City, County and State Officials Celebrate First Phase of $35 Million Electric Conversion at Palisades Towers

A $35 million project to convert the Palisades Towers apartment complex in Yonkers to electric service began this week with the arrival of hundreds of new induction stoves that are being installed in apartments at the 415-unit complex.

State, county, and city officials gathered on Tuesday to mark the milestone, which is the first step in converting the entire complex from gas to electricity. It’s been a nearly two-year journey for the 1,000 residents of Palisade Towers, who had been without stoves since August of 2024 when corrosion of gas lines throughout the complex forced the shut off of gas service.

The project was made possible through funding from the Governor, New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR), New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA), and the New York Power Authority (NYPA), along with the Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers (MHACY), Westchester County, and other state and local partners.

“The electrification of Palisade Towers represents a landmark investment in the health, safety, and future of our residents. By transitioning 415 units from aging gas infrastructure to a modern, all-electric system, we are not only addressing an urgent need that began in August 2024 but also fulfilling our promise to provide sustainable, high-quality affordable housing,” said Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano.

Wilson Kimball, President and CEO of the BCW Member Yonkers Municipal Housing Authority, spent months raising funds from various levels of government to bring the project to fruition. “Thanks to our partners on the city, county, and state levels, we have turned lemons into lemonade by taking what was a crisis and turning it into a win for the residents of Palisade Towers,” said Kimball, a past honoree of the BCW’s Business Hall of Fame. She added, “With the conversion from gas to cleaner electric, not only will our residents benefit from a healthier living space and all new induction ovens, but for the first time, they will have dedicated air conditioning and the ability to independently control the temperature in their homes year-round. This is a major step forward in our overall mission to create sustainable, modern housing for the future.”

The Palisade Towers project includes installing new electrical service and feeders, upgrading building panels, and running new conduits to support electrified domestic hot water, heating, cooling, and cooking systems. This is in addition to the energy-efficient induction ovens. Apartments will also soon have energy-saving window heat pumps that will allow residents to have air conditioning for the first time and the ability to independently control the temperature in their apartments year-round.

In addition to a $12.9 million grant from HCR’s Climate Friendly Homes Fund, the project is supported with $1.5 million through NYSERDA’s Low Carbon Pathways Program, and almost $1 million through a NYPA grant. The Westchester County Public Housing Assistance Initiative also provided $4.6 million, as well $835,000 secured by Sen. Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and $57,000 from MHACY.