L.L. Bean has signed a lease for 25,000 sf and will open itsfirst Westchester County store and only its second in New YorkState. Fashion retailers Banana Republic and New York & Companyhave signed leases for 9,000 sf and 6,400 sf respectively.

Bruce Ratner, chairman and CEO of Forest City Ratner Cos. tellsGlobeSt.com that "it is a great project. It does a few things.First of all it provides about 4,000 permanent jobs to the City ofYonkers, which is great. Second is the tax base--$62 million a yearto Westchester County (at full build-out) and most importantly $24million a year to the City of Yonkers." Ridge Hill, which sits on81.4 acres across the New York State Thruway from Stew Leonard's,will feature retail; restaurants; cinema and other entertainmentuses; 1,000 apartments, including 200 units earmarked for residents55 years and older and 135 units of affordable housing; a hotel;and conference center. The property also currently contains 154,400sf of existing office and research related space.

Ratner, who said Target is also considering leasing space atRidge Hill adds "there has been a lot of interest (in the retailspace). I am very confident this project will do really good."