News

Foreign Buyers, Immigration Expected to Drive Demand for Housing

May 25, 2017

WASHINGTON—U.S. real estate markets are increasingly becoming international, and changing demographics brought forth by immigration and growing interest from foreigners are positioned to bolster home sales activity and prices. That was the collective forecast from speakers at an international real estate forum organized by the REALTOR® University Richard J. Rosenthal Center for Real Estate Studies…

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Rockland County Exec. ‘Drawing the Line’ on Irresponsible Development

May 25, 2017

RAMAPO—At a press conference staged near a controversial housing development at Patrick Farm here, Rockland County Executive Ed Day signed an Executive Order prohibiting county departments from issuing permits that do not comply with the General Municipal Law. “When it comes to development, for far too long we see laws disregarded or broken—with no consequences,”…

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Simone Development Cuts Ribbon on $35M Boyce Thompson Center Redevelopment

May 25, 2017

YONKERS—A decade’s old historic building turned eyesore has been transformed into a modern mixed-use center of commerce in Yonkers. On May 24th, Simone Development officials were joined by county and city officials to cut the ribbon on the new Boyce Thompson Center, formerly the Boyce Thompson Institute plant research center that sat vacant with graffiti-strewn…

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New York City Building Boom Fueled By Expected 421-a Successor Law

May 17, 2017

NEW YORK—The multifamily development floodgates opened last year when developers put their money on the State Legislature enacting a replacement for the 421-a tax incentive legislation. New York Building Congress president and CEO Carlo A. Scissura believes that developers bet on New York State passing a new 421-a tax incentive program this past legislative session…

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Ginsburg Cuts Ribbon on $100M Yonkers Multifamily Project

May 17, 2017

YONKERS—Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano and other state and city officials joined Ginsburg Development Corp. in cutting the ribbon on its $100-million River Tides at Greystone luxury rental apartment project. The 330-unit building is GDC’s third major luxury rental development to open in Westchester since the veteran development firm shifted its…

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County Execs. Discuss Shared Services, Key Economic Development Initiatives

May 17, 2017

PLEASANTVILLE—The lower Hudson Valley's three county executives detailed their top economic development initiatives that ranged from public-private partnerships involving airport operations, an amusement park and a $1.9-billion bioscience park, to a sewer pact with an out-of-state city during a Hudson Valley Pattern For Progress breakfast on May 15th at Pace University’s Pleasantville campus. About 130…

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Astorino Defies County Board in Filing Indian Point Suit

May 10, 2017

WHITE PLAINS—If the Westchester County Board of Legislators wouldn’t take on Governor Andrew Cuomo and Entergy on the deal reached earlier this year to close Indian Point, Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino decided he would do it on his own. Astorino announced on May 9th that he had filed suit against New York State, Entergy…

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Moving With Pets Doesn’t Have to be a ‘Cat-astrophe!’

May 10, 2017

Buying or selling a home can be stressful enough for humans, but when you enter your four-legged family members into the mix, the fur could really start to fly! In addition to constantly cleaning up shedding pet hair, home sellers are often at a quandary of where to keep their pets during home showings. Dana…

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County Executive Neuhaus Snares Partnership’s MVP Award

May 4, 2017

GOSHEN—The Orange County Partnership announced on May 1st that Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus is the economic development agency’s MVP (Most Valuable Partner) Award winner for 2017. Orange County Partnership President and CEO Maureen Halahan announced Neuhaus’ selection by a unanimous vote of its Board of Directors at a press conference staged earlier this month…

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LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS: Don’t Panic, Take Action on Tax Reform

May 4, 2017

Tax reform has been proposed. Do not panic yet. Why do I say that? Because even though the Trump Administration has laid out the tax reform proposal, Congress has not weighed in as yet. In order for long-term tax reform to work where deductions are eliminated or modified, the Senate needs 60 votes. Right now…

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Danone Exec. Talks Westchester and Evolving Food Industry

May 4, 2017

TARRYTOWN—Danone’s US operations headquartered in Westchester County have been making national as well as local news of late that has involved a multi-billion dollar acquisition that more than doubled its size and an impending move of its corporate headquarters from Greenburgh to Downtown White Plains. Danone President, USA Yogurt Sergio Fuster detailed the latest news…

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Bronxville Real Estate Rebrands as Park Sterling Realty

May 2, 2017

BRONXVILLE—Citing a continuing trend in the real estate brokerage business away from provincial offices that service a few communities, the ownership of Bronxville Real Estate announced today that it will now operate as Park Sterling Realty. The firm’s rebranding is intended to convey the geographic reach of its customer base that far extends from the…

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Appeals Court Says County Engaging in ‘Total Obstructionism’

May 1, 2017

NEW YORK—The Second Circuit Court of Appeals in a unanimous ruling found that Westchester County has failed to comply with certain requirements of the 2009 fair housing court settlement. In a scathing rebuke of the county’s long-held arguments to the contrary, the Second Circuit Court upheld previous federal district court rulings that the county had…

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Houlihan Lawrence Strikes Deal With the ‘Uber of Helicopters’

April 27, 2017

RYE BROOK—Residential brokerage firm Houlihan Lawrence announced on April 25th that it entered an exclusive marketing partnership with BLADE, a private aviation startup that has been coined by some as “the Uber of Helicopters.” The partnership, which began this month, will bring prominent exposure for properties listed with Houlihan Lawrence, appearing to BLADE fliers throughout…

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Westchester Office Market Posted Strong Leasing in First Quarter

April 27, 2017

WHITE PLAINS—The Westchester office market posted strong leasing activity in the first quarter and the removal of some properties from the inventory helped dramatically reduce the county’s office vacancy rate. In a recently released report on Westchester and Fairfield County’s office markets, brokerage firm Colliers International Group Inc. reported Westchester exhibited strengthening fundamentals, while neighboring…

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Builders Say Canadian Lumber Tariff Will Be Costly for Homebuyers and Economy

April 26, 2017

WASHINGTON—The Trump Administration’s decision earlier this week to impose tariffs or duties on Canadian imported lumber could have significant impacts on prospective new homebuyers as well as the U.S. economy, the National Association of Home Builders warns. Earlier this week, the Trump Administration announced it was imposing tariffs on imported Canadian lumber ranging from 3.02%…

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Westchester’s Housing Market Offers Opportunities for Buyers and Sellers

April 25, 2017

Westchester County is vibrant and spring always ignites a sense of urgency in the residential sales market. Buyer demand is high and sellers who have priced their homes wisely have seen them sell quickly. However, overvalued homes sit on the market for some time. The strong buyer demand, combined with low for-sale inventory, have fueled…

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Developers Flock to Westchester’s Cities to Build New Projects

April 25, 2017

WHITE PLAINS—Multifamily development has truly taken hold in downtown districts in White Plains, New Rochelle, Yonkers and Mount Vernon. Private investors are now preparing plans or breaking ground on a host of major transit-oriented projects that will no doubt reshape the skylines and fortunes of Westchester’s major cities. Recently, developers and chief elected officials took…

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Legoland Hopes to Begin Construction This Year on $500M Theme Park Project

April 20, 2017

GOSHEN—The developer of LEGOLAND New York hopes to secure approvals for its much anticipated, but somewhat controversial, $500-million theme park here by sometime this summer, which would allow the firm to begin construction before the end of this year. Phil Royle, head of community & project relations for LEGOLAND New York, speaking before about 70…

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