Newburgh Community Land Bank is pleased to continue for their second year of Artist-In-Vacancy and announce their 2018 Artists:
2018 ARTISTS
Audra Wolowiec
Caroline Partamian
Ethan Primason
Elke Luyten
Kira Alker
Rachel Ellison
Stephen Kwok
Sylvia Hardy
“NCLB’s Artist in Vacancy is a creative initiative to make use of select properties in our core neighborhood to offer as sites for creative work that will engage the community and promote arts & cultural production in the City of Newburgh. Through AIV we look to address vacancy & abandonment in Newburgh by re-imagining vacant sites as places for community engagement, artistic production, aesthetic & cultural research, and renewed inhabitation. We will be announcing artists exhibitions, workshops, and event openings throughout the summer, culminating in Newburgh Open Studios on September 29-30th.
Meet Andrew Luy, a finance man by day, and sculptor by night. He is busy restoring his dream home on Dubois Street that he acquired through the Newburgh Community Land Bank. Andrew invited me by to see the progress of his home renovation adventures. Judging the exterior it might not look like much is happening but, Andrew is very busy preparing his home.
He fell in love with this home and essentially bought it sight unseen. Proximity to Downing Park was very attractive to him and he genuinely loves all of the quirks and kinks of his circa 1855 home. A little investigation revealed that 36 Dubois was the Wm. HG Repp School of Music in a 1922 record. Andrew would love to find out more.
The friendship he has developed with his neighbor, Yvonne was evident as they discussed some holiday lights he found inside. He says she is a long-time Newburgh resident and knows everyone in the neighborhood. Once his home is finished, Andrew plans on inviting her over for dinner.
Andrew undsterstands Newburgh’s issues. However, he said “one good neighbor turns into two, then three, and so on.” He plans on being that good neighbor. Newburgh is fortunate to have you Andrew! Scroll down to see where his home is now. Remember, it is still a work in progress.
The hallway console table. Andrew found this slab on Craigslist. It’s the perfect size for this long hallway.
The living room with a deck that looks onto the backyard. There is a fireplace that Andrew plans on sprucing up and perhaps he might even get it working again.
The bay window. Andrew had a window seat made so that he can enjoy the sunlight.
Views of the backyard off the deck. It still needs a lot of work. Eventually, Andrew would like to make this a studio to work in.
Throughout the home, Andrew has placed his sculptures. Some are completed, while others are still in their wire and clay form. This one is located in the dining room. The kitchen cabinets are still in boxes, but Andrew is particularly excited about beginning work on his kitchen.
Back at the staircase, you get a glimpse of the first-floor bathroom. Andrew has a friend that will create a stained glass transom to replace the missing one above the bathroom door.
At the top of the staircase, there are these gothic-shaped windows that are mirrored on the front and back of the house. It’s details like these that make the house quite special. There are smaller versions in the foyer.
This is the window at the front of the house. It is a tiny room that Andrew plans to use as his meditation room. All the jars you see on the floor came from the attic!
Does anyone know anything about Great Bull Coffee from Kingston, New York?
A quirky miniature door in the meditation room. It’s actually a very deep closet!
This is the upstairs bathroom with a curved wall. The curve is mimicked in the adjoining bedroom.
The curved wall is on the left wall of this bedroom.
This was my favorite room. Light, bright and airy. This room also has interesting windows.
Sharing one’s home is very personal. I want to thank Andrew for sharing his home even though it is still in the renovation phase.
Photo by the Newburgh Community Land Bank. This was part of the #LovethatLot campaign to bring attention to vacant properties, started by Bernice Radle in Buffalo, NY.
Add your own photos depicting city life to the Newburgh Restoration Flickr pool to be used on the blog, or email me. **Flickr users please do not forget to remove disabling of downloading of pictures otherwise, I can’t use them** Please do not take photos for your own use without consulting the photographer.
The Newburgh Community Land Bank has announced the opening of the 2016 property purchase application. There are 12 parcels available within the City of Newburgh, NY that are open for proposals. If you are interested, you must submit a pre-qualification form.
One of the most interesting properties is the lot at 130 First Street. It’s right next to 128 First Street that has been on and off the market. Purchasing the adjacent lot would give the new owner the possibility of a driveway and a nice side yard. This location is just down the street from Quality Row and around the corner from all the revitalization work happening on Chambers Street.
