85-578: The New York Coliseum also known as the Bronx Coliseum and Starlight Park Stadium , is a defunct sports venue and auditorium in the West Farms section of the Bronx , New York City . The 105,000-square-foot (9,800 m) auditorium was originally built for Philadelphia 's 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition , and transported in 1928 to Starlight Park at 177th Street and Devoe Avenue. The 16,800-seat edifice
170-459: A Bee-line Bus route. Nepperhan Avenue in Nepera Park is a shopping district in the area. Residents of southeast Yonkers are primarily Irish- and Italian-American. A number of recent immigrants from Ireland live in the area. Its architecture more closely resembles that of parts of the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island than of points north. Southeast Yonkers is within walking distance of
255-573: A June 1954 labor dispute. In 1983, the Otis Elevator factory closed. A Kawasaki railcar-assembly plant opened in 1986 in the former Otis plant. With the loss of manufacturing jobs, Yonkers became a commuter town . Some neighborhoods, such as Crestwood and Park Hill , became popular with wealthy New Yorkers who wanted to live outside Manhattan without giving up urban conveniences. Yonkers' transportation infrastructure, which included three commuter railroad lines and five parkways and thruways, made it
340-495: A city in 1872. In 1873, the southern Town of Yonkers (outside the City of Yonkers) became the Town of Kingsbridge; this included Woodlawn Cemetery and the present-day neighborhoods of Kingsbridge , Riverdale , and Woodlawn Heights . The Town of Kingsbridge was annexed by New York City the following year as part of the Bronx. In 1898, Yonkers, Brooklyn , Queens , and Staten Island voted on
425-450: A college education or higher. The percentage of West Farms and Belmont students excelling in math rose from 19% in 2000 to 44% in 2011, and reading achievement increased from 25% to 30% during the same time period. West Farms and Belmont's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is more than the rest of New York City. In West Farms and Belmont, 35% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per school year , higher than
510-430: A desirable city in which to live. A 15-minute drive from Manhattan, it has a number of prewar homes and apartment buildings. Yonkers' manufacturing sector has also revived during the early 21st century. In 2024, Kawasaki rail reached a milestone with its 5,000th railway car. In 1960, the population of Yonkers was 95.8 percent white and four percent Black. The city developed a national reputation for racial tension during
595-501: A grist mill and a lumber mill, formerly de Lancey's Mills , converting the last stands of timber accessible to the Bronx River upstream. Rail service to the city was on an almost hourly schedule, and West Farms was developing into a railroad suburb like Yonkers , which bounded it on the north. In 1848 the Hunt house (built in 1688) still stood on Hunts Point at the end of "Planting Neck", and
680-464: A ladies' seminary and a boys' private school. The railroad depot of the Harlem & Westchester Rail Road stood a mile north of the village, where there were four churches, "4 taverns, a temperance house , 12 stores of different kinds, and a post office." In addition to seven sloops moored on the Bronx River, there were manufactories: a Brussels carpet and spinning factory, another carpet manufactory, and
765-443: A mixture of architectural styles which include dense clusters of apartment buildings, blocks of stores with apartments above, multifamily row houses , and detached single-family homes . The Ludlow Park, Hudson Park, and Van Cortlandt Crest neighborhoods have a larger number of detached houses. Southwest Yonkers, traditionally home to African American and white residents, has seen an influx of immigrants from Mexico, Central America,
850-510: A planned $ 500 million expansion would make it the largest such facility in the Northeast. Yonkers covers an area of 20.3 square miles (53 km ), including 18.1 square miles (47 km ) of land and 2.2 square miles (5.7 km ) of water. On the east, the Bronx River separates Yonkers from Mount Vernon , Tuckahoe , Eastchester , Bronxville , and Scarsdale . The town of Greenburgh
935-459: A referendum to determine if they wanted to become part of New York City. Although the referendum passed elsewhere, Yonkers and neighboring Mount Vernon were not included in the consolidated city and remained independent. Some residents call Yonkers "the sixth borough " because of its location on the New York City border, its urban character, and the merger referendum. A 1942 subway connection
SECTION 10
