VHB receives approval for development of 222-unit, 24-story residential tower; Along the city of Yonkers waterfront

VHB concluded the successful approval process for a major development along the city of Yonkers waterfront. Located at the doorstep to the Yonkers train station, the project is the third and final phase of an already successful residential community. The project includes a 222-unit, 24-story residential tower, an addition to an existing parking garage to service the building, and an extension of the exiting Hudson River esplanade to connect to a major waterfront park. Long standing VHB client, Collins Enterprises, LLC was a Yonkers waterfront pioneer in the late 1990s, leading the way and proving that redevelopment could signal the start to revitalization. In a recent Westchester Business Journal article, Pace University Law School professor John Nolon singled out Yonkers and Hudson Park as smart urban development. "They are getting it right," Nolon said. "It is more cost-effective to have livable density. It enhances the quality of life." Given its proximity to mass transit, a residential audit revealed that 60% of Hudson Park residents commute to work by mass transit. VHB assisted in the processing of the application and the environmental documentation required for project approval by the city council and Yonkers planning board. Significant issues addressed included visual impacts, recent FEMA flood line designations and the impact on site design, creation of an esplanade extension along the Hudson River, and evaluation of parking standards consistent with TOD development.