Hard to believe it but it’s true, Newburgh Restoration turned 10 years old this December. Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine it would go on this long. This past year has been a challenging one. I had a baby, started a new job, and really just struggled to find time for me and the blog.
People often talk about the waves of people that come in and out of Newburgh. There is a lot of change happening in the city at the moment. The city manager, comptroller, and director of planning and development have all gone. The director of the Land Bank will also be leaving in January. Many of the community boards have vacancies and new members filling spaces. Caffe Macchiato is closing but a new restaurant is coming to the space and Jenny’s Floral Design also closed her doors, but Kaitlyn’s Creations Florist has taken her place. You can choose to see that change however you like, sometimes they are unfortunate and sad circumstances, but change can be good and it allows people with new energy and perspectives to carry the torch of those who have chosen to move on.
For the first time in ten years, almost every storefront on Liberty Street between Broadway and Spring Street is occupied. Seven new businesses opened on Liberty Street this year, two of them being in storefronts that were boarded up and never had retail. (Lodger, Cream Vintage, Field Trip, Velocipede Museum, Newburgh Flour Shop, M. Lewis Boutique, Liberty Street Vintage). It has been an amazing experience to sit in the window of the Newburgh Flour Shop and watch people buy a pastry, then head to Field Trip and then pop over to one of the new vintage shops. I myself got to host the most fabulous private dinner at Lodger, what a treat! Finally, there are reasons for people to stay and linger. Momentum is moving south with a new hair salon and cheesecake shop slated to open in 2019. Lower Broadway got it’s first antique and architectural salvage shop, Hudson Valley House Parts, and anchor building 110-112 Broadway will finally undergo renovations. We also all anticipate the opening of the new Cajun restaurant with outdoor seating coming to 96 Broadway. That building has been an eyesore for over a decade. It is also rumored the Mid-Broadway lot has a new owner.
For 2019 Ann Street will also have new businesses, Hendley and Co, an interior design shop. And the old ADS warehouse will have a distillery tasting room as well as pop-up and community art space. Other notable openings have been Orchard Valley CrossFit, the much-anticipated opening of the Shelter House Cafe, the Holland Tunnel Art Gallery, and The Newburgh Pottery. This was also the year of many film productions happening in the city. I don’t have the statistics but it definitely felt like an increase.
Perhaps my proudest moment of all was the shopping crawl myself, Newburgh Mercantile and APG Pilates did this past Shop Small Saturday. We estimate over 300 people turned out for the event, and some businesses saw an increase in sales as high as 80% than a regular Saturday. It was a moment that proved people want to be in the city, there is energy and life here.
Businesses still struggle to survive in Newburgh. The past year was hard overall on the Hudson Valley. Beacon has many empty storefronts and businesses are closing due to high overhead costs. Newburgh has to figure out how to retain the businesses we already have. Retail is hard. If you love what is happening in the city, make it a goal to do your shopping locally. People make a place. Without people (business owners, workers, customers, tourists, families, even pets!) the streets are just an empty place.
Thanks as always for your interest in Newburgh and for reading Newburgh Restoration. Below is my annual link round-up of positive things that have happened downtown. If I have missed anything, add the links in the comments.
- $50,000 Grant Awarded to Plant Trees on South William Street
- Safe Harbors Awarded $500,000 Towards Ritz Theater
- Project Chosen for 109 South William Development
- New Art Venue, The Holland Tunnel Art Gallery Comes to Newburgh
- Awesome Foundation Comes to Newburgh
- Newburgh Illuminated Day 2018
- Meet a Newburgher: Ana and Her Renovated Dream Home
- Orchard Valley CrossFit Coming to the City of Newburgh
- Grand Opening of the Shelter House Café
- New Men’s Lifestyle Boutique Open in Newburgh
- New Shops Open in Downtown
- New Event Space Lodger, Hosting Brunch and Intimate Dinners
- Park(ing) Day Photos
- New Architectural Salvage Business Coming to Broadway
- Cream Vintage Now Open on Liberty Street
- New Benches Installed at Safe Harbors Green
- Newburgh Featured in New York Magazine
- Tower of Victory Roof Restoration Complete
- Nail Wig Toppings Bar Comes to Broadway
- New Restaurant Space Available in Newburgh
- Movie Being Filmed in Newburgh, A Scottish Play
- Newburgh Pottery Studio Now Open
- Shopping Crawl a Success
- 110-112 Broadway Has a New Owner, Plans to Rehabilitate Long Neglected Building
- New Trees for Clark Street
- New Bench on Liberty Street to Remember Late Resident
- Hudson Taco Installs Outdoor Patio
