At the meeting of Hudson Community Development and Planning Agency (HCDPA) yesterday, Jeffrey Dodson, executive director of the Hudson Housing Authority (HHA), reported that responses to HHA's request for qualifications (RFQ) for a development partner to create new public housing to replace Bliss Towers and Columbia Apartments were due on Friday, March 3, and several submissions had been received. He did not indicate the exact number. Sara Black, HCDPA coordinator, asked if the submissions included recommendations about which of the three HCDPA parcels would be included in the redevelopment plans. Dodson indicated that they did.
HHA has an option to buy three parcels currently owned by HCPDA: (1) the vacant lot at the northeast corner of Warren and Front streets, now maintained as a park: (2) what remains of the community garden at the northeast corner of Columbia and Second streets; (3) the vacant land along the north side of State Street from Front Street eastward.
The responses to the RFQ are now being reviewed. According to the schedule established in the RFQ, a development partner will be selected by April 3. The HHA Board of Commissioners is expected to hold its regular monthly meeting on Monday, March 20. Perhaps more information about the responses to the RFQ will be available then.
This year, 2023, marks the fiftieth anniversary of the construction of Bliss Towers. This photograph of the newly completed building was taken in 1973 by Howard Gibson.
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| PhotobyGibson.com |
It seems to me this organization has both a large existing footprint and a very bad track record of shoddy construction and poor maintenance. That being the case why would any sane person want to sell them more property to expand their dysfunctional housing project? Is the city suffering from some societal depression or mass masochistic personality disorder? That the corner park across from Promenade Hill and the Chamber of Commerce is being considered for this answers this question, it is resoundingly so.
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