In February, the Register-Star reported that Pennrose Bricks & Mortar has interested in buying the former John L. Edwards school building to develop as apartments for low-income seniors: "Developer looks to buy Hudson JLE school for senior housing." Tonight, at the informal Common Council meeting, Pennrose will be making a presentation about its plans for the building. The presentation can be found here. This preliminary rendering appears in the presentation.
The presentation contains this information about the conversion.
The building will retain many original features, such as terrazzo floors and the auditorium's unique ceiling, while adapting them for modern use under historic tax credit guidelines.
Residential Conversion: Classrooms will be converted into studio and one-bedroom apartments, with the auditorium turned into a communal space. The gym will be redesigned to create eight addition units.
Energy & Accessibility: Upgraded exteriors will include energy-efficient windows and doors. Two new elevators will enhance accessibility, and all units will be designed for visitability, with some fully accessible. In-unit washer/dryers and 66 parking spaces, including 4 accessible spots, will be provided.
Resident Amenities: The building will offer bright communal areas, a fitness center, smaller lounges, and storage spaces to encourage wellness and inclusivity.
This plan is the third to be proposed for the 1964 Cold War Era school building. In 2021, Adirondack Community Development proposed adapting the building for housing. Their initial plan involved constructing a second building, five stories tall, near State Street. They subsequently abandoned that idea and proposed demolishing the school building and constructing something new in its place. For reasons not known, Adirondack Community Development abandoned its plans.
In 2023, Hudson Development Corporation proposed turning the building into a kind of community center. HDC entered into a contract with Hudson City School District but backed out of the contract five months into their six-month due diligence period, announcing they would not be pursuing their plan to acquire the building because their investigations had revealed "serious and extensive environmental issues"--primarily "mold, asbestos, and 10,000 gallons of fuel oil in a buried tank."
We'll see what happens this time.
The informal Council meeting begins at 6:00 p.m., in person at City Hall and on Microsoft Teams. Click here for the link to join the meeting remotely.
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