Last Night with the Planning Board

The Planning Board meeting last night went on for more than three hours, and most of the time was spent considering the conditional use permits needed by Colarusso: for the dock and for the haul road. A new element presented by Pat Prendergast, engineer for Colarusso, was the plan for screening from view stockpiling of rock and activity at the dock. To improve the view from Basilica Hudson, it is proposed that forsythia, hydrangea, and cedar be planted along the fence that borders the east side of the dock area. There will also be plantings, requested by DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation), on the riprap bank and along the top of the dock, which will be visible from Rick's Point.

Prendergast displayed the following simulations to show the appearance of the east side of the dock area today, at the time the shrubs and bushes are planted, and after five years.

The intent of the proposed planting is to screen the storage and dock operations but not to obstruct the view of the mountains or, from Rick Point, the view of the lighthouse or barge loading, which some people apparently enjoy watching.

Some other new information emerged last night. On a site visit with some members of the Planning Board, together with Ryan Weitz of Barton & Loguidice, and representatives of Colarusso, it was suggested by Matthew Frederick, who seems too have become an unofficial consultant to the Planning Board, that the existing haul road could be retained for recreational use when a new haul road is constructed at the center of the berm, which is sometimes referred to as "the causeway." John Privatera, attorney for Colarusso, responded to the suggestion by saying it had "all kinds of liability issues."

In summarizing a letter he submitted to the Planning Board, Weitz spoke of the silo and the "salt shed" as structures that are "a valued part of the the waterfront to many folks." Speaking of the structures, Privatera indicated Colarusso would fulfill its "ownership responsibilities" and maintain them, but they would not do any work that would require returning to the Planning Board.

Weitz also mentioned the railroad trestle that will be used to access the Nack Center and spoke of potential assistance from Colarusso in restoring the trestle.

At the outset of the meeting, Planning Board chair Walter Chatham defined the concerns as physical design and operational issues. Regarding the latter, Privatera announced that Colarusso has willing to agree to a following hours of operation for trucks traveling between the quarry and the dock: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday; no trucks on Sundays or major holidays. To this proposal, Chatham commented, "If we could have a truck free weekend, this could go a whole lot easier."

Chatham's stated goal of the meeting was "to get a laundry list of the issues to be looked at." After two hours and twenty minutes, he seemed to be satisfied that this had been accomplished and asked for a motion to deem the application complete and set a public hearing. Planning Board member Clark Wieman expressed the opinion that the application was not complete, because Colarusso has never provided actual counts of number of round trips made every day, "from the day they took over until now." Paul Colarusso protested that they don't keep such records. When Wieman spoke of continuing "to try to drag some kind of numbers of present intensity" out of Colarusso, Privatera told him, "You're struggling with it because you have created the issue. You have no right to regulate trips." Colarusso noted that providing this information could put the company at a competitive disadvantage and stated, "There is no more information we will give you on that."

Although Wieman and Laura Margolis were opposed to scheduling a public hearing, the remaining four members of the Planning Board present (Chatham, Betsy Gramkow, Ginna Moore, John Cody) voted to move forward. The public hearing will take place on July 9 at 6:00 p.m. in a location yet to be determined. Code enforcement officer Craig Haigh recommended a venue other than City Hall, noting that the capacity of the Council Chamber is 45 and warning, "That will be enforced by code enforcement and the police."
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We Are Not Alone

Last week, the Altamont Enterprise reported on the revaluation in the Town of Guilderland: "About 1,000 property owners contest Guilderland's new values."

Photo: Elizabeth Floyd Mari|Altamont Enterprise

The article inspired me to want to compare what happened in Guilderland with our own revaluation experience. Guilderland had not done a reval for fourteen years, which is seven years longer than Hudson went without reassessing its properties for tax purposes, but in those fourteen years I don't think Guilderland experienced the real estate boom Hudson has in the past seven years. Of Guilderland's 12,803 properties, 1,000 is about 8 percent, as compared with the 13 percent of properties--303 out of 2,318--whose assessments were grieved in Hudson. Again, that can be attributed to a sharper rise in the market value of property in Hudson. Everyone likes it when their property appreciates. It's one of the benefits of homeownership, and most people hope it happens. What they don't like is the possibility that they will have to pay more than their fair share of property taxes. 