#17328515923361020-514: A relatively average population of residents who are uninsured . In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 12%, equal to the citywide rate of 12%. The concentration of fine particulate matter , the deadliest type of air pollutant , in West Farms and Belmont is 0.008 milligrams per cubic metre (8.0 × 10 oz/cu ft), more than the city average. Sixteen percent of West Farms and Belmont residents are smokers , which
1105-526: A result. Wasicsko's story, subject of the 2015 miniseries Show Me a Hero , was adapted from a 1999 nonfiction book of the same name by Lisa Belkin . The 2007 documentary Brick by Brick: A Civil Rights Story also covers racial discrimination and housing segregation in Yonkers. As a result of the federal lawsuit, Yonkers' public-school enrollment dropped from 54 percent of the city's eligible population to under 30 percent as thousands of white families left
1190-490: A ruling by federal judge Leonard B. Sand , Yonkers engaged in institutional segregation in housing and educational policies for more than 40 years. He connected the city's opposition to ending racial segregation from its public schools to the unlawful concentration of public housing and discrimination in private housing. Yonkers gained national and international attention during the summer of 1988, when it backed out of its previous agreement to build municipal public housing in
1275-714: A safety elevator in 1853, and the Otis Elevator Company opened the world's first elevator factory on the Hudson near present-day Vark Street. The company moved to larger quarters during the 1880s, which later became the Yonkers Public Library . Around that time, the Alexander Smith and Sons Carpet Company in the Saw Mill River Valley expanded to 45 buildings, 800 looms, and more than 4,000 workers. It
1360-556: A terminated Sheridan Expressway ; it opened on September 7, 2003, on the site of the former Coliseum Depot . There are two NYCHA developments located in West Farms. West Farms and Belmont are patrolled by the 48th Precinct of the NYPD , located at 450 Cross Bronx Expressway. The 48th Precinct ranked 56th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. As of 2018 , with a non-fatal assault rate of 152 per 100,000 people, West Farms and Belmont's rate of violent crimes per capita
1445-442: Is a primarily Irish-American and Italian-American area. House sizes vary, from small houses set close together to larger homes in neighborhoods such as Lawrence Park West and mid-rise apartment buildings along Central Avenue ( NY 100 ). Central Avenue (officially Central Park Avenue) is a shopping area. Notable former residents include Steven Tyler of Aerosmith , whose childhood home was at 100 Pembrook Drive. The area contains
1530-594: Is a residential neighborhood in The Bronx , New York City . Its boundaries are Bronx Park to the north, the Bronx River to the east, the Cross Bronx Expressway to the south, and Southern Boulevard to the west. East Tremont Avenue is the primary thoroughfare through West Farms. West Farms is part of Bronx Community Board 6 , and its ZIP Code is 10460. The area is patrolled by the NYPD's 48th Precinct. West Farms
1615-770: Is a retail hub for the city and the northwest Bronx. Major shopping areas are in Getty Square on South Broadway, at the Cross County Shopping Center and the Ridge Hill Mall , and along Central Park Avenue . The city has a number of attractions, including Tibbetts Brook Park , Untermyer Park and Gardens , the Hudson River Museum , the Saw Mill River , the Science Barge , Sherwood House , and access to
1700-496: Is a small Jewish cemetery. Two former Alexander Smith and Sons Carpet Company loft buildings (at 540 and 578 Nepperhan Avenue) have been repurposed to house the YoHo Artist Community , which has private studios there. Yonkers Raceway, a harness racing track, renovated its grounds and clubhouse and added video slot machines in 2006 to become Yonkers Raceway & Empire City Casino . MGM Resorts International bought
1785-522: Is also home to the Ridge Hill Mall shopping center, which contains a Legoland Discovery Center Westchester , the first Legoland Discovery Center to open in the Northeast area of the United States. Northeast Yonkers is somewhat more expensive than the rest of the city and, due to the proximity of several Metro-North commuter railroad stations, its residents generally work for Manhattan corporations. Northwest Yonkers neighborhoods vary, spanning from
SECTION 20
#17328515923361870-414: Is an 18-story building on the site of the original old mill. New proposals and current projects are intended to revitalize downtown Yonkers. Phillipse Manor Hall was the site of the first Yonkers Village Hall and City Hall from 1868 to c. 1906 . Yonkers is governed by a strong mayor–council system. The Yonkers City Council has seven members: six, elected from each of the six districts, and
