Just before it gets too cold, preliminary work has begun at the future Liberty Street/Broadway park. A new sign will go up at the lot that includes a rendering so residents can imagine the future park. If you’d like to see more, go over to One Nature on Instagram. They have lovely photos and a rendering of what the park will look like. Taylor dumpsters have generously donated their services.
Come spring this will be a different corner all together!
City Manager, Michael Ciaravino, has sent out the following letter regarding the work Central Hudson is doing on Liberty Street, and the bluestone issue that has everyone upset.
-Photo by Oren Cohen
According to an article out from the THR, building inspectors have counted 800 vacant buildings in the City of Newburgh. That is about 100 more than originally estimated. The majority of buildings- 645, are privately owned which really isn’t a surprise. Owners must comply with codes that require them to register their properties for a fee and carry liability insurance. As fire chief, Mike Vatter said, “I believe there are a lot of people just waiting for somebody else to do something so they can cash out.” I couldn’t agree more.
Revived mixed use plans for the Regal Bag building were presented at the city council meeting last Thursday according to the Mid Hudson News. The plans call for 108 rental units as well as commercial and retail space, as well as the development of 2 lots. Plans had first surfaced in 2010 with the project promising approximately $2 million dollars to the city’s tax base. However, hard economic times pushed plans back and it almost seemed the project was forgotten – until now. The building is part of Newburgh’s industrial past:
“Regal Bag was built in the 1830’s as Newburgh Steam Mills, manufacturing cloth. Later the building housed Coldwell Lawnmower Co., and and a pocketbook factory. It is listed in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not as the only building that has its main entrance on the 6th floor.”
Quite a few artists have spaces in the building. I have no knowledge of whether or not they will be able to stay. Many view this project as an opportunity to develop the north end of Newburgh’s waterfront. What remains to be seen is how eastern and western sides of Water Street can be united.
-Photo of Regal Bag Building by John Leighton
Last Friday, October 2, Columbia University urban design students made a site visit to Newburgh and Beacon. They met in the Atlas Studios Warehouse. Speakers included city manager, Michael Ciaravino, and city planners Dierdre Glenn and Alexandra Church, among others. Students had a meet and greet with Newburgh stakeholders and bus tour of the city. It’s very exciting to have Columbia back for another semester! To learn what they will be studying this semester, check out this past post.
If you’d like to participate in one of Columbia’s on site events, the students will be back in Newburgh October 17th.
-Photos by Nans Voron
Progress is soon to begin for 96 Broadway as the Newburgh Community Land Bank is now accepting bids for the first phase of exterior renovation. This probably means that by this time next year, we’ll be seeing a very different building, and a very different Liberty/Broadway intersection overall. This is very exciting for a building that at one time held so much hope, only to abandoned. Eventually, a farm to table restaurant will occupy the first floor.
The Exterior Renovation of 96 Broadway comprises the first phase of an extensive building renovation which will transform an existing masonry and wood framed building shell into a multiple use apartment building and restaurant. Phase One focuses on repair of masonry, the rebuilding and stabilization of the roofing and cornice, rebuilding the original corner storefront and freize as well as window replacement.
INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS
