Meet a Newburgher

Meet Genie, raised in Newburgh till the age of 13 when her family moved away to Albany. Read about her memories of the busy waterfront and what it was like to be a child to run and play in the streets of Newburgh. Forty years later she moved back to the City of Newburgh, surprised to see its current condition but she does not regret her decision. Fellow Newburghers who have moved away, it’s ok to come home! Thank you for participating Genie.

What was Newburgh like growing up as a child? What was your community like?
I had the run of the whole city. My family lived on Farrington Street – at first, in No. 53 near Dubois, and later, in No. 12, near Liberty. My brother Dave and sister Val and I would play with our pals in the Liberty Street Playground, right across the street from our house. Val would swing on the swings all day or make pot-holders or lanyards with her friends; Dave would play basketball at the area near Liberty Street, and I was the tetherball champion of the world. It was a wonderful time to be young: lovely, peaceful, fun, filled with good friends and good neighbors, lots of laughs and listening late at night to the grownups talking among themselves.

What was the waterfront like before urban renewal?
Crowded! There were two ferries going back and forth to Beacon all day, a passenger railroad station, a bus station, and a lot of thriving shops and bars down there. People would get on the Dayliner boat in New York City and sail up the Hudson to shop at Schoonmaker’s Department Store on Water Street. People fished and crabbed off the docks.

When you were 13 you moved away to Albany. What kind of things did you remember hearing about Newburgh while you were away?
My dad was city manager here from 1958 to 1960, and I vividly remember him getting phone calls from his old friends and city council members, who were complaining about how “unfair” the NBC White Paper, “The Battle of Newburgh,” had been, and how it had been a “hatchet job” on the city, and how it made it look like everyone was on “welfare” and how that was causing our businesses to move away. My family was in Albany by that time, but people were calling him asking if the city should sue NBC or demand a “retraction” or boycott the network. I remember him saying, “It was a documentary, not a travelogue!” He thought it was a fair representation of how his successor, Joseph McDowell Mitchell, was trying to criminalize and scapegoat the poor, and how the residents had given in to fear.

What career did you pursue after high school?
Journalism. I always loved to write, and it seemed like the easiest thing. So I went to the Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Journalism. All my classmates from Newburgh graduated from NFA in 1967, but I graduated from Albany High in 1966 because Newburgh’s school system at that time was so much better than Albany’s, that I skipped 9 up there after I finished 8th grade at North Junior High School. So I was 20 when I graduated from S.U. and 21 when I got my master’s in journalism (again from Syracuse) in 1971.

You had not seen Newburgh in many years when you decided to return. What was it like seeing Newburgh for the first time as an adult?
I wasn’t sure it was Newburgh at all. I got off the Thruway at Exit 17 and drove down Broadway, and said to myself, “What’s this? Where’s Newburgh?” It had … disappeared, and this run-down, empty, dirty city had taken its place! I really was hit with three feelings: shock, sorrow and outrage. Who had done this, and why? The worst part came when my daughter, Rachel, who was going to spend just one summer here before going away to college in New York City in 2002, tried to get a summer job and there were none. I said, “Don’t worry, honey: We’ll join the Jewish Community Center and see if they need a lifeguard at the pool, or counselors for their summer camp.” I found them in the phone book and asked how much it cost to join. The person who answered said, “To join what?” I said, “The JCC.” She said, “Well, we have dance classes, trips to New York City … it all depends on what you want to do.” I was quite puzzled but I said, “Well, we want to swim this summer.” She said they had no pool. I said, “What do you mean, you have no pool? You have a beautiful pool! You leave the locker room, and there it is!” She asked how long I’d been gone. The punchline, of course, was that the City of Newburgh had no JCC any more; all the Jewish families had moved away, and the JCC was out in the town. And, by the way: It has no pool.

What effects do you think urban sprawl had on Newburgh?
Here, it was more like “urban shrink!” Our city’s so-called “leaders” tore the city down with no apparent plans to rebuild it. That mismanaged “urban renewal,” plus the flight to the suburbs by the downtown businesses, plus the replacement of the ferries with I-84 (which has no exit in the city), plus the disappearance of Stewart Air Force Base with all its customers for our businesses, combined to create the Perfect Storm of Disaster for Newburgh.

