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September 20, 2011
Yonkers' image is all about branding
LoHud.com
by Phil Reisman
While Forest City Ratner has practically wallowed in the Brooklyn "brand," it can't even bring itself to admit that its Ridge Hill development is in Yonkers.
Appearing on my radio program, "High Noon," [Yonkers Mayoral candidate Mike] Spano complained that Ridge Hill, the new and impressively huge retail-condominium development, is called Westchester's Ridge Hill. Not Ridge Hill of Yonkers.
"It actually hurts me a little bit when I drive by and I see their little van running around, saying 'Ridge Hill of Westchester,' " Spano said. "Because they're not."
Ridge Hill's creators say they refer to the 1.2-million square-foot complex as "Westchester's Ridge Hill in Yonkers," but Yonkers is barely mentioned at all in the official website. What's more, when you click onto "Directions," a photo pops up showing a young attractive couple gazing out on a river that suspiciously looks like the Seine in Paris.
When I put the question to Forest City Ratner, the developer of the retail complex, I was given a statement from Andy Silberfein, executive vice president and director of finance and retail development.
..."We are fully committed to the City of Yonkers, are proud to be located in Yonkers and grateful for its support," he said. "If some ads were not properly worded to highlight that we are indeed in Yonkers, we will correct them and make it clear going forward."
NoLandGrab: Yeah, right. Just like they've corrected their placing of Atlantic Yards in "downtown Brooklyn" rather than low-rise, brownstone Prospect Heights.
Posted by eric at September 20, 2011 10:20 AM