Elected officials from the city, county, and state met last week to dedicate a dynamic new playspace at 178 Warburton Avenue, the latest addition to Yonkers’ expanding Ridgeway neighborhood.
Representatives unveiled the unique playground at The Ridgeway. This affordable housing project already has 33,000 sq. ft. of landscaped park space. But, The Ridgeway’s outdoor space now includes a children’s play area with rubberized flooring and playground structures, as well as adult fitness equipment and family-friendly picnic areas.
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano is enthusiastic about the positive impact of the children’s playground to the Ridgeway community. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, he spoke of the park as a sign of progress and transformation.
“In the very near future we will see children playing here,” said Mayor Mike Spano.
“Quite a difference from the crumbling and abandoned buildings and gas station that once stood here. It’s public/private partnerships like these and the belief in a shining future for this city, for all its residents, that has made this day possible. Today we are building on the tremendous progress we have already made in transforming our city.”
Part of The Ridgeway Redevelopment
The $57 million project is phase 5 in a redevelopment plan to convert Cottage Place Gardens. That 80-year-old former public housing complex has now transformed into modern affordable housing units. The Ridgeway will add 1,300 affordable housing spaces to Yonkers, with 178 Warburton bringing 81 apartment units and an early childhood education center to the community.
New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas praised the efforts of those involved in the project, and recognized the positive outcomes of the park and housing units for Yonkersites.
“This new playscape is the perfect capstone to the progress we have made in transforming the old Cottage Place Gardens public housing development into the Ridgeway–500 new affordable homes right here in Yonkers,” Visnauskas stated. “Governor Hochul’s housing plan builds for the future, and there is no better example of that than right here. It took commitment, imagination, and a deep sense of purpose to make this a reality–and those are exactly the traits this playscape and the early childhood education center at 178 Warburton will foster in the children of this thriving community.”
Phase 5 Funding Overview
Financing for the $57 million 178 Warburton Project included both public and private funding, including:
- State of New York Mortgage Agency, Housing Finance Agency, and NYS Homes and Community Renewal: $35,100,000 in permanent financing, construction financing, and subsidy.
- Regions Affordable Housing: $26,438,098 in tax credit equity and $4.6 million in construction financing
- City of Yonkers: $500,000 (HOME fund)
- NYS Empire State Development: $250,000 (Restore New York fund)
- Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (Sponsored by M&T Bank): $738,639 (Affordable Housing Program)
- Municipal Housing Authority – City of Yonkers: $104,432 (Sponsor Loan)
- TCB and Mulford Corp: $3.2 million (Deferred Developer Fee)
- Community Capital New York: $800,000 (Predevelopment Financing)
- City of Yonkers (playscape): $500,000 (Community Development Block Grant)
- Westchester County (playscape): $5,000,000 (Housing Implementation Fund)
Westchester County Executive George Latimer is encouraged by the results of the public-private partnership.
“Children will soon be able to slide, swing and play at this new state-of-the-art playground in the Ridgeway community,” he said. “This facility is the end result of a strong partnership between New York State, Westchester County and the City of Yonkers, and I want to offer my sincere congratulations to everyone who helped bring this project to fruition.”
George Latimer
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