Cross County Center in Yonkers Begins Construction on 58,000-SF Expansion Project

YONKERS—The Cross County Center in Yonkers has embarked on an expansion project that includes 58,000 square feet of new retail space as well as the development of a four-acre public park at the storied property.

The plan by owner Marx Realty was revealed by Marx Realty CEO Craig Deitelzweig on Feb. 24 during a virtual roundtable discussion hosted by the Business Council of Westchester entitled “An Experiential Economy: The Transformation of Retail and Hospitality.”

The expansion project calls for the construction of two new buildings—one single-story building totaling 14,000 square feet and one two-story building comprising 44,000 square feet. Both will be located at the north lot at Cross County Center and infrastructure-related construction for the new development is currently underway. At press time the cost of the expansion/park project was not released.

Plans call for a 44,000-square-foot build-out for an unnamed national apparel retailer’s super flagship location while Marx Realty will restack existing tenants to best accommodate new and existing retailers at the center. There will also be underground parking and new vertical transportation. Deitelzweig said that the expansion space is nearly 100% leased.

The 1.15 million-square-foot retail center, which originally housed 30 stores when it opened in 1954, is now home to more than 100 retail, dining, educational and entertainment venues.

Marx Realty will also develop a beautiful four-acre green park with an allée of trees, creating an oasis to accommodate seasonal programming and serve as the heart of this iconic lifestyle center. The park will include a variety of seating options while the space will accommodate farmers’ markets, SummerFest events and many wellness programs. An adjacent boardwalk will offer café-style seating and umbrella-shaded areas.

“The incredible demand for space at Cross County Center created the need to bring new physical space to the property,” said Deitelzweig. “The country’s leading retail and dining destinations want to plant their flags at Cross County Center due in large part to our special mix of tenants and uses as well as our beautiful green spaces, hands-on management and our ongoing reinvestment in maintaining its place as the northeast region’s preeminent retail center. We also are excited to introduce a new four-acre park and boardwalk which will act as the “front door” to Cross County Center.”

TPG Architecture is the architect of record while Dirtworks is the landscape architecture firm charged with creating the welcoming park-like ambiance as part of the expansion.

New York City-based Marx Realty is a division of Merchants’ National Properties. Its current portfolio of properties includes more than 5.0 million square feet of commercial office, retail and residential space as well as five mixed-use projects currently under development. The company’s assets comprise a total of 67 properties in 17 states.