What's Happening in Yonkers, NY…

RJ Rose Realty, based in Yonkers, has won a $500,000 grant from the Empire State Development Grants Program.

The company focuses on revitalizing historic buildings and is slated to use the funding to improve the Yonkers Carpet Mill Arts District, as well as other infrastructure in the region.

It purchased the Worsted Building on Saw Mill River Road back in September. With the funding, it will develop and renovate the building, turning it into a space that can be used by schools and companies, or converted into commercial lofts. The goal of the renovation is to turn the building into a major technology and regional arts destination.

A group of 10 property owners from the arts district, including Randolph Rose, the president of the realty company, as well as a number of local arts organizations and representatives from the city of Yonkers, worked together to apply for the grant in July of 2015. Governor Andrew Cuomo's office announced the grant in December. The property owners will be matching the funds received from the grant. To track the progress of the project and funding, the groups can use banner printing to highlight any big changes.

George Huang, who owns the YoHo Artist Studios in the arts district, compared the current state of that district to that of the Meat Packing District over in Manhattan three decades ago. He noted that he and others are passionate about the vision "to improve and transform the community for the future".