Newburgh Renovation in Danger

(source) 

The photo above is the Newburgh Chapman Steamer Firehouse Co. I drooled over this property for months about 3 years ago, wanting to make it my own home. (If you click on the source of the photo above, the owner of the picture has a really great flickr stream of photos of the city of Newburgh of many historic structures) The firehouse is really a site to see! It was purchased in 2007 by a few individuals with a dream of restoring the building and of being a push forward in the restoration of the City of Newburgh. Now that dream is close to being shattered because after 17 weeks the owners still have not received their site plan approval from Ms. Margaret Hall, secretary of the planning board and the building department.

This is really a shame that a common ground can not be found. If the owners are forced to sell this property who knows how many more years will go by before another buyer can be found with the same hope of restoring this building? From what I understand the owners were planning on turning the building in to some kind of artists studio or museum. It is very ironic that the homeowners are being given such a hard time when the number of abandon buildings in Newburgh is so high, and that the city even has an original picture of the firehouse on their website. This structure is massive, and it’s restoration would surely have a positive impact on the community.

6 Comment

  • Why would Ms. Margaret Hall want to slow a positive progress at rebuilding Newburgh. The uplift to all the old buildings would bring revenue and a plus to quality of life in the area.

  • Why would Ms. Margaret Hall want to slow a positive progress at rebuilding Newburgh. The uplift to all the old buildings would bring revenue and a plus to quality of life in the area.

  • Have you contacted Margaret Hall to ASK what her objections are to the current plans of the owner/developer?

  • Have you contacted Margaret Hall to ASK what her objections are to the current plans of the owner/developer?

  • I'm new to the blogging world, as I've never had a topic I've really wanted to put out here, but for some reason, Newburgh brings stirs up something in my head and I want to be a part of that.
    I love the thoughts of what Newburgh was and what it could be. My personal favorite is the Palentine, and I don't think I'll ever understand how they could have razed that place.
    Although I don't live there myself, I'm close by, and purchased a shell within the city several years back. That project is done, and I'd love to get another, but I'm a little gun-shy from all the run around and delays I felt the city makes you go through.

    Perhaps I'm just venting, but I think I'm looking for more ideas on how I could make this place live up to what I envision it was and what it could be once again.

    Please take a look at my couple of posts (again, I'm new at this) and let me know what you think- all ideas are appreciated!

    http://newnewburgh.blogspot.com/

  • I'm new to the blogging world, as I've never had a topic I've really wanted to put out here, but for some reason, Newburgh brings stirs up something in my head and I want to be a part of that.
    I love the thoughts of what Newburgh was and what it could be. My personal favorite is the Palentine, and I don't think I'll ever understand how they could have razed that place.
    Although I don't live there myself, I'm close by, and purchased a shell within the city several years back. That project is done, and I'd love to get another, but I'm a little gun-shy from all the run around and delays I felt the city makes you go through.

    Perhaps I'm just venting, but I think I'm looking for more ideas on how I could make this place live up to what I envision it was and what it could be once again.

    Please take a look at my couple of posts (again, I'm new at this) and let me know what you think- all ideas are appreciated!

    http://newnewburgh.blogspot.com/