Troy McCombs, a spokesman for BICC Cables, says the company is considering a host of possible development scenarios for its 28.9-acre parcel at 1 Point St. The property is the site of the 400,000 sf manufacturing facility BICC operated from 1984 until its closure in 1996. A total of 15 acres of the property is upland, while the remainder jets out into the Hudson River, McCombs notes. BICC Cables, at one time the third largest wire and cable manufacturer worldwide, sold all its cable and wire operations to General Cable of Cincinnati in May 1999. The Yonkers property was not part of the sale.
While the company has been holding talks with city officials, including Yonkers Mayor John Spencer and Director of Economic Development and Special Assistant to the Mayor Edward Sheeran about its plans for the site, the company is working to assess potential environmental contaminants at the site. McCombs relates that BICC recently won approval of its remedial investigation feasibility study from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The company hopes to complete its feasibility study by August 2002, pending state DEC approval, to determine what if any contaminants may be at the site. BICC was the fourth owner of the property since the manufacturing plant was built in the 1800s.
He admits, "We know there are some (environmental) issues there." Just what contaminants are present and at what levels are yet to be determined. Once its study is completed, BICC would then seek to develop a remediation plan to rid the site of all hazardous materials.
In terms of possible future uses for the property, McCombs says, "BICC wants a mixed use development at the site to dovetail it with the city's waterfront (redevelopment) plan. Nearby, Collins Enterprises of Greenwich, CT., is expected to break ground soon on a $53 million mixed use retail/rental housing project as the first phase of the city's redevelopment plan.
One possible use for the former BICC plant is a movie or television production studio. "It is our intent to turn this into a TV and film mecca," McCombs notes. "In addition we are looking at a full range of joint ventures from television to a minor league baseball site."
BICC has held some preliminary discussions with a minor league baseball team about having the property house a new minor league baseball stadium. City officials have stated that the ownership of the Bridgeport (CT) Bluefish minor league baseball team has been searching for a possible site in Yonkers to house a new team. BICC officials offered no comment on whether it has held talks with officials with the Bridgeport franchise.
While the BICC plant has been vacant, the property has already attracted the interest of movie production houses. The feature films "Sleepy Hollow," "Zoolander" and "Down to Earth," starting comedian Chris Rock, were filmed at the Point Street site. In addition, the film "Kate and Leopold" starring Meg Ryan, is wrapping production after filming scenes at the former BICC property.
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John Jordan
John Jordan is a veteran journalist with 36 years of print and digital media experience.
