Westchester Historic Site, Public Works Projects Get Massive $13.4M Boost From Albany

CROTON-ON-HUDSON, NY — Albany has come bearing gifts that will help spruce up the Hudson Valley.

Westchester County will receive $13.4 million in state funding for three projects in Mount Vernon, Yonkers and Croton-on-Hudson, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced. The money includes $6.3 million to renovate and reopen Fire Station #4 in Mount Vernon, $4.1 million to modernize the auditorium at Yonkers' Grinton I. Will Library and $3 million for the second phase of improvements at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson.

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The funding is aimed at public safety, community resources and historic preservation.

"Investing in Westchester means preserving the Hudson Valley's rich history, providing firefighters with the support they need to protect their communities and modernizing our community spaces to ensure that Westchester remains vibrant and safe for decades to come, Hochul said. "I'm proud to continue providing funding to support this community and those who work so hard to maintain it."

In Mount Vernon, Fire Station #4 has been closed for nearly five years because of structural problems that included water damage, mold and ceiling deterioration, according to the announcement. The closure forced firefighters to relocate temporarily. The station covers the largest geographic service area in the city, including six affordable housing developments supported by New York State Homes and Community Renewal. Those developments represent about 900 homes, with 300 currently occupied and another 600 expected to come online within the next year.

"Every Mount Vernon family deserves to feel safe, and every firefighter deserves a safe, modern firehouse," Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson- Howard said, "Thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul's leadership and this $6.3 million investment, we are moving closer to reopening Fire Station #4 after nearly five years."

In Yonkers, the state said the Will Library auditorium will be fully renovated and modernized. The auditorium, built in the 1960s, is one of the largest branches' gathering spaces in the Yonkers Public Library system and has not had significant improvements since it opened.

The Croton-on-Hudson funding will support the second phase of infrastructure work at Historic Hudson Valley's Van Cortlandt Manor, a National Historic Landmark and home to the annual Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze. According to the announcement, that phase includes $1.525 million for energy-efficient heat pumps, $625,000 for a new workshop space for carvers and builders, and other upgrades. The first phase is already underway with support from a $3 million federal grant and additional state and local investments, bringing that project funding to $5.6 million.