YONKERS, NY – (June 1, 2015) — The City of Yonkers today was declared the “Hippest Town” in the Hudson Valley by popular vote on The Journal News’ website LoHud.com. Yonkers beat out seven other towns and cities over the last month, taking the title by winning over Peekskill in the final round.
In celebrating the win, Mayor Mike Spano today joined residents and business leaders at a local restaurant, Rory Dolans, for the announcement.
“We always knew Yonkers was the hippest town and the place to be,” said Mayor Spano. “Yonkers has everything from our beautiful waterfront and bustling business districts, to an emerging arts community and growing population of Millennials, to our top-notch shopping and dining. LoHud’s poll reconfirmed what so many in the Hudson Valley and beyond have known for years: Yonkers is the place to live, work and play.”
In recent weeks, The Journal News, through its website, www.lohud.com, held the online voting competition and bracketed readers top choices into eight towns and cities, Those were whittled down into four Elite Eight pairings, which gave way to two Final Four brackets. Voters eventually chose their top two towns – the City of Peekskill and the City of Yonkers.
The two mayors held a friendly wager whereby the runner-up would foot the bill at the other mayor’s local restaurant of choice.
“Congratulations to Mayor Catalina and Peekskill for the friendly competition,” added Mayor Spano. “I look forward to calling in our wager and showing what so many people in the Hudson Valley believe and voted for. I’m excited for our trip to Empire City Casino and 5-star restaurant, X20’s.”
In LoHud’s story declaring Yonkers the winner, the news website characterized the victory as “just another feather in the cap of this newly revitalized powerhouse city, which in recent years has invested heavily in the arts, riverfront development and a stronger, safer, hipper downtown business district. (Campaigns) like Generation Yonkers have reached out to the growing Millennial demographic, ensuring Yonkers’ future growth as these young professionals build their lives in the lower Hudson Valley.”
Business owners who have invested in the city were ecstatic with the win and said it shows how great the city is as a destination.
“We are a beautiful city rooted in a rich history and our current growth doesn’t leave that foundation behind,” said John Rubbo, BrewEO of Yonkers Brewing Co. located in Yonkers downtown and waterfront area. “The city offers an array of dining, entertainment, shopping, and more. The Waterfront alone offers a culinary journey from American to Italian to Cuban, dance and arts studios, luxury apartments and of course their very own brewery. To be in competition with places like Peekskill, Nyack, Dobbs Ferry and others is really an honor. Westchester County has so much to offer and being able to showcase our cities like this is important!”
“Yonkers is a suburban community with an urban vitality,” added Peter X. Kelly of X2O Xaviars on the Hudson, “and I am proud to be part of its diversity.”
Yonkers, just 30 minutes by train to Grand Central Station, is New York’s fourth largest city. With fabulous restaurants and entertainment and an enviable location in the New York Metropolitan area, the city is attracting a new generation of business leaders who value an exceptional quality of life and affordable, flexible and accessible commercial office space and lofts for rent in Yonkers.
The Generation Yonkers campaign, which was developed last year, builds on the momentum of many new businesses and exciting development happening throughout the city — particularly along its scenic Hudson River waterfront. It speaks to Millennials or Generation Y, loosely defined as those born between 1983 and the early 2000’s that represent the next big wave of the nation’s workforce.
Be part of Generation Yonkers. To learn more, call 1-844-GenY-Now, or visit GenerationYonkers.com.
Media Contacts:
Christina Gilmartin
Communications Director, Office of the Mayor
City Hall: 914-377-6208
Cell: 914-512-4017
Christina.gilmartin@yonkersny.gov
Jerry McKinstry
Thompson & Bender
(914) 762-1900
Jerry@thompson-bender.com
