If you didn’t catch it this week in the news, there was some hopeful news for 11 homes on Dubois Street. A Restore NY Grant of up to $390,000 has been awarded to revitalize these homes on a block that needs attention. Many of these homes have been converted into multifamily homes, fallen into disrepair, or abandoned. According to the Mid Hudson news, under the conditions of the program for the project, tenants will be offered the opportunity to buy the properties and can receive educational preparation about home ownership. Apparently the idea is to revitalize Dubois Street through the ownership of these homes.
A face lift to properties is something that St. Luke’s Hospital will probably be glad to see. They have been improving their image. It would be nice to have some of the surrounding properties match. See below for other restoration projects done to other Dubois Street homes. For more positive Newburgh news check out this link.
FREE MONEY. Did I get your attention? Ok now keep reading!
This was mentioned before, but I never made an official posting about this. Many current residents in Newburgh love their city, love their homes, and appreciate architecture. With the majority of homes pushing 70-100 years in age, it takes a lot of maintenance to keep homes looking as beautiful as they were in 1880. With that said, people usually focus on the interior of the homes when renovating. You think those bricks still can wait a while. But, in order to keep up the curb appeal of the entire neighborhood, it would be wise to pay attention to the exterior of your home. What if you can’t afford it?
If you meet certain income requirements, the Department of Planning and Development of Newburgh is offering a façade grant. This grant can be used for signage of a business (up to $500 in grant money), or to improve the outside appearance of your home. You can be a homeowner, or a tenant to apply for this grant. Successful applicants may receive up to $25,000 for façade upgrades. I called the Department of Planning and development to see when the deadline is to apply. Apparently there is none however, the lady who gave me this information didn’t seem so sure. Another source tells me this program might only be around till the money runs out. The same source mentioned that if there is a good response for this program, then this is something that might be offered again. Hello people, FREE MONEY TO FIX THE EXTERIOR OF YOUR HOUSE! You would think people would be flocking to see if they qualify. If you don’t meet the income requirements tell your friends and your neighbors! The owner of 12 Liberty Street used this grant for her property.
While we are talking about the grant, it is worth it to mention that you must use a city approved contractor (or atleast I’m pretty sure of this.) Sometimes this can be harder than actually getting the grant! While I can not vouch for any contractor, feel free to comment below and share contractor information. Genie Abrams went through a lot of trouble to publish a list of 106 electricians who are licensed in the City of Newburgh! Check it out and pass along the information! Here is the link again for the façade grant.
Newburgh%20Free%20Academy%20student%20Karisma%20Parson%2C%2017%2C%20cleans%20window%20panes%20Friday%20as%20part%20of%20the%20restoration%20of%20the%20Dutch%20Reformed%20Church%20in%20the%20City%20of%20Newburgh.
CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record
Over the weekend two articles came out about the preservation work Newburgh High School students are doing at the Dutch Reformed Church. Back in March NR mentioned the status of the work going on and ways that the general public can help donate to the cause. Well, for the second summer in a row students are working on the DRC as part of a joint effort of the city, the Newburgh School District, the National Park Service, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh, the Newburgh Preservation Association and the World Monuments Fund.
The restoration committee is trying to restore the DRC so that it may be used as a cultural or arts venue in the future that will ensure the adaptive reuse of the building. According to Stuart Sach’s comment to the THR it will take about $1.2 million to open the DRC for these events. Sach’s also told the Mid Hudson News that students “learned how to appreciate their own city. The kids growing up in the city look around the city and they see crumbling structures and they think they are a waste of time, they think they are garbage, they throw rocks at them, they vandalize the structures,” said Sachs. “So this gives them a certain amount of pride in their own city, in their own work, pride in rebuilding, not in destroying.”
Newburgh used to be the city where people would debut their acts before going to Broadway in New York City. Because Newburgh is only 60 miles away from NYC it was a common stomping ground for many rookies before they hit the big time; such as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Today, Newburgh will have a revivification of it’s old glory days with new professional acts coming from Broadway to New Zealand!
The West Shore Railroad Station, aka the Newburgh Train Station was once the hub of hustle and bustle. The train station brought thousands of people to Newburgh daily. It has now been abandoned for over 50 years and, was basically crumbling to bits. The building suffered a fire, the ceiling had collapsed and the façade was blanketed with graffiti. Not too long ago people were entering in and taking pictures and documenting the deplorable condition of the train station. The last train to leave the station to Grand Central in NYC was in 1958. Today the station has new life breathed into it. It’s be secured and restored in very little time compared to how long it has been abandoned. What is even better is that it has found occupants thanks to Key Properties !
