$35M Project to Redevelop Storied Yonkers Property

YONKERS, NY—City officials and executives with Simone Development Companies are expected to break ground today on the $35-million redevelopment of the former Boyce Thompson Institute property here.

The project will transform the institute into a modern 85,000-square-foot mixed-use complex. Located at the intersection of North Broadway and Executive Boulevard in Northwest Yonkers, the new Boyce Thompson Center will include office space for business and medical use on the upper floor of the building with the front and rear grade levels featuring medical offices, retail stores, banking and two restaurants.

The historic Boyce Thompson building, which was built in the 1920s, will be restored to its original character using materials to match or offset the period architecture. The 6.5-acre site was once the home of the Boyce Thompson Institute, a horticulture research center, which moved to Cornell University in the 1970s. The property has remained abandoned for some 40 years with the main building and greenhouses falling into disrepair.

Simone's plan includes construction of a new 18,000-square-foot addition that will be attached at the south end of the building to resemble the existing 52,000-square- foot structure. A glass “greenhouse” will connect the new building with the existing building and will house an information gallery honoring the Boyce Thompson legacy, company officials say.

A two-level 15,000-square-foot, freestanding glass and aluminum building will be built at the corner of Executive Boulevard and Executive Plaza for either business or medical use.

The project is expected to require 20 months to complete.

Joseph Simone, president of Simone Development Companies, says of its latest development venture, "This property, which has been an eyesore for many years, will soon become a thriving business and retail center creating new jobs and generating new revenue for the City of Yonkers. Yonkers has emerged as one of the region's most dynamic cities and we are very pleased to be part of the economic renaissance under way in the city.”

"Boyce Thompson is a case study in adaptive re-use, demonstrating that with the right developer we can preserve an old building and make it viable in the new economy," says Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano. "This project is yet another example of the tremendous amount of energy and excitement happening in Yonkers right now.