Why did you decide to come back to Newburgh after many years? Do you regret it?
My fiancé, Tim Riss, was living in Long Island and I was living near Albany with Rachel. Tim and I were looking for a house we could buy that was sort of “half way in between” our two homes. He actually suggested it. He said, “How about your old hometown of Newburgh?” Instantly, I knew that that’s what I had to do: I had to come home. I’ve never regretted it for a moment.

You wrote a novel, Louey Levy’s Greatest Catch. What is it about?
It’s the tale of a tomboyish 11-year-old girl coming of age in the late 1950s and early 60s — a time when abortion was illegal. Her father, a widower, is the city manager of a little city in upstate New York called Newburgh, and he is the only person in town who doesn’t know that the woman he’s hired to cook, clean, and take care of his kids is the town abortionist. It’s fiction … made up entirely from memory. I’m proud to say the first edition sold out, and a second is in the works.

What are your feelings about Newburgh today? What are some things you enjoy about your community?
The people! Newburgh has more characters per capita than any city in the U.S., including Brooklyn. There are 30,000 people in this town, and every one of them has a story. It’s a city filled with writers, rappers, dancers, artists and poets. And then, of course, it has the Hudson River, amazing architecture, Downing Park, Washington’s Headquarters, the Crawford House, great restaurants, world-class hiking nearby, the Commodore chocolate shop … I could go on all day. But the main thing is the people.

Newburgh has the layout of a great walkable city. You are known as the “eccentric walker”. What is it like to walk all over Newburgh?
It’s great! The people are the best, and the riverfront offers astonishingly gorgeous views down to Bannerman’s Island and beyond. There is a lovely hike I do quite often, up Snake Hill. To get there, I go past Crystal Lake, which is off of Temple Avenue. A lot a people don’t even know that lake is there. I always carry my binoculars with me and do birdwatching, too. Once I ran into a wildlife guy from DEC in New Paltz there; he was walking around with a tranquilizer gun, looking for a bear that had been reported to be hanging around the lake. It’s beautiful and peaceful in there – except for the guys in camouflage, running through the woods playing paintball – and, of course, the occasional bear. There’s also an old Jewish cemetery, owned by Temple Beth Jacob, between the lake and Snake Hill. It’s one of my favorite places to walk.

What advice would you give others considering moving to Newburgh, especially to those that grew up in the City and left but are considering moving back home?
Come home! And, excuse the mess: We’re under construction.

Lisa Gervais is a City of Newburgh resident and business owner of The Healing Arts Studio. Read about her Newburgh journey, the inspiration she has received from others, and her efforts in the City. Thanks Lisa!

Tell me a little bit about your background and how you ended up living in the City of Newburgh?
I was raised in Marlboro and left for California after high school. I returned to NY and moved to Newburgh because my Mom and sister had moved to Newburgh while I was in California. I stayed long enough to study Polarity Therapy in Massachusetts and Kundalini Yoga in NYC. I also worked with Jason Elias, a well known acupuncturist and herbalist in the Hudson Valley, keeping his herbal pharmacy and making herbal tinctures & tonics. I found myself returning to San Diego in 1999 and opened a yoga center while working part time at Whole Foods Market. I returned to Newburgh again in December of 2006 and went to aesthetic school in NYC in April 2007. After aesthetic school I began to envision a center where energetic healing therapies, skin therapy and yoga with a supportive retail area, could work together to introduce people to alternative ways to balance body, mind and spirit. I did not pursue my vision right off but started a skincare business, renting one treatment room in my friends salon. I used my skincare business as an incubator for my ideas, developing energetic skincare treatments and incorporating aromatherapy in all my work. Because I was in a salon I had plenty of opportunities to introduce people to alternative healing modalities and engage in conversations about health concerns and lifestyles and belief systems. I saw there was a great need for this type of healing.