This year's revaluation in Hudson has been stunningly contentious. It became a campaign issue and a rallying cry for the disgruntled; it inspired Roger Hannigan Gilson to report regularly about "Hudson's reassessment mess" and led to a grabbing and shoving scuffle involving an elected official. Now, with Grievance Day behind us, things seem to have calmed down as those who grieved their assessments await the judgment of the BAR (Board of Assessment Review). So now may be a good time to compare our reval experience in Hudson not only with that of Guilderland but with past revals in Hudson. In 2010, there were 526 grievances; in 2012, there were 148; in 2019, there were 303. A lesson to be learned from these statistics may be that seven years between revisiting assessments is too much time.    
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And Now There Are Three

In March, there was only one candidate seeking to be an alderman for the First Ward: Rebecca Wolff. Then Ginna Moore, Jane Trombley, and finally Adam Weinert entered the race, and there were four candidates vying for the two slots on the Democratic line. Today, Weinert announced he was dropping out of the race, although his name will still appear on the ballot. 

Last week and the week before, Tom Roe of WGXC interviewed Trombley, Wolff, and Moore. Weinert was to be interviewed today, but instead he announced his withdrawal from the race. The interviews have been archived. Click on the candidate's name to listen.

• Jane Trombley (interview begins at 9:36)
• Rebecca Wolff (interview begins at 1:15:39)
• Ginna Moore (interview begins at 1:16:40)

First Ward voters will have a chance to meet all three candidates in one place on Tuesday, June 18--exactly one week before the primary election--from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce, 1 North Front Street.

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Sold! The Old Police Station

Ten people gathered for the auction of 427 Warren Street this afternoon, but only two were there to bid on the building: Nick Haddad, who was there with his son Henry, and Stephen Matic, who appears seated in the last row in the picture below.

Matic opened the bidding with the minimum bid of $300,000. Haddad responded by bidding $305,000. The back and forth bidding continued, increasing by increments of $5,000 and $10,000 until it reached $425,000, offered by Matic. After consulting with his son, Haddad bid $430,000, but when Matic bid $435,000, Haddad declared, "I'm out."

Matic is a real estate investor and developer who currently has properties in Athens and in the Berkshires. His plans for the former police station are not known, but the terms of the sale indicate that the building must be developed for a commercial use.

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Meetings and Events in the Week Ahead

As summer approaches and the days grow longer, it's a busy week for meetings. Today, for example, one could spend the better part of the afternoon and evening at City Hall.

• At 3:00 p.m. today, Monday, June 10, the auction of 427 Warren Street--the former police station--takes place in the Council Chamber at City Hall. Click here for more information.

• At 5:00 p.m. today, also in City Hall, the Common Council holds a public hearing on proposed Local Law No. 1 of 2019, which would amend the zoning code to eliminate offstreet parking requirements throughout the city. Click here to read the proposed amendment. 
• At 6:00 p.m. today in City Hall, the Common Council Economic Development Committee meets at its new regular time: 6:00 p.m. on the second Monday of each month. No agenda is available for this meeting, but it's sure to include discussion of solar panels, electric vehicle chargers, and other eco-conscious initiatives.
• At 6:45 p.m. at City Hall, the Common Council holds a special meeting to consider "a proposed resolution supporting the application for a Community Impact Grant for water quality assessment and improvement strategies at Oakdale."
• At 7:00 p.m. at City Hall, the Common Council holds its informal meeting for the month of June. Among the items of interest on the agenda are the proposed host community benefit agreement from Stewart's, a resolution to accept that agreement, and a resolution to pay the Chazen Companies, the consultants administering the DRI projects, $19,920 more to administer the Restore NY grant to stabilize the Dunn warehouse.   

