The Gossips of Rivertown

Thursday, August 13, 2026

And So It Ends

Gossips returned to 309-311 Union Street at around 5:00 p.m. today, and this is what I found.

A house that likely stood there for 200 years gone in a matter of hours.

At the Planning Board meeting on Tuesday, August 11, Planning Board chair Ron Bogle explained how public comments about the proposed redevelopment of the Hudson Housing Authority property were being handled. He said they were classifying the comments into categories, and they would develop questions for the applicant that relate to each category. The document that does this can now be found here.

For those who do not find their comments and concerns represented in the categories, Bogle offered this explanation:

There are public comments that, while important and valuable, they don't fall into our remit--our charge. For example, the overall cost of the project. There were comments about that, but that's not a matter that the Planning Board has an opinion about, legally. State and federal housing policy; regional, county-wide distribution of affordable housing; local taxation and public funding priorities; broader social and economic policy questions; whether or not the applicant has sufficient funding; issues related to consolidated affordable housing versus distributed affordable housing--that's a big issue--but none of these are in our scope or responsibilities or authority.

A Position Filled

Hudson has not had a Commissioner of Senior Services since February 2025, when Nea McKinney resigned after the brouhaha over $10,801 in unpaid utility bills at the Senior Center. Today, Mayor Joseph Ferris announced he has appointed a new commissioner.

Mayor Ferris is pleased to announce the appointment of Brittany Gillis as Commission of Senior Services. A licensed real estate agent and property manager, Brittany has led countless transactions, renovations, and tenant placements. Her construction firm, TrueVine Property P&M, oversees new multi-family developments and home renovation projects. Her skills in operational planning and management will bring much value and strong leadership to the Hudson Senior Center.

Brittany Gillis | LinkedIn
In accepting the Commissioner appointment, Brittany said, "My love and commitment towards our older adults began as a teenager, when I worked in a nursing home, and continued throughout my life--from helping care for my late father and managing his medical needs to cherishing my grandparents. This role is deeply personal to me, and I look forward to serving, advocating for, and celebrating the seniors in my community."

And So It Begins

At the end of February, the Historic Preservation Commission granted a certificate of appropriateness for the demolition of this house at 309-311 Union Street.

This morning, the demolition began. The picture below was taken at about 11:00 a.m. At this point, the addition to the house, what might be called the east wing, has been removed.

This is what is to be constructed in its place.

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

HHA Public Hearing, Part II

On Tuesday, the Planning Board resumed the public hearing on the proposed redevelopment of Bliss Towers and Columbia Apartments. The hearing, which went on for an hour and twenty minutes, was essentially a repeat of the hearing that took place on July 21. The majority of the speakers expressed support for the project. Many of them were the same people who had spoken three weeks ago—Mary Decker, Kaya Weidman, Abdus Miah, Kim Singletary, Claire Cousin, Bill Hughes—but there were some notable new voices—Stephanie Monseu of Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, former mayor Kamal Johnson, former Second Ward alderman Tiffany Garriga, and former Second Ward supervisor Ed Cross. The headline of Spenser Walsh's article for the Register-Star sums it up: "Majority support Hudson's Bliss revamp at second public hearing."

As on July 21, the first person to speak was Mary Decker, who, as she told the Planning Board previously, has lived in Bliss Towers for 46 of her 47 years. Decker, who is currently a resident member of the HHA Board of Commissioners, told the Planning Board, "People are not taking into account how us residents feel." That comment seemed to introduce a recurring theme of the evening: a celebration of the community that is Bliss Towers.

Kaya Weidman spoke of "families and generational networks … being torn apart." Kayah Payton, reading a letter she had submitted to the Planning Board, said of Bliss Towers, "I was born into that community, raised there, built lifelong friendships there, and later received my first apartment there as a young adult. Even after leaving Hudson for a period, I returned to Bliss once again before beginning the next chapter of my life." Claire Cousin, also reading from a letter submitted, reminisced, "Some of my favorite memories happened in those public housing apartments. I remember holidays captured on camcorder videos, full of love, laughter, food, kids running around, and people being together. I remember community. It was on the property of the Hudson Housing Authority that I learned what community actually meant."

At the beginning of the public hearing, prior to anyone's comments, Ron Bogle, who chairs the Planning Board, attempted to define the purview of the Planning Board:

The Planning Board doesn't deal with everything. We don't deal with how much a project costs or whether or not we think it's a good idea. Our focus and our remit is pretty narrow. We look at [the impact on] the quality of the neighborhood, traffic, safety, environmental issues, and other matters that you believe are important to us.

