143 William Street was a Rescue Me home last summer here on Newburgh Restoration. The home has been completely redone and now it up for sale. The strange siding and peeling paint have all been removed and fresh coat of brick red paint has been applied.The sidewalk has also been completely redone. Original hardwood floors remain throughout the building and there are many new updates. William Street is still a very raw and abandoned area. There are rows of vacant buildings on this street. However, there are the foundations for a great block with mixed-use potential. For now, at least one more home has been saved.
If you have your own before and after photos to share of your home exterior or interior and would like to share it on Newburgh Restoration, please email me.
This before and after post is of the old funeral home on Chambers Street. It was hard to imagine this building ever looking anything else than a funeral home, but the new owner, the Newburgh Community Land Bank, has successfully changed the facade into a more appealing building that leaves no hint of an eerie funeral home past. This building will be their new offices and it looks like it will be ready for staff any day now.
If you have your own before and after photos to share of your home exterior or interior and would like to share it on Newburgh Restoration, please email me.
This Before and After post is located in the Colonial Terraces Neighborhood of Newburgh. This section of the city is full of attached homes that were originally created for ship builders working on the waterfront during WWI. As you can see below the house was boarded up and unsightly. The owners have done a nice job at updating the home but keeping historical touches in place like the colored glass and built-ins. The property is available to for rent. If you are interested, there will be an open house this Saturday, June 14 from 12:00-4:00pm.
The City of Newburgh Department of Planning & Development is announcing that sidewalk replacement funds are once again available through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
Last year’s CDBG program made it possible for almost one mile of sidewalk to be replaced in the City of Newburgh.
“I was very happy with the program, it worked for me. Not only was I able to help beautify the City but I was able to contribute to improving the walking surface in front of my house. I would certainly encourage more people to take advantage of the program,” stated Doris Guildford, a Newburgh homeowner.
Justine Buchanan, who owns property on Lander St. said, “I was very pleased to work with the City to help provide an improvement to my neighborhood.”
The sidewalk program is available to all City of Newburgh residential and commercial property owners. The City will pay 50% of the costs of sidewalk replacement up to $2,000.00.
Applications and program guidelines are available online at www.cityofnewburgh-ny.gov. Applications will be accepted on a first come first serve basis through April 11. You may also call the Department of Planning & Development at (845) 569-9400 for further information.
We are back with another before and after courtesy of Tom Porfidio, one of Newburgh’s first urban pioneers. Born in South Brooklyn, Tom was a retired school teacher when he came upon 162 Montgomery. He was on the verge of moving to an ultra modern condo when he learned that this house was for sale. Tom’s friends and family thought that he was “nuts”and “crazy” to move into rubble that 162 was.
The house was constructed for Charles E. Williams who was president of the Beveridge Brewing Company that used to be located on the corner of Front and Fifth Streets. As mentioned previously, Elizabeth (Libby) Lyon saved this home and many others from being destroyed by urban renewal. The first owners bought the home from Libby for $1,000.00. They made a few upgrades to the roof, window panes, and electrical, but it still had a “bombed-out appearance” when Tom came along. He bought it for $33,900 and moved right in.
As a teacher, Tom had a background in industrial arts and was able to prepare the plans for the restoration work. He was able to do some of the work himself like sanding the floors, making bookshelves and even crafting 22 stair spindles out of pine. For the rest of the work, he supervised contractors for the plumbing, electrical, and carpentry. Being a teacher Tom was able to do a lot of work during his free time in the summer. He also used resources from the Newburgh Free Library when he needed historic references.
Although the house was badly damaged and neglected, the high level of craftsmanship that went into the home helped make it last over time. Original oak and plaster walls made with horse hair were still holding up. The house even had a treasures inside, 3 vaults in the basement that were used as storage for coal and oak acorns that belonged to features on the fireplace and stairway.
This is Tom standing proudly outside his restored home in 1983.
The home as it looks today. Saving these homes are essential to maintaining the integrity of Newburgh’s history. Once these homes are gone, the buildings and the history can never be replaced. Although it feels these homes have always been in their current condition, it has been over 30 years since Tom saved 162 and 158 Montgomery. It’s hard to imagine Montgomery Street without these grand old homes. Perhaps you have some urban pioneer spirit in you as well? If so, take note of the wonderful examples of Tom, Libby and many others who were Newburgh’s first urban pioneers! There’s still so much to be done!
