Two years ago, the future for the iconic Dunn Warehouse looked bright. A proposal submitted by a partnership calling itself CGS Group, later to be known as Dunn & Done LLC, had been selected in an RFP (request for proposals) process to redevelop the Dunn Warehouse. The proposal contained everything people had envisioned for one of the last surviving industrial buildings on the waterfront: two commercial spaces for water-related businesses; a food and beverage space for a casual restaurant or concession; an events space; and an outdoor pool.
But, alas, our hopes were dashed in September, when it was learned that the deal between the City and Dunn & Done had fallen apart, and the City was issuing a new RFP. The RFP process this time was being overseen, strangely, by Housing Justice Director Michelle Tullo. The deadline for submitting proposals was October 27. More than two weeks have passed since then, and there is no word of how many, if any, proposals were received or who will be reviewing the proposals and deciding which proposal will be accepted.
In the meantime, there is an application before the Historic Preservation Commission to designate the building a local landmark. The application, which can be found here was presented to the HPC on September 26. A public hearing was scheduled for October 24. The public hearing took place, but because the HPC had failed to notify the building's owner (the City of Hudson, in other words, the mayor's office) of the intention to designate the building, the public hearing had to be kept open so that the owner could participate in the public hearing. The public hearing continues tomorrow morning, Friday, November 14, at 10:00 a.m.
The building's historic significance is indisputable. It was twice determined to be eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)--in 1985 and again in 2024. The building's significance to the waterfront cannot be denied. It is an unusually handsome building and an integral part of the landscape of the Hudson riverfront. It deserves the protection afforded by local designation.
Tomorrow's HPC public hearing is a hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Microsoft Teams. Click here for the link to join the meeting remotely. If you can spare a few minutes at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, and are so inclined, log in to the meeting and express your support for giving a building that is recognized as a local landmark the protection that comes with being formally designated as a local landmark.
COPYRIGHT 2025 CAROLE OSTERINK
The Dunn Warehouse is this strange mirage of economic opportunity in Hudson.
ReplyDeleteGoing back at least to 2017, there were public meetings about its fate that were held with great optimism that something could become out of it.
It coincided with $1M of grant money earmarked for structural repairs as part of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative.
Last year, there was another survey asking the public to propose what ought to happen with it until this year, Dunn and Done LLC pulled out of a lease agreement with the city.
Most recently, the mayor said he was going to redirect those still unspect $1M from 2017 to the Bliss Tower redevelopment.
The local landmark designation seems like a good idea given that Hudson doesn't seem to have any idea what to do with it. It would be nice if such an idea eventually emerged.
Word on the street is that a Russian oligarch is hoping to acquire the Dunn building and use it as a storage facility for the global surplus of toxic nuclear waste. The Hudson Planning Board is enthusiastic about the proposal, and plans to issue permits in 3 months or less. - PJ
ReplyDelete