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
BID SUBMISSIONS
Bids shall be submitted in a sealed, opaque envelope clearly marked with the name of the Bidder, the name of the project bid upon, and shall be addressed to:
The Newburgh Community Land Bank
Attn: Madeline Fletcher, Executive Director
15 Chambers Street, Newburgh, NY 12550
Bids shall be delivered to the above address and sent sent via email
To: mfletcher@newburghcommunitylandbank.org no later than: 12:00 noon, October 7th, 2015
SECURING DOCUMENTS
Copies of the Bidding Documents may be obtained from:
JEFF WILKINSON, R.A.
13 Chambers Street Newburgh, NY 12550
Ph: 845-838-9763
Copies of the Bid Documents can be obtained at a cost of $75 per set or upon request by the potential Bidder may be sent free of charge via email. All queries and questions shall be directed to the office of the Architect, Jeff Wilkinson, R.A., 178 Main Street, Beacon, NY 12508, Ph:845-838-9763 Email: jawil@earthlink.net
INSPECTION OF SITE
Each Bidder must visit the site of the proposed work and fully acquaint himself/herself with the existing conditions relating thereto and should inform himself/herself as to the facilities involved, the difficulties and the restrictions attending the performance of the Contract. The Bidder shall thoroughly examine and familiarize himself/herself with the Drawings, Technical Specifications, and all other Contract Documents. The Contractor by the execution of the contract shall in no way be relieved of any obligation under it due to his failure to receive or examine any form or legal instrument or to visit the site and acquaint himself with the conditions there existing and the NCLB will be justified in rejecting any claim based on facts regarding which he should have been on notice as a result thereof.
4. ALTERNATIVE BIDS
No alternative bids will be considered unless alternative bids are specifically requested by the Technical Specifications or the Contract Documents.
5. BIDS
A. Make bids upon the forms provided therefore, properly executed, and with all items filled. Do not change the wording to the Bid Form and do not add words to the Bid Form. Unauthorized conditions, limitations, or provisions attached to the bid will be cause for rejection of the bid B. If the Contract is awarded, it will be awarded by the NCLB to a responsible Bidder on the basis of the Bid most favorable to the NCLB. The Contract will require the completion of work according to the Contract Documents.
6. STATEMENT OF BIDDER’S QUALIFICATIONS
Each Bidder shall submit on the form furnished for that purpose, a copy of which is included in the Contract Documents, a statement of the Bidder’s qualifications, his/her construction experience, and his/her organization and equipment available for the work contemplated: and, when specifically requested by the NCLB a detailed financial statement. The NCLB shall have the right to take such steps as they deem necessary to determine the ability of the Bidder to perform his obligations under the Contract, and the Bidder shall furnish the NCLB all such information and data for this purpose as it may request. The right is reserved to reject any Bid where an investigation of the available evidence or information does not satisfy the NCLB that the Bidder is qualified to carry out properly the terms of the Contract.
7. CONTRACT PRICE AND ALLOWANCES
Except as described below, all work under this contract shall be included in the contract lump sum price which price shall include, but shall not be limited to, all labor, materials, machinery, tools, equipment, services, transportation, utility services, professional fees, license fees, cost of permits, shop drawings, etc., so that contract will be completed in the time stipulated.
8. AWARD OF CONTRACTS: REJECTION OF BIDS
A. The Contract will be awarded to the lowest responsible Bidder, who in the opinion of the Architect and NCLB, best meets with the conditions of the invitation for Bids. The NCLB however, reserves the right to reject any and all Bids or portion thereof and to waive any informality in Bids received whenever such rejection or waiver is in its interest. The Bidder to whom the award is made will be notified at the earliest possible date.
B. The NCLB reserves the right to consider as unqualified to perform the Contract any Bidder who does not habitually perform with his own forces the major portions of the work involved.
9. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Attention of Bidders is particularly called to the requirement for ensuring that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, creed, color or national origin. Women and minority owned businesses are especially encouraged to submit bids.
Tomorrow, on Thursday, August 20, the Newburgh Community Land Bank is extending an invitation to anyone interested in a walking tour of their projects that are in different phases of development. They will be opening doors for a sneak peek.
On tour will be Chambers between Broadway and First Street of the following properties:
13 Chambers St, which is a recently completed rental project with 3 affordable apartments.
55 Chambers Street, a project under construction by Habitat for Humanity
29 Chambers, an old dog pound where an environmental clean up was recently completed and will soon move onto construction by the purchaser, a downtown resident.
Lander Street properties will also be on tour that are in different phases of clean up and stabilization.
This will be the first of a series of similar events (a different block next time) so if you can’t make it, they will be planning several more (and further in advance).
If you are interested, please meet on Thursday, August 20th at the Land Bank office at 15 Chambers Street at 2 PM.