Sources:
Giordano, Rita. “The transformation of a ‘pile of stone’. The Times Herald Record [Newburgh] 12 April 1983.
Urban pioneers have been making their mark in Newburgh since the 1960’s, creating the first wave of revitalizers in the city. The late Elizabeth (aka Libby) Lyon from NYC was a major figure during the 1970’s. Libby is pictured above with the handkerchief on her head as well as Regina Angelo in the center. Libby was priced out and “aggravated to death with the complications of restoring NYC properties” and found Newburgh through an advertisement in the Village Voice. She considered the derelict buildings of Montgomery Street to be the “find of the century”. Ms. Lyon could be likened to the Jane Jacobs of Newburgh. She purchased five homes (here it was seven) on Montgomery Street for $1,000 a piece to save them from urban renewal that had just leveled Water Street a few years earlier. Assistant Director of the URP, Fred Miles said the buildings were completely vandalized and the only things salvageable were the outer walls and foundations. Ms. Lyon thought otherwise and fought for years to purchase the properties even though she didn’t actually have the money to buy them! Her persistence struck a chord with city officials and they eventually made a deal. Ms. Lyon had 2 years to completely restore the buildings or sell them.
Tom Porfidio, who is sharing these photos, purchased two buildings Libby saved – 162 and 158 Montgomery. Tom said Libby was “known to confront the demolition crews that were ready to raise 158, 162 and three other 2nd Empire mansard roofs, and almost put herself in the way of the machine, thus saving the First Five Bricks as they became known.” In the early days these blocks were desolate ghost towns, a “ghetto”. Vandals were a huge problem. Tom had a German Shepherd to chase away vandals and Jim DiMaria had a rifle. Tom says of DiMaria, “Jim was one of the early restorers who used to sit on his front entrance with a rifle to ward off the locals from stealing his building materials…he was hired as the architect that designed plans for the restoration of my 158.” DiMaria also came from NYC. After Ms. Lyon started her work the new windows and doors she installed were destroyed. But as she said back in 1975, “You have to try to make a foothold somewhere.”
Tom purchased 162 Montgomery in 1980. He worked on it for three years when he purchased the house next door, #158 in 1983. When Tom purchased 158 it was a complete hollow shell as you can see in the photo above. It took him three years to finish 158 Montgomery, totaling more than six years of constant restoration work. Tom later decided to turn 158 into a bed and breakfast, The Stockbridge Ramsdell House. You can read more about Tom’s work in this THR article, Former owner of city B&B relives adventures in bookand his book, Breakfast With Tom-The Stories. Tom also has a website with more information of his renovation adventures, www.tomporfidio.com.
An informative article from a September 30, 1979 Evening News quoted Ms. Lyon saying the following, “You cannot just give up on one section of a city and say the rest of the city will not be affected. The Urban Renewal Theory failed but it took people a lot of destruction of irreplaceable heritage until we looked at ourselves long enough to understand our alleged solution was so bad it could not possibly be the way to go…I did it because the bulldozing was a personal violation to me. I felt that way about the burning of Paris and the bombing of Berlin. When something beautiful is destroyed, where ever it is, everyone loses.”
Enjoy the before and after photos below. Not only is this a homage to the history of those before us, it is inspirational for the many other Newburgh homes in similar states. If someone could spearhead a movement to save 5 homes, imagine what some of us could do today on other streets such as Lander, Lutheran, and South Miller? Many mansions on Grand, Liberty and Montgomery are still in danger of being demolished. Consider the Monell Mansion or the Arno. Save a rescue me home today and create your own story!
The Stockbridge Ramsdell House as it looks today. Libby considered this home to be very attractive for the amazing views of the Hudson River visible from the rooms in the back. Looking at Newburgh’s grand homes today we might not realize the ginormous efforts it took to save these homes over 40 years ago. Can you imagine Montgomery Street without these homes? They were almost demolished along with hundreds of other buildings when urban renewal destroyed the waterfront.
Tom repairing the living room in the house.
This is the living room space. Tom said that the original pocket doors had already been removed by previous owners in order to create a kitchen on the other side. When restoring the space Tom had all chair moldings, picture moldings, baseboards, window and door casings milled from original samples. He repaired the floors using similar woods and stains and finishes.
The same living room fully restored and decorated by Tom. He was “very proud” of the work he was able to accomplish. Many generations to come will enjoy the amazing work you have done Tom. Thanks for sharing your story! Stay tuned for part II of 162 Montgomery Street.
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