1955-592: Is considered a City of Seven Hills: Park, Nodine, Ridge, Cross, Locust, Glen, and Church Hills. Much of the city developed around the Saw Mill River , which enters Yonkers from the north and flows into the Hudson River at Getty Square . Portions of the river had been buried in flumes under parking lots, but have been uncovered ( daylighted ). Daylighting promotes the restoration of habitat for plants, fish, and other fauna, and helps develop an understanding of where Native Americans camped in spring and summer. Yonkers
2040-438: Is dominated by five and six-story tenement buildings, older multi-unit homes, vacant lots, and newly constructed subsidized attached multi-unit townhouses and apartment buildings. Most of the original housing stock was structurally damaged by arson and eventually razed by the city. The total land area is less than one square mile. The terrain is somewhat hilly. The West Farms Bus Depot is located along East 177th Street next to
2125-462: Is greater than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 1,015 per 100,000 people is higher than that of the city as a whole. The 48th Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 60.9% between 1990 and 2022. The precinct reported 14 murders, 26 rapes, 447 robberies, 646 felony assaults, 252 burglaries, 467 grand larcenies, and 304 grand larcenies auto in 2022. NYCHA property in
2210-416: Is higher than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In West Farms and Belmont, 36% of residents are obese , 22% are diabetic , and 32% have high blood pressure —compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively. In addition, 20% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%. Eighty-one percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which
2295-602: Is less than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 69% of residents described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", lower than the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in West Farms and Belmont, there are 37 bodegas . The nearest hospitals are St Barnabas Hospital in Belmont and Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center in Claremont. West Farms is covered by the ZIP Code 10460. The United States Postal Service operates
2380-506: Is lower than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are youth and middle-aged adults: 29% are between the ages of between 0–17, 28% between 25 and 44, and 20% between 45 and 64. The ratio of college-aged and elderly residents was lower, at 14% and 9% respectively. As of 2017, the median household income in Community Districts 3 and 6, including Crotona Park East and Morrisania ,
2465-523: Is on the north, and the Hudson River forms the western border. Yonkers borders the Riverdale , Woodlawn , and Wakefield sections of The Bronx from the south. The city is spread over hills rising from near sea level on the east bank of the Hudson River to 416 feet (127 m) above sea level at Sacred Heart Church, whose spire can be seen from Long Island , New York City , and New Jersey . Yonkers
2550-565: Is the third-most populous city in New York State . In the 2018 American Community Survey , 34.8 percent of Yonkers residents spoke Spanish and 4.2 percent of the population was West Indian . Yonkers has a sizeable Arab population, mainly from the Levant (especially Jordanians and Palestinians ). There is also a sizeable Albanian population in the city. In the 2010 census, there were 195,976 people in Yonkers and its population density
2635-602: The 27th Division or the 77th Division . One hundred thirty-seven city residents were killed during the war. In the 1918 sinking of the USS President Lincoln , seventeen sailors from Yonkers survived. Civilians helped the war effort by joining organizations such as the American Red Cross . The Yonkers chapter of the Red Cross had 126 members in 1916; by the end of the war, 15,358 Yonkers residents belonged to
New York Coliseum (1928) - Misplaced Pages Continue
2720-631: The American Revolution numerous engagements occurred here; there were too few able-bodied men to form a company of continental militia, so West Farms formed a joint company with Fordham. In 1848 the village of West Farms was described as "pleasantly situated at the head of the navigable waters of the Bronx, three miles from the East river , and twelve from New York ". The rapidly growing village already had about 1000 inhabitants, in about 200 houses. There were three district schools, for boys and girls, and
