Breaking News

Tonight's meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals had to be canceled for lack of a quorum. It will be rescheduled as soon as possible. When it is, Gossips will publish the new date and time.

Because of the Snow . . .

today's Planning Board meeting has been canceled and rescheduled for Friday, March 17, at 4:00 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and it is presumed it will be a hybrid. Click here to join the meeting remotely. 

Happening in April at the Park Theater

On Friday, April 14, Victoria Wyeth, granddaughter of Andrew Wyeth, niece of Jamie Wyeth, and great-granddaughter of N. C. Wyeth, will make an audio/visual presentation about her family's artistic legacy. The event, which takes place at the Park Theater, 723 Warren Street, is a benefit for Perfect Ten Afterschool.

The Wyeth family name references an artistic dynasty spanning three generations of American painters. N. C. Wyeth was one of America’s foremost illustrators in the 20th century. His images are well known through such treasured childhood books as The Deerslayer, Robin Hood, The Last of The Mohicans, and Treasure Island. His son Andrew is remembered as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. Primarily a realist painter, Andrew's favorite subjects were his surroundings, whether in Maine or Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. His son Jamie has continued in the realist approach of the Brandywine School tradition: painters who worked in the rural Brandywine River area of Delaware and Pennsylvania portraying its people and landscape. 

Victoria Wyeth, the only grandchild of Andrew Wyeth, spent most of her childhood into adulthood absorbing the stories of “Andy.” She became heir to all of the tales behind the paintings and, with this inside knowledge, has become a popular speaker worldwide on her family’s legacy. According to Ms. Wyeth, “I feel it’s time the world saw the Andy in Andrew Wyeth. My hope is that people who love his work will now fall in love with him as a person--a husband, a father, and, of course, a grandfather.” Victoria’s energetic and impassioned presentation brings a personal level to the art, and her enthusiasm is infectious. A gifted photographer herself, Victoria has stepped into the role of preserver of the Wyeth family name. 

The pre-event mingle begins at 6 p.m., and the presentation at 7:00 p.m. Capacity is limited, with seats for 50. Tickets are available at perfecttenhudson.org.

Competition for Galvan

Since 2020, The Spark of Hudson has established a universal basic income program, paid the back rent for Housing Hudson Authority tenants, funded the redesign of Charles Williams Park, settled the medical debt for Hudson residents with Columbia Memorial Health, and helped finance extending the Shopping Shuttle's hours of service. Today, The Spark of Hudson announced its newest initiative: an affordable housing program called HudsonDots. The following is quoted from the press release announcing the program:

The Spark of Hudson has launched HudsonDots, an affordable housing program with a community-centered approach, located in Hudson, NY. HudsonDots aims to ensure warm and welcoming homes for our community, stabilize rents, and create additional affordable housing. Newly acquired, multiple-unit houses “Dot the Hudson landscape – hence the name, HudsonDots,” explains Susan Danziger, founder of The Spark of Hudson. . . .

In the past eight months, nine properties in the City of Hudson have been purchased, which include houses that require serious renovation as well as others that require minimal work, intended for tenant relocation. Tenants have started moving into previously vacant, restored and freshly painted houses that include new furniture selected by tenants and purchased by HudsonDots.  

Tenants will have the option of returning to their original homes post-renovation. HudsonDots houses are being renovated by Build Hudson, a new company that hires and trains Hudson residents in building construction. Danziger explains, “We are proud to be Build Hudson’s first customer. It’s a ground-breaking job-training initiative that supports local youth/young adults; trains them with marketable skills; and ensures that funds for construction stay in the community.”. . .  

The Past and Future of a Hudson Building

The plans for 735 Columbia Street were presented to the Historic Preservation Commission on Friday, and the presentation by the project architects revealed important information about the building's origins. 

The building was originally constructed in 1935 as a Pure Oil gas station, designed by Carl August Peterson in the company's iconic "English cottage" style. The design was adopted to make gas stations fit better into the context of residential neighborhoods. 

The presentation to the HPC included these clippings from Hudson Daily Star for August 23, 1935, which announce the opening of the station.

