Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano on July 22 announced that the city, St. John’s Riverside Hospital and the Untermyer Gardens Conservancy have signed an agreement to make a land swap of land owned by the City and the hospital. A portion of the parking lot at the hospital will be relocated, which will enable the Conservancy to restore the last major element of the historic Untermyer Gardens, called the Color Gardens.
The Color Gardens were a series of axially aligned terraces connected by stairs, each planted with flowers of a single color: pink, blue, red, white and yellow. Two of them are owned by the city and are clearly visible. The other gardens are currently owned by the hospital and are either used for parking or overgrown. The land swap will enable the parcels to be joined together once again as dedicated parkland, which must be approved by New York state.
Spano said that the public-private partnership is a powerful example of collaboration coupled with investing in the city’s future.
“By realigning land use through this thoughtful swap, we’re setting the stage for the full restoration of the magnificent Color Gardens and enhance the beauty and accessibility of it for generations to come,” Spano said. “Thank you to the leadership at St. John’s Riverside Hospital, Yonkers Parks Department and Untermyer Gardens Conservancy for the shared vision and commitment to our city. Together, we are continuing to position Yonkers and the Gardens as a premier destination.”
According to Ron Corti, president and CEO of the hospital, “St. John’s is committed to the great partnership between these two historic Yonkers institutions, and the land swap is a natural extension of this partnership. This is a prime example of neighbors being good neighbors. Additionally, the Untermyer Gardens Conservancy has created a relaxing and healing environment which benefit both our patients and staff.”
Possible timing for the project includes obtaining the necessary approvals and relocating the parking lot by the end of next year. The restoration of the Color Gardens would follow.
Yonkers says that there are more than 300,000 annual visitors to Untermyer Gardens and that it is one of the top tourist attractions in Westchester County.