-Photo Dan Stokes

You live and work in Newburgh, why did you choose to start your business here? What attracted you?
I made my commitment to live and work in Newburgh after aesthetic school and realized that my vision was tied in with the energy of this place. There is a wide open feeling of expansion and possibility, like a new frontier. I am also attracted to the Hudson River, Mt. Beacon and the incredible clouds that form over the river corridor. I’m in awe every morning when I look out at the river and clouds! Storm King is also so magical! I feel very connected to the elements here, watching the clouds coming up behind Mt. Beacon and the river going by is my meditation. That connection and beauty is very important to good living.

How long have you been admiring the building your business is in? And what makes it so special?
I started a love affair with the building in the early 80’s. Every time I came home from California I would drive by and admire it. My whole being would light up when I saw it. I drove by many many times over the years. I cannot tell you why, the architecture was interesting and the windows are incredible but, that wasn’t the only thing drawing me in. After securing the space in December 2011, I realized that my future self already knew I would be manifesting my vision in that place. The vision that had yet to enter my consciousness that early on.

Tell me a little bit about your business and what services you offer in Newburgh.
I’m working on co-creating and collaborating with like minded people to bring energy therapies, art, workshops, meditation and movement to individuals and the community who want to explore their higher self, expand human consciousness and create a supportive environment that feels good. Personal empowerment on many levels that spreads out into the community. We have lot’s of variety, with a great group of therapists and interesting workshop presenters. We also are developing weekly and monthly events based on energy management and movement. We also are involved with Peace Across the Planet, a non-profit peace project to bring awareness to creating Peace individually, communally and globally through monthly gatherings.

What organizations are you involved with in Newburgh?
The first organization I got involved with is the St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital Auxiliary. I was invited to work on a committee and later asked to become a board member by Chip Pelella. I was recently invited to join the board of a new business organization, the Newburgh Professional and Business Association. We began meeting after Mayor Kennedy created action committees and we are now ready to launch membership. We have a membership kick off coming up next Wednesday, May 15th at the Karpeles Museum on Broadway, starting at 5:30pm. Anyone wanting to learn more about the NPBA mission and member benefits can stop by the kick off or check out www.newburghpba.org and the facebook page.

Who have been your local mentors, and what influence have they had on you as a businesswoman?
The very strong and amazing women I met through the SLCH Auxilliary and SLCH. They are great mentors, leading by example with wisdom and grace, running their own business but volunteering with love and care for something beyond themselves. I consider many people mentors without them realizing it, like Michele Rider, a lawyer with a full time business, who brought Girls on the Run to Newburgh. Rev. Naomi Fay, a great friend and spiritual mentor. Michele Basch with a full time job and proprietress of the Wherehouse with her partner Dan Brown. I must mention Michael Gabor and Gerardo Castro of Newburgh Art Supply, and Barbara Ballerina of Caffe Macchiato. I have visited and watched these businesses grow while I was growing my vision, waiting for the right time to launch. They have created an energetic foundation for many good things to come about in the city of Newburgh, where my business is located. There are many other business in the area but those are the folks I connected with.

Have you seen Newburgh develop in the time that your shop has been open?
Yes, organizations like the Greater Newburgh Partnership have formed, Mayor Kennedy’s action committees have created movement and action on a citizen level  and the NPBA sprung from that. New people who live and work here are stepping forward to get involved on a political and volunter level. The Mural Project and the new Lightbulb Project are great examples of different  elements coming together to create a more cohesive energy. Artists, film makers, performers and entrepeneurs are moving here from other areas of New York to live and work here! We now have Newburgh Food Co and a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) coming to the city, wholefoods are happening!

What are you looking forward to for the future of the City?
People coming together to collaborate, taking action, creating movement and harmony and co-creating exactly the kind of place we want to live in with beauty all around us.

 What advice would you give other people looking to live and/or start a business in the City of Newburgh?
Create a vision, believe in your vision, let nothing stand in your way and rise to your highest potential!

Thank you Lisa for sharing your story!

