This is a single family rehab done by Habitat for Humanity. This house is gorgeous and had great bones to begin with. Although it seems like the outside of the house was in pretty good condition, the inside of the house needed serious repairs. A new roof, soffits, corbels, and sheeting, flooring, and insulation were needed. But, Habitat was able to salvage the original beautiful staircase, and 2 pocket doors. When I saw the pictures below I was amazed at the great job they did. They added a lovely kitchen.
This was the fourth house revitalized on Dubois by Habitat and sponsored by Kaplan. Click here for the nitty gritty restoration photos and more of the house.
That original house was insane, not to mention dangerous. Kudos to Habitat for taking on this project. I’m not sure when this house was completed but, wow what an eyesore that original house was! This house was built using environmentally friendly materials with the future in mind. There are loads more details and photos on this project if you click here.
Many of you have been curious about the update of the project going on at the Liberty School. Bluestone Developers is trying to convert the dilapidated school house into living space of 25 apartment units. Recently I blogged about the façade being fixed with the replacement of the brick exterior. But many would like to know what is going on NOW.
I was able to speak to the president of Bluestone Developers, Jerome Blue, about the update on the school. And, he also graciously provided me with the renderings and other images you see here. So what is going on???
Date Unknown, note the trolley in the left corner
First of all, I made it very clear to Mr. Blue that I was not interested in negativity or carrying out a debate with him. He opened up and was very friendly and helpful in providing me information. It was very apparent in my mini interview that this is a very difficult project. Each step involves manysub-steps, and a hiccup in any one of the sub-steps can set the entire project back for months. So has been the case with the development of the school. As of now, all the approvals have been made, such as the zoning boards, the architectural commission etc. However, these approvals do not happen over night and take time. One thing that has set back this project substantially is the parking lot. They had to go through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation since there used to be a dry cleaners on the site. Tests needs to be run to make sure the site is clean. Approvals have to be made, and consultants are needed for these approvals which equals more money needed to complete this project. Along the way the developers must meet city, state, and federal guidelines. Mr. Blue wouldn’t go into more detail, but overall this is a huge undertaking.
Considering all the levels of government the approvals must go through, the money needed, the fine tuning, and hiccups that can happen along the way-this project is going to take some time. Mr. Blue is extremely interested in the history of the structure and the history of Newburgh. He has even looked up articles on the school’s closing in 1980. There had been talks of closing the school 6 years prior to it’s closing. 550 parents protested against the closing of the school and signed a petition. At the time the school closed it had approximately 360 students in grades k-4. Mr. Blue definitely wants to see the project through. That is why even though there is much left to be done in paper work and approvals, he has secured the structure of the building by replacing the bricks. Last time I checked the fence was fixed as well. He mentioned that there is really no point to put up scaffolding if no work can actually be done until months later. It really accomplishes nothing. But rest assured, he is continuing with the project. And, when we last spoke had recently been to meetings regarding the project.
So what should you digest out of all of this? It’s going to take time. Whether or not the school will really be developed and inhabited can only be determined with time. But what Mr. Blue would like for people to know is that even though you don’t see anything happening on the exterior, he has not dropped this project. There are still many things going on behind the scenes. Hopefully he will give me updates as things progress.
Click below to enlarge the three news articles from The Evening News dated 1980.
Who would have ever even thought that this building was salvageable? This house was donated to Habitat by a local businessman. How great that there are some people willing to take unused property and donate it to a positive cause! If the city could just make delinquent landlords do the same, the landscape of the city would benefit greatly and improve. The house was worked on through the summer and fall of 2007, and on December 1st the home was presented to a family.It is important to note that if you love these kind of restoration projects and would like to be a part of them, you can volunteer with Newburgh’s Habitat for Humanity. You don’t have to be a skilled worker, everyone can lend a hand.
Look below and you will realize that compared to what it used to look like, the Newburgh (West Shore) Train Station is a dream. The entire structure was in danger of being completely destroyed. But, now the station’s roof is being restored and the structure being made secure. All of this thanks to Newburgh Preservation Association (NPA) who have been instrumental in changing the owners of the building after long negotiations. Click on the link above to read more information on NPA’s website.
Although it remains unclear what the outcome of the building will be, it is wonderful to see that the right actions have been taken to move this project in a positive direction.
If you are really curious to see how badly neglected the building was, check out Hudson Valley Ruins that has great pictures of the interior and exterior of the train station.
Another great job by Polonia Architectural Restoration (even if it was a few years ago). This store front was contributing to the abandoned look that used to be a lot more prevalent in Newburgh. But, after the storefront was fixed up, a new business could move in that would be a positive impact on the neighborhood. What store filled the empty spot? Broadway Farm, which opened up in 2005. They sell fresh produce which is helpful to people who don’t own a car. There’s a nice little story about the store in Newburgh’s scrapbook. This is a great example of a place to spend your $50 a month for The 3/50 Project.
(Newburgh Habitat for Humanity)
