The Mount Vernon Industrial Development Agency on Aug. 14 heard a business development report that listed four new businesses, multiple retail recruitment negotiations and city efforts on sustainability and licensing.
Agency staff reported four new businesses since July, ongoing permitting for a Floor & Decor store, near-complete demolition of the former Salvation Army site, conceptual designs for an emergency services unit on South Fourth Avenue, and outreach to national retailers including Walmart, Wegmans and TJ Maxx. The report also listed local arrivals: a Nigerian takeout on Gramma Avenue, a soul-food restaurant on South Street, a sports bar on Brampton Avenue and a coffee shop at South Third Avenue and East Second Street.
Staff said they had issued two noncompliance warnings to cannabis businesses and that several cannabis applicants had applied to the state to locate in Mount Vernon. Agency and city leaders said state law currently limits local control of cannabis siting and distancing rules; they reported ongoing discussions with the city law department and state representatives to seek limits on how many cannabis licenses the city should host. The board discussed concerns about packaging and youth exposures and noted the agency had raised those concerns with the Office of Cannabis Management and local legislators.
The agency reported submission in July of a Con Edison application seeking designation for a New York State U‑turn (U‑ten) district geothermal energy network and said it was preparing a Restore New York Communities grant application with the IDA, URA and planning department. Staff also described work to help small businesses secure microloans and other capital from programs including Hello Alice, Kiva, Valley National Bank and the New York State Empire State Development Corporation.
Board members asked staff to map concentrations of personal-care businesses, storefront churches and nail/barber shops in downtown corridors to inform possible local limits and zoning adjustments; staff said they would convene interns and compile maps and metrics for future referrals to the city council.