Meet Lizzie, a new Newburgher. Read her short essay below about her house hunting journey and why she and her family chose to move to Newburgh. Quite an inspiring read! She will also be contributing posts to Newburgh Restoration about her adventures of raising a family and urban farming in the City. Thanks Lizzie!

I am a big fan of Newburgh Restoration, but I am an even bigger fan of The City of Newburgh. My family and I moved to Newburgh this last March from Rockland County because we were looking for a diverse community to raise our two young children. I am a writer and my husband is a theatre director and professor at The City College of NY. Newburgh is rich with culture, history and community. We knew that others had been migrating to Newburgh because of its beauty, diversity, proximity to NYC and affordability.

We have also been interested in the Newburgh community at large and how to cross the barriers of class and race. We live in the historic section of Newburgh in the second oldest house on our block. The moment I walked into the house I was taken in by its unusual architecture, light flooding into every room through distinct and unusual wall to wall windows. The wraparound porch was the first element of the house that pulled me in but it was the windows that I found so unusual. All of the front windows were framed with small, square, stained glass windows running along the top of the upper sash; creating patterns and light that complemented the patterns within the architecture of the house itself.

I grew up on Long Island in an old, historic, unique home and it was my dream to one day live in another old, one of a kind, historic home. The problem up until that point was where do we find a beautiful, AFFORDABLE, home, in a great community-centered neighborhood, with racial, ethnic and class diversity, good public schools, culture, artists and still be able to work in NYC? Newburgh was the perfect answer, plus it had the added advantage of majestic views of the mighty Hudson almost everywhere we looked.

During our search there were definitely times of discouragement but one day we were looking at two homes on the same street, same block and right across from each other. Both homes were gorgeous but were not the exact fit for us and when we came out of one of the homes I said to our realtor, Chris Hanson, “What about that one?” The house did not have a “For Sale” sign out in front but something pulled me to it regardless. “Oh, that one, that’s been on the market for a while. I think it’s a short sale. I’ll look into it.” Well, Chris looked into it and sure enough it was a short sale and within a week he had access to the house and I fell in love.

Short sales have now become easier but a year ago at the time of ours, short sales were all slow and unpredictable. We hit many bumps from a tree falling on the garage during Hurricane Irene to the nail biting moments waiting for the bank to make a decision. But it was all worth it. We love our 175 year old home, as do our children. The two other houses, next door and across the street, both sold at about the same time as ours and now our neighbors are some of our closest friends. There have been many mornings of having coffee together with our neighbors on our porch looking out over the Hudson, many pot-luck dinners, hilarious games of charades and celebrity and of course desperate moments of borrowing of a cup of milk, sugar and even vinegar. My son said to me soon after we moved here, “Mom, these are the best neighbors we have ever had.” I agree.

– Photo Grid by Erica Shires

Mr. Paul Halayko is Chief Operating Officer and President of the Newburgh Brewing Company. I met Paul and his business partner, Chris Basso a few years back on a cold winter day in a bar in Brooklyn. The brewery was still in the planning phase, but since then it has become a reality and one of the many businesses Newburghers take pride in. In this interview Paul shares some of wisdom on opening up a new business in the City of Newburgh.

Out of all the cities you could’ve chosen to buy a building in and open up a business, why the City of Newburgh?

Christopher and I are both longtime Orange County locals, having graduated from Washingtonville High School in 2000. Christopher initially started the planning for the brewery on his own, and he quickly zeroed in on Newburgh as his location of choice. When I came on board later in the planning process, I agreed with that decision for a multitude of reasons:

1) Realistically, a brewery requires a good amount of space, and it’s financially possible to purchase a sizable building in Newburgh. A problem many breweries run into as they try to ramp up to efficient economies of scale is that they run out of room – fingers crossed, we hope to be a brewery that does have to grow in the near future, and we wanted to make sure we had sufficient space in which to do it. Our building, realistically, could support large growth for a period of 7-10 years with no issues.

2) Logistically, Newburgh is an amazing location – it’s at the crossroads of I-87 and I-84, and you have Stewart Airport and Metro North nearby. 84 and 87 are important for shipping; and while Stewart Airport and Metro North wouldn’t play a role in our shipping, it does allow tourists easy access to visit our brewery.

