car, find out where he’s going, stop and arrest him. It’s how if there’s a serious accident or other emergency we can immediately determine what assistance we need to provide and how we can get there the fastest. So far the AWARE room has assisted in 700 calls of service – and counting. Each of those calls represents a criminal who was caught, a person with a medical emergency who was helped, a missing person who was found, or a danger that was prevented.
“YPD is also launching its first-ever all-purpose Drone this spring, serving as a first responder. The drone will provide a bird’s eye view of incidents in real time, providing officers on the ground a visual of the situation before they arrive. The advantage here is unmatched compared to traditional emergency response – from high-speed pursuits to even spotting lost children and elderly. It also saves money and wear and tear on our police vehicles.
“The legalization of cannabis in New York is causing a lot of concern, because unlicensed smoke shops are popping up throughout the State. These shops are a top priority for us. Unfortunately, when the State passed cannabis legalization they did not foresee the illegal sales in smoke shops and chose not to provide us the proper tools to punish those who sell it illegally. And let me be clear, illegal sales are not about lost taxes. They are about lives that are harmed, or even lost, by adulterated products or sales to minors.
“We’ve closed over a dozen of these shops in the past year, and we’ll continue to crack down. But what we really need is for New York State to pass laws that allows us to permanently close stores that sell cannabis without a license, and to penalize the owners of these establishments. It’s disheartening to close up one of these shops, just to see the owners get a slap on the wrist and then reopen.
“We are also cracking down on careless drivers, or more specifically, those who don’t care about passing school buses that are picking up or discharging our children. The Yonkers Safe Stop program has outfitted most of our school buses with cameras. Now, if you pass a school bus that is halted with its safety arm extended and flashing lights on, your license plate will be caught on camera and you will get a $250 fine in the mail. Believe it or not, just in the past four months, I’m sad to report we’ve issued over 8,600 of these tickets, sometimes to second or third time offenders. It’s important to remember the law says you must stop for a school bus even if there is a roadway median between you and the bus. If you can see the bus stop and its flashing lights, you need to Slow Your Roll.
“So let’s talk about some of the good changes we are seeing in Yonkers these days. The downtown waterfront continues to thrive. Azorim’s 250-unit apartment tower on Hudson Street continues its rise, and when it opens will be a signature building to rival anything you might see in White Plains, New Rochelle, or even New York City. Meanwhile just a block away, ready to open this summer, is the 125-unit building on Prospect Street. And 57 Alexander Street is leasing up as well. That’s more people to shop in the downtown and eat in our downtown restaurants, as well as enjoy our wonderful riverfront public walkways – which by the way, will eventually connect, creating a four mile continuous riverwalk.
“For so many years people would complain about the downtown. How many times would people say to me, how come Yonkers is so big but you don’t even have a Starbucks downtown? Well, now we have several coffee shops as well as other amenities, and yes, one of them is Starbucks.
“We are making sure new residential buildings extend to all four corners of the city: opening at McLean Avenue, at Main Street, at Ravine, at Scarsdale Road, at Trinity Plaza, and Ridge Hill. And major retailers and movie studios are settling in after years of anticipation.
“And we are keeping our promise on making sure that all development is inclusive and accessible. In 2023 alone, over nineteen hundred and fifty units of housing were reviewed and approved. Of these new units, 730 of them are affordable and below market rate.
“Yonkers also is becoming an emerging center to the healthcare industry. Yonkers’ Medical Mile on North Broadway is flourishing, adding more specialized medical practices and pharmacies each year. We are even attracting a new generation of medical professionals here. A new partnership between St. Joseph’s Medical Center and the University of Mount Saint Vincent is developing modern nursing education initiatives, including expanded research and clinical opportunities.
“To prepare for the growing population, we are making way for the twenty-five hundred-unit development at Chicken Island. And a new 500-space garage along Nepperhan Avenue next to the Cacace Justice Center.
“There’s no doubt our time in the Hollywood limelight is now. With the actors and writers strikes finally resolved, our streets are once again buzzing with the sounds of flood light generators and “action” calls.
“As our friend Robert Halmi told Westchester Business Journal, Yonkers is “clearly now the number one place in the United States to make film and television.” The proof is in the numbers. In 2023, the City generated over $300,000 in revenue from film and production – that’s even after coming out of the strikes.Thanks to investments from Great Point Studios, the industry is expanding on Warburton and on North Broadway. Spanish-owned Media Pro is expected to open this fall and provide 650 new job
“Like the film industry, Yonkers arts are more vibrant than ever. Yonkers Arts Weekend returns with a two-day festival in May. We are unveiling new public art around the City in collaboration with Ray Wilcox and Yonkers Arts, displaying the colorful tapestry and talent of our residents. Yonkers youth are inspiring us as well. They are installing their first mural this spring and will repair current murals that may be damaged, or, unfortunately vandalized.
