Page 42 - Westchester County Economic Development Guide 2013
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Rochelle, supported for more than
nine decades by an active Chamber
of Commerce, has benefited in recent
years from the efforts of the nonprofit
Downtown Business Improvement
District (BID), which is made up of about
800 businesses and property owners.
BID’s mission is to promote economic
development and new business while
maintaining a clean and safe downtown
environment. Since its founding in 2000,
the group has provided a Wi-Fi network
which spans more than 20 blocks, and has
initiated such events as outdoor summer
movies, family fun nights and cultural
events to stimulate New Rochelle’s
economy.
The city also lays claim to one of the
largest retail centers in the country. New
Roc City spans 1.2 million square feet
and offers everything from a glow-in-the-
dark bowling alley to an IMAX movie
theater. The complex also houses extensive
shopping and dining options, as well as a
hotel and apartment-style living.
New Rochelle was recognized in 2009
as a
BusinessWeek
“Best Place to Live”
and in 2010 as one of
Money
magazine’s
“100 Best Cities.” Both the crime and
unemployment rates are below the
national average. The median household
income is $71,688 and the median house
value is $612,500.
The city contains a major medical
center, three universities and two public
libraries, as well as plentiful parks.
Peekskill
Though relatively small, with 5.5
square miles and a population just under
25,000, Peekskill offers large appeal for
residents and businesses enamored with
its riverfront location and high quality
of life. The city is just an hour’s train
ride from Grand Central Station and is
conveniently located at the crossroads
of both east/west and north/south state
highways – Routes 9, 6, 202 and 35.
Two Fortune 500 companies have
facilities in Peekskill, BASF Corporation
and Waste Management, which is known
locally as Wheelabrator Westchester. The
two companies combined have nearly
100 employees, while Peekskill’s largest
employer, with 450 workers, is White
Plains Linen. Hudson River HealthCare
employs 200, West Ledge Healthcare
Facility employs 150, and still more
health care jobs can be found just outside
Peekskill proper at Hudson Valley
Hospital in Cortlandt Manor.
In recent years, old industrial buildings
have been transformed into lofts while
the riverfront has been the site of new
condominium development. A vibrant
arts community revolves around the
11-year-old Peekskill Art Lofts Co-op,
which provides 28 affordable live-work
spaces for the pursuit of fine, design,
graphic, musical, literary, computer or
performing arts. Another highlight is the
Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary
Art (HVCCA), touted in the
New York
Times
as “the most dynamic contemporary
art site in Westchester.” HVCCA operates
a 12,000-square-foot exhibition space and
is a key sponsor of the Peekskill Project,
an annual, city-wide exhibition of site-
specific artwork. A growing restaurant
scene also adds to the cultural attraction
of the area.
Peekskill Landing Park, which was
Peekskill
TRIVIA:
• New Rochelle High School, a two-time Blue Ribbon School with
a student population exceeding 3,000, is known as one of the
most diverse high schools in America, with a student body said to
represent 60 countries.
• The City of New Rochelle was founded in 1688 by Huguenots
(members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France) seeking
religious freedom.
TRIVIA:
• The Peekskill Coffee House,
established in 2003, is
a gathering ground for
the city’s emerging artist
community. The venue is
often called “Peekskill’s
Living Room.”
• Former New York Governor
George Pataki was born
in Peekskill and served as
mayor from 1981 to 1984.
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