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For Mount Vernon Mayor Clinton Young, the rehabilitation of the Petrillo Plaza transit hub downtown is the key to the rest of the city”™s redevelopment.
The $10 million renovation to the hub, funded by county and federal grant money, will build new bus shelters, wider sidewalks, a new median and new pedestrian crossing signals.
Other improvements, such as adding trash receptacles and hanging plant baskets, curb extensions, benches, information kiosks and pedestrian lighting also are planned. Construction of the project should be completed by late this year.
“That is going to be the catalyst for all other development in the area,” said Young.
According to the county, Petrillo Plaza is the third-busiest hub in the Bee-Line system after White Plains and Yonkers”™ Getty Square
Young said the city had several development deals in the works surrounding the hub, which is located in the city”™s downtown adjacent to the Mount Vernon East Metro-North train station.
“Everything is progressing outward from there,” the mayor said of the hub. “That area is really going to benefit.”
Some of the projects currently being discussed include several market-rate housing developments in the area, something Young had said he wanted to bring into the city while campaigning for mayor last year.
One such project is a building with market-value housing and a first-floor retail component on Third Avenue across from Hartley Park.
“We”™re very close to giving the thumbs up on that project,” said Young. “It”™s going to be the best-looking building in all of Westchester.”
He said the city”™s Industrial Development Agency recently approved an $800,000 loan to a developer looking to build 45 units of “work force housing” on the corner of Seventh Avenue and First Street.
Young said his administration is looking at several other areas of the city to add more affordable housing, such as on Third Street.
Young is also looking to bring a “big name” bank to Third Street to have a storefront presence there.
Former Mayor Ernie Davis had long discussed an idea to redevelop the area around the Mount Vernon East train station, including building a mixed-use project there with retail, commercial and office components. A new hotel and convention center would also have been included, though those plans never came to fruition.
Young has said he would not pursue any of those proposals, and instead would look to attract medium- to large-sized businesses that could add a significant amount of jobs to the city. He said he would target businesses in dynamic fields, such as technology, in order to make the city more attractive as a business mecca.
Young also said rehabilitating Memorial Field and other athletic facilities is a priority
The mayor said “there is a buzz” about Mount Vernon and he is optimistic that developers will want to come into the city and build quality projects.
“There is a lot happening here,” he said.