The text that is outlined reads:

Clients will be taken on a tour of inspection of the station itself built in the English cottage style, with spacious offices, store, stock room, lubricating and cleaning facilities, and wash room. The cottage is of sparkling white brick with a heavy blue tile roof which greatly enhances the appearance of the old hotel site. [This was the site of the original St. Charles Hotel.] The grounds are partly landscaped and it is planned to install additional flower beds and rock gardens.

There are several other examples of surviving Pure Oil stations. The presentation included these photographs.

The Pure Oil station in Saratoga Springs, built in 1933, is individually listed in the National Register of Historic Places. 

Other examples of Pure Oil stations in New York can be found at RoadsideArchitecture.com.

Notable among the plans for the restoration of what has once Hudson's Pure Oil station is the front door. At some point in time, a rectangular door replaced the original door to the store of the building. The plan is to replace it with a curved top door, either salvaged or replicated. This photograph of the Pure Oil station in Owego shows what the original door would have looked like.

The color scheme proposed for the building replicates the original blue and white of the Pure Oil station, with gradient painting on the doors and the side of the building to evoke the Lil' Deb's "brand."

Phil Forman, who chairs the HPC, declared, "This is going to be a fantastic addition to Hudson." HPC member Miranda Barry called the proposal "a good marriage of the Lil' Deb's brand."

The project is now before the Planning Board, which has scheduled a public hearing for tomorrow, Tuesday, March 14, at 6:00 p.m. The Planning Board meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Zoom. Click here to join the meeting remotely.

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Meetings and Events in the Week Ahead

We have sprung ahead, in a week it will be the first day of spring, and we are awaiting a winter storm. In the meantime, here is what's happening.

• On Monday, March 13, the Common Council holds a special meeting at 5:45 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to consider two resolutions to pay contractors for work related to the renovations to City Hall. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Zoom. Click here to join the meeting remotely.
• At 6:00 p.m. on Monday, March 13, the Common Council holds its informal meeting. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Zoom. Click here to join the meeting remotely.  
• On Tuesday, March 14, the Planning Board meets at 6:00 p.m. The meeting includes public hearings on the subdivision of 6-12 Hudson Avenue, the adaptive reuse of 735 Columbia Street as the new location of Lil' Deb's Oasis, and reuse of the former St. John's Lutheran Church at Sixth and Columbia streets as an event space. The agenda, which can be found here, also includes a preapplication review of a new proposal for 620 Union Street, once the Home for the Aged. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Zoom. Click here to join the meeting remotely.

Update: The Planning Board meeting for today has been canceled and rescheduled for Friday, March 17, at 4:00 p.m. 

• On Wednesday, March 15, the Hudson Industrial Development Agency (IDA) meets at 9:00 p.m. No agenda is available for the meeting. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at 1 City Centre, Suite 301, and on Zoom. Click here to join the meeting remotely.

Update: The IDA meeting has been canceled because of the anticipated winter storm.

• At 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15, the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) holds its monthly meeting. On the agenda, which can be found here, is the continuation of the public hearing on the amended use variance for 601 Union Street. The meeting takes place in person only at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street.

• On the weekend, March 17, 18, and 19, the Friends of the Hudson Area Library hold a Book & Bake Sale at the library, 51 North Fifth Street. The hours are Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.

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Considering Alleys

Some envision Hudson's alleys as the site of ADUs (accessory dwelling units) and the means to increase the city's housing capacity. Others eye the alleys for their potential as offstreet parking. Still others treasure the "accidental beauty" of our alleys and worry about the incremental loss of their character.  

Recently, Gossips discovered this study of alleys by Thomas Dougherty, published by Strong Towns: The American Alley: A Hidden Resource. It is available online, and it is recommended reading.

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Not Just a Figure of Speech

There was a dumpster fire in the 400 block of Cherry Alley this morning. A car parked nearby also caught fire. The fire was discovered and reported at about 8:00 a.m. Gossips' sources report that the Hudson Police Department arrived at the scene in fewer than 90 seconds, and the first firefighters from the Hudson Fire Department were on the scene in less than 3 minutes. Readers provided these photographs and this video of the incident.

The cause of the fire is not known. Police are reviewing security camera footage. According to Gossips' sources, business owners on the block have confirmed that they will immediately install multiple cameras to increase awareness and monitoring.

