The former Glenwood Power
Plant
Yonkers, Westchester County
IMPROVED
landmark status: None although
local commission (a CLG) recommended local designation to City
Council in 2005
threat: Reuse ideas have threatened architectural
integrity; partial demolition; no landmark protection
The Yonkers
Power Station, built as part of the New York Central and Hudson
River Railroad in 1906, stands as a monument to early 20th-century
engineering and the New York Central electrification that led to
the suburban growth of Westchester County. The architects of the
Yonkers Power Station, Charles Reed and Allen Stem, also designed
Grand Central Terminal with Warren and Wetmore. Another Reed and
Stem Power Station at Port Morris on the Harlem River Rail line
was demolished in the mid-20th century. The New York Central System,
once known as “The Greatest Highway in the World,” reached
up to Montreal and Ottawa and as far west as St. Louis. The electrification
of this railway made it one of only two mainline railroads (the
other was the Long Island Railroad) known to have used third-rail
electrification.
The City of Yonkers Landmarks Preservation
Board unanimously recommended this building for local designation
in 2005 but the Yonkers City Council has not acted on the proposed
landmark designation. The building’s owner is actively marketing
the site for redevelopment while the building remains unprotected.
message: As
waterfront power plants affiliated with early 20th-century rail
electrification grow scarce, the need for respectful reuse plans
for the abandoned Yonkers Power Station (also known as the Glenwood
Power Station) increases. An icon on the Hudson River waterfront,
the Yonkers Power Station is an inspiring remnant of our industrial
and transportation heritage. The Preservation League urges that
local landmark designation move forward and pledges to work with
stakeholders on reuse plans that respect the building’s
industrial character and architectural and engineering integrity.
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