Half a Century Later

Exploring PhotobyGibson.com today, I came upon this picture of the intersection of State and Seventh streets, taken in 1973, and was inspired to juxtapose it with a picture of the same intersection today.

Sadly, the building at the left in the 1973 photo, which was the original home of the Hudson Orphan Asylum when it was established in 1845, is no more.  

The building was acquired by Eric Galloway in 2006 and demolished in 2019. During the intervening thirteenth years, a portion of the building was demolished without a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission, and a metal roof was installed, also without a certificate of appropriateness from the HPC. It was finally determined that the building's structural issues rendered it beyond repair, and it was demolished.

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Hudson's Third Rail

During the budget workshops, the Board of Estimate and Apportionment did not make significant cuts to the budget requested for the Youth Department, although they did talk about inefficiencies at the Youth Department as well as at the Senior Center. Nevertheless, the BEA process inspired Quintin Cross to write a lengthy piece in defense of the status quo at the Youth Department, which he published on Facebook and Instagram and imby.com: "Before Hudson Cuts Youth Services, It Needs to Confront Its History." 

At the special meeting of the Common Council on Thursday, a meeting convened to discuss the proposed 2027 budget, Council president Margaret Morris, who has often questioned the number of staff employed by the Youth Department, the number of children served, and percentage of children served who live outside of Hudson, quoted from Cross's piece:

. . . accountability should not become an excuse for reducing opportunities for young people, especially when we have not exhausted the possibilities for shared funding. And Hudson should not be expected to carry this responsibility alone. The Youth Department serves children beyond the city's municipal boundaries. The Hudson City School District serves families across multiple communities, and Columbia County has responsibilities for youth services, prevention and family support. So why does the conversation begin with what Hudson can cut rather than what the county and school district should contribute? Why aren't we demanding a serious, multiyear financial commitment to the children and families these institutions serve?

Morris declared this was "spot on," noting that overall only 65 percent of the children and teenagers benefiting from Hudson's youth services reside in Hudson and among the younger kids only 40 percent live in Hudson.

In the discussion that followed, Councilmember Henry Haddad (First Ward) expressed the opinion that the Youth Department has become an "inflated department" and declared, "We need to completely axe the Youth Department and rebuild it." Councilmember Claire Cousin (Fifth Ward) objected to the idea of gutting the Youth Department, calling it a "foundational center." Cousin, who currently works for Kite's Nest, maintained that the not-for-profits that serve youth "cannot survive without a foundational center like the Youth Department."

Councilmember Dominic Merante recalled a time when the Youth Center was the Hudson Boys and Girls Club and suggested it might be time to return to that status. He noted that Hudson forfeited its charter a quarter century ago when the City took over the services provided by the Boys and Girls Club, but Hudson could possibly become a satellite of the Capital Region Boys and Girls Club or the Mid-Hudson Boys and Girls Club. He suggested that, were this to happen, the City could make an annual contribution of $100,000 or $200,000 to its operation. 

Hudson Boys Club leaving for circus 1975  --Photo by Gibson

  

Merante warned that the Youth Department's dependence for support on contributions from Friends of Hudson Youth may not be sustainable. In January 2026, FOHY contributed $250,000 to the Youth Department, bringing the total budget for the department in 2026 to more than $1 million--$1,137,780 by Gossips calculation.

In the past, discussion of the Youth Department's operations and financing seemed to happen only during budget time. This year, there may be a commitment among members of the BEA, as well as other members of the Council, to continue pursuing the question of how the City can afford to fund and provide youth services after the 2027 budget has been adopted. 

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Hudson Public and the HPC

At its meeting this morning, the Historic Preservation Commission agreed to grant a certificate of appropriateness to the Hudson Public Hotel, which has been subject to a stop-work order since August for violating the terms of its original certificate of appropriateness. It was agreed that the gooseneck light fixtures, installed without approval, will be removed. It was also agreed that the issues of installing different lighting and installing awnings would be taken up at a later time.

The drawings below show what was suggested at last Friday's special HPC meeting and approved today.

The two infill buildings--at 706 Warren Street and at 8 North Fourth Street--will be limewashed, to distinguish the new construction from the original historic buildings. The marble veneer on the colonnade will be applied in the "more detailed" manner suggested by Cara Cragan, the architect member of the HPC.

Walter Chatham, advising architect for the project, agreed today to include marble sills at the base of the windows in the colonnade on Warren Street. The project was approved on the condition that Chatham return at the next meeting of the HPC, which takes place on December 4, with drawings to show the marble sills at the bottom of the windows.

