A new recreational offering for kids and adults has opened at Ridge Hill in Yonkers, courtesy of Hapik, an indoor climbing experience founded in 2016 by Antoine Richard.
The Ridge Hill location is the 25th park in the company’s portfolio and the largest. There are two others in the United States, seven in the United Kingdom and 15 in France. Occupying 10,000 square feet at Ridge Hill, Hapik features 50 different auto belay climbing walls, ranging from beginner to advanced levels, two ropes courses and a snack bar. The concept is designed for guests ages 4 and up and makes climbing easily accessible for all.
“Climbing is great for physical exercise but beyond that, it also challenges you mentally and helps boost self-confidence while also awakening your desire to have fun,” Richard said in a statement. “When canvassing the U.S. for our next location, we were introduced to Ridge Hill and felt immediately attracted to its family-oriented environment. Hapik blends perfectly with the center’s existing entertainment options….”
Hapik is located next to Whole Foods and across from The Container Store. During the school year, it will be open from 2 to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 2 to 10 p.m. on Fridays. When school is out and on holidays, Hapik will operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays. Weekends will remain the same year-round, with bookings available on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Advanced reservations are encouraged due to park capacity and safety rules. In addition to regular climbing sessions, guests can host birthday parties, school field trips, camp outings and more.
Other recent openings at Ridge Hill include The Cup | Topgolf Swing Suite and Healthy Holic Kitchen. Quick Scripts, a neighborhood pharmacy, has also signed a lease to occupy a 1,500-square-foot space adjacent to the medical practices at the center.
Last month, Ridge Hill was acquired by North American Properties (NAP), Nuveen Real Estate and Taconic Partners through a joint venture aimed at transforming the 1.2 million-square-foot lifestyle center into the tristate region’s preeminent mixed-use destination. NAP’s Atlanta office, which specializes in value-add investments of underutilized mixed-use assets, now handles management, leasing and parking services at Ridge Hill.
Overseeing Ridge Hill’s leasing strategy is Morgan Liesenfelt, who joined NAP in May as director of leasing. Liesenfelt launched her retail leasing career in 2015 with Macerich, where she was responsible for merchandising Queens Center, King Plaza and Green Acres in the metro area. In 2018, she was named to Commercial Observer’s “30 Under 30” list in the Top Leasing and Sales Professionals category. Liesenfelt has been a New York City resident for the past 10 years.
For the refreshed tenant mix, NAP is seeking to complement the foundation of merchants already at Ridge Hill.
“There is significant opportunity to offer a much greater variety of local food and beverage options coupled with popular lifestyle tenants and uses,” said Adam Schwegman, partner and senior vice president of leasing at NAP. “Our overall goal is to create an environment the community wants to come back for over and over again.”
For more, visit ridgehill.com.