2805-560: The Bronx River . Adriaen van der Donck (d. 1655) built a saw mill near the confluence of Nepperhan Creek and the Hudson River. Near the site of Van der Donck's mill is the Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site , a manor house owned by Dutch colonists . The historic house museum is also an archive. The original structure was built by white workers and enslaved people for Frederick Philipse and his wife, Margaret Hardenbroeck de Vries, around 1682. Philipse
2890-488: The Hudson River . Yonkers is also known as the City of Seven Hills: Park , Nodine, Ridge, Cross, Locust, Glen, and Church Hills. The city has continued to experience significant gentrification since the inception of the 21st century. The area was granted to Adriaen van der Donck , the patroon of Colendonck , in July 1645. Van der Donck was known locally as Jonkheer ('young gentleman'), an honorific title derived from
2975-496: The Hudson River Museum , the Lenoir Nature Preserve, and Untermyer Park and Gardens . The two-block section of Palisade Avenue between Chase and Roberts Avenues in northwest Yonkers is colloquially known as "the north end" or "the end". The only retail area in northwest Yonkers, it was known for its soda fountain , Urich's Stationery, and Robbins Pharmacy. It was the end of a trolley line that has since been replaced by
3060-663: The New York and Putnam Railroad and the Third Avenue Railway trolley lines; these buildings are now served by the Bee-Line Bus System . The railroad companies built neighborhoods of mixed housing which ranged from apartment buildings to large mansions in areas such as Park Hill , where a funicular accessed the train station in the valley. Off South Broadway and Yonkers Avenue are residential neighborhoods such as Lowerre, Nodine Hill, Park Hill , and Hudson Park. They have
3145-541: The New York metropolitan area , Yonkers had a population of 211,569 at the 2020 United States census . Yonkers is classified as an inner suburb of New York City , immediately north of the Bronx and approximately 2.4 miles (4 km) north of Marble Hill (the northernmost point in Manhattan ). Downtown Yonkers is centered around Getty Square , where the municipal government is located. The downtown area, which also houses local businesses and nonprofit organizations ,
3230-644: The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development about further construction of low-income housing in west Yonkers, it continued to support subsidized housing in this area between 1972 and 1977. In 1980, the NAACP and the federal government filed suit against the city of Yonkers and its board of education in United States v. Yonkers . After a 1985 decision and an unsuccessful appeal, Yonkers' schools were integrated three years later. According to
3315-570: The Woodlawn and Wakefield neighborhoods of the Bronx. Eastern McLean Avenue, home to an Irish community shared with Woodlawn, is considered the hub of Yonkers by some. A portion of Midland Avenue in the Dunwoodie neighborhood has been called the city's Little Italy . Southeast Yonkers landmarks include the Cross County Shopping Center , Yonkers Raceway and St. Joseph's Seminary in Dunwoodie, which
3400-709: The Yonkers City Council approved the US Post Office on Main Street for local-landmark status after its 1989 listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. On September 29, 2023 , a state of emergency was declared in the city after flash flooding affected most of the Hudson Valley and New York City . Most area parkways were closed and flooding was also reported in neighboring Mount Vernon . After
3485-607: The 15th NY National Guard. During the New York City draft riots , Yonkers formed the Home Guards. The guards were a force of constables formed to protect Yonkers from rioting which was feared to spread from New York City (it did not). Seventeen Yonkers residents were killed during the Civil War. During World War I , 6,909 Yonkers residents (about seven percent of the city's population) entered military service. Most Yonkers men joined
New York Coliseum (1928) - Misplaced Pages Continue
3570-471: The 1854 Smith-Collins House was included in a 1983 article in The New York Times . The house was demolished in 2007, and former city-council president Chuck Lesnick called for legislation which would make the demolition of a 75-year-old landmark in the city subject to the landmark-review process. Neighborhoods include Nepera Park, Runyon Heights , Homefield, Glenwood, and Greystone. Landmarks include
3655-480: The 1980s and 1990s, based on a long-term battle between the city and the NAACP over the construction of subsidized, low-income housing projects . Yonkers planned to use federal funding for urban renewal exclusively downtown; other groups, led by the NAACP, believed that the resulting concentration of low-income housing in traditionally-poor neighborhoods would perpetuate poverty. Although the city had been warned in 1971 by