The HPC's decision this morning clears the way for the stop-work order to be lifted. 

Hudson Public is expected to add 44 new hotel rooms to Hudson's inventory: 32 in the main hotel building(s) and 12 in the hotel "annex"--the two houses at 14 and 16 North Fourth Street.

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News of the Public Square

At the Common Council Code & Infrastructure Committee meeting on Monday, Rob Perry, superintendent of Public Works, reported: "7th Seventh Street Park rebid is on street, again." The bid opening will take place on Wednesday, December 2.

The first time around, the bids were opened on August 11. Two bids were received, and both were significantly higher than expected and more than the funds currently available. At that time, it was decided that some costly infrastructure work would be moved from Phase 1 to Phase 2 in the hope that would bring down the cost for Phase 1. The drawing below shows the work included in Phase 1 for the current rebid.

The objectives of Phase 1, as it is being rebid, are defined in this way:

• Axial design is retained but orientation of the axis is rotated, acknowledging pedestrian flow to adjacent intersections.
• Demolition of the existing concrete basin clears the way for the future fountain. A flexible seating area will occupy the area until the fountain is built.
• Installation of new water and electric lines for the future fountain and for additional lightning is included in Phase 1.
• A repositioned Veterans Memorial to Warren Street improves its visibility and accessibility.
• New landscaping includes a planted border along the CSX corridor, new understory and canopy trees. Flexible open lawn areas are expanded.

Commenting on the current scope of work for Phase 1, Gail Wittwer-Laird of Starr Whitehouse, the landscape architects for the project, told Gossips:

The scheme keeps the restoration of the primary axial path, still relocates the Veterans Memorial to Warren Street, making it accessible. The existing concrete basin is removed, and the area is programmed as a flexible seating area until the fountain comes online. 

This scheme preserves mature trees, provides expanded flexible lawn space, yet still restores the primary pathways, benches, and lighting. Additionally, the planted bed along the CSX corridor is further enhanced with shade tolerant perennials, ferns and grasses, softening that edge.

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Sidewalk Replacement Update

City Hall issued the following statement this morning:

Sidewalk replacement on the east side of N 6th Street between State Street and Long Alley will begin next Monday, November 16. Please heed the direction of the crew and any traffic control devices/signage to ensure everyone's safety and allow ample room for work and equipment.

About the Moratorium

At the October meeting of the Common Council Safety Committee, Nick Fox, director of Code Enforcement, reported that a group interested in siting a large capacity battery storage facility at the end of Hudson Avenue, on land surrounding the building constructed in 1910-1911 as the new plant for the Gifford-Wood Company and most recently used by McGuire Overhead Door, had contacted his office seeking information about the city's code regarding battery energy storage systems. As Fox told the committee, there is nothing in the code about battery energy storage systems. 

For those unfamiliar with battery energy storage systems, this information is provided on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website: 

Battery Energy Storage Systems, or BESS, help stabilize electrical grids by providing steady power flow despite fluctuations from inconsistent generation or renewable energy sources and other disruptions. While BESS technology is designed to bolster grid reliability, lithium battery fires at some installations have raised legitimate safety concerns in many communities.

BESS incidents can present unique challenges for host communities and first responders:

• Fire Suppression: Lithium battery fires are extremely difficult to extinguish and may reignite hours or days later.
• Emissions: Battery fires can release harmful gases that pose health risks to nearby residents and first responders.
• Environmental Impact: Proper cleanup and disposal of damaged batteries requires specialized procedures.

The initial consensus among members of the Safety Committee seemed to be that such facilities did not belong within Hudson's two square miles because of the potential hazards, but three days later, at the Common Council Legal Committee meeting, it was suggested by Ken Dow, legal counsel to the Council, that moratorium on siting such facilities be put in place to give the Council time to study the issue further before proposing code amendments to regulate or prohibit them. The proposed moratorium was introduced at the informal Common Council meeting on October 19 and referred to the city and county planning boards for a recommendation.

At last night's Planning Board meeting, the moratorium was the only item of business on the agenda. Although Ron Bogle, who chairs the Planning Board, introduced the topic by saying, "I don't see any obvious reason why we wouldn't support this," there was considerable discussion before the board voted 5 to 1 to issue a favorable opinion about the moratorium. Bogle, Nathan Woodhull, Peter Spear, Sara Black, and Veronica Concra voted in support of the moratorium; Gene Shetsky voted against at; Kali Michael was absent from the meeting.

