It seems Tiffany Greenwaldt-Simon followed the lead of Jamie Larson and contacted Tuan Toay, CFO at Bard, to ask what the plans were for the properties in Hudson being donated to Bard College by the Galvan Foundation. What she learned is reported today in the Register-Star: "Bard College plans to sell some Galvan-acquired property."
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| Helsinki Hudson is one of the many properties in Hudson owned by Galvan |
There is not much new in the Register-Star article. It has still not been made known which Galvan properties will be given to Bard, although it has been said that the buildings at the corner of Warren and North Fourth streets, currently being transformed into a hotel to be called Hudson Public, will not be included "for now" nor will the old Community Theater building at Columbia and North Seventh streets, which Galvan acquired in 2020, with the promise of restoring it as a "mainstream" theater and assembly space to be known as Hudson Forum. As Larson reported two weeks ago, Bard intends to sell some of the properties and keep others. In today's article, Toay is quoted as saying:
"There'll certainly be some properties that get sold," he said. "Whether that's to private buyers or to interested parties. The Armory keeps coming up, which houses the library in Hudson, which feels like an odd building to be privately owned, given the public function of what resides there. So, I'd welcome conversations with the city on a purchase there."
Here is another interesting bit of information from the article:
Bard College is expected to take over leases at the Galvan Foundations rental properties beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Despite the college not wanting to be landlords, Toay said there will be some time that the college will be managing rentals.
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| Two rental properties on Allen Street currently owned by Galvan |
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Of course they will sell some properties, probably only keeping those that have long term investment potential. The endowment is run by fund managers, not property managers.
ReplyDeleteIf Galvan truly cared about the “common good” and the people of Hudson they would give the library to the city or, even better, directly to the Hudson Area Library organization itself. The same with the Little League field, etc. And of course Bard would be interested in “selling” the Armory to the city. Why would they give up their windfall to Hudson? And why should they? Even though they are a nonprofit, they are not a charity. And sadly the city has no money to buy it. Galvan should have promised those properties directly to the people of Hudson. For these reasons and the fact that they blindsided and gave no heads up to their most favorite tenant, Mayor Kamal Johnson, it’s obvious this whole affair is one big spite move on their way out to Savannah. They’re bitter because their public perception has only gotten worse over time and after the Depot Lofts Boondoggle, they know they’ll never have another large project or pilot approved again. And more so since it now seems like their friends in city hall are on their way out as well. They should all carpool down I-95 together.
I thought exactly the same thing about the library. I hope Bard will give the library its building.
Delete"So, I'd welcome conversations with the city on a purchase there." Not sure what exactly he is suggesting there, but it certainly does not sound a like a commitment to maintain the library at its present location, at least not without forcing the city to pay a market price for the building.
ReplyDeleteThis is a once‑in‑a‑decade, perhaps once‑in‑a‑generation, crisis and opportunity for Hudson.
ReplyDeleteWith a modest reserve, sound credit, strategic leadership and an existing and proven Comprehensive Plan that residents could rally around, this moment could have marked a civic re‑alignment.
Instead, City Hall drifts with no mandate. Both the mayor and the council president are lame ducks. The budget ended 2024 roughly a million dollars in deficit and 2025 is tracking in the same direction. There is no credible comprehensive plan and some of the City's political appointments to Boards are not... top shelf.
New candidates and revived civic energy are welcome signs, yet the city remains factional and leaderless. Unelected and well intentioned groups will now likely "help"... just like Galvan once did.
You need not be African to know that history is unkind to places that fight themselves. Outsiders arrive with capital and promises, only to dictate the future.
And by that we do not mean Bard.
The former Club Helsinki, Library, and Community Center will be sold to Colarusso for the purpose of storing trucks and gravel. Our Planning Board will give their enthusiastic approval. ~ PJ
ReplyDeleteWhat about the truly awful, neglected, rotting, "Dangerous & Unsafe" houses that Galvan owns and the city has never forced them to improve? Surely, Galvan wants to get rid of them, but why would Bard, or anyone, want them? (2 houses at 618 State, 59 Short, 336 State, etc.)
ReplyDeleteThe whole thing reeks. A wealthy landowner giving away property to a wealthy high end college that doesn't need it. The depot lofts could have been donated to the Housing Coalition for affordable apartments. The section 8 houses could have been donated to the tenants. The library to the city. If you are going to donate property, give it to someone who actually needs it. I suppose though, in the age of tax breaks for billionaires, money and bombs for genocide and Medicaid cuts, this is par for the course.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. And no surprise Galvan is looking to launder their reputation and avoid investigation via this “gift”.
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