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Of Interest

A request to move the Columbia Turnpike East Tollhouse on Route 23 in the Town of Hillsdale is among Governor Kathy Hochul's recommendations to the National Park Service: "Governor Hochul Announces 13 Nominations to the State and National Registers of Historic Places." The following is quoted from the press release making the announcement:

The Columbia Turnpike East Tollhouse . . . is a rare and significant surviving building from New York State's turnpike era. The former Columbia Turnpike was an overland route between western Massachusetts and the Hudson River at Hudson, New York, that was active between 1799 and 1906. The wood-framed tollhouse was built to serve as a toll keeper's house and, until 1906, the building was fronted by a toll gate which could be raised and lowered to restrict movement of road traffic. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016 and the amendment proposes moving the building thirty feet to protect the building from traffic and road hazards. The board reviewed and approved the new location as similar in character to the original site. The move, which is spearheaded by the Friends of East Gate, would include and retain the building's original features, orientation, and historic interrelationship with the road.

The Columbia Turnpike West Tollhouse is located on Route 23B, just outside Hudson in Greenport.

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A Bit of Willard Place History

On Tuesday, Gossips published an item from the Hudson Evening Register for March 7, 1873, with the headline "Elegant Structures." It reports on the construction of 1 and 2 Willard Place and the house being constructed at what is now 326 Allen Street. Of the mansion being constructed for William H. Traver, 1 Willard Place, the article notes: "The doors, mouldings and all the wood work are of Black Walnut, French Walnut, Cherry and Chestnut. The most beautiful and attractive work is the ceilings and walls which are executed in the finest designs."

William H. Traver owned a lumberyard in Hudson which produced fine millwork, which explains why the woodwork in his house merited mention. His house, 1 Willard Place, was the first to be constructed on Willard Place, Hudson's only private street. The last of the original houses on the street, 8 Willard Place, was constructed in 1892 as a wedding gift for his son and business partner, Charles Traver.

Recently, Gossips learned a fascinating bit of Willard Place trivia connecting the two houses. In 1954, Thomas and Julia Snyder purchased 8 Willard Place from Charles Traver. At the time they bought the house, 1 Willard Place was being demolished. The Snyders salvaged some of the wood paneling from 1 Willard Place and had it installed in the dining room at 8 Willard Place. They also salvaged a china cupboard from 1 Willard Place which they also installed in the dining room of their home. 

Twenty years ago, Will Swift wrote an article about Willard Place for Columbia County History & Heritage, the periodical published by the Columbia County Historical Society. That article, entitled "The Private Community of Willard Place," along with the rest of the articles about Hudson in the Summer 2003 issue of History & Heritage, can be found here.

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On the Subject of Parking

Yesterday, an article appeared in the New York Times that allows us to see our particular parking issues in a national context: "Awash in Asphalt, Cities Rethink Their Parking Needs." Although Hudson may not have the kind of vast parking lots found in nearby Greenport, we have our share of asphalt expanses, and the issues discussed in the article have relevance for us.

RFP for Charles Williams Park

The City of Hudson has issued a request for proposals (RFP) from qualified architectural/engineering firms to "review existing schematic design documents (prepared by landscape designers), prepare a universally accessible, ADA compliant final design, and perform construction administration services for improvements for Charles Williams Park located on Mill St., Hudson, New York." The RFP can be found here. Proposals are due on April 14, 2023, and the notice of award will be made not earlier than April 27.

This is the existing schematic design.

Click here for more information about the RFP.

HHA Update

At the meeting of Hudson Community Development and Planning Agency (HCDPA) yesterday, Jeffrey Dodson, executive director of the Hudson Housing Authority (HHA), reported that responses to HHA's request for qualifications (RFQ) for a development partner to create new public housing to replace Bliss Towers and Columbia Apartments were due on Friday, March 3, and several submissions had been received. He did not indicate the exact number. Sara Black, HCDPA coordinator, asked if the submissions included recommendations about which of the three HCDPA parcels would be included in the redevelopment plans. Dodson indicated that they did.

HHA has an option to buy three parcels currently owned by HCPDA: (1) the vacant lot at the northeast corner of Warren and Front streets, now maintained as a park: (2) what remains of the community garden at the northeast corner of Columbia and Second streets; (3) the vacant land along the north side of State Street from Front Street eastward.

