When you think of open industrial spaces in Newburgh, Liberty Street, Broadway or the waterfront come to mind. The truth is there are open spaces all over the city. Jefferey Link is taking a bet on Clark Street, just off Broadway. He has bought a conglomeration of 3 warehouses located at 4-6 Clark that he calls the Newburgh Artist Colony.
As they open up the walls that combine the spaces, they are finding layers upon layers of decades past – murals, bricked up windows and doorways. None of these details match, but Jefferey says that is exactly what people love. Two of the units can only be accessed by a small alleyway off Broadway. It adds an element of discovery and curiosity that his tenants find attractive, so much so that all of the units are now filled even though construction has yet to be completed. Tenants include 2 art galleries, an ecommerce company called Eggplant Mail, a furniture restorer who transports his work up from Brooklyn, and a photographer.
On the same block Rip Rap bought 45 Clark Street, a 7,000 square foot warehouse that is now available for rent. It is empty for now, but is being advertised as a “storage or a distribution facility for the right tenant”.
Jeffrey says he is getting phone calls everyday. Instead of turning prospective tenants away, he has come up with a new idea – help his fellow landlords fill their empty storefronts to develop a creative nucleus on Mid-Broadway. Recently he helped show 170 Broadway to a prospective tenant from Manhattan. The person works for a popular vintage furniture company. They were attracted to Newburgh because of its location, and the cheap rent. They were very familiar with distressed cities, and Newburgh’s past or present didn’t really seem to deter them.
Jefferey has a lot of plans and visions for the empty spaces of Mid-Broadway. His ability to attract tenants to an otherwise overlooked block has boosted his confidence. A web series has already filmed at the colony and it has participated in an art showing as part of Newburgh Last Saturdays. Let’s hope the success continues.
Eggplant Mail owners, Biagio and Brandyn. They occupy 2 units at the Newburgh Artist Colony. The location was perfect for them because Newburgh was a middle point between both Poughkeepsie and Walden where they both reside. Their unit isn’t completed yet, but they have already moved in, anxious to take their business outside their homes.
-Bottom 4 photos © Newburgh Artist Colony
Fun fact…eight inch cinder block walls have the R-value equivalent of a single 3/4″ particle board, not much more than a single pane of glass. To heat 600 sq.’ of uninsulated block space with natural gas would cost approx. $550 a month (quadruple that if w/ electric). Plus, you’ll be hard pressed to get the interior temperature to 60 degrees anyway if it’s 20 degrees outside. As well, finishes, adhesives and electronics tend to not work well. Hint…just adding 2″ poly foam will increase the R-vale by 7x, cut the heating usage relatively and makes for a user friendly environment. Time to get civilized Newburgh. I’ve leased similar commercial spaces…live and learn.
Walt, thanks for the comments. We are actually doing exactly what you said with poly foam insulation. Thanks,