• On Tuesday, June 11, the Hudson IDA (Industrial Development Agency) holds its monthly meeting at 1:00 p.m. at 1 North Front Street. No agenda is available for this meeting.
• At 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11, the DRI Committee (Mayor Rick Rector, Council president Tom DePietro, city treasurer Heather Campbell, city attorney Andy Howard, DPW superintendent Rob Perry, Planning Board chair Walter Chatham, and Julie Pacatte from Chazen) is tentatively scheduled to meet in the Council Chamber at City Hall.
• At 4:00 p.m., the Tourism Board meets at 1 North Front Street. It is expected the board will be discussing the presentations from the four consulting firms being considered to help create a marketing strategy for Hudson.
• At 6:00 p.m., the Planning Board meets at City Hall. On the agenda for the meeting is the continuing review of the Colarusso dock and haul road, as well as some new projects: a proposal to install "wireless communication equipment" on Bliss Towers and a proposal to install "portable temporary storage units" in a vacant lot at 121 Fairview Avenue, the site of Camp Kelly, where the 128th New York Infantry Regiment was assembled and mustered into service in the Civil War on September 4, 1862, which is now owned by CarLee Holdings (Carmine and Leitha Pierro).

• On Wednesday, June 12, the Hudson Housing Authority Board of Commissioners meets at 6:00 p.m. in the Community Room at Bliss Towers. One never knows what might happen at this meeting, but it's worthwhile showing up if there's anything to be learned about the proposed rehab of Bliss Towers and new construction across the street. Of course, there's always the chance the board will go into executive session, which often happens.

• On Thursday, June 13, at 6:00 p.m., the History Room of the Hudson Area Library, in collaboration with the Jacob Leisler Institute for the Study of Early New York History and the Gotham Center for New York City History, presents a lecture by Ian Stewart entitled A Truly American Form: Anglo Dutch Houses, Their Roots, Form, and Legacy. Stewart, who is the owner of New Netherland Timber Framing and Preservation and a past president of the Board of Directors of the Preservation Trades Network, will discuss the new house form that arose in the former New Netherland in the latter years of the 18th century, focusing on the framing of these houses and their various forms and touching upon their English and Dutch predecessors and the circumstances that may have led to the creation of this hybrid. For more information about the lecture, click here.   

Photo: Ian Stewart

• On Friday, June 14, the Historic Preservation Commission holds the first of its two monthly meetings at 10:00 a.m. in the Council Chamber at City Hall. The agenda for this meeting is not yet available.
• On Saturday, June 15, on the same day as the OutHudson Parade, when the library will closing so that people can gather along Warren Street to be part of the festivities, Future Hudson is holding its third "community conversation": Where Does Hudson Gather? The event, which will explore "how the quality of public space is important for a community's health and happiness," takes place from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Community Room of the Hudson Area Library. Click here for more information.  

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Never Enough Trash Cans for Flag Day

Driven from our home yesterday by the fireworks, Joey and I decided to take our morning walk in riverfront park to check out the aftermath of the extravaganza.

The quantity of discarded styrofoam and single use plastic was stunning, as was the amount of trashed food. 

We got to the park at around 8 a.m., and while we were there, a DPW crew arrived with trash pickers, bags, and the garbage truck to put things right.
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A Hundred Years Ago in Hudson

Reading the Columbia Republican from a hundred years ago, I came upon this item on the editorial page of the paper for June 10, 1919. The fines in question are for speeding and other traffic infractions, which seem to have been a significant problem in the early decades of the motorcar.    

In 1919, car ownership was still something of a rarity, as evidenced by an article on the front page of this same issue of Republican, which gave the names of the people who had purchased cars from the Crescent Garage in the previous two weeks.  

Evelyn & Robert Monthie Slide Collection, Columbia County Historical Society

What struck me most about the editorial was this statement: "We believe in encouraging the tourists. We want them to come here, stay here and spend their money here." This attitude continues today.

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Of Interest . . .

especially to WAMC listeners.

One of the opening acts for the Albany Symphony Sing Out! Hudson concert at the Basilica on Sunday night is the Berkshire Ramblers, featuring Alan and Roselle Chartock. Click here for more information about the event.

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Nine Not to Ignore: No. 9

This post concludes the series, which started back in April, intended to bring attention to at-risk historic buildings in Hudson. It was learning about this building's current situation, which is quite different from that of the other eight, that inspired the entire series.

