New York is committing $13.4 million to reopen a Mount Vernon fire station, renovate a Yonkers library auditorium and improve Van Cortlandt Manor. The three Westchester County projects combine public-safety, community-space and historic-preservation work.
The largest award is $6.3 million for a full renovation of Mount Vernon's Fire Station No. 4, according to the governor's announcement. The station has been closed for nearly five years because of structural problems, including water damage, mold and deteriorating ceilings, forcing firefighters to relocate temporarily.
The station covers Mount Vernon's largest geographic service area. That area includes six state-supported affordable-housing developments totaling about 900 homes, with roughly 300 occupied and another 600 expected to become available within a year.
Yonkers will receive $4.1 million to modernize the auditorium at the Grinton I. Will Library. Built in the 1960s, the auditorium has not had significant improvements since its original construction. State Sen. Shelley Mayer said the 325-seat space is among Westchester's largest event venues and serves as a gathering place for classes, cultural programs and community activities.
The remaining $3 million will support the second phase of infrastructure work at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson. The National Historic Landmark hosts the Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze and educational programs addressing colonial New York, including slavery in the state.
The new work includes $1.525 million for energy-efficient heat pumps to provide year-round climate control while protecting historic buildings, and $625,000 for a workshop used by carvers and builders supporting cultural and educational programs. Other upgrades are also planned.
The property's first phase is already underway with an initial $3 million federal grant and other state and local investments that brought that phase's funding to $5.6 million. The newly announced state commitment supports the separate second phase.
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