Since January, the Historic Preservation Commission has been considering a proposal to demolish this historic accessory building at the corner of South First Street and Cherry Alley, behind 30 Union Street, and replace it with a new building.
The desire to eliminate this building, which was probably originally a carriage house, and replace it with something new has been shared by at least two owners of the property. As Gossips has recounted before, in 2017 the HPC received a proposal for a new building that was at least an attempt to replicate the character of the historic building, but that proposal was never pursued.
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| Elevations for the 2017 proposal |
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The HPC was concerned about the height of the new building, the orientation of the roof with the gable on the narrow side, and the overall modern look of what was proposed. At one point in the review process, HPC chair Phil Forman and architect member Cara Cragan made a visit to the site to see if the existing building might not be salvaged. Members of the HPC were concerned about losing a building that had "enormous charm" and contributed to the character and unconventional beauty of Hudson's alleys. Sadly, the owner of the building considered it a "dilapidated eyesore," maintaining that it had no history and was "just a shack in the middle of town."
At the May 8 meeting of the HPC, as an "homage to the original structure," it was agreed that a faux hayloft door would be added to the design, "to capture what would have been the vernacular of a horse barn." And so it was.
At its meeting this morning, the four members of the HPC present--Forman, Cragan, Jeremy Stynes, and Paul Barrett--agreed to grant a certificate of appropriateness to the proposed building with a faux hayloft door in the north gable.
It should be noted that the height of the roof has changed since the building was first proposed, and the applicant has agreed to use real wood siding instead of Hardiplank.
COPYRIGHT 2026 CAROLE OSTERINK
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