9   The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse

Photo: Jonathan Simons

Although today it is called the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse, its official name is the "Hudson City Light." Of the seven lighthouses on the Hudson River, this lighthouse is the northernmost. Construction of the lighthouse began early in 1873, and the light was put into operation on November 14, 1874. For the first seventy-five years, the light required a keeper, whose responsibilities are described in a brochure about the lighthouse published by the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society:

[T]he keeper would have to keep the light shining. Every night he would have to light the lamps and make sure that they burned brightly and did not run out of oil. This usually meant several trips a night up and down the stairs. During the hours of darkness, the "light" was never to go out and if the Lighthouse Service received complaints that the light was not lit or that it was poorly lit, the lightkeeper would be in danger of losing his job. In the morning he would have to clean the soot from the lantern room, clean the lens, polish the brass, and make the lamps ready for the following night. This had to be done every day.

The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse was automated on November 10, 1949. Today, the light is solar powered and turned on at night by means of a light sensor.

On December 28, 1946--three years before it was automated--the Hudson City Light was featured on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post, in an illustration by Mead Schaeffer.

The plight of the light today is different from that of other endangered historic buildings in Hudson. Since it was decommissioned in 1984, the care and keeping of the light has been assumed by the not-for-profit Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society, but after thirty-five years, the Society is becoming superannuated. Membership has dwindled to double digits, and the board currently has no president because nobody wants the position. The most stalwart members of the Society recognize that over the years they failed to groom a younger group of people who can carry on the task of preserving the lighthouse. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that many people think, because it is still a functioning lighthouse, that it is a government building, maintained by the Coast Guard or some such entity, and don't give much thought to how it is cared for or how it comes to be decorated with white lights every year for the winter holidays. They enjoy seeing it on the river day after day but take it for granted.

Photo: Jonathan Simons

There is another way in which the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse is different from the other buildings featured in this series: There is something everyone can do to help ensure its continued maintenance and preservation. The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society needs new blood, new energy, and new ideas. So, if you appreciate looking out onto the river and seeing this landmark, visit the HALPS website to become a member of the Society and discover how you can become involved in the care and keeping of the Hudson City Light. 

Other posts in the Nine Not to Ignore series:  

1. The Robert Taylor House
2. The Charles Alger House
3. Hudson Upper Depot   
4. 432 Warren Street
5. 402-404 Warren Street and 10-12 North Fourth Street
6. 501 Union Street
7. The Gifford-Wood Building
8. The Dunn Warehouse

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Celebrity for the Rescue Dogs of Hudson

Last fall, Gossips announced that photographer Judy Curran was looking for dog models for a book project she was calling Hudson Gone to the Dogs. The original plan was to photograph dogs in shops and other locations throughout the city, but in the intervening months, Curran refined her plans. She decided to make the book about the rescue story and to photograph the dogs in a studio against a black or white background. Of the decision, Curran says, "I believe that photographing dogs on pure white or black backgrounds takes away all distractions and suddenly the image becomes all about the dog."

The project is set to begin next week, with photo sessions on Monday, June 10, and Wednesday, June 12, in a refurbished barn just outside Hudson. The sessions will continue over the following two weeks. Although lots of dogs (Joey among them) have already signed up to be part of the project, there are still a few available time slots. If you and your dog are interested, contact Curran at model@judycurranphotography.com.
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A Weekend of Fireworks

Saturday is the annual Hudson Flag Day celebration, capped off at nightfall by a fireworks extravaganza that usually goes on for forty-five minutes and drives me and my terrified dog from our home.

On Sunday, there will be more fireworks in Hudson when the Albany Symphony presents Sing Out! Hudson at Basilica Hudson. The program, which is free and open to the public, is part of a four-part series of concerts by the Albany Symphony throughout the region. It features a performance of a new collaborative work by composer Viet Cuong and choreographer Adam Weinert, called Woven, and the orchestra performing Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, "Stars and Stripes Forever," and such singalongs as "This Land Is Your Land" and "Lift Every Voice and Sing." The concert concludes with fireworks.

The event begins at 5:00 p.m. with "an immersive outdoor street fair," which continues through the orchestra's performance, and pre-concert activities, including opening acts by local school and community groups. For more information, click here.

