Before and After

If you don’t remember Newburgh before the days of Caffé Macchiato, this before and after post is really a treat. Take a close look and you will see that this building was a shell in the late 90’s. The squares in the windows are see-through, and the brick all along the left side is totally missing. Had it been left untouched it probably would have been slated for demolition or collapsed on its own. It was in the exact state the Clinton Hotel is in now which, is just around the corner.

Eventually two business partners decided to restore the building. When Michael Gabor found out that 97 & 99 Liberty were going to be restored, he decided to buy 95 Liberty and restore it as well. Today, these restored beauties are prime real estate facing Newburgh’s historic Washington’s Headquarters. Later on, Michael decided to sell 95 Liberty to finance the start up of a new business, Newburgh Art Supply.

The moral of the story: restoration can be contagious and inspire some pretty incredible things. The Clinton Hotel is in the exact condition that the above buildings were in. There is no reason that it can not be restored today. Had 97 & 99 Liberty been torn down the entire feeling of Washington Market would be different. You just can’t recreate these buildings. Perhaps the restoration of the Clinton Hotel will spread the “restoration bug” as well.

Thank you Michael Gabor for the before and after photos.

Photos © Michael Gabor

The Newburgh Community Clean Up Mob was in action again this past weekend at 102-104 Washington Street on Sunday, July 8 2012. The heat was intense on that sweltering summer morning. Despite the temperature, 10 people helped transform 102-104 Washington from a complete eyesore to a well manicured building in just one hour. It is amazing to see what can be done with a little free time once a month.

Like 288 Grand Street, this building is on a  well-traveled street and was a complete eyesore to visitors. Hopefully this building will catch the attention of someone and be redeveloped. The continuation of the destruction of Newburgh buildings big or small, humble or grand, is a continuation of erasing the history and architecture that makes Newburgh special. Kudos to those who braved the heat and made this city a better place!

This before and after backyard makeover comes from a house in the City of Newburgh. Once a 3 family home, the new owners are in the process of taking back the house. The owner says that this project was a labor of love and that they tried to make the max of their small inclined  backyard.  They did an amazing job! Adding plants, stone steps, outdoor lighting and fencing really help beautify and make the most of their small back yard. Clearing some of the plants has opened up a river view. Hopefully they’ll share some interior before and after photos in the future.

There are many restoration efforts going on in Newburgh. It is great to see what private citizens are able to accomplish, along with organizations. Take a look at more before and after pictures in Newburgh. If you have your own project you would like to share, please email me.

The Builders Association of the Hudson Valley partnered with Habitat for Humanity and the Newburgh Land Bank to build 2 homes in just 5 days. The original structures were condemned, unsafe, and dangerous. Huge chunks of the building were missing, and it was probably just a matter of time before it collapsed on itself. Now, there are two beautiful homes that are very similar to the original ones. They were dedicated to Santiago and Cordero-Valencia Families. Check out the over 300 photos of the process on Habitat for Humanity’s Facebook Fan Page.

–All photos from Habitat for Humanity Facebook Fan Page

This is a before and after look at a lot located on Lander and Farrington that was completed by the Greater Newburgh Partnership. The after shot looks ten times better, and if you go to their Facebook Fan Page, you can see all the community members pitching in! Great job!

–Pictures from Greater Newburgh Partnership Facebook Fan Page