In May 2022, North American Properties (NAP), Nuveen Real Estate (Nuveen), and Taconic Partners formed a joint venture partnership to acquire Ridge Hill, a 74-acre lifestyle center in Yonkers, New York, and transform it into the preeminent mixed-use destination serving the northern metropolitan area. Today, the trio announced Phase I of its redevelopment, which focuses on enhancing the public realm, has been approved by the Yonkers Department of Planning and Development. Construction is anticipated to begin early 2024.

"The City of Yonkers has extended a warm welcome to our team, and we are grateful to have the support of Mayor Spano and the Department of Planning & Development as we reinvest and maximize the potential of Ridge Hill. Our goal in this initial phase of work is to make the property more human-centric and get the street level right to inspire more frequent and extended guests visits," said Kevin Polston, NAP project executive.

Ownership’s sequenced redevelopment efforts will begin with reimagining the property’s streetscape and social gathering spaces. Immediate areas slated to receive facelifts include Cinema Plaza, situated near Legoland Discovery Center and TJ Maxx, followed by Town Square, the 15,000-square-foot plaza fronting Market Street at the heart of the center. 

Re-envisioned as Park Plaza, the 17,000-square-foot space on the center's north end (formerly Fountain Plaza) is set to become a family-friendly activity zone. To create a more useful and engaging space, the fountain will be decommissioned and replaced with design elements to encourage gathering and connecting. Once complete, Park Plaza will feature a generous amount of greenery, soft seating and café tables. Architectural modifications to the exterior facades of the surrounding buildings are also on tap.

The biggest change coming to Town Square is the pedestrianization of Second Street, the road parallel to Market Street, which will create a new car-free zone between Archer Avenue and Cole Street. Town Square will then expand into the former thoroughfare, increasing the central plaza space by approximately 10,000 square feet to accommodate larger events. A covered performance stage and an 18’ X 11’ LED screen, soft seating, potted plants, and fire pits will also be sprinkled throughout the space to elevate its ambience.

"Our event attendance has increased so much since we introduced more consistent event programming that it is putting pressure on our existing activation spaces. We've enjoyed seeing the crowds continuously grow during our weekly and monthly events and look forward to being able to bring even more of our neighbors together soon," said Ridge Hill General Manager Meghann Hongach.

NAP oversees leasing and management of Ridge Hill and is leading the redevelopment charge. Project partners include Beyer Blinder Belle, architectural master planner, DTS Provident, civil engineer, and Site Solutions, landscape architect. This project marks the sixth of its kind for redevelopment specialist NAP since 2017, including Birkdale Village in Huntersville, North Carolina, and The Forum in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, both renovated in collaboration with Nuveen.

“Building on the successes of Birkdale Village and The Forum, the redevelopment of Ridge Hill represents Nuveen’s further dedication to enhancing local living with new and exciting amenities to foster a vibrant community for all,” said Julien Chaperon, senior director of Retail & Mixed-Use for Nuveen.

Originally developed in 2011, the 1.2-million-square-foot Ridge Hill is located in affluent Westchester County, 18 miles from Manhattan. Ownership’s phased capital investment plan, including past and near-future initiatives, is valued at an estimated $30 million.

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