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Following the 2027 Budget

At a special meeting last night, Mayor Joseph Ferris--flanked by the other members of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, Treasurer Heather Campbell and Council President Margaret Morris--presented the proposed budget for 2027 to the Common Council.

Ferris noted that, at the start of the BEA review, requests for expenditures totaled $17,229,318, leaving a gap of $2.6 million between revenues and expenditures. During the BEA process, expenditures were brought down to $16,621,744.

The budget was balanced by increases in projected revenues from what Ferris called "user fees": the cost of trash bags, parking rates, and parking fines, as well as increases in interest and penalties for late payment of property taxes. 

The big takeaways from the mayor's presentation were that the 2027 budget involves no increase in property taxes and no decrease in the City's fund balance.

All the visuals from the mayor's presentation can be found here. The budget documents can be found here. 

The Common Council holds a special meeting to discuss the proposed budget on Thursday, November 12, at 6:00 p.m. A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, at 6:00 p.m.

Silent Nights . . . or Rather Early Mornings

Six years ago, Gossips shared this picture, from PhotobyGibson, of Hudson's street sweeper in 1956 and speculated about what it must have sounded like making its way through the streets of Hudson.

Tonight, at the Common Council Code and Infrastructure Committee meeting, Rob Perry, Superintendent of Public Works, shared these pictures of the City's newly acquired street sweeper, delivered last Friday.

As soon as DPW workers have been trained in its operation, this new street sweeper will be plying the streets of Hudson in the wee hours of the morning. According to Perry, the new sweeper is silent. "You won't ever hear it coming."

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Recommended Viewing

Modern Witness, Karl Frederick Mattson's documentary about Hudson's iconic First Presbyterian Church, which premiered yesterday at Time & Space Limited, can now be viewed on YouTube.

This Saturday at Clermont

This year marks the 250th anniversary of the country's founding. It also marks the 280th birthday of Chancellor Robert R. Livingston, a member of the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence. On Saturday, November 14, the Chancellor's birthday will be celebrated at his home, now the Clermont State Historic Site, in Germantown.

On Saturday, November 14, 2026, the public is invited to visit Clermont State Historic Site for an all-day celebration of a favorite, often forgotten, Founding Father, with fun for the whole family! From 11:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Clermont’s Visitor Center will host games, a magazine launch, pub trivia, and a toast, all in honor of Chancellor Robert R. Livingston’s 280th birthday.

From 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., visitors can enjoy a Ballooning Story Hour, celebrating early flight and the Chancellor’s technological advancements. Visitors can look forward to a balloon-themed story time, historic games, and the launch of a miniature balloon. Fun for kids (and adults) of all ages and abilities. At 2:00 p.m., join the staff of Clermont State Historic Site for the official launch party of The Clermont Dispatch, Clermont’s brand-new in-house publication. Sip Clermont-blend coffee and enjoy light refreshments while reading the new scholarly magazine. At 4:00 p.m., Livingston Trivia Night begins. Register a team, enjoy the cash bar, and play a rousing game of American History pub trivia with fabulous Clermont-related prizes. To cap off the celebration, at 5:30 p.m., the staff at Clermont will raise a toast to the Chancellor and serve cake.

This event is free to attend. Trivia team registration is $10. Tours of the historic mansion will be offered on the hour from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tour tickets cost $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $8 for students. Children under 12 are free but must be accompanied by an adult.

Clermont State Historic Site is a riverside mansion and park with a rich and varied history. It was home to seven generations of Livingston family, as well as dozens of enslaved people and paid servants. Clermont’s most famous resident is Chancellor Robert R. Livingston, who served in the Second Continental Congress and was appointed to the Committee of Five who authored the Declaration of Independence. Late in the war, Chancellor Livingston served as the nation’s first Secretary of Foreign Affairs, a position that became Secretary of State. He would go on to be the chief negotiator of the Louisiana Purchase and the co-inventor of the first practical steamboat.

To See Hudson as It Is Presented to Others

As Gossips reported in May, Eric Galloway has created a new not-for-profit for his acquisitions and activities in Savannah called the Civis Foundation. The logo for the new foundation is curiously similar to the logo of the Galvan Foundation.

This morning, a reader sent me a link to the Civis Foundation website, where the Hudson Public Hotel is presented as one of the foundation's projects.

This is what the Civis website has to say about the project:

Civis is working to repurpose vacant land and historic commercial buildings into an affordable hospitality destination in Hudson, New York. This project expands inclusive access for visitors while helping to reactivate the town center through increased foot traffic and support for local businesses. The landmark hotel seeks to preserve the architectural character that anchors the civic identity of the city.