Railroad Playhouse Inc, has just signed their lease with the West Shore Train Station. They are a non-profit arts organization dedicated to the revitalization of the Newburgh Waterfront and the preservation of Newburgh’s historic West Shore Railroad Station by providing a space for high-quality, artistically creative performing arts experiences. In their mission statement they state, they “will strive to provide a home for playwrights to workshop and showcase new plays; present local, national, and international artists of all genres; create partnerships with local businesses and organizations to continue revitalizing the area; implement a summer arts camp for local children; and create teaching-artist residencies and after-school programs in local schools.”
The Railroad Playhouse will be a 99-seat flexible venue with a sprung wooden floor and a state-of-the-art lighting and sound system. With no permanent seating or fixed stage, the audience experience will be different for every event. Other features include dressing rooms and office space. The building will be divided into three parts: a performance space, a grand lobby, and a cafe from Nick Citera of Cosimo’s Restaurant Group. The Playhouse will also be available to rent once the beautiful renovations are complete along with catering. Their doors should open in the Fall of 2010.
If you would like to find out more information about The Railroad Playhouse, it’s mission, and it’s founders who have an awesome resume, click on this link for their website. http://www.rrplayhouse.org/ or check them out on Facebook. They are accepting donations for those that would like to help their non-profit group. Any donation can help and can go towards things like stage lighting. They will need all the help they can get to make their Fall 2010 debut opening. This is a great option for those of you who have moved away from Newburgh but still want to see your home town thrive. Click here for the direct link to make a donation.
This project brings Newburgh’s revitalization a little further up from the waterfront, although still connected. It is important to remember what this building looked like before. A lot of hard work and effort went into saving this important part of Newburgh’s erased waterfront history. This accomplishment shows that this time around the revitalization in Newburgh is really starting to come around and more and more major historic buildings are being saved. As the developments progress we will keep you informed. Stay tuned next week for a tour of one of Newburgh’s biggest restorations going on at the moment.
For all of you architect enthusiasts, or for those of you that simply love Newburghs architecture, there is a special event for you this Saturday presented by the Calvert Vaux Preservation Alliance. Spend a summer’s day in the Mid-Hudson Valley and celebrate the renowned architecture of Newburgh with a day of talks by experts in the field at significant architectural sites within the city’s East End Historic District. There will be 4 talks. You can buy tickets for each at $15, or attend all four talks for $50. Ticket prices include lunch discounts at several fine Newburgh eating establishments: Beebs, Caffé Macchiato or Torches on the Hudson with your ticket stub and the mention of Calvert Vaux. Here are the talk descriptions:
10:00am– “Newburgh’s Architectural Treasure Trove: Why Here?” will be the topic of a discussion led by Newburgh architect Peter Smith at the Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site, Museum Building, corner of Liberty and Washington Streets.
2:30pm– “Alexander Jackson Davis” will be discussed by William Krattinger, Historic Preservation Analyst with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation at the Dutch Reformed Church, 134 Grand Street.
4:30pm– “Andrew Jackson Downing of Newburgh and American Nationalism” will be the subject of a talk given by Kerry Dean Carso, Associate Professor of Art History at SUNY – New Paltz at the Courthouse/Newburgh Heritage Center, 123 Grand Street. This will be immediately followed by a Closing Reception.
For more information contact them at info@calvertvaux.org. Events like these show that Newburgh is an extraordinary city that has a vast amount of people who appreciate it’s unique and historic architecture. This shows that Newburgh needs to be restored and we need to get the attention of people interested in preserving architecture to come live in Newburgh.
Washington’s Headquarters Museum Building, which turns 100 this year, got a new HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) system installed. It is not geothermal, but natural gas, instead of the previous oil-based system. There is no grant for this. New York State is making this huge investment in the site, a major indication of its viability and importance. This is especially true since Washington’s Headquarters was one of the New York State parks that could have been shut down due to budget problems. With these new updates it seems that this will not be the case for the Headquarters. Thanks Elyse and Michael for the information!
Example of beautiful homes in need of repair
Photo taken late 1800’s
Restoration done by Hogar
©CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record 
