Wanted: commercial and retail developers in the city of Peekskill.
Peekskill officials this week issued a request for qualifications, or RFQ, from developers interested in redeveloping nearly 13 acres of city-owned land on Lower South Street near the city”™s industrial waterfront corridor.
“This is a priority project for the city,” Peekskill Mayor Mary F. Foster said in a press release. She said the development would replace a former recycling facility and junkyard with “a destination center for businesses and stores” that would generate jobs and tax revenue.
The land, which includes eight parcels zoned for industrial use, adjoins the recently improved state Route 9, from which it is accessible by the Louisa Street and Welcher Avenue exits.
The city is asking developers to be innovative in their approaches to complement the city”™s downtown, waterfront and other business sectors. James Slaughter, Peekskill economic development director, said officials want the Lower South Street area to be “part of an organic connection” between the city’s various business districts.
Slaughter said the city wants to attract high-quality national and regional retailers as well as commercial businesses to the former industrial area. Regarding retail uses, “We really want to see what prospective developers want to talk about and what they think can make it there,” he said.
Slaughter said the city could issue a request for proposals from developers, the next step in the redevelopment process, in the latter half of October and begin interviewing developers by November or December.
Responses from developers are due at City Hall by 11 a.m. Sept. 14. The full RFQ is posted online at cityofpeekskill.com.
Developers and investors seeking more information can contact Slaughter at 914-293-0916 or by email at JSlaughter@cityofpeekskill.com.
