The Register-Star reports today that the committee reviewing the proposals submitted in response to the most recent RFP for the Dunn building has made a recommendation: "City of Hudson to consider Dunn Warehouse sale to Hudson Brewing Company." Despite this lede, "A committee of city officials will recommend selling the historic Dunn warehouse to Hudson Brewing Company for $500,000," and a headline that makes the situation sound like a fait accompli, things are still a few steps away from being settled.
In a scoring procedure that was part of the review process, Hudson Brewing Company achieved the highest score, but the proposal from Fain and Baiada is apparently still in the running. Both proposals will be presented to the Common Council at its regular meeting on Tuesday, December 16. According to the Register-Star article, the Council will not vote on the sale of the building until next year, when there will be a new Council president and three new councilmembers.
The committee reviewing the proposals was made up of Mayor Kamal Johnson, Council president Tom DePietro, DPW superintendent Rob Perry, Housing Justice Director Michelle Tullo, and councilmembers Margaret Morris (First Ward) and Mohammed Rony (Second Ward).
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If the Dunn becomes a food or drink establishment or a hotel, where will customers park their vehicles without taking over spaces for park patrons? The last thing we want or need is to have a new parking lot for a business down there, particularly a paved one. No more concrete or asphalt that close to the river! And we shouldn't be forced to pave the two lots that are on either side of the Dunn. But without a dedicated parking lot, parking could be a mess in the lots where no delineated spaces exist. There should be no more commercial businesses on that side of the tracks, no matter how desperate the city is to put the Dunn to use! It should only be something like a Hudson River/Estuary Museum, complementing the public space that is the riverfront park. A brewery or restaurant or any place where money is exchanged will not complement the park or the river. No thank you!
ReplyDeleteDo not sell that building to anyone! Figure out a way to make it fit the park and be worthwhile.
The way to ensure that there's always ample parking is to build something that is unappealing to most people. A museum is right on track in that respect.
DeleteLocals will visit it at most once and then never again and for visitors it's not enough to draw them away from Warren St.
If Hudson is serious about selling the warehouse, this can only happen if it can serve as a place where money is exchanged in a way profitable to the owner. If that's not the goal or frowned upon, then the city won't be able to sell it and will necessary have to build the museum itself. It is not equipped to do so. It neither has the money, the expertise nor the artifacts worthwhile putting on display.
I meanwhile don't believe in the parking argument. Any popular and successful venture down there is going to cause some parking issues. It's not the end of the world.
I'm in favor of any of the proposals for that wreck of a building. It's amazing that anyone has the vision and ambition to take on that project. And I want to see that Colarusso mess surrounded by more benign and attractive developments-- sooner or later we will get rid of that noxious truck route and gravel dump. ~ PJ
ReplyDelete