3740-440: The 1980s struggle against segregation. According to critics, the development would bring homelessness and gentrification to the area. Downtown gentrification has raised concerns that poorer residents might be forced out of the city. A Yonkers Arts Gallery painting, But It's Ours: The Redline Between Poverty and Wealth by Shanequa Benitez, illustrates the effects of gentrification on Yonkers. In an effort to combat redlining ,
3825-673: The Caribbean, South Asia, and the Middle East. Many residents are of African, Caribbean, Italian, Polish, or Mexican descent. Some neighborhoods on the Riverdale border contain an increasing number of Orthodox Jews. The area is home to historical and educational institutions which include Philipse Manor Hall , the Science Barge , the Beczak Environmental Education Center, and a 2003 Yonkers Public Library building. The revitalization of Getty Square has helped facilitate
3910-510: The Dutch jonk ('young') and heer ('lord'). The title, similar to " esquire ", is linguistically comparable to the German Junker . Jonkheer was shortened to Jonker ( possessive Jonkers ), from which the name Yonkers derives. The city's residents are known as Yonkersonians, Yonkersites, Yonkers, or Yonks. The indigenous Native American village of Nappeckamack
3995-714: The Hudson River to the New York State Thruway ( I-87 ) and from Ashburton Avenue north to the Hastings-on-Hudson border. With the Hudson River bordering it on the west, northwest Yonkers has many Victorian-era homes with panoramic views of the Palisades . The Victorian architecture and number of 19th-century estates in northwest Yonkers has attracted filmmakers. An interest in historic preservation has developed, demonstrated on streets such as Shonnard Terrace, Delavan Terrace , and Hudson Terrace. On Delavan Terrace,
4080-561: The Indyan proprietors". It was bounded on the east by the "river commonly called by the Indians Aquehung , otherwise Broncke river ". Jessup was dead within a year, and his widow conveyed his share to Thomas Hunt of Westchester, whose family is commemorated in the name of Hunts Point . In 1711, the heirs of the patentees joined in a second division of the lands in twelve lots with immutable boundaries, which were subsequently divided up. During
4165-467: The NAACP's lawyer during the case, blamed Sand for failing to allocate federal funds to help relieve the cost of integration. Areas of Yonkers which bordered similar neighborhoods in Riverdale began seeing an influx of Orthodox Jews during the 2000s, and the Riverdale Hatzalah volunteer ambulance service began serving neighborhoods in the southwest part of the city. The Sherwood Park Cemetery
4250-441: The Otis Elevator factory. Increased competition from less-expensive imports resulted in a decline in manufacturing in Yonkers after the war, and a number of industrial jobs were lost. Yonkers was originally a small farming town which produced peaches, apples, potatoes, oats, wheat, and other agricultural goods to be shipped to New York City along the Hudson River . Water power created manufacturing jobs. Elisha Otis invented
4335-539: The Philipse family. Yonkers has undergone several changes to neighborhoods in an effort to revitalize the city, which has included gentrification . Changes were made to its waterfront, which included revitalizing its green space. Residents of the western area of downtown Yonkers opposed the Pierpointe, a condominium-complex development proposal that would build over 1,900 condominiums (including six 38-story towers), during
SECTION 50
#17328515923364420-479: The West Farms Station at 362 Devoe Avenue. West Farms and Belmont generally have a lower rate of college-educated residents than the rest of the city as of 2018 . While 19% of residents age 25 and older have a college education or higher, 36% have less than a high school education and 45% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 26% of Bronx residents and 43% of city residents have
4505-590: The affluent neighborhoods of Crestwood , Colonial Heights, and Cedar Knolls, and the wealthy enclaves of Beech Hill and Lawrence Park West. It includes a gated community off the eastern Grassy Sprain Reservoir, known as Winchester Villages . Notable places include St. Vladimir's Seminary , Sarah Lawrence College , and the Tanglewood Shopping Center, former home of the Tanglewood Boys gang. The area
4590-485: The area beginning in 1813 by Matthias Lopez. The following MTA Regional Bus Operations bus routes serve West Farms: The following New York City Subway stations serve West Farms: Yonkers, New York Yonkers ( / ˈ j ɒ ŋ k ər z / ) is the third-most populous city in the U.S. state of New York and the most-populous city in Westchester County . A centrally located municipality within
