Throwing the Baby Out with the Bath Water
Yesterday, we learned that, in response to objections from members of the Local Planning Committee and from the public, the proposals submitted by the Galvan Initiatives Foundation have been removed from the draft DRI Investment Plan. I wish one of the five projects had not been eliminated: the plan to convert the Robert Taylor House into a tavern. The plan was, in my opinion, the house's last, best hope for restoration and survival, and now the house's future seems as bleak as ever.
The house is commonly thought to be the oldest house in Hudson, predating the arrival of the Proprietors in 1783. Because of its gambrel roof, it is often believed to be a Dutch house, the contemporary of such 18th-century houses as the Conyn-Van Rennselaer House (1767) and the Cornelius S. Muller House (1766) in Claverack. The truth is it is not Dutch, and, although among the oldest houses in Hudson, it does not predate the arrival of the Proprietors. According to city historian Pat Fenoff, whose family lived in the house decades ago, the house is an example of English vernacular architecture and was built in the 1790s for Robert Taylor, who had a tannery across the road, on the edge of South Bay.
Dispelling the myths about the age and origin of the house is not meant to minimize its significance in Hudson history. The house is closely associated with one of Hudson's earliest industries, an industry linked to Hudson's whaling history. Disturbing as it is to contemplate today, the whaling ships that sailed forth from Hudson in its earliest days not only pursued whales for their blubber, bones, and baleen but also slaughtered seals for their hides. Seal hide made the finest leather, and it is very likely that what was being converted into leather at Robert Taylor's tannery were seal hides, brought to Hudson by whaling ships. The building just across the street, now The Wick Hotel, is where the byproduct of refining whale oil was turned into soap and candles.
This house, steeped in early Hudson history, has stood vacant since around 2003, when there was a fire in the building. Galvan Partners, LLC, acquired the house in 2011. Since then, Galvan proposed to move the house to Union Street in 2012, and, in 2014, made what appeared to be dramatic repairs to the roof of the house, without a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission or even a building permit.
Since 2014, not much has happened with the house except a chain-link fence was erected it around it in 2015 after a hole in the north wall was attributed to someone trying to break in.
Since then, things have only gotten worse.
The proposal to convert the house into a tavern was an exciting possibility for its survival. There were partners in the plan, experienced and respected local players in the hospitality industry. As a DRI project, its timely completion and historically appropriate restoration were guaranteed. But, alas, the decision to pull all the projects proposed by the Galvan Foundation from the DRI Investment Plan meant that this one had to go as well. It is a loss for all of Hudson, because, although it is currently owned by Galvan, it is part of Hudson's history and hence belongs to us all.
COPYRIGHT 2018 CAROLE OSTERINK
The Tavern is a good idea for some private,profit tax paying venture, now with the Marriot Hotel,and stairs from the affluent neighborhoods above, it will have foot traffic it never had before.He can pay for it, sell it or lease it.
ReplyDeleteNothing has ever stopped him from restoring his own properties. He has endless funds. He just doesn't like to pay for anything, if he can sucker the city, state or feds to pay for it.
It's been sitting there for years under his ownership. He was going to have moved to Union St at one time.That was abandoned since we wouldn't pay for it.So he let it rot. Wasn't that the Galvan mission statement, to restore historic properties, a la Doris Duke of Newport..
I have had to live for over a decade next to one of his historic buildings at the gateway to Hudson and had to deal with massive garbage, rats and other wildlife, break ins, dangerous sidewalks, broken glass and more garbage falling on the school kids bus stop. I've had to bring in the State Bldg Dept, to get him to board up the windows before he killed some one and start at least getting the bldg safe and force Hallenbeck to force him to fix the sidewalks.It's been a never ending battle. I've watched him do heartless things to my neighbors and children by throwing them out by over doubling rents with 30 days notice.
You think I care about another establishment that no one, including me, in my ward could afford or feel welcome
in. My ward needs access to affordable food and transportation. An inexpensive restaurant where the ward could afford to go out and socialize and have a nice meal once in a while, and feel welcome.
No DRI money for that.
If Galloway wants his tavern, he can have it. Nobody is stopping him. And nobody is forcing him to take care of a lot of historic properties he has left to rot. He gets away with everything here with his strategic donations in Hudson.Shuts people up. Do people think he payed to renovate the Armory?That was pd for by Fed, State, and City taxpayer money.
