Monday, February 3, 2025

The City's Final DRI Project

In the spring, it is expected that Hudson Connects, the City's biggest, most expensive DRI (Downtown Revitalization Initiative) project will be completed. 


Attention is now turned to the final DRI project, the one that has been neglected thus far because no one thought enough money had been allocated to accomplish it: Repurpose Historic Fishing Village as a City Park

In 2024, Starr Whitehouse, the landscape architecture firm tasked with the design of the new park, made two presentations to the Common Council about what's being proposed for the area known alternatively as the Furgary Boat Club, Shantytown, and the Shacks. (Starr Whitehouse is the same firm that designed the new entrance to Promenade Hill and is working on the restoration of Seventh Street Park.) 

Today, the "Furgary-Shantytown Park Vision Plan" was made available on the City of Hudson website. Click here to access the document.

COPYRIGHT 2025 CAROLE OSTERINK

13 comments:

  1. Glad to see Starr Whitehouse working on that project. They did a beautiful job on the entry to Promenade Park, and I understand that they not only create the vision, but stay engaged with the construction firm to ensure a good outcome.

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  2. This looks good. The larger plan of connecting all the green spaces to the Greenport Conservation Area, and the steps down 3rd street would be a nice addition to the area and make it more accessible to the entire city.

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  3. The Hudson waterfront is going be incredible when everything is complete except for the low-income housing. I would work to put more low-income housing including the Mill Street project out on Fairview near Walmart, ShopRite and McDonalds for convenience. The plans for the Mill Street project are awful. Single family homes should be built on Mill Street that are like the homes already in the neighborhood and it would be great if they could be available to low to middle income families who are purchasing a home for the first time.

    The Hudson waterfront should then be sold to a developer to building luxury townhomes and/or resort to help bring in tax revenue. It is prime real estate and should not be for low-income housing if you want to the town to grow and be successful. Also, I would nix the new Bliss towers and consider making that a 55+ upscale community with units for sale, again more tax revenue. The new 55+ community could also take small amount of local low to middle income residents.
    The people from the city are supporting this town, without them, this town would go back to the old drug infested and dangerous city. The town should make decisions to get as many people as possible with those types of income to Hudson, otherwise the future of Hudson seems very unstable especially with the current “leadership”

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    1. Yeah, I’m still going with a parody account.

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    2. Hello Union Jack? Or, do you prefer UJ? Either way, as I said before not a parade account.

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    3. Ok then, I’ll take you at your word. It’s said that politics is the balance of principal versus compromise. And for someone to outright state their principles to be “let’s just get rid of the poor” with little room for compromise is probably a nonstarter to any success in the political arena that is Hudson. So when I see such a blatant lack of awareness I just assume that the commenter is not arguing in good faith and is just an agent provocateur trying to make the proponents of common sense governance in Hudson seem heartless. But you do you, I find most comments on here entertaining at the very least.

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    4. Some really good points! Home ownership in Hudson is obsolete in the last couple of decades. The rental housing is monopolizing Hudson and hurting the city tax rolls and potential numbers of downsizing seniors and market rate housing. The current Hudson administration is turning a blind eye to the obvious needs. Deals with developers whose sole interest in Hudson is a guaranteed rental income stream with PILOT should raise eyebrows some day!

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    5. Hello UJ! I never said get rid of the poor, but wouldn't it be incredible to eliminate poverty. My main point is that Hudson needs new housing developments that will bring in additional tax revenue and if that means relocating affordable housing to another area so we can take advantage of prime real estate then it helps everyone. More tax revenue, more programs for those in need. I am sure at the time those apartments were built it seemed like a great idea, but for the Hudson today, and if Hudson is to have a brighter future it needs more tax dollars. The current Mayor doesn't think this way because he is not a home owner, it is easy for him to pass along taxes to homeowners, doesn't affect him and he takes care of his buddy Eric. But, hey these are just thoughts on a small town with big problems and a questionable future.

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    6. I agree with most of what you’re saying and the logic behind it. I think you need to consider the history of urban renewal and the non-logic that went behind how most of those blocks were redeveloped. It may also help you understand how some of our current leaders are also not following logic in their similar plans to repeat the mistakes of urban renewal

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  4. Extremely offensive comment….
    “It is prime real estate and not for low income…..”

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    1. Hello "Concerned Citizen". The most offensive thing about Hudson is that the leadership of this town continues to increase the budget and passing those costs on the homeowners, mostly the new homeowners because the Mayor has refused to give the city a new assessment.

      We should be looking at ways to increase revenue other than increasing taxes for the homeowners. Prime real estate ( I include 11 Warren in this too)should be used to generate as much tax revenue for the city as possible. The more tax money the city raises the more money you will have for programs for the youth and the elderly.

      It would incredible to have homes or a resort in that location where people from the city could get right off the train and walk. It is a goldmine with the right development. In the current state, the buildings are an eyesore, a liability for the city and quite frankly a bit dangerous. Several homeowners on Union have reported packages being stolen by tenants of those apartments.

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    2. That's their goal (offending).

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    3. Hello Thomas! No, my intention is not to offend anyone just speak my truth and give my opinion. Many towns and cities take pride in their waterfront, it is a place to gather, have a great meal, etc. Sadly, Hudson has blocked theirs with low-income housing. Hopefully, they will correct this mistake in the future. People spend so much energy being offended, it is just a discussion on a small town blog about a small town with many big problems.

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