07/07/11 3:45pm

**The previously scheduled exhibit “Impressions of Newburgh and the Bay” photography by Tom Knieser has been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances and will be rescheduled at the artist’s convenience.**

Instead check out the exhibit: Mapping Newburgh’s History, 125 Years of Development
Sundays, 1pm-4pm April through October
The Captain David Crawford House Stone Floor Gallery
189 Montgomery Street, Newburgh, NY 12550

Enjoy an exhibit of maps from the Historical Society’s collection that chart the growth and development of the Newburgh area from the early 19th century to the early 1950’s. This exhibit will be on display in the Crawford House Stone Floor Gallery through the end of October.

The Crawford House is open Sundays from 1pm-4pm April through October or by appointment for a $5 donation.

10/20/10 9:00am

It’s funny that even though the Newburgh waterfront has been long gone for almost 40 years, imprints from it’s existence still remain. I quite often look at Newburgh maps, and I was intrigued to find imprints of the buildings above, which are North of Broadway Park. I looked at a couple of different satellite maps, and the imprints exist in all of them. It’s a live example of what once existed. Kinda eerie… It’s also interesting to see the Westshore Train Station with out a roof on it. It shows how far it’s come!

02/22/10 8:00am
© City of Newburgh click for PDF
 

So we all know that Newburgh is dripping with history from every corner of the city. But, do you know the history behind many of these old buildings? Would you like to know, but don’t know where to start? Well, the City has put together a heritage map that gives you a tour of 42 historical places and structures. The map has numbers that correspond to little paragraphs that give you a little history about the structures. You can have your very own little history field trip, and it’s a great way to learn about Newburgh’s history.

Here is just a sample of what you can learn on the tour. This is a little clip of The Foundry, which are now condo residences. If time permits, hopefully Newburgh Restoration can take you on this tour. Click on the “Heritage Tour” link on the right under “Things to Do, Places to See” to download your own copy.

10/26/09 7:00am
(Walk Score)

Newburgh is walkable. So what does that mean and why is that a good thing? Well, a website called WalkScore.com helps people find walkable places to live by calculating the “walkability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc. Walk Score measures how easy it is to live a car-lite lifestyle—not how pretty the area is for walking.”

So, I put in an address for 117 Liberty Street and came up with the map you see above. The score is 91 which is considered a “Walkers’ Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.” Like mentioned before, the website does not calculate how pretty or safe the area is for walking but, we can see that Newburgh could rank among some of the highest walkable areas in the country such as San Francisco, New York, and Boston. Obviously these areas have a higher population density which also contributes to their score. The point trying to be made here is that walkable neighborhoods and cities are very difficult to create, and they don’t exist everywhere. But right in Newburgh there is the foundation for a city whose walkableness could actually become a reality AGAIN.

Many old timers have fond memories of walking around Newburgh, such as Deirdre Glenn, Executive Director of Habitat Newburgh. Commenting on how she became involved in working for Habitat she said, “Growing up I walked or rode my bike everywhere. We lived a full life and felt safe. And growing up, I knew that if I did something wrong on the cross-town route the chances were great that mother would know about it when I got home.” Do you have any memories like hers? With a lot of elbow grease this could be possible again.

So what does Walk Score take into account when calculating walkability?

A center: Walkable neighborhoods have a discernible center, whether it’s a shopping district, a main street, or a public space. Check ?
Density:
The neighborhood is compact enough for local businesses to flourish and for public transportation to run frequently. Check ?
Mixed income, mixed use: Housing is provided for everyone who works in the neighborhood: young and old, singles and families, rich and poor. Businesses and residences are located near each other. Check ?
Parks and public space: There are plenty of public places to gather and play. Check ?
Pedestrian-centric design: Buildings are placed close to the street to cater to foot traffic, with parking lots relegated to the back. Check ?
Nearby schools and workplaces: Schools and workplaces are close enough that most residents can walk from their homes. Check ?

What are the benefits of being a walkable area according to Walk Score? Better health, reduction in greenhouse gas, more transportation options, increased social capital, and stronger local businesses. That is kind of a no brainer right? This is just another reason why Newburgh is a diamond in the rough waiting to be polished again. It has all ingredients to become a great city again. Hopefully the well established businesses in the area will continue to thrive and attract people to the East End. There are plenty more storefronts available for you entrepeneurs out there. And hopefully people will continue to look at the renovation possibilities. So what else is there left to say…..than take a wise walk around sometime and discover Newburgh by foot.

09/28/09 7:00am

Thanks to John from Beacon for bringing up this idea. The above map is from a website called “See Click Fix”. It is a website where neighbors report non-emergency problems and figure out ways to have them fixed. Here is one of the reasons the website was started:

A few local governments have enough sophistication to run functional websites or 311 hot lines. Most do not have the resources to do much more than brochure-ware. Our site is a place for citizens from anywhere to give their local government a website that tracks local issues. No set-up time. No hiring consultants to study the issue. Just SeeClickFix.

Everyone knows about the problems with the City’s government. The issues at hand might not be as simple as “see click fix” but this website is definitely worth a try. A broad map has been created for the City of Newburgh to report problems. This is a place to report problems with roads, side walks, garbage, stop signs, or anything else that you think deserves attention. One former resident of Newburgh mentioned that he felt that there was a lack of communication within Newburgh’s own citizens. To resolve problems on this website, it generally involves the community coming together. Hopefully this site can catch wind with some city officials as well. As you can see in the 1st picture, this website is very popular in the East Coast, just nothing for Newburgh-YET. Interested in seeing where this could lead? Pass it on. You can even use the icon below to forward it to anyone you know.

See Click Fix City of Newburgh’s Website