4675-498: The area is also very high. In 2012, the 10460 zip code had the 17th highest number of incarcerated residents of any New York City zip code. Based on data from the 2010 United States Census , the population of West Farms-Bronx River was 35,011, an increase of 469 (1.4%) from the 34,542 counted in 2000 . Covering an area of 344.72 acres (139.50 ha), the combined neighborhood had a population density of 101.6 inhabitants per acre (65,000/sq mi; 25,100/km ). The racial makeup of
4760-533: The area is patrolled by P.S.A. 8 at 2794 Randall Avenue in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx. Many social problems associated with poverty, from crime to drug addiction, have plagued the area for decades. Despite declines in crime from its peak during the crack and heroin epidemics, violent crime continues to be a serious problem in the community. West Farms has significantly higher drop out rates and more incidents of violence in its schools than in other parts of
4845-491: The chapter. Mostly women, they prepared surgical dressings, created hospital garments for the wounded, and knit articles of clothing for refugees and soldiers. In addition to joining the Red Cross, Yonkers residents donated $ 19,255,255 to a number of war drives. The city's factories were converted to produce items for World War II , such as tents and blankets from the Alexander Smith and Sons carpet factory and tanks from
4930-470: The city announced the Yonkers Greenway: a $ 14 million rail trail along former railways such as the New York and Putnam Railroad . The 3.1-mile (5.0 km) greenway will run from Van Cortlandt Park to Getty Square. Construction, expected to begin in spring 2024, is planned to be completed in 2026. The Village of Yonkers was incorporated in the western Town of Yonkers in 1854, and incorporated as
5015-461: The city for its suburbs or enrolled their children in private schools; this effectively gutted the city's middle class and tax base. The school district's estimated cost of integration was over $ 262 million. Forced to cut programs, Yonkers schools fell steeply in national rankings as test scores sharply declined. By 1995, The New York Times called the city's desegregation effort "a profound disappointment to blacks and whites alike". Michael Sussmann,
5100-772: The city. Other problems in local schools include low test scores and high truancy rates. Drug addiction is also a serious problem in the community. Peer pressure among children who come from broken homes contributes to the high rate of usage. West Farms contains a New York City Fire Department (FDNY) fire station, Engine Co. 45/Ladder Co. 58/Battalion 18, at 925 East Tremont Avenue. As of 2018 , preterm births and births to teenage mothers are more common in West Farms and Belmont than in other places citywide. In West Farms and Belmont, there were 113 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 30.4 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). West Farms and Belmont has
5185-400: The citywide average of 20%. Additionally, 61% of high school students in West Farms and Belmont graduate on time, lower than the citywide average of 75%. Public: Parochial: The New York Public Library operates the West Farms branch at 2085 Honeywell Avenue. The branch opened in 1929 and moved to its current location in 1954. The West-Chester Patriot was briefly published in
SECTION 60
#17328515923365270-469: The eastern parts of the city (an agreement it had made in a consent decree after losing its appeal in 1987). After its reversal, the city was found in contempt of the federal courts. Sand imposed a fine on Yonkers which began at $ 100 and doubled every day, capped at $ 1 million per day by an appeals court, until the city capitulated to the federally-mandated plan. The city remained in contempt of court until September 9, 1988, when its city council relented as
5355-411: The financial impact threatened to close a library and reduce sanitation. The city also considered massive layoffs , which would have adversely affected its ability to provide services to the upper classes it was trying to retain. Nicholas C. Wasicsko , Yonkers' youngest mayor (elected at age 28), struggled in city politics. He helped end the city's contempt-of-court ruling, but was voted out of office as
5440-464: The first completely-synthetic plastic, was invented c. 1907 in Yonkers by Leo Baekeland and was manufactured there until the late 1920s. During the early 20th century, Yonkers hosted the Brass-Era automaker Colt Runabout . Although the vehicle reportedly ran well, the company went out of business. Yonkers was the headquarters of hat manufacturer Waring Hat Company, which was the largest in