After the public comments had been heard, Bogle asked for a motion to adjourn the public hearing but not close it. Planning Board member Sara Black expressed concern that adjourning the public hearing was postponing a decision. (Once the public hearing is closed, the Planning Board has sixty-two days to make a decision.) Bogle pointed out that the project was before the Zoning Board of Appeals, and the ZBA had not yet acted. Notwithstanding Black's concerns, it was decided that the public hearing will continue at the Planning Board's next meeting, which will take place on Tuesday, September 8. Written comments will be accepted through September 1.

The Planning Board also scheduled a site visit to Bliss Towers on Monday, August 24, at 1:00 p.m. The board will not only tour the interior of the building but also walk the site to understand the placement of the proposed new structures. Because all the members of the Planning Board are to be present for this site visit, it will be a special meeting, and members of the public are welcome to join the tour and walkabout.

The Fate of the Clarifying Amendment

At the July meeting of the Common Council, Council president Margaret Morris updated the Council on the proposed clarification to Section 325-17.1 of the city code, the amendment that would establish the level of activity at the dock that existed in 2011 when the code in the city's Local Waterfront Revitalization Program was adopted, which states that the level of activity "shall not be enlarged, extended, or placed on a different portion of the lot or parcel of land occupied by such use on the effective date of this chapter, nor shall any external evidence of such use by increased by any means whatsoever."

At that time, Morris said she was giving the Planning Board more time to respond and also said she was planning to have a public hearing on the amendment, although she did not indicate when that hearing might be held.

At last night's Planning Board meeting, at the end of a meeting that went on for close to three hours, Ron Bogle, chair of the Planning Board, brought up the proposed amendment and explained: "The president of the Common Council has withdrawn that, so it is no longer on the agenda. It is no longer a matter for us to be concerned about."

It turns out that on Friday, August 4, Morris sent an email to members of the Common Council and to Bogle, announcing her decision and explaining her reasoning. The following is quoted from that email:

After careful consideration, I have decided not to bring the LL [local law] regarding 325-17.1 of the City code forward for a vote.

The following is my reasoning.

Currently there is litigation pending regarding the Conditional Use Permit [CUP] granted by the PB [Planning Board] to Colarusso for the Dock.

As I see it, there are two possible outcomes.

The court can decide that there is no issue with the CUP
The court can send the issue back to the PB and request that they address the language in the code relating to "as such use existed in 2011"

Under the first scenario, even if enacted, this LL will have no impact on either the current owner of the dock or a future owner.

Under the second scenario, if enacted, the LL and code revision could serve to provide metrics to the PB. However, the PB has all of the information and research that was submitted to the Common Council by Donna Streitz when she first submitted her draft of a LL in February. The metrics that were used in the CC draft LL increased the volume from the 2010 data, in an effort to reach a compromise that would allow the current owner of the dock to continue their current usage of the dock. However, it is clear that Colarusso does not accept this compromise.

Given that the PB has access to all of the information that was submitted to the CC, I have come to the conclusion that our best course of action, and the course of action that best serves the City, is to await the outcome of the current litigation and allow the PB, if the matter is sent back to them, to respond. . . .

And so it goes. Colarusso can stop sending lawyers to Common Council and Planning Board meetings.

Of Interest (to Some)

Readers who remember the long and painful process that resulted in the expanded Stewart's Shop at the corner of Green Street and Fairview Avenue, a project that required a code change that seemed a lot like spot zoning and the demolition of two houses representing seven dwelling units, will remember Chuck Marshall, the real estate representative for Stewart's Shops. (To refresh your memory, search "Chuck Marshall" on this blog.)

The following article appeared today in the Times Union: "Email raises questions on Stewart's role in preservation policy." The opening paragraph of the article reads:

Mayor John Safford's controversial efforts to loosen development rules in Saratoga Springs' historic and architectural districts are leading some residents to question whether a Stewart's Shops director has too much influence over the city's preservation policies.

That "Stewart's Shops director" is Chuck Marshall.

Photo: Jim Franco | Times Union

Marshall is recommending changes to Saratoga Springs' Unified Development Ordinance, some specifically having to do with relaxing the rules for the demolition of architecturally and historically significant buildings. The article provides this background:

The 2024 ordinance, which took two years to draft, was meant to "encourage appropriate and orderly physical development." But it also put in place strict rules for demolition, requiring owners to meet five criteria before razing a structure, including attempting to find a buyer for the building.

