According to an article in today's Register-Star, a plan is being promoted by Claverack resident Mary Mazzacano to demolish the house and replace it with "Greenport-Hudson Gateway Park": "Park would greet city, town visitors." The proposed park would include "an archway with the word 'WELCOME' [and] signs on either side saying 'This way to Hudson' and 'This way to Greenport' respectively." The problem is that both roads lead to Hudson, and very few drivers choose to enter Hudson by way of Columbia Turnpike. The plans for the park also include "hardy plants and flowers that could withstand the proximity to the road" and a large boulder to be contributed by A. Colarusso and Sons.
The real problem is that the plan calls for demolishing the house! Can it be saved/moved before the wrecking ball falls? I think of the amazing houses on the inside back page of This Old House magazine, that are sometimes on offer for just $100 to someone who will move them away. Could something like that be done with this house? I wish I were able; this charming place, despite its strange location, has always caught my attention...
ReplyDelete...Because actually, we approach Hudson from this direction all the time. A park and signs pointing direction could be lovely here (though, agreed, the signs could be confusing). But the loss of this house itself would be awful.
It is not that moving old houses is a bad idea, but I have to laugh -- cry? -- at the demolition crowd and its utter failure to understand that historic architecture is Hudson's drawing card (not its parks!!!). The best welcome to Hudson is precisely this house! Instead of spending $50k to tear it down and plant some plants (which will, of course, be another source of weeds, etc.), spend the $50k to make it a Hudson Welcome Center!
ReplyDelete--peter m.
I always like seeing this house, it reminds me of the area's history, especially being across from the cemetery.
ReplyDeleteah.....the perfect bookend to compliment the arcade on 66 being proposed. welcome to hudson!
ReplyDeleteI just poked around the house. I didn't go in, but it is pretty deteriorarted. You probably could stabalize it, though, for what it would cost to tear it down. Does the City own it? This would be a good project for the Votec construction class at Questar....
ReplyDelete--pm
Peter--According to the Register-Star article, the house is owned by Columbia County.
ReplyDeleteI have been looking into this for a while. I was told that it was privately owned and located in Greenport. I would like to see it saved and simply turned into an "architectural" welcome point to lead people into Hudson down Warren St... and to Washington Hose and the riverfront.
ReplyDeleteYes. An architectural welcome to Hudson! Perfect. Who needs a sign!
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that it is awkwardly situated,as Carol mentioned before; maybe we can get Eric Galloway to move and restore it instead of building a fake old one (or two or three)
ReplyDeleteActually, it is perfectly situated, especially when you approach it from the east, on Route 23. It says very clearly, Welcome to Hudson!
ReplyDeleteUsing the columns it already is a large H
ReplyDelete