I'm glad he was stopped with the DRI money at the 11th hour, but I'm more amazed he was seriously in line to get any of it in the first place.
http://www.dailyfreeman.com/article/DF/20151026/news/151029762
Deletehttps://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Builder-linked-to-top-Cuomo-donors-got-tax-deals-6588927.php
https://littlesis.org/person/75306/Henry_Van_Ameringen
Per the last link above, Mr. Van Ameringen has been listed as one of Cuomo's top donors. And presumably that's only in his own name; there might be more in the names of corporate entities. According to multiple donation-tracking websites, his annual political donations in his own name alone apparently exceed half a mil. So perhaps, if the reporting at the first two links above is accurate, the fact that the Galvan entities were on the verge of getting a substantial percentage of the DRI funding might be a little less amazing.
The 'public outcry' was not selective, but absolute against any funds for any Galvan projects. Careful what you wish for. As a consequence, the Taylor house has likely lost it's last best hope.
ReplyDeleteCarole, thanks so much for the history, but to say that the DRI proposal was the house's last best hope is letting Galvan off the hook. As a non-profit, which I assume the Galvan Foundation is, he is abusing the responsibilities of such tax-protected status (I assume he's not paying property tax) by letting the building collapse. It is one thing for a homeowner to struggle to keep a house maintained -- and pay property taxes -- is a significantly different situation for multimillionaire to let a house fall down while paying no property tax. The DRI did the right thing; now the City must step up to the plate and start condemnation procedings which will take the house away from Galvan. Toute suite.
ReplyDeleteDemolition by neglect is a terrible problem in Hudson. Fortunately, it's mostly limited to owners who can otherwise afford its prevention (heh).
DeleteI have been a follower of yours now for a couple of years and I am surprised at this particular blog. You can't have it your way and their way. Would you sell your soul to the devil for a house even given it is the oldest house in Hudson?
ReplyDeleteLots of people talk trash about Galvan but they sure like going to the library and using those new computers, the people living in nice Apartments they renovated and rented to them for 600 a month sure like living there. People need to keep things in perspective. Unfortunately, we are not governed like Norway or Sweden, they have big money behind them and they probably over reached buying up too many buildings but if they hadn't put all the money and effort they did into restoring large parts of the city it would still be in pretty bad shape and Warren Street wouldn't be populated with the hotels and stores that are there now because who wants to move into a crappy run down town full of abandoned buildings. Give the guy some credit I could have taken all their money somewhere else, or spent it all on their own comforts building resorts to their personal glory like our fair president.
ReplyDeleteWOW talk about spin and reinventing history !
DeleteA+++
Why is it assumed this project can’t and won’t happen without public funding?
ReplyDeleteGalvan and its principles appear to have unlimited money to spend on real estate. Are they really unable to self-fund the project, or to get loans against their countless other assets?
Meanwhile, if their prospective partners are really “experienced and respected local players in the hospitality industry,” then presumably they too should have some ability to underwrite the project or obtain business loans to do so.
Or, if the project really is not viable without major public largesse, maybe it would be a mistake, because eventually it would fail if the economics of it are so infeasible.
Most likely it can't and won't happen without public funding because it could remain warehoused until it collapses - unless public funding is made available for the project. It's also possible that in the event of a collapse, the value of the vacant land, in proximity to the planned mixed use development nearby, might be higher than the value of the Robert Taylor House. Absent strong legislation requiring maintenance of historic structures, demolition by neglect is an easy way to circumvent historic preservation regulations.
DeleteIf it is really the case that the value of the land exceeds the potential this would have if developed, then probably the proposal never should have been made.
DeleteThat's an unknown unless and until HDC figures out what it's doing with the Kaz parcel. But if the entry for H.VA on the www.influencewatch.org website is accurate in stating that from 2013 to 2015 the H. VA Foundation gave the GIF Foundation $18M, then the GIF would seem to have sufficient funds to restore the Taylor House without an infusion from the DRI.
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ReplyDelete(P.S. One can’t help noticing that one of the links above claims that Henry V.A. donated $266,400 to the Hillary Victory Fund — money down the drain, which could have been used to make those much-needed repairs. This does not appear to be an impecunious steward of the house, but one who has either chosen to spend their money otherwise, or just likes to see whether free money is available before proceeding.)
ReplyDeleteIs Hudson so dysfunctional it can't see a way out of this Galvan grab of her future ?
ReplyDeletei don't regret denying Galvan part of the DRI pot. If they would stop buying every important site in town, there might be more money to fix what they already own, instead of warehousing it. Their money grab is business as usual, and many others who applied for a piece of the DRI pie need it much more. No regrets here. They'll get free money elsewhere, if that's what they want. It's what they do best.
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