Animated fireworks image courtesy Basilica Hudson
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DRI Update

Yesterday, the DRI Committee--Rick Rector (mayor), Heather Campbell (treasurer), Rob Perry (DPW superintendent), Andy Howard (city attorney), and Tom DePietro (Common Council president)--and Julie Pacatte, the economic developer from Chazen hired to help administer the DRI, met to continue planning for the implementation of the five City projects: Promenade Hill, the Second Street stairs, the "Complete Streets" improvements below Second Street, the Dunn warehouse, and the North Bay "fishing village," a.k.a. the Furgary. The meeting was primarily focused on scheduling: a site visit to Promenade Hill for design firms interested in responding to the City's RFQ (June 25); a due date for proposals (July 9); interviewing prospective firms (July 11); issuing the RFQ for the "connectivity master plan"--combining the Second Street stairs and the "Complete Streets" improvements (July 8); a site visit for that project (July 30).

Amid all the talk of dates and sequencing, some interesting information emerged. Given that "Promenade Hill Park" (a name introduced by Sheena Salvino but never used previously) has been identified as the first project to be pursued, Gossips was curious to know the scope of the proposed "renovation." Was it the maze of hardscape and retaining walls that never existed before urban renewal razed and configured everything west of Front Street? Or was the historic promenade, which hasn't gotten much attention since its Victorian makeover in 1878, also slated for renovation and refurbishment? The RFQ, which falsely claims that Promenade Hill Park is "considered the Country's oldest public park" (hardly true, but it is the first public space set aside expressly for viewing the landscape), doesn't distinguish between the historic promenade and the unfortunate 1970s "plaza" that now serves as the entrance to the promenade.

The Overview in the RFQ announces: "The City is looking for an inspired park design to renovate and refurbish the park that will honor the historic features and create a memorable park experience for visitors of all abilities." Sadly, it is unlikely that there will be money or time to do a historic landscape report on Promenade Hill, something that should precede and inform any plans for renovation.

Another bit of information gleaned from the meeting is that the nearly $4 million for "Complete Streets" improvements ($3,982,550) is considered to be not enough. For this reason, the RFQ for what's being called the "multimodal project" (Complete Streets improvements and the Second Street stairs) will request a master plan and an implementation schedule. 

And then there is the Dunn warehouse, for which $1 million in DRI funds had been designated. At a Common Council meeting last month, DePietro said that the Dunn warehouse was second in order of priority. Now it seems to have fallen off the list altogether.

The issue of whether or not the City can use the $500,000 in Restore NY funds to stabilize the building without partnering with a private developer seems to have been resolved. It can. But now it appears that Empire State Development wants to attach that condition to the $1 million in DRI funds allocated for the building. Nothing is ever easy.
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Common Council Committee Meetings

The Housing and Transportation Committee meeting scheduled for 6:45 p.m. today has been canceled. The meeting of the Youth, Education, Senior, and Recreation Committee, scheduled for 5:30 p.m., will still occur.
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Local Food News

Today, Wednesday, June 5, the farm market known as the Upstreet Market returns to the Public Square, a.k.a. Seventh Street Park. From 4 to 7 p.m., you can get the produce and food items you need to see you through to the weekend. A Gossips favorite, Gina's Empanadas will be there!

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For Sale: Mid-Century Building in Heart of City

Earlier this year, the City tried to sell 427 Warren Street, the former police station, by soliciting sealed bids. No bids were submitted.

Now the City is going to try to sell the building at a public auction to be held on Monday, June 10. The notice of the auction reads in part:

The minimum bid shall be $300,000.00. The conveyance of the subject premises shall be subject to the terms and conditions of a Penalty Note and Mortgage in the amount of $100,000.00 in the event the property: (a) is not developed for a commercial use, as evidenced by a certificate of occupancy, within three (3) years of the conveyance of title, or; (b) all or a portion of the property is sold within three (3) years of the conveyance of title. A copy of the Terms of Sale and the terms and conditions of the Penalty Note and Mortgage may be reviewed at the Office of the Mayor, Hudson City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson, New York 12534.  

All the documents mentioned are also available online, and Gossips has provided a hyperlink to each one. The auction takes places at 3:00 p.m., on Monday, June 10, in the Council Chamber at City Hall. For more information, click here.

Meanwhile, this tasteful sign tells the world that the building is for sale.

