Ridge Hill

For the past week, Yonkers City Council president Chuck Lesnick has been in negotiations with Forest City Ratner and Westchester County officials in an attempt to mediate some issues that have delayed the project, including traffic and taxes. Forest City Ratner had given city officials until June 15 to show that progress was being made so that construction could begin soon or it reportedly threatened it might walk away from the project.

On June 15, councilwoman Sandy Annabi announced she had decided to support the Ridge Hill project. Annabi said that Forest City Ratner had agreed to increase the taxes it would pay on the project over the next three years from a total of $900,000 to $10.9 million. The Ridge Hill development, to be built on an 81.4-acre tract between the New York State Thruway and the Sprain Brook Parkway, if approved, will feature 1.3 million sf of retail, restaurant and retail use, 800 rental apartments, 150,000 sf of office and research space, a 350-room hotel, a 40,000-sf conference center and approximately 7,000 parking spaces.

"Forest City Ratner Cos. has worked with us in good faith and has addressed my concerns," Annabi said. "They have committed to be a long-term investor and good neighbor in Yonkers, and as such assist us in improving our quality of life. This means lower property taxes and more money for our schools and for public safety."