Developer Joseph Cotter dies at age 66

Developer Joseph Cotter of Greenwich-based National Resources has died at age 66. Cotter suffered a heart attack.

Joe Cotter at groundbreaking of Mediapro Studios in Yonkers in Nov. 2023. Photo by Peter Katz.

Lynne Ward, co-founder of National Resources, said, “With great sadness, we share with you that Joseph Cotter passed away suddenly from a heart attack on Friday October 25, 2024 at home in his beloved New York City. Joe, at 66, accomplished so much, developing visionary projects in places and communities that he believed in. Joe was very proud of his family, a great friend who meant much to so many, effortlessly connecting on a personal level. Most importantly, we will honor him by continuing to develop our existing projects and those in our pipeline to create transformative projects.”

Joe Cotter, left, chats with Sen. Chuck Schumer.

Cotter was president of National Resources. Under his and Lynne Ward’s leadership, National Resources engaged in numerous projects in many communities in the New York Metro area and Hudson Valley. National Resources employed almost 100 people.

National Resources transformed Yonkers into Hollywood on Hudson through its work with Great Point Studios to bring the Lionsgate Studios TV and film production complex to downtown Yonkers. Other movie and TV studio campuses followed in Yonkers and include the Robert Halmi Sr. Academy of Film and Television, a public high school for Grades 6 through 12, on the former Leake & Watts property.

National Resources has played a key role in the development of the Hudson River waterfront including the 24-acre Hudson Harbor community in Tarrytown, and the 26-acre Edgewater Harbor in Edgewater, New Jersey. In addition, National Resources is well-known for its signature i.Park campuses in Yonkers, East Fishkill, Ulster, and Norwalk, Connecticut.

Last year, Cotter was honored at the Business Council of Westchester’s Annual Hall of Fame program, receiving the Entrepreneurial Business Success Award while he and Lynne Ward have received several awards from Urban Land Institute and NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association.

There will be a private family service held and plans for a public memorial are expected to be announced shortly.