Neighbors urged the Yonkers Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday to slow review of a proposed South Broadway development, saying the project would reduce sunlight, strain neighborhood services and displace public parking.

The comments came during a continued public hearing on an application presented by attorney Steven Accinelli, who represents the developer. Accinelli said the proposal includes a parking structure and affordable workforce housing and that outreach and coordination with the city and the post office are ongoing.

The project remains in public hearing and the board said it has not assumed lead agency for environmental review. Board members and staff said they are still awaiting a county response on lead-agency status.

Why it matters: The project would redevelop a surface parking area on South Broadway into a building that includes a parking structure and housing. Neighbors told the board the change could materially affect daily life for adjacent households and that outreach has not reached many residents.

What neighbors said

Gustavo Figueroa, a Hamilton Avenue resident, told the board that shadowing from the proposed building would reduce sunlight for homes behind the site. “It really does cut our our light there to about 4 to 5 hours a day,” he said, and added that many neighbors have limited English proficiency and may not understand notices posted about the project.

Stephanie Vasquez, who said she lives on Morris Street in front of the lot, described worries about the nearby post office and the loss of a 70-space public parking lot. “We are asking for safe affordable housing that can actually accommodate us,” she said, and added that losing the lot and adding a larger building would increase parking and traffic pressures for working families.

Rosa Figueroa said an eight‑story building would “tower over my home, eliminating any sense of privacy and likely blocking morning sunlight,” and urged the board to deny variances that would permit the project to exceed zoning limits.

Applicant response and developer commitments

Steven Accinelli, attorney for the applicant, said the developer and project partners have conducted outreach and are coordinating with local groups. He told the board that the project will replace the open parking area with a parking structure and that “there will be 24 approximately additional public parking spaces available to the public.”

Accinelli also described the housing as affordable workforce units and stated the intended income bands: “It’s affordable workforce housing in the I think the 30 to 80% range, averaging I think 60%.”

Accinelli added that project partner James Simmons and the applicant had been communicating with the South Broadway business improvement district and others; he was not present but was identified by Accinelli as a project partner with CURE Development.

Staff and board follow-up

A city staff member, Mr. Aftonle, told the board he would review the timeline and placement of public notice signs after residents raised concerns that signs posted near the site bore an old date. “I can review the signs were posted,” he said.

No formal board vote was taken. The public hearing remains open while the city and county coordinate on environmental review and staff follow up on outreach and signage. Board members said they will consider the traffic and shadow studies already submitted and may schedule additional outreach or site inspections before taking a decision.

Next steps

The Zoning Board kept the item on the agenda for a later meeting while the board waits for any response from county agencies about SEQRA lead-agency status and for the applicant to continue community engagement and provide any additional materials requested by staff.