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Deals, a value store affiliated with the popular Dollar Tree brand, opened the doors of its 7 Main St., building Wednesday, a site that was once home to the Yonkers Public Library.
With its motto of offering everyday items at low prices, store executives said they feel the store is an ideal fit for the downtown area.
"Deals is excited to be opening up another location in Yonkers and feel our business will be great addition to the community by offering fabulous value to the consumers in downtown Yonkers,” said Chris Teeter, Director of Leasing for Dollar Tree, prior to the store’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The opening of the 9,500 square-foot retailer is part of a $10.6 million renovation of the former library and one-time location of Hamilton Theater. The site has been abandoned since 2002 when the library moved to its Riverfront location in nearby Larkin Plaza.
While Deals has secured the ground-floor space, the plan of developer Fidelco Group includes adding 23 housing units to the upper floors of the three-story building. Dubbed “The Library Lofts,” the units are expected to open this fall.
The redevelopment of the one-time library is part of the larger goal of revitalizing much of the downtown area. City officials say additional plans are in the works to open multiple stores along Main Street.
Work also continues in the process of daylighting a second portion of the Saw Mill River nearby. In March, the Yonkers Industrial Development Agency announced it had acquired five properties along New Main Street and were close to securing a sixth.
The plan, officials said at the time, is to empty the buildings as leases expire before removing them to expose the Saw Mill River and construct a public park.
“The recognition by Deals of the shopping vibrancy in Yonkers downtown points to the success of the city’s redevelopment,” said Peter Klein, Vice President of Fidelco Realty Group.
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