Hudson's Latest Hotel Plan

For close to twenty years, Richard Cohen, operating as Harlem Hudson Organization, owned the buildings on the northeast corner of Warren and Fourth streets and for most of that time tried to keep alive the notion that he was developing them into a luxury hotel. During all that time, nothing of a positive nature happened. In 2006, the building that stood at 406 Warren Street was demolished, without a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission, because Cohen wanted the site cleared so he could construct the entrance to his proposed hotel there. In 2013, one of the three Greek Revival town houses along North Fourth Street was demolished. The reason for the demolition was given as "public safety," but the site of that building, too, figured into Cohen's fantasy hotel plans. There was to be a porte-cochere there, where cars could drive in to an interior loading area. 

Cohen's grand plan never came to fruition, and the buildings sat moldering--an eyesore on a prominent corner of the city. Last April, the Galvan Foundation announced it had acquired the buildings, with the intention of developing its own hotel to be called "The Hudson Public." The press release issued at the time made these statements:

Galvan is developing the hotel in response to the growing need for centrally-located hospitality options, resulting from the City of Hudson's Short Term Rental Law. The Hudson Public will also function as an "artist's residence" for artists performing in Hudson. 

The Hudson Public will be among the first minority developed, owned, and operated hospitality venues in the city of Hudson.

The proposed hotel's function as "an 'artist's residence' for artists performing in Hudson" takes on new significance in light of the Galvan Foundation's announcement in November that the Community Theater building, also owned by Galvan, was to be redeveloped as a regional theater for plays, musicals, and concerts.

On Tuesday, the plans for the Hudson Public were presented to the Planning Board. The architect for the project is Don Petruncola from Liscum McCormack VanVoorhis in Poughkeepsie, and the plans have evolved considerably from what appeared in the image that accompanied the announcement of acquisition back in April 2021, reproduced below.

The original drawing suggested that the missing town house on North Fourth Street would be replaced by an infill structure closely resembling what was lost. The renderings presented to the Planning Board on Tuesday show a rather imposing infill structure with a mansard roof in this space, marking what will be the main entrance to the hotel. 

The missing building at 406 Warren Street will also be replaced, with a building that will house a "two-story bar component" of the hotel. In addition to the bar, the hotel will have a restaurant and a commercial kitchen, two retail spaces fronting on Warren Street, and thirty guest rooms.

The plans involve altering the roof of 402-404 Warren Street to make it a hip roof and constructing additions at the back, facing Prison Alley, to accommodate elevators. In the plans, these additions have siding and gambrel roofs.

Dan Kent, Vice President of Initiatives for Galvan, noted that the proposed design would have to be reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office and the Historic Preservation Commission, because the building is located in a National Register historic district and a locally designated historic district. He also mentioned that the project would be going to the IDA (Industrial Development Agency), no doubt seeking tax abatements in the form of a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes).

Planning Board member Larry Bowne brought up the issue of parking. Kent explained that no parking was included in the proposal, but they would be addressing the issue by providing a parking study, to be done by Creighton Manning.

Regarding parking, it should be noted that Galvan owns a vacant lot at Fourth and Columbia streets, not half a block from the proposed hotel. 

In 2003, before there was a Galvan Foundation, Eric Galloway acquired the lot at Fourth and Columbia streets. Over the years, there have been a couple of plans for development there--a new police and court building in 2005 and a new building for the Department of Social Services in 2010. Obviously, neither was pursued. It is currently on the short list for development in the city's recently completed Affordable Housing Development Plan.  

Gossips predicts that, in the discussion of parking for the proposed hotel, a twelve-year-old idea for parking may resurface. Back in 2010, the plan for relocating DSS to the northwest corner of Columbia and Fourth streets being promoted by then mayor Rick Scalera involved building a multi-level parking garage across the street, at the northeast corner of Columbia and Fourth, where there is now a parking lot owned by Columbia County. 

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