Press release just in from City Hall:
CITY OF YONKERS ISSUES REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE ACQUISITION & REDEVELOPMENT OF FORMER BOYCE THOMPSON INSTITUTE SITE
YONKERS, NY — November 16, 2012 – The City of Yonkers today announced its release of a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the acquisition and redevelopment of the former Boyce Thompson Institute. The property to be redeveloped is located in northwest Yonkers at 1086 North Broadway at the southeast corner of North Broadway and Executive Boulevard, which was the former location of the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research.
“After standing for years as a blighted property in an otherwise prosperous area, the Boyce Thompson site hopefully will soon be part of the economic revitalization for the City of Yonkers,” said Mayor Spano. “A building with such unique architecture and prime location should be restored and utilized for the benefit of residents, visitors and to further the economic development goals of the City.”
The building, constructed in 1930, is currently vacant and experiencing deterioration of both the building and adjacent greenhouses. Applicants responding to the RFP will be expected to promote a plan that supports the redevelopment of the site for commercial uses. Applicants are highly encouraged to consider the adaptive reuse of the existing structures on the site and their rehabilitation using sustainable and preservation practices. The City is seeking proposed uses on the site which are designed to fit into and enhance the existing character of the neighborhood.
For more information on the Boyce Thompson RFP, visit http://www.cityofyonkers.com/Index.aspx?page=2714.
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Thanks to Tim Lamorte of the Rivertowns Enterprise for sharing the press release. For history and photographs of the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, visit my pages starting here. More recent images appear below.
Great photos. Wonder what this building will be changed into. I’l stay tuned…. ;-)
That fancy glass work in the overhead of that “sky tunnel” ? got my attention. … seems I have a postcard of a hot house/atrium at Hudson River State … that showcases similar glass architechture.
You’re probably referring to a walkway between two sets of greenhouses. I once was in the greenhouses at HRSH but don’t think I have any photos – I recall it was heavily overgrown then.
Several of my family members (including me) worked at BTI over they years. It’s sad to see such a beautiful building and grounds in such bad shape. I hope it can be restored and reused someday.
Hi Pete,
cool, I didn’t know you worked there. It is a beautiful building indeed, here’s to hoping something good comes of this!
-Rob
What’s that huge ball?
It was the sphere from the pediment. It was pulled into the building, rolled down a hallway and down a stairwell where it was stuck as of earlier this summer.
This is fascinating. Do you know what projects they were working on in these greenhouses? Did they really abandon the area because of pollution… or is that an urban myth?
Any plans for redevelopment as on now?
I am not aware of any plans.