Good News

If you are interested in buying an abandoned home in Newburgh, the process might have gotten a little easier. The city recently (in October) published a new form online called PODA – Private Owner Development Aquisition. The key here is in the words “private owner”. That means that is not for flippers or for property managers, it is for people who want to buy a home to live in it for themselves. The form calls them a “principal homeowner”. With the high rental-occupancy rate of many homes in Newburgh, this new process could help end the flipping cycle that have seen in city auctions. The new homeowner will sign a waiver prohibiting the sale of the property for the next 5 years.

This news also coincides with an announcement from Assemblyman Frank Skartados’ office regarding approval from Gov. Cuomo for a new city judge to deal with quality of life issues like absentee landlords. Skartados was quoted saying, “By securing this additional state-funded judge for Newburgh, the city will be able to crack down on serious code violations in a timely fashion.” City of Newburgh Police Chief Michael D. Ferrara agreed saying, “The end result could be more attractive neighborhoods, vibrant businesses and a better looking city for everyone. Property values should maintain if not increase and codes enforcement when consistent in a neighborhood can help reduce crime.”

The same press release said the new third judge could bring as much as $1 million a year in revenue to Newburgh from increased prosecutions of absentee and negligent landlords. We already know there are approximately 700 abandoned buildings in Newburgh. It will be interesting to see how the new judge will be able to lower that number and cycle these buildings back to the homebuyer pool.

For now, for those of you genuinely interested in buying a rescue me home, browse some of our picks. However, the city has a document online that has pictures and details of all their properties that essentially would apply to the new PODA form.

Undoubtedly there will be critics. What do you make of this news? Will it help aleviate Newburgh’s vacant building and quaility of life problems?

5 years ago today I started Newburgh Restoration. It started off as something just for fun, and I had no idea where this would go, but it has been a great 5 years! We have seen really big changes and a lot of smaller ones. As customary, I will give you the run down of all the great things that have been happening in Newburgh during the past year. And if I miss any please add them to the comment section.

• Newburgher, Johanna Porr made an appearance in Preservation Magazine bringing national attention to the city
• Newburgh got a positive article in the New York Times!
• Work began to raise funds to restore the Tower of Victory at WHQ
• Creative minds began meeting up at the Newburgh Portfolio
• Phase 4 of the East Parmenter Neighborhood begins. Just 1 phase left to go!
• Newburgh got a CSA and NewburghFoodCo bringing farm fresh food to the city
• Rehab work has begun on the Liberty Street School again, with new windows and a new roof. Hopefully saving the structure from decay
• Large efforts have begun in the city to attract the film industry, and the city opens a film office
• The Newburgh Armory starts a community garden
• Plans move forward towards the development of Tyrone Crabb Park
• The Pop Up Gallery appears in Newburgh once again
• Newburgh is now on Google Maps, making it easier for outsiders to discover the city
• The first year of the Illuminated Festival comes to Newburgh with a brilliant light bulb art project
• Caffe Macchiato finds a new owner and does not close
• The Newburgh Open Studios tour opens for a 3rd year bringing over 800 people into the City of Newburgh to check out the growing art scene
• A River of Opportunities Campaign begins in Newburgh, in an effort to attract light manufacturing to the city
• 3 new police officers are added to the Newburgh force
• The Land Bank announces plans to renovate 2 buildings on Chambers Street and to make their offices there. They also successfully sell 2 properties.
• Resnick’s Mattress Factory sells. The new owner has plans to bring retail and creative ventures to the building.
• Newburgh Restoration gets a makeover. We now have a forum for you to ask questions and an events calendar that is open to the public to submit events.
• A new art gallery is coming in 2014 in the Atlas Building
• A new juice bar called the Juice Headquarters opens on Liberty Street
• The city begins to accept proposals to develop the waterfront
• Newburgh is voted one of This Old Houses Best Neighborhoods of 2013
• The NY Loves Film Office visits Newburgh
• The Teran Valdez Art Studio opens up in an amazing space on Broadway
• Almost 5,000 likes on our Facebook fanpage!
• An 11,000 sq ft Vintage Emporium will be coming to Newburgh
• Famed Photojournalist David Burnett opens a gallery on Front Street
• Chambers Street gets a new streetscape
• Soon 3 brownfield sites in the city will be cleaned up and open for development
• New grants focus on revitalizing streets north of Broadway

There are a few more really exciting things in the works that I can’t publish till they are set in stone, including a side project of my own. 2014 is going to be a great year for Newburgh. Stay tuned! Thank you to all of you with your tips and photos who help make this blog possible!

In trying to make this site more resourceful for the community I have now created an events calendar where everyone can post events. This is for you Newburghers and wannabe Newburghers in the making! Especially for those of you who email me a lot of PR announcements. People discovering Newburgh already on Newburgh Restoration are looking for events to attend while they are scouting the city, so please post your events. You will have to create a login, which you will be prompted to do on the calendar page which you see in the image above. Once you create a login you will be free to post events. Please review my guidelines about what types of posts would be acceptable on the calendar. Events posted will be moderated before being published. I will get the calendar started but will rely on all of you to keep it going.

Images are not required but obviously make events look more attractive.

Other great calendars in existence are the Newburgh Art Calendar and Newburgh Now.

Press release:

Building on the success of the 2013 Orange County Gun Buyback, where 143 guns were turned in locally, City of Newburgh Police will continue to accept weapons from the public. Please call Lt. Pete Leach directly at (845) 569-7532 to arrange an appointment to drop off your gun or for it to be picked up.

Councilman Curlie Dillard, who spearheaded the City’s gun buyback program noted, “We are encouraged by the public’s response and the number of weapons turned in earlier. It is not only the gun on the street, but the unattended or forgotten gun in the home that is of concern. I commend the City of Newburgh Police Department’s commitment to continuing this important effort.”

Police Chief Michael Ferrara commented, “Removing weapons from the home that could possibly be used in an accidental or unintentional act of violence is just one more way to help make a community safer. We are pleased to continue to offer this service to our residents, and to work cooperatively with them.”

Photo by Jillian Elder, Victory Designs

Press Release:

On Friday, August 16, 2013, three City of Newburgh Police Officers graduated from the Orange County Police Academy at ceremonies held at Anthony’s Pier 9. The first photo shows Interim City Manager James Slaughter, Mayor Judy Kennedy, Police Officer Michael Woodard, Police Officer Carlos Canario, Police Chief Michael Ferrara, Police Officer Timothy Gliedman,  Lt. Pete Leach, Lt. Dan Cameron.

The second photo shows a proud moment for Police Officer Tim Gliedman (pictured with Chief Michael Ferrara and his father, Jeff Gliedman). Mr. Gliedman presented his son with a “badge box” commemorating three generations of family members in the City of Newburgh Police Department, including the new graduate. Tim’s Great-Grandfather, Howard P. Rogers, was a Patrolman for the Newburgh Police Department (NPD) for his entire career, 1920-1946, and his Grandfather, Philip H. Gliedman, retired from NPD as Deputy Chief in 1967. He was on the force from 1942 to 1967.