5525-453: The flooding, crews pumped water out of Yonkers homes. The city has been used as a location for films and television series, and the City Hall courtroom is used for film scenes and commercials. The city along with neighboring Mount Vernon saw an increase in revenue grow from 2016. Catch Me If You Can (2002) and Mona Lisa Smile (2003) were partially filmed in the city. Yonkers is
5610-436: The growth of southwest Yonkers. During the early 21st century, several luxury apartment buildings were built along the Hudson River. A Victorian-era pier was renovated, and a new public library was housed in the remodeled Otis Elevator factory. Peter X. Kelly 's restaurant, X20 Xaviar's on the Hudson, is on the renovated pier. In 2020, several more rental buildings were placed at the river's edge on Alexander Street. Sawyer Place
5695-465: The high ground along the neck was dotted with villas. Poet Joseph Rodman Drake found inspiration in the views of Long Island Sound and is buried nearby. Some of the soldiers buried at West Farms Soldiers Cemetery on East 180th Street served in the American Civil War. West Farms has one of the highest concentrations of Puerto Ricans in New York City . Almost half the population lives below
5780-547: The nation when it opened. On January 4, 1940, Yonkers resident Edwin Howard Armstrong transmitted the first FM radio broadcast on the W2XCR station from the Yonkers home of co-experimenter C. R. Runyon. Yonkers had the longest-running pirate radio station, which was owned by Allan Weiner and operated during the 1970s and 1980s. The Alexander Smith Carpet Company, one of the city's largest employers, ceased operations during
5865-509: The neighborhood was 26.6% (9,312) African American , 3.2% (1,136) Asian , 2.5% (878) White , 0.3% (121) Native American , 0.0% (10) Pacific Islander , 2.1% (743) from other races and 1.4% (482) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 63.8% (22,329) of the population. The entirety of Community District 6, which comprises West Farms and Belmont, had 87,476 inhabitants as of NYC Health 's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 77.7 years. This
5950-602: The non-Hispanic population decreased to 33 percent from 41.4 percent in 2010. The Hispanic and Latino population increased to 40 percent, and the Asian population increased to 5.9%. The city reported a decrease in its white population from 55.8 to 46.3 percent. Yonkers includes several small residential enclaves and communities which form four quarters, demarcated by the Saw Mill River . There are at least 38 neighborhoods, but many of their original names are rarely used except by older residents and real-estate brokers. Northeast Yonkers
6035-462: The population. Non-Hispanic whites were 41.4 percent of the population in 2010, down from 89.9 percent in 1970. Data from the 2020 census indicated that Yonkers' population grew by eight percent from 2010 to 2020, an increase from 195,976 to 211,569. Yonkers surpassed Rochester as the third-most populous city in New York, behind New York City and Buffalo . The Hispanic population increased, as
6120-404: The poverty line and receives public assistance (AFDC, Home Relief, Supplemental Security Income, and Medicaid). The vast majority of households are renter occupied. Many households in the area are headed by a single mother which contributes to its high poverty rate. Many parents had children at a young age, and many West Farms families have been in poverty for generations. The incarceration rate in
6205-607: The raceway and casino in 2018 for $ 850 million. During the COVID-19 pandemic , the city opened several test sites at the ParkCare Pavilion of St. John's Riverside Hospital (considered a COVID-19 hotspot). The test site was operated by the New York State Department of Health during the pandemic. More test sites opened in the city as students prepared to return to school for in-person instruction. In February 2023,
6290-532: The setting of two feature films by local filmmaker Robert Celestino : Mr. Vincent (1997) and Yonkers Joe (2008). The city is the setting for the 2005 film A Tale of Two Pizzas , and Tyler, the Creator released " Yonkers " in 2011. Neil Simon 's play, Lost in Yonkers , and its film version are set in the city. A new Lionsgate Studios facility hosts the Spanish multimedia communications group Mediapro , and
6375-480: The tower spilled, causing flooding in the area that crushed cars and damaged homes. Construction of a new tower began in 1938, and it became operational the following year. During the American Civil War , 254 Yonkers residents joined the U.S. Army and Navy . They enlisted primarily in four regiments: the 6th New York Heavy Artillery , the 5th New York Volunteer Infantry , the 17th New York Volunteers , and
