Last November, the Albany Business Review published an article about the plans for the former Kaz site behind The Wick Hotel: "'Dream project' would transform site near Hudson train station." At that time, there were thoughts of bringing the Hudson Farmers' Market to the site to "build a space around them," but the Hudson Farmers' Market was happy with the spaces they currently occupied—the parking lot at the corner of Columbia and Sixth streets for most of the year and the Elks Lodge on Harry Howard Avenue in the winter months.
Hawthorne Valley Farm Store and Nice and Weird LLC (N&W LLC) are thrilled to announce their partnership to explore the potential of bringing a new retail grocery store to the South Bay of Hudson. The envisioned project involves transforming the Kaz site, at 14 Montgomery Street, into a vibrant 16,000 square foot retail and community space complete with a dedicated parking area to support nearby businesses.
Transforming Spaces, Enriching Communities
Under the leadership of Ben Fain, Nice and Weird LLC boasts a remarkable record of accomplishment of revitalizing derelict sites and turning them into bustling community hubs, including the well-known Kitty’s Market and Restaurant, Grapefruit Wines, and recently opened The Caboose Hudson, as well as additional properties in Catskill, NY.
A Vision for Sustainable Community Growth
Hawthorne Valley Farm Store, a beloved part of Hawthorne Valley Association since the 1980s, has flourished in Harlemville as a natural foods retailer. Committed to serving and enhancing the community socially, ecologically, and economically, this new venture aligns perfectly with its mission.
Innovative Plans for a Net Zero Building
While still in the initial planning stages, the proposed project aims to construct a Net Zero building featuring a 12,000 square foot retail space with an additional 4,000 square foot community space. This initiative will also bring many new jobs to the City of Hudson.
Voices of Enthusiasm for the Project
“This project will transform these formerly underused buildings into a vibrant community resource and a year-round destination for our community,” said Fain, President and CEO of N&W LLC / owner of the nearby sister businesses (Kitty’s Market and Restaurant, the Caboose, and Grapefruit Wines). “We are so excited to expand this little corner of Hudson, to bring new businesses and opportunities to the historic waterfront and DRI BRIDGE District, and to fulfill the promise of expanded food access in the neighborhood, bringing the incredible, farm-fresh offerings of Hawthorne Valley to enrich and nourish our community. We couldn’t have done it without generous support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) and the New York State Department of State (DOS), and we are so grateful to have received NYSERDA support through the Carbon Neutral Community Economic Development program, now known as the Building Cleaner Communities Competition, in 2023; an ESDC Restore NY Communities Initiative Round 7 award in 2022; and funding from DOS through Hudson's Downtown Revitalization Initiative to help us reimagine and rehabilitate this incredible site,” he added.
“We are excited to partner with Ben and N&W LLC on this project to bring a grocery store to Hudson,” says Jeremy Laurange, Hawthorne Valley Director of Retail & Enterprise Development. “Ben is passionate about reducing our environmental impact and bringing beauty into living spaces, both of which are values that we hold dear at Hawthorne Valley. We are equally enthusiastic about the potential this project has for us to support our community partners in Hudson more fully, including Rolling Grocer which plays a crucial role in supporting food access and promoting local agriculture.”
For more information, please contact Uzay from Nice and Weird LCC or Sushannah from Hawthorne Valley.
Congratulations to Ben Fain for seeing opportunity and shaping the future of this corner of Hudson. It is disappointing the Farmer’s Market could not share in this vision. A missed opportunity for them.
ReplyDeleteThe Hudson Farmers' Market gave them a proposal. That proposal didn't work for KAZ's vision. Please don't assume that it was HFM's issue.
DeleteExcellent. We adore Kitty's and it is amazing what they have done with their spaces. Kitty's is one of the only restaurants that make an effort to have Vegan items on menu and they are delicious. It is a refreshing change from seeing "game" meats on the menus and some places completely scoff at the idea of a Vegan option, plus their options are delicious. We will gladly support their new venture. MEOW!