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Of Interest

It was reported today in NYREJ: The Commercial Real Estate Media Source that the building where ShopRite is now located has been sold for $15.75 million. ShopRite has a twenty-year lease on the space, which continues through 2038. 

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Not Letting a Sleeping Dog Lie

In the HudsonValley360 coverage of the scuffle that occurred in the hallway of the Galvan Armory during a special meeting of the Common Council on April 24, Council president Tom DePietro is quoted as saying, "The less said about this unfortunate incident, the better for everyone." Roger Hannigan Gilson is not being constrained by DePietro's wishes. Today, on his blog The Other Hudson Valley, Gilson returns to the incident and publishes the video of the scuffle captured by the building's security camera: "Video: Hudson Council President Grabs, Shoves Man Outside City Meeting."

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Another Centennial

One hundred years ago, on June 4, 1919, Congress passed the 19th amendment, which granted all American women the right to vote.

Within six days, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin had ratified the amendment, followed by New York and Ohio on June 16. By March 1920, thirty-five states had approved the amendment, leaving it one state shy of the two-thirds required for ratification. On August 20, 1920, Tennessee became the thirty-sixth state to ratify the 19th amendment, and on November 2, 1920, women throughout the country voted for the first time in a national election.

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Public Car Chargers Coming to Hudson

Alderman Rich Volo (Fourth Ward) has been working to make Hudson a Clean Energy Community and to improve the City's energy sustainability. One of his current initiatives is bringing publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations to the parking lot behind City Hall. 

Last week Volo announced that the City had received the first of two grants needed to fund the charging stations. The $22,000 grant from National Grid will pay for the digging and construction work needed to connect the charging stations to the grid. Volo is awaiting word on a similar grant from ChargeNY, which will pay for the actual chargers. No money from the City budget is being spent to establish the charging stations, but the $1.75 an hour fee for charging vehicles will go into the City coffers. Click here for more information about the project. 
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Meetings and Events in the Week Ahead

The first week of June will see some rain and some meetings.

• Tonight, Monday, June 3, at 6 p.m., Mayor Rick Rector holds a community conversation at Hudson Lodge, 601 Union Street. It is an opportunity to learn about his accomplishments in the past seventeen months and his goals for the future and to ask questions.

• On Tuesday, June 4, the DRI Committee--made up of the mayor, Rick Rector; Common Council president, Tom DePietro; city treasurer, Heather Campbell; superintendent of public works, Rob Perry; Planning Board chair, Walter Chatham; and city attorney, Andy Howard--meets at 2:30 p.m. at City Hall to continue the task of planning for the implementation of the five City DRI projects: Promenade Hill, the Dunn warehouse, the Second Street stairs, North Bay shacks, and BRIDGE District Complete Streets. 

• The meeting of the Conservation Advisory Council, which usually takes place on the first Tuesday of the month, has been canceled.
• On Wednesday, June 5, the Common Council Youth, Education, Seniors, and Recreation Committee meets at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall and the Housing and Transportation Committee meets at 6:45 p.m. in the same location.
• On Thursday, June 6, Mayor Rick Rector holds another community conversation at 6:00 p.m. in the Community Room at Crosswinds, 100 Harry Howard Avenue. 

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You Can Get There from Here . . . on Foot

The Hudson River Skywalk--the path linking the homes and studios of Thomas Cole and Frederic Church--opened officially yesterday. In the Parade of Paintings, marchers wearing blue baseball caps and carrying blue flags and banners on which Church paintings were reproduced descended from Olana and, on the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, converged with marchers who had come from Cedar Grove wearing green baseball caps and carrying green flags and banners on which Cole paintings were reproduced.

Photo: Olana State Historic Site

  

Having come together on the bridge, the two groups returned to the west side of the river where, in the park beside the Rip Van Winkle toll plaza, the opening ceremonies continued. Rip Van Winkle himself, roused from a nap of indeterminate length, was there to wave to drivers passing over the bridge, greet the marchers, and pose for pictures with event participants.

After many speeches and a musical performance inspired by Hudson Talbot's picture book River of Dreams, the ribbon was finally cut, with Assemblymember Didi Barrett wielding the giant scissors, officially opening the Hudson River Skyway, from which can be viewed "American's first canvas."

Photo: Olana State Historic Site