“Untermyer Gardens continues to mystify and allure visitors from across the nation. This year, we successfully completed the Persian Pool renovations with precision, after decades of neglect. With the same attention to detail, we are working to recreate the Medusa mosaic, which will be installed later this spring. Thank you to Untermyer Gardens Conservancy for your tireless dedication to renewing the Gardens and ensuring its greatest days are still ahead
“A greener Yonkers also means an improved water system. For residents who are frustrated with their water bills, help is finally on the way. We contracted a new and improved automated water meter system. You’ll receive more accurate data, notifications of potential leaks and real time billing information. With a 20-year warranty, Yonkers can now ensure an accurate water usage and billing system for the next two decades.
“Our teachers and students have worked so hard to achieve a 90 percent graduation rate, so don’t they deserve new schools to replace some of those buildings that are nearly 100 years old? This September, we’ll open the first new schools in a generation. The Justice Sonia Sotomayor School is the first of its kind in our District, featuring multi-functional spaces that will be accessible to the community, without the need to open the entire campus after school hours. Special amenities include a multi-purpose gymnasium with a stage; a full-sized basketball court and locker rooms as well as a cafeteria with a full kitchen. And the addition of a health suite with medical and dental exam rooms will finally start to address the healthcare inequities many face. If your child does not have adequate access to healthcare services, they soon will have them there.
“It’s also time to cut the ribbon at the new Yonkers Film & Television Production Academy. With the support of Great Point Studios, Yonkers Public Schools will build a generation of innovators ready for workplace employment in a variety of film and production industries – not just through class work, but with apprenticeships and internships. Students grades six through twelve will develop their imagination through hands-on, project-based practical learning.
“Yonkers My Brother’s Keeper continues to climb to new heights. I had the pleasure of joining my colleagues in Chicago last spring to accept one of only four Model Community awards designated by the Obama Foundation. Yonkers’ achievements in its stellar rise in graduation rates in a short time was recognized amongst MBK chapters nationwide. And Yonkers MBK won’t stop here. Working with Yonkers Police, our young men have their sights on another MBK milestone – keeping our youth safe from violent crime. While this number is already low, we know working together, we can reduce disruptive behavior even more.
“I know our new superintendent Dr. Anibal Soler will take the baton seamlessly and continue the progress we’ve all made. Dr. Soler has an impressive resume working in urban districts, like ours. He officially joins us May 1 as our District’s newest superintendent. Dr. Soler is with us tonight. Please give him a warm Yonkers welcome.
“You know, during my time as mayor, I’ve made it my priority to work hand-inhand with Yonkers Public Schools – whether it be their voice here or in Albany. Together with your help and strong leadership within our District, we’ve been able to work our way back onto the path towards educational success.
Yonkers’ growing population over the past 10 years has meant the need for more equitable and inclusive funding to support new families living here. Our commitment to our schools has never been greater.
“However, with rising costs in healthcare, loss of federal dollars and the impacts of the pandemic, both our upcoming city and school budgets pose a serious challenge – one we haven’t faced in quite awhile. That’s why tonight, I ask you all to join me in our efforts as we seek more assistance from Albany. We’ve proven Yonkers can deliver on the state’s investments, despite the lack of increase in municipal aid or receiving the least amount of funding among the State’s Big 5 Districts. We’ve dealt with tough budgets before, but your support is vital to our continued success. I look forward to working with you and the City Council in getting the job done.
“As I approach a birthday milestone next month, I am reminded of another significant date that we all soon will celebrate – that’s the 250th anniversary of our nation. For Yonkers, we have a chance to learn how our city and ancestors played such a pivotal role in our country’s independence. That’s why this spring, I will announce the launch of Revolutionary Yonkers Two-Fifty. The goal here is to educate and engage our residents about the significance and relevance of Yonkers in the American Revolution and beyond. We’ve heard about the Philipse family, George Washington and battles fought here, but there’s so much more for us to learn. To guide us, I will appoint a committee of civic leaders, historians, and educators to plan events leading up to our nation’s big day. 2026 is just around the corner – and I’m excited to celebrate.
“Our place in history goes beyond the American Revolution. With the help of our Office of Veteran Services, this year, Yonkers has been named an American World War II Heritage City by the National Parks Service – the only city in New York State to be given such a designation.
“2024 is also the time we embrace who we are. I’ve always been proud of our diversity and the spectrum of cultural, political, ethnic and religious contributions of our residents. That’s because we continue to reach for more. Like how we continue to be ranked one of the top cities exhibiting LGBTQ+ inclusion in our laws and policies. And because our minority workforce increased over 50% since we started here. And because that despite any financial obstacles we may face, we weather the storm and find solutions. And because we continue to be the fastest growing big city in New York State. And most importantly, it’s because we are proud to be Yonkers.
“Ladies and gentlemen, our time to be the best of who we can be is now. I ask you to join me in taking risks, to seek out new opportunities that will further our progress. I know we can, because even on our toughest days, we have persevered. We’ve put politics aside and found a commonplace. That’s how we do it here in Yonkers. My hope is others in the nation learn from us and take our lead.
“Let’s embrace our time to work together and build each other up. Now is the time to fight for the future for our students and schools; support our public safety and community policing. Now is the time for the investments in our economy to flourish and bring even more prosperity. Now is the time to embrace the diverse tapestry of this beautiful city. And now is the time to be proud of the path we’ve traveled together and the one waiting for us to conquer together,” said Mayor Spano.