ReplyDeleteYes! More vegan options including hearty dinner entrees, please (did you know vegans get hungry and need protein?). Imagine a fully vegan well-conceived restaurant. Will it ever happen?!
DeleteIndeed, that would be incredible and I believe it would be very popular. We are going to Kitty's more now because of their amazing Vegan options, putting places like Rivertown on the back burner (which proudly serves baby rabbits and deer meat). We always have to ask what Vegan options they have because we were told they only do things "accidentally vegan". We do have to give credit to the folks at The Maker Hotel, they have added several delicious Vegan options, the cafe has two entrees for lunch (the carrot sandwich is divine) and they have some sweet options too. Lil' Debs has some great options too. I do wish for a fully Vegan options, so I don't have to divert my eyes from people eating meat off the bones. Thank you Vegans for helping protect animals, the environment and helping reduce violence in the world. #veganfortheanimals
DeleteLet's hope this high-end, expensive grocery store, if it comes to be, doesn't put the Rolling Grocer out of business. (Isn't the RG associated with the Hawthorne Valley Association?) But this is the trend lately. Expensive food for visitors and wealthy residents, a food desert for the regular folk. And still nowhere to buy a slice of pizza because rents are so damn high.
ReplyDeleteIf you are on the higher level at Rolling Grocer it is way overpriced. I understand the concept, but items that be be purchased for 1/2 somewhere else does not make sense especially when you already pay taxes to support programs for people who need assistance. I prefer to give my charity to Animal Rescues & Sanctuaries since they are truly the most deserving usually in despair because of the actions of humans.
DeleteBill, you can get a slice at Half Moon (you can then take pictures of the Ferry St Bridge across the street for your blog) or Scali's (down past the house of your council member's house you like taking pictures of).
DeleteAnd, Lucky, I know of people who are rich that are on the lowest tier at Rolling Grocer. It's actually a good lesson about how socialism seems good in theory but fails in practice once humans get involved. But more power to them, if these suckers want to overpay for groceries for the warm feelings, I'm all for it.
Thank you, Lucky, for being straightforward and your advocacy. Animal rescues and sanctuaries are phenomenal in all respects. It's so emotional, physically impossible and expensive. I plan to leave whatever monies my account may end up with after, you know, I don't need that anymore. Yeah, this is off topic, but we're talking food in town and the businesses that try to get a piece of the action. Any business in town that takes the time to consider everyone and their needs, is a business worth our business. For a supposedly cool town, it's been puzzling why the enormous void that persists here.
DeleteAlso, I'm surprised online shopping isn't mentioned for taking a bite out of in-town food shops. That almond butter, it's available at tons of vendors at different price points and varieties. Hudson's grocery shops are geared to the city's well-heeled. That slim profit margin, the mark-up takes care of it.
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DeleteKudos to Ben Fain and Hawthorne Valley. Perhaps with enough good economic development, we can eventually squeeze that crappy gravel dump and truck route off the waterfront.
ReplyDeleteEconomic growth. Job creation. Sustainable agriculture. Local tax revenues for the City of Hudson. Convenience for tourists and residents who travel by train... hmmm, maybe this capitalism thing is not all that bad.
ReplyDeleteEconomic growth? That's the promise, not the deliverable. Sustainable agriculture? Maybe. Local tax revenues for the City? Not much -- food is, by and large, not subject to sales taxes, there is no local income tax and the property is already on the tax rolls. The reality is that retail groceries have horrifyingly thin gross margins in the 2% to 4% range. This is why supermarkets stock something on the order 75k SKUs. Seventy-five thousand SKUs require a great deal of space. If a grocer can't afford the space or the SKUs (kind of the same thing, really, at the end of the day) then retail prices have to rise above marginal cost and a "reasonable" return -- thus Mr. Sideri's $24 jar of almond butter at the HV store (which has way less than 75k SKUs and nowhere near the space to stock them (and they own their building in Ghent, something they won't have in Hudson where they'll be paying rent)). It could work. Odds are against it based on capitalist economic theory and local history. But I wish them good luck. Ben is something of a visionary so he might pull it off with HV's participation. But if they do, it will be geared directly towards the traffic in and out of the train station -- folks who can afford $24 almond butter.