That same year the ordinance was passed, the city's Design Review Board rejected Stewart's application to demolish a century-old home on Lincoln Avenue to expand its South Broadway location. It based its decision on demolition standards in the architectural district, where the house stands. Stewart's sued and won in state Supreme Court, reversing the city's decision. But before it can be torn down, the board has to approve the design of the new Stewart's structure that would replace it.

The entire article is fascinating reading, and it is recommended.

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

Enough Already

Wrangling the comments on this blog has become more work than writing it and certainly more thankless. I started The Gossips of Rivertown and have kept it going for more than sixteen years to keep people informed about what is happening in Hudson. It was never my intention to provide a platform for people to snipe at each other. Let it be known that henceforward, unless a comment directly relates to the content of the post, it will not be published.

Monday, August 10, 2026

Morris Dancing in Hudson

On its 49th annual tour, "From the Hudson to the Hoosic," the Morris dancing troupe American Traveling Morrice will be in our fair city.

The dancers will be here on Friday, August 14, for a "Walking Tour of Hudson," performing at three different sites:

11:00 a.m.--Promenade Hill
12:00 noon--Rick's Point in Henry Hudson Riverfront Park
1:15 p.m.--Hudson Train Station

American Travelling Morrice performing in Manhattan on July 25, 2024

Reminder: Deadline Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 11, is the deadline for submitting written comments to the Planning Board about the redevelopment plan proposed by the Hudson Housing Authority. Comments can be submitted by email to the Planning Board clerk Linda Fenoff at lfenoff@cityofhudson.org.

Yesterday, a petition was launched, asking the Planning Board "to take a genuine hard look at the soil, the structures, the environmental record, and the effect on the Second Ward, and Hudson" of the proposed project, and asking the Common Council "to examine whether this plan serves the city's social and fiscal future." That petition can be found here.

Clarification: Tuesday, August 11, may not actually be the deadline for submitting written comments. Written comments will be accepted until the public hearing is closed, which has not happened yet. Since it is not clear when the public hearing will be closed, it is advisable to submit your comments as soon as possible. The Planning Board will hear oral comments on the project from people present in the room at its meeting on Tuesday night, which takes place at City Hall. The meeting is a hybrid. Click here for the link to join the meeting remotely.

Sunday, August 9, 2026

Meetings and Events in the Week Ahead

As we move into and through the second week in August, here is what's happening.

On Monday, August 10, the Common Council Infrastructure and Code Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. Despite the name of the committee, the meeting consists only of a report from Superintendent of Public Works Rob Perry, since Code Enforcement Officer Nick Fox has chosen to make his reports to the Safety Committee. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Teams. Click here to join the meeting remotely.
On Tuesday, August 11, the Planning Board meets at 6:00 p.m. Although the site plan review of the Hudson Housing Authority's redevelopment proposal is the business before the Planning Board on everyone's mind, there are several other things on the agenda for the meeting: the parking lot on Washington Street for Pocketbook Hudson, a photovoltaic carport at Basilica Hudson, and three three-unit structures for Mount Ray Estates. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Teams. Click here for the link to join the meeting remotely.

On Wednesday, August 12, the Housing Trust Fund Board meets at 5:30 p.m. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Teams. Click here for the link to join the meeting remotely.

Update: The Housing Trust Fund Board meeting has been canceled.

Also on Wednesday, August 12, Waterfront Wednesdays features the Dustbowl Faeries. The event begins at 4:00 p.m. and continues until dusk. The performance by the Dustbowl Faeries takes place at 6:00 p.m.

On Thursday, August 13, the Common Council Legal Committee meets at 6:00 p.m. An agenda for the meeting is not yet available. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Teams. Click here to join the meeting remotely.
On Friday, August 14, the Historic Preservation Commission meets at 10:00 a.m. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Teams. Click here for the link to join the meeting remotely.
Also on Friday, August 14, there is a beach party to celebrate the season finale of Summer Camp at Oakdale Lake. The party begins at 11:00 a.m. There will be water games, a talent show, and the "legendary tug of war," as well as a cookout serving up hamburgers and hot dogs.

Saturday, August 8, 2026

Happening Next Week

The Bard Music Festival Mozart and His World is happening right now, and, for the first time, one of the concerts in the series will take place here in Hudson, at the First Presbyterian Church, on Wednesday, August 12.

