Projects Seeking DRI Funding

Tonight, at the fourth meeting of the DRI Local Planning Committee, all the projects seeking a piece of the $10 million pie--which is actually $9.7 million--were presented publicly to the committee. There were thirty-three all together, representing a total cost of $80 million but $16.5 million in DRI funding. The projects fell into two categories: Public Improvement and Public/Private Investment. Very soon, you will be able to view the entire PowerPoint presentation online at the Hudson DRI website.  In the meantime, Gossips will provide a preview.

In the category of Public Improvement, there are the following projects:

• Multimodal Circulation and Connectivity--This involves streetscape improvement, includes some plan for the Broad Street railroad crossing, and is estimated to cost $5 million, $2.8 million to come from DRI funds.
• Railroad Point Pier--Gossips featured the plans for this a while back: "A Preview of the Public Pier." The project is seeking $1.2 million in DRI funding.
• Skatepark--It seems that the skatepark created at Oakdale ten or so years ago is unsatisfactory because the surface on which it was created is asphalt instead of concrete, so a new skatepark is sought, at a cost of $525,000, $500,000 would come from DRI funding.
• Electric Bus--The total cost is $400,000, $394,000 is to come from DRI funding.
• Promenade Hill--What is proposed are improvements to the entrance to Hudson's most historic park, totaling $1,815,000--$1.1 million are to come from DRI funding.
• Cross Street Streetscape & Second Street Stairs--In the original DRI application, this was presented as a Wick Hotel proposal.
• Citywide WiFi--Asking $175,000 from DRI funding.
• Fishing Village--The preservation of selected shacks and the conversion of the Furgary Boat Club into a public park--seeking $98,290 in DRI funding.
• North Bay Connector--$86,800 in streetscape improvement seeking to be totally funded by the DRI.

In the category of Public Improvements, there weren't too many surprises, but in the category of Public/Private investment, there were quite few. The majority, though, we've heard about before:

• Redeveloping the Dunn warehouse
• Site preparation for mixed-income housing on State Street
• Creating a food hub
• Redevelopment of the Kaz site
• Creating a bioenergy park--that is, composting
• North Bay ReGeneration
• Community maker space
• Basilica Phase II
• Facade improvements to the Warehouse and the expansion of Digifab
• River House
• Commercial kitchen at 16 South Front Street
• Site preparation for lots on State Street and Columbia Street
• Tool library--lending library, that is
• Wayfinding and signage
• Homeowner grant program
• Minority- and woman-owned business support program

Here are the new proposals. Hudson Cruises, which operates the Spirit of Hudson, the Marika, and water taxi to Athens, submitted a project that seeks to "upgrade and expand tourism" dependent on the river. There were five projects involving properties owned by the Galvan Foundation: converting the Robert Taylor House into a restaurant, converting 59 Allen Street--the (painted yellow) brick Gothic Revival house that was the home of Charles C. Alger--into a B&B, rehabbing 22-24 Warren Street for affordable housing, rehabbing 260 Warren Street--not even in the BRIDGE District--for affordable housing (on the upper floors), and readying part of the old COARC building for the Salvation Army. Among the new proposals, the biggest surprise of all had to be the "Tannery High Rise," proposed for 221-227 Tanners Lane by the owner of that property, Heinrich von Ritter. 

Gossips will let you know as soon as the PowerPoint from tonight's meeting is available online.
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