DeleteAlmond butter at Aldi’s: less than $4.00
DeleteVery informative John, thank you.
DeleteYou are elevating the discourse and educating us. I would subscribe (and pay) to a newsletter where you break down local tax revenue & losses by property parcel. ;-)
Ultimately... if they succeed... wondeful. Because that would mean more tourists who then spend money elsewhere in town, more options for local residents who can afford it. Maybe a smidge of new tax revenue, but definitely more local service jobs.
If they don't make it... then at least the building and immediate area was renovated and someone else can try a new concept.
Ben Fain and Hawthorne Valley are builders. It is time to build.
Seen on the shelf at Hawthorne Valley ... almond butter $24.00 that's the problem. Clearly they have cheaper brands but its uber upscale ... bringing the farm store to Hudson has been tried before.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a terrible development for three reasons.
ReplyDeleteFirst, as a practical matter, shoppers will need a motor vehicle to reach the site, which contributes to climate change.
Second, a business located on the outskirts of the city drains vitality from Warren Street.
Third, it will be in direct competition with the most successful business on Warren Street -- namely, Olde Hudson. I love shopping at Olde Hudson, and I especially love the ice cream. Let's support Dina, our local small business owner!
So, I oppose Hawthorne Valley's plan. It is a bad idea on several levels.
"The Dude" Are you a Vegan? I assume since Animal Agriculture is a huge contributor to Climate Change.
DeleteI would not call this the outskirts, there are many households that can walk to that location, we do all the time from Allen Street.
Old Hudson is a lovely store, but honestly this new location is more convenient to us and the hours will probably be better.
I try to avoid beef and pork, which are the biggest contributors to climate change in terms of agriculture.
DeleteI used to drive all the way to Shoprite on Fairview Avenue to buy sardines, which are a staple of my diet. To drive less, I now walk or bike to Olde Hudson for my sardines. Dina has an excellent selection and fair prices.
I reiterate here that the Hawthorne Valley store will siphon off a lot of business from Olde Hudson. I admire our friend Dina's business acumen, so I for one will never set foot in the Hawthorne Valley store, if it ever comes to pass.
Idk, there's too much redundancy. More event spaces, catering businesses, boutique hotels, pricey goods and groceries. Isn't that what we encounter in every corner of Hudson? Not to mention, in all Columbia County? We need enterprises that make useful goods of high quality but affordable to compete with cheap imports. Remember when Etsy was around promoting small craft businesses? Club Helsinki? Even the closing of Nine Cakes is a set back to the variety of services. Is there any place to order a custom cake for a birthday anywhere in this town? A full service bakery that you can pick up fresh bagels and bread after work on your way home, like after 6 pm. My uncle had a mom and pop bakery by the subway station. It served the community, both working class and well off. If there was such a shop, I would think it would be well patronized.
ReplyDeleteCheviot Views--You can, and always could, get custom cakes at Verdigris.
DeleteCarole, thanks for the tip. Be nice if they stayed open past 6 though. Will keep the shop in mind most definitely.
DeleteThe former church at Columbia & 6th is being renovated to become an "events space" according to the owner I spoke with yesterday. He also told me that Galvan is in talks with someone he knows about renting the former Helsinki as it is to bring it back to, well, an events space.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a good thing. The more places in town for local sourced food options, the better. I assume when they mean it will help Rolling Grocer because of an economy of scale for sourcing and distribution. Also, saying your're against any new grocery store because it will compete with Olde Hudson and you're friends with the owner???? Who cares? Don't shop there when it opens. It's capitalism, vote with your wallet. I think The Dude has had too many White Russians.
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary, the problem is that The Dude hasn't had enough White Russians!
ReplyDelete