Titled Mozart and Religion, this special community event offers a sampling of Mozart's sacred music, dating from "God Is Our Refuge," a motet composed by Mozart when he was just nine years old, to his "Ave verum corpus." These will be heard alongside Gregorio Allegri's Miserere, a work strictly guarded by the Vatican until Mozart transcribed it from memory when he was fourteen; J. S. Bach's funeral motet "Fürchte dich nicht"; an Epiphany anthem by Mozart's student Thomas Attwood, the organist of London's St. Paul's Cathedral; and liturgical choral works by Joseph Haydn, with whom Mozart shared a close friendship and deep-seated mutual reverence.

The concert, which begins at 7:30 p.m., is free, but reservations are required, which can be made here.

Friday, August 7, 2026

LWRP Redux

On July 28, the Common Council passed a resolution authorizing the mayor to submit an application to the New York State Department of State Environmental Protection Fund for a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) grant. The resolution explains the purpose of the grant in this way:

[T]he goal is to revise the City’s existing LWRP, incorporating new developments in parks and public access points in the past decade, while also addressing climate concerns and resilience features, pollution, and waterfront development pressures. The City is in need of a new plan to guide thoughtful and sustainable development along the waterfront that is cohesive and allows public uses and access while also increasing economic development activity and resiliency methods. What will come out of this process is a locally appropriate, climate resilient zoning and land use plan that will connect residents and tourists to the waterfront while increasing jobs, business activity, and unify varying plans across the waterfront boundary. The City of Hudson's Hudson River waterfront boundary extends approximately 1.5 miles from the Greenport Conservation Area wetlands south to Greenport, NY. . . .

If the City is successful in getting the grant and embarks on revising the existing LWRP, it will be Hudson's third try at getting a properly adopted LWRP. This post, published in June 2013, provides some background about the fate of Hudson's first two attempts: "Our Foundering and Bewildering LWRP." That post and all its comments are recommended for anyone who wants to understand the history of Hudson's LWRP.

In 2013, when the post was written, there was uncertainty about two things: (1) if the LWRP had actually been submitted to the Department of State (DOS); (2) if the transfer of ownership of a parcel of land south of the dock from Holcim to the City of Hudson was in fact a condition for the DOS to review the document. In 2016, when Mayor Tiffany Martin re-created the Waterfront Advisory Steering Committee in an effort to revise the LWRP and get the DOS to review it, it was confirmed by the DOS that the document had never been submitted for review.

In 2016, something was also revealed about the land transfer. Probably beginning in early 2012, Cheryl Roberts, then the city attorney, was negotiating the transfer of land with Holcim's attorneys in Switzerland. Periodically, she would report at Common Council meetings on the progress of those negotiations. At some point, she reported that the negotiations had broken down, and the lawyers were no longer responding. In 2016, it was revealed that Colarusso, at the same time negotiating to buy Holcim's holdings in Greenport and Hudson, wanted that land to use as a staging area. The breakdown of Roberts' negotiations was concurrent with Colarusso's negotiations to buy the Holcim property. It is not unreasonable to believe that Colarusso's interests were in large part the reason the 2011 LWRP has never submitted and never approved by the DOS, although no one realized it at the time.

There is no doubt that something needs to be done about the LWRP. The LWRP adopted by the Common Council in 2011 makes it very clear that the use of the dock is a nonconforming conditional use, and there should be no expansion or intensification of the dock operations beyond what existed in November 2011, three years before Colarusso acquired the property. Yet last year, when the Planning Board was considering the conditional use permit for Colarusso's dock operations, they were advised by their attorney, Victoria Polidoro, that the LWRP was not legally binding because a map of the city's Local Waterfront Revitalization Area was not on file with the Department of State.

The current and ongoing effort to amend the code to define the level of activity that existed in 2011 when the code was adopted--the level that, to quote the code, "shall not be enlarged, extended, or placed in a different portion of the lot or parcel of land occupied by such use on the effective date of this chapter, nor shall any external evidence of such use be increased by any means whatsoever"--is meeting with reluctance and downright resistance both from members of the Planning Board and from members of the Common Council. Interestingly, every meeting of the Planning Board and the Common Council at which there is a chance the amendment might be discussed is attended by one of Colarusso's team of lawyers.

If the City does get the grant and work begins on a revising and updating the LWRP, it is not clear what we can expect. The zeal to protect the waterfront and the environment from industrial uses, the zeal that sustained a seven-year-long battle against St. Lawrence Cement and informed the language of the LWRP, seems, inexplicably, to have waned. One thing is for certain, though. An attorney representing Colarusso will be present at every LWRP meeting and work session to ensure the interests of Colarusso take priority over the interests of the residents of Hudson and of other businesses and enterprises at the waterfront.