There was no presentation by Arterial about the final plans for Hudson Connects, but there was a presentation at last night's Common Council meeting. It was made by Victor Salerno of Adirondack Community Development, the group that plans to buy the former John L. Edwards school building to develop affordable housing.
The new building is to have 150 apartments for people 55 years of age and older, with a target household income of 60 percent of the AMI (area median income). Salerno indicated that 10 percent of the units could be market rate, but "more than that will impact the ability to get financing for the project."
As the project is now being proposed, there will be 45 "efficiency" or studio apartments, 72 one-bedroom apartments, and 33 two-bedroom apartments. The building will be three stories at the front and six stories at the rear, where the land drops down sharply. There will also be a separate building on the site to house the Hudson Daycare Center.
Salerno shared these preliminary renderings of what's being proposed.
As part of preliminary community outreach, Adirondack, through its affiliate Mayfair Management Group LLC, has already initiated outreach to the community to gauge interest and process feedback. . . .
[T]he response has been overwhelmingly positive, where within only a few days and very limited online exposure to only a single portal, Adirondack almost immediately processed over 500 registrations from individuals who were interested in becoming residents, with the most frequent inquiry from prospects asking when the development would be complete and move-in ready.
The campaign was closed within one week, and we are fully confident that the community is responding in a very positive way to Hudson Heights. . . .
In the past, it has been indicated that the project would not be seeking a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes), but a zoning amendment and a zoning variance would be requested. The zoning amendment would change the zoning for the site from R1 "One-Family Residence" to R4 "Three-Story Multiple Residence"; the variance would allow the project to exceed the four-story limit in the back of the building.
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Good thing City Hall didn't move to the old library building - parking will be interesting enough for this apartment building project even if Galvan's old building remains vacant. B Huston
ReplyDeleteIm sure it's in the process of demolition by active neglect.
Delete150 apartment units plus Hudson Daycare. How many parking spaces are in that lot? They will need more spaces, for sure, lots more. Will they have space to add more parking? B huston
ReplyDeleteForgetting that the design is terrible, is Hudson lacking for senior citizens? Last I checked, the median age here was significantly higher than the national median and the median for NYS. So the business model seems to be "we're moving in new older people." I'm sensing a development trend here in Hudson -- a trend last trendy when Starsky & Hutch were, too.
ReplyDeleteFollow up question-what services do low-income seniors need, and can the City of Hudson and Columbia County adequately fund additional services for new senior residents without a corresponding increase in revenue?
DeleteIs this really the highest and best use for this property?
And yes, to your point, John, the design is hideous. It looks like something you would see built in the middle of nowhere, not a high-visibility central location in a desirable city.
If those units are supposed to accommodate seniors who are presently living in Hudson, then OK. Perhaps their standard of living will be enhanced by the new development. But I suspect we're looking at another influx of economically challenged people from elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteThe stark design, has the look of areas that were a ghetto environment in Europe. Nothing in keeping with the architecture or charm of Hudson. How sad that this City is turning into a place where people are being shipped in from elsewhere, to fill in the over abundance of apartments being created, to line the pockets of investors. Between the PILOTS being handed out and the direction that the City is taking, it will not be long before prison like structures, flanking the Victorian communities are what will define Hudson. The blindness of the Common Council, Mayor and anyone else involved in financial decisions for the City, is palpable. How could you let this happen to such a beautiful City? How about offering a better life to people already living here? You don't even offer public transportation.
ReplyDeleteBringing in people was popular in the 60s' and '70's to fill empty apartments and stores with section 8. I thought we had got over that. And now this on top of Galvan's project. Deadly, institutional,
ReplyDeletelooks like East Berlin or something. Were all 500 requests from Hudsonians??
Gee, if I wanted to live in Queens or New Jersey I would have moved there. Looks like it's time to start looking for another place to live.
ReplyDeleteHard to understand why the City Govt. is trying to facilitate these horrific developments.
And how much did the School system recently pay for the new addition to the current building, now to be torn down, that we taxpayers are still paying for?
ReplyDeleteLooks like a Holiday Inn in the suburbs of Albany.
ReplyDeleteA good wrap up. Reminds me of depressing dorms on a certain campus in the Hudson Valley that I had the pleasure of residing in for a couple of years. But then again, I was young and so was everyone else so it was fun. This, not so much. It will never be fun. The design totally snubs its unique location. The lack of respect is not a good omen.This is the same flaw in every public housing in town.The much derided urban renewal catastrophe lives on. There's no love or art. Utilitarian. Once the mortar is cured, it will depreciate in no time. So much for investing in the future and appreciating history and the natural environment.
ReplyDeleteHappy for the Daycare...I don't see the need for more senior housing as the various iterations of the Bliss towers plan would increase senior housing. Work force housing and market rate housing yes. When I say workforce I am speaking to the service industry as well hospital workers.
ReplyDeleteAre your standards such that this particular housing is required to be souless - who really benefits other than the builder for constructing something this cheap. It appears that this outfit knows what they can get away with in Hudson. Don't "Workforces" deserve better. This construction shouts - you don't deserve better you're here to service us. Where's the dignity, did you leave that out on purpose?
DeleteGalvan doesn't pay for dignity. You have to bring it with you.
DeleteRight, tacky developers hate dignity. If you bring any with you, be sure to hold on tight.
Delete55 plus? Can it be that our healthcare systems are so desirable that more healthcare consumers will be comfortably accommodated in Hudson? Someone tell CMH, Walgreens and CVS. New transportation services will be needed also. And parking---is there any plan for 100 plus vehicles?
ReplyDelete150 units plus daycare. Well over 200 spaces will be needed. There is a city owned lot directly across State Street.
DeleteExactly and who will be the aides for 55 plus? Try to find someone reliable now. Aging seniors are driving unless not permitted. Who will usher them safely to and fro? The so-called parking is at a distance from the building and further still from an apartment within. Will there be a staff to clear the cars of snow and ice? Yes? Nice amenity!
DeleteNo one in Hudson knows about the DSS taxi companies that ferry all the social services people anywhere they want to go. Each taxi service has a 20 k per month contract. there are 14 i think. so 280 k a month, or over 3 million a year -- ubers for the poor at the Federal and State and County expense.
ReplyDeleteIts good to be poor in Hudson.
Sigh, so much NIMBY energy in these comments attacking... *checks notes* ... affordable housing for seniors. Most of them are straight from the NIMBY playbook: Where will they all park?! They'll crowd our hospital! This only really benefits the developer! Do we really want poor people living here anyway?! Can't they go somewhere else?!
ReplyDeletePretty sad and selfish, people. Try to be better.