Urban Land Institute New York Releases Technical Assistance Panel Report Offering a Long-Term Vision for Peekskill's Waterfront South

Report outlines recommendations to strengthen district identity, advance housing, and catalyze reinvestment

PEEKSKILL, N.Y., Dec. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Urban Land Institute (ULI) New York today released a new Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) Report outlining a long-term vision to help the City of Peekskill strengthen district identity, advance housing development, and catalyze reinvestment along a collection of City-owned parcels within the Louisa Street and Lower South Street corridors. The report reflects the work of a multidisciplinary panel of volunteer experts in real estate, planning, housing, transportation, and urban design who conducted site visits and met with local stakeholders as part of a two-day technical assistance process.

Convened at the request of the City of Peekskill, the TAP examined how the study area, strategically located between Peekskill's waterfront, major transportation corridors, and existing employment clusters, could be better positioned to support new housing opportunities, reinforce job-generating activity, and create a more cohesive and recognizable district. Panel members toured City-owned sites, reviewed briefing materials, and met with neighborhood residents, business owners, nonprofit leaders, City staff, and elected officials to understand both current conditions and community priorities.

The report identifies the opportunity that a coordinated vision, clear identity, and supporting infrastructure could provide to attract sustained investment and new development opportunities. The panel concluded that early public-sector action, paired with regulatory alignment, targeted infrastructure investment, and placemaking efforts, could unlock significant long-term economic and housing benefits for the City.

The report's short- and long-term recommendations focus on better connecting housing opportunities to the north with employment and industrial uses to the south, while building on downtown Peekskill's existing placemaking momentum. It emphasizes the importance of establishing a clear district identity and planning framework as a foundation for future development, while strengthening existing assets in support of the City's broader economic and housing goals. To advance this vision, the TAP recommends a unified district framework that aligns planning and site-specific development, with City-owned parcels positioned as early catalysts for reinvestment.

Key recommendations include relocating Department of Public Works operations to unlock mixed-use, mixed-income housing at the Louisa Street and Lower South Street intersection; reimagining the Peekskill Baseball Stadium as a more flexible, multiuse civic and recreational space with stronger waterfront connections; and improving pedestrian circulation and connected open spaces throughout the district. The report also calls for targeted infrastructure and mobility improvements to address barriers such as Route 9, rail lines, and aging streets, along with strategies to expand housing diversity and affordability through regulatory flexibility and strategic public investment.

"The ULI New York Technical Assistance Panel report provides Peekskill with a clear, market-informed framework, shaped by many of the region's leading experts, that will help us continue our community-oriented, long-term growth strategy," said Vivian C. McKenzie, Mayor of Peekskill. "We thank the ULI New York team and the volunteers who made this report possible, and we look forward to working with our public and private partners to advance the report's recommendations."

Matthew C. Alexander, City Manager of Peekskill, added, "The TAP process brought together a diverse group of local voices and national experts to evaluate both immediate opportunities and long-term priorities. This report gives the City a strong foundation to engage investors, pursue state and federal funding, and translate planning into action."

"Peekskill has all the right ingredients for successful reinvestment, including strategic public assets, strong leadership, and a growing regional profile," said Peter Liebowitz, AICP, Senior Vice President at WSP, and Technical Assistance Panel Chair. "We were honored to help craft a framework that reflects a long-term vision and provides a practical path forward, pairing early action on City-owned sites with clear district branding and targeted infrastructure investments to support both housing growth and job creation."

The findings from the report will be used by the City of Peekskill to inform future planning and policy decisions, guide engagement with private developers, and support applications for state and federal funding. The TAP report serves as a strategic framework to bring attention to this area in the upcoming City-wide Comprehensive Plan. Together, this can help the City advance housing opportunities, prioritize infrastructure investments, and coordinate public and private action as redevelopment efforts move forward.

The Peekskill Technical Assistance Panel was made possible through a grant provided by the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing. The mission of the Terwilliger Center for Housing is to ensure that everyone has a home that meets their needs at a price they can afford. ULI New York also extends its appreciation to the volunteer leaders and technical experts whose time, insight, and local engagement made the Peekskill Technical Assistance Panel possible.

Link to Report: Peekskill Waterfront South: Opportunities for Housing and Neighborhood Development

Technical Assistance Panel

• Panel Chair - Peter Liebowitz, AICP, Senior Vice President, WSP
• Panel Assistant Chair - Abbi Rudow, AICP, Senior Environmental Planner, VHB
• Kevin Corté, Founder/Principal, Alumni Planning Solutions
• David Cortez, Founder and CEO, The Leasing Experts
• Joanna Cuevas, Senior Development Director, Beacon Communities
• Rella Fogliano, Chief Executive Officer, MacQuesten Development, LLC
• Alice Friedman, New York Active Transportation Lead, VHB
• Brad Leibin, AIA, Founding Principal, Leibin Architecture
• Nicholas Lynch, Founder, Soft Systems Studio
• Santiago Salamanca, Director, Transportation and TOD Practice Lead, HR&A Advisors
• Jaclyn Sachs, Senior Director, New York City Housing Authority

SOURCE Urban Land Institute New York