The responses to the RFQ are now being reviewed. According to the schedule established in the RFQ, a development partner will be selected by April 3. The HHA Board of Commissioners is expected to hold its regular monthly meeting on Monday, March 20. Perhaps more information about the responses to the RFQ will be available then.

This year, 2023, marks the fiftieth anniversary of the construction of Bliss Towers. This photograph of the newly completed building was taken in 1973 by Howard Gibson.

PhotobyGibson.com

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Happening in Hudson 150 Years Ago

Today's exploration in the Hudson Evening Register for March 7, 1873, yielded something truly interesting: a news item documenting the construction of three Second Empire style houses in Hudson, two on Willard Place and one on Allen Street.

The home of William H. Traver, located at 1 Willard Place, and the home of Frederick Jessup, located at 2 Willard Place, are shown in this photograph, taken in the 1890s.

This photograph, from the same era, shows 2 Willard Place, the home of Frederick Jessup.

Both houses were purchased by St. Mary's Catholic Church in 1916. The original plan was to construct a new church building on the site (at that time, St. Mary's Catholic Church was located at South Third and Montgomery streets), but that never happened. Instead, sometime in the 1950s, the two houses were demolished to construct the St. Mary's Academy building, which was completed in 1956 and survives today.

Photo: Sedat Pakay

Of the "three of the finest mansions in the city" under construction in March 1873, only one survives: the home of E. P. H. Capron, the owner of Capron Water Wheel Company, located at 326 Allen Street.

Photo: Zillow

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Hudson on WAMC . . . Again

Lately it seems you can't tune in to the news on WAMC without hearing a story about Hudson. Today, Dave Lucas reports about a court initiative: "City of Hudson hopes its mental health court will be a model for other cities." The report includes sound bites from former city attorney Cheryl Roberts, whom Mayor Kamal Johnson appointed to the city bench last August, and from Johnson, who calls the mental health court "one of his one of his administration's main initiatives." Click here to listen.

The Story of American Glory

American Glory has been closed for months, and the building--the former Rogers Hose Firehouse--is either for sale or has been sold. In the Register-Star today, Ray Pignone has the story behind its closing: "American Glory to pay $65K to settle suit." 

More About the Problems at HCSD

The issues of bullying and fighting in the Hudson City School District continue to be the subject of news reports on WAMC. Earlier today, this report by Dave Lucas was aired: "Meetings continue today as Hudson city schools confront ongoing violence." The report includes two sound bites from Mayor Kamal Johnson, who has made known his intention to talk with students, "grade level by grade level," to find out how they think the problem should be addressed. 

Composite image by Dave Lucas | WAMC

Slow News Day

When there is no pressing news to report, Gossips often turns to old newspapers to find something interesting or amusing to share. Today was one of those days. Searching the Hudson Evening Register for March 6, 1873, I discovered this little item. It not only provides evidence that 150 years ago March 6 was a similarly slow news day but also shows how the local press dealt with such days back then.

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Meetings of Interest in the Week Ahead

In this week, which culminates with the return of daylight saving time (at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 12), there are meetings on only two days: Tuesday and Friday.

• On Tuesday, March 7, Hudson Community Development and Planning Agency (HCDPA) holds its monthly meeting at 4:30 p.m. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Zoom. Click here to join the meeting remotely. 
• At 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7, the Conservation Advisory Council holds its monthly meeting. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Zoom. Click here to join the meeting remotely.
• On Friday, March 10, the Historic Preservation Commission meets at 10:00 a.m. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at the Central Fire Station, 77 North Seventh Street, and on Zoom. Click here to join the meeting remotely. 

Something to Look Forward to

It's been close to ten years since we've had the opportunity to see Odds Against Tomorrow, the film noir classic set in pre-urban renewal Hudson, on a big screen. The last time was in October 2013, when there was a screening at Basilica Hudson to benefit Fairview Cinema 3 in an effort to keep our local hometown movie house in business. An opportunity is coming again.

On Thursday, April 20, at 7:00 p.m., Hudson Hall, in collaboration with the History Room at the Hudson Area Library, will be screening this taut "allegory about racism, greed, and man's propensity for self-destruction." The screening at Hudson Hall includes a special exhibition of photographs taken on location during the filming of the movie, provided by the History Room. Click here for more information. 

Gossips has seen the movie many times and can attest that the experience is much better watching it on a big screen, as part of an audience of other Hudsonians.