6460-550: Was $ 25,972. In 2018, an estimated 31% of West Farms and Belmont residents lived in poverty, compared to 25% in all of the Bronx and 20% in all of New York City. One in six residents (16%) were unemployed, compared to 13% in the Bronx and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent, is 60% in West Farms and Belmont, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 58% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018 , West Farms and Belmont are gentrifying . West Farms
6545-476: Was 10,827.4 people per square mile (4,180.5 people/km ). There were 80,839 housing units, with an average density of 4,466.2 per square mile (1,724.4/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 55.8 percent white , 18.7 percent African American , 0.7 percent Native American , 5.9 percent Asian , 0.1 percent Pacific Islander , 14.7 percent from other races, and 4.1 percent from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any racial background were 34.7 percent of
6630-517: Was a wealthy Dutchman who, at his death, had amassed an estate which included present-day Yonkers and several other Hudson River towns. Philipse's great-grandson, Frederick Philipse III, was a prominent loyalist during the American Revolution who had economic and political ties to English businesspeople. Because of his political leanings, he fled to England. American colonists in New York State confiscated and sold all lands and property belonging to
6715-610: Was known as one of the world's premier carpet-producing centers. In addition to manufacturing, Yonkers played a key role in the development of recreational sports in the United States. Scottish-born John Reid founded Saint Andrew's Golf Club in the city in 1888; it was the first golf course in the United States. That year, the New York City and Northern Railway Company (later the New York Central Railroad ) connected Yonkers to Manhattan and points north. A three-mile spur to Getty Square operated until 1943. Bakelite ,
6800-502: Was located near the Neperah stream (now the Saw Mill River , also known as Nepperhan Creek), which flowed into the Shatemuck ( Hudson River ). The land on which the city is built was once part of Colen Donck , a 24,000-acre (97-square-kilometer) Dutch land grant . It ran 12 miles (19 km) north from the present-day Manhattan –Bronx border at Marble Hill, and from the Hudson River east to
6885-630: Was planned between Getty Square and the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line , which terminates in Riverdale at 242nd Street (slightly south of the city line). The plan was dropped. In 1937, a 175-foot (53 m) water tower collapsed in the Nodine Hills area; nine people were initially injured. The injury total increased by three after the collapse, bringing the number to 12. About 100,000 U.S. gallons (380,000 L) of water from
6970-456: Was separated from the town of Westchester, New York , by an act of the legislature in 1846, formed from the settlements of West Farms, Morrisania , and Fordham , which survive as recognizable neighborhoods of The Bronx to this day. The patent of the "West Farms", which were the farthest western section of Westchester, were granted by letters patent in 1666 to Edward Jessup and John Richardson, both of Westchester, who had jointly purchased it "of
7055-646: Was used by New York City Transit Authority buses as the Coliseum Depot. In 1995, the Transit Authority closed the depot and demolished it in 1997. A new building was constructed on the site, incorporating some of the façade of the Coliseum Depot. It opened in 2003 as the West Farms Bus Depot. 40°50′17.74″N 73°52′40.93″W / 40.8382611°N 73.8780361°W / 40.8382611; -73.8780361 West Farms, Bronx West Farms
7140-472: Was used for circuses, boxing, political rallies, opera, and midget auto racing. The Coliseum hosted the defunct Eastern Hockey League 's Bronx Tigers franchise for two seasons, 1933–34, and 1937–38. In late 1939, it was the home of the New York Giants of the short-lived National Professional Indoor Baseball League. The United States Army controlled the building from 1942 through 1946, after which it
7225-516: Was visited by Pope John Paul II in October 1995 and by Pope Benedict XVI in April 2008. Getty Square is Yonkers' downtown and its civic center and central business district . Much of southwest Yonkers grew along the railroad and trolley (now bus) lines along South Broadway and in Getty Square which run to New York City. Clusters of apartment buildings surrounded the stations of the Yonkers branch of
#335664