3) As longtime Orange County residents, we know how important Newburgh has been in the history of not only New York, but of the United States. It was in Newburgh that General Washington was headquartered for the longest period of time during the War of Independence. It was in Newburgh that great industry thrived for many, many decades. There is a great connection between the people of Newburgh and the city in which they live; and even those who have left Newburgh still have a strong connection to the city. We wanted to be a part of an overall economic and cultural revolution in the city. Breweries have a proud history of playing a positive role in the communities in which they brew, and we wanted to be a part of that history.

What made you take the leap to open a new business despite the less than favorable financial climate?

Strength of planning, strength of the business plan, current strength of the industry, and an extremely positive outlook on growth in the industry for years to come. I’ve always wanted to be open my own business; but I wouldn’t open a business unless the opportunity was absolutely right for me. I felt as though a brewery ion Newburgh was that right opportunity.

Paul you are the money side of the business, what sort of financial planning is necessary when opening up a new business, especially one in a depressed area?

We spent nearly 2 years planning the brewery before we approached a single person or bank about funding – those 2 years were dedicated to market research, financial feasibility studies, and ultimately the creation of our business plan and financial projections. You need to know the industry, market, and numbers inside and out before you ask a single person for funding. Once we felt like we had a polished (or as polished as possible) business plan, we started pitching the idea. And an idea can go nowhere without people who believe in it – and we’ve been fortunate to have been supported by a truly amazing group of believers: from our families, close friends, and new friends.

Many consider your location as a bridge between the waterfront and the western part of the City. Have you done anything or have any plans in the future to help close the gap?

We love that people consider us that, because we feel the same way. The waterfront has done an amazing job of bringing people into Newburgh, and establishing itself as a restaurant and nightlife destination. And now, you have a similar thriving set of small business on Liberty Street (like The Wherehouse, Cafe Macchiato, and others) – and we just so happen to be right in the middle of the two. Right now, we haven’t had a chance yet to really explore how we could better bridge the gap between the two business communities – but this summer will be telling. Last summer was our first summer, and we were still a total unknown. Having gone through the fall and winter, we believe we’ve increased our overall customer base and general awareness. That means there’s a better chance this summer that people will be willing to park on the waterfront, have a bite to eat, then walk up Washington to stop into the brewery, and finally finish that walk up to Liberty street to visit one of those businesses.

You could’ve given the brewery any name. Why did you choose to name it the ‘Newburgh’ Brewery?

It’s all about local. To be honest, it was never really a question about what we were going to name our brewery. If we had ended up somewhere else, we would’ve named it after that location. The craft beer industry right now is thriving on 2 factors: 1) People want something that is hand-crafted and not mass-produced; 2) People want to support local. By naming your brewery after the town or city in which you live, you’re putting front and center that you are a local product. And, we like the fact that people can either learn about Newburgh for the first time, or have a more positive association with the city, after they enjoy our beer.

New businesses owners might be concerned about safety. Do you feel safe at your location? Have you had any break-ins?

A valid concern – fortunately for us, we’ve had no issues, and we have great support from the City of Newburgh Police Department. They consistently have patrol cars that will drive down Colden Street to ensure that there are no issues. What makes our location a bit unique is that Colden Street is sort of an isolated island – not too many people even know where Colden Street is. That doesn’t hurt our business, because for the most part, nearly all of our customers are coming to us as a destination, as opposed to just “stumbling upon us”. So, they are specifically seeking out.

What has been the general response from the public?

It’s been great – hugely supportive of us as a business, and for each of us as individuals now involved in the community. And we feel a strong connection to this community, which is why we stride to give back as much as we can – whether it be through fundraisers in our taproom or donation of beer for outside events, we want people to know that we love the community that has shown us some much love.

How do you work with the community or other local businesses? Is this important?

Working with the community and other local businesses is enormously important to us. We are a part of the community of Newburgh – we’ve made a huge investment here, and we have an active interest in supporting this City and the various charitable efforts that seek to make a positive impact. As I mentioned before, we’ve donated our taproom for fundraisers, and we’ve also donated a great deal of beer to events.

