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YONKERS, N.Y. - One year ago, I stood before the 32,000 square foot Yonkers Stage to officially launch the newly revamped Mayor’s Office of Film & Photography and FilmYonkers.com. Today, I am proud to say that Yonkers is not only open for filming, but we are now one of the most sought after cities for filming in New York State.
What makes Yonkers such a great place for film and photography production? The most obvious answer is our city’s strategic location along the Hudson River, diverse landscape and proximity to major transportation thoroughfares, just minutes from Manhattan. But our ideal location is only as good as our ability to showcase Yonkers for all it has to offer, and promote a film friendly environment.
So we met with stakeholders and industry leaders, created a one-stop shop to expedite permitting, slashed permit fees and made available some of Yonkers most unique locations.
The result has been astonishing. Film and photography production has tripled and Yonkers has been host to some of the biggest feature film and television productions nationwide. Nearly every week you’ll find film crews at City Hall, the Yonkers Station, the daylighted Saw Mill River at Van Der Donck Park, Untermyer Gardens, Alder Manor, Greystone Court or one of our many beautiful historic neighborhoods.
Boardwalk Empire, The Blacklist, The Other Woman, Winter’s Tale, Hostages and The Following have all recently filmed in Yonkers.
We’ve seen new revenue and investment in local businesses and we continue to work to enhance the economic opportunity that exists for both the film industry and the City of Yonkers.
This weekend, I am excited to partner with YOFI Fest in hosting the first annual Yonkers Film Festival at the Riverfront Library. So come out to YOFI Fest and join me in supporting film and the arts in Yonkers.
For more information and a schedule of YOFI Fest events, visit yofifest.com.
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