When it comes to local businesses, it would be wildly disingenuous of us to say “Support local and buy our beer… but no, we don’t support local”. In our taproom, we take a tremendous amount of pride in the fact that we are serving food that has been grown and sourced locally in the Hudson Valley. Be it our pork-products from the pig we get (and butcher ourselves) from Fleischer’s in Kingston; many of our vegetables that we get from Madura Farms in Pine Island; cheeses from Edgwick Farm in Cornwall; or breads from All You Knead in Beacon, we are proud of the local relationships we’ve developed with all the great suppliers in the Hudson Valley. Our t-shirts are screen-printed by the good folks at American Icon Screenprinting, which is less than a mile from the brewery.

You guys have a great design aesthetic. How important is it to have an attractive logo, website and well designed retail space?

All graphic credit goes solely to Matt Bouloutian of Modern Good – he’s amazing. He’s done an absolutely tremendous job of creating an image for us (our logo), and then ensuring everything ties together (from our tap handle stickers to our beer posters). We know how important a good logo and other point-of-sale material is, and in Matt we’ve given our full trust to shape our image to the public. And he’s done an incredible job.

The website was designed by Matt and Jonathan Knapp of Caffeinated Solutions – and again, a great job was done. With the ease and accessibility of social media, some people are starting to question if you even need a website. To us, a website is still critical. Just the existence of a well-designed website says “we are a real business and a going-concern”, which is a level of credibility that Facebook doesn’t immediately provide. So, it is important to have a well-designed website. But, I will agree with those that say that Facebook is as important, if not more so, than a website. What’s funny about Facebook is that before the brewery, I rarely went on Facebook. I had an account, but never really used it. Now that I manage the brewery’s Facebook page, I’m amazed at how important and wide-reaching Facebook is. It never ceases to amaze me when someone comes to the bar and says “I’ve been following you on Facebook since the brewery was under construction”; or as another great example of the power of social media: our taproom is closed on Tuesdays; but, we thought people might want growlers for 4th of July. So, we decided to open the taproom on Tuesday, July 3rd, for growler fills. We put it on our Facebook page on Monday night; on Tuesday? We sold over 100 growlers, just because people saw it on Facebook. That sort of reach is priceless… which is ironic because it’s reach without cost!

What kinds of businesses do you think the city needs, or would do well in the city?

I think the city would really benefit from a good grocery store, like a DeCicco’s, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe’s. That might be thinking a bit too big at the moment, but I do think the city (and surrounding areas) could support a business like that. Cornwall has a DeCicco’s now, so that ship may have sailed. I think there is still room in the restaurant and bar industry here in Newburgh. The Wherehouse is proof positive that you can survive as a bar and not be on the water.

What is the best part about owning your own business?

I didn’t take a shower yet today. Not really… well, yes, I haven’t taken a shower yet today, but that’s because I’m about to go for a run. That’s the best part right there – for the most part, my schedule is basically my own. Yes, it’s a 7-day a week job, and yes the hours are long and exhausting, but they are hours in which I know every single thing I do is contributing to the overall success of the brewery.

What advice would you give others, whether they want to start up a small storefront business or a large establishment like yours in Newburgh?

Haha, ours is large? I didn’t realize that. It’s interesting that the perception of our business is that we are “large”, but I guess that means we’re doing something right. In reality, we’re a small business still struggling each month and learning and growing. We’re only 4 full-time people (myself, Christopher Basso our Brewmaster, Charlie Benedetti our Head of Sales, and Melisa Basso our Taproom Manager). And – we’ll only be a year old in April, and it’s been a year full of ups and downs… but the ups have outnumbered the downs. I’ve learned a lot having gone through this process – it’s been almost 5 years now since we first dreamed up the idea of opening a brewery in Newburgh. The 2 pieces of advice I’d pass along: don’t let the high’s take you too high and the low’s take you too low, because every day is a roller coaster. And patience… if you don’t have patience when you’re trying to start your own business, then you’re doomed from the start.