Tubby Row Renovation

A notice is circulating around Spring Street informing folks of a renovation that is in the works at the famed Tubby Row building on the street.

The notice urges residents to attend a special zoning and planning board hearing on February 9 at 6 p.m. at City Hall. The project calls for creating 18 housing units in the structure. The unidentified creator of the notice questions where residents of the renovated project will park.

I’m not sure how many units are in the current structure, but would be interested in learning more about this. Alderman Mike Madsen wrote about the project on his blog. You can read it here. Madsen said he alderman Bob Senor have concerns about the project and its impact.

There concerns echo prior worries over a proposed communal living facility proposed by Common Fire last year. That project never took flight, and like Tubby Row, parking was a concern.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz

Hoffay’s Updates on Pike Plan, Valet Parking

Last week as I was gathering insights on the Pike Plan, I had emailed alderman Tom Hoffay (Dem., Ward 2) to get him to weigh in on the topic. Tom emailed back to say he was busy and would reply later. Well, a busy week got ahead of Tom and he replied this morning with an update of not only the Pike Plan, but other topics on his ward as well.

Thank you!

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz

Tom’s email:

 I’ll give you a summary of the week, where four developments and the meetings and correspondence attendant to them, gobbled up the time.

Read more…

Kingston Gives $15,500 in Presidential Race

For many Kingston residents, support of a candidate this year amounted to lawn signs and bumber stickers. According to OpenSecrets.org and Federal Election Commission data, our humble zip code of 12401 doled out just $15,500 in the 2008 presidential race.

The total contributions in 2008 for political action committees, elected officials and those seeking office totalled $49,657 for Kingston — well below the average contribution by zip code of $57,858.

If you are interested in seeing how much and to which presidential candidate that your neighbors gave to, click here, and click on the map tabs. This shows the address and amount given.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz

Reuse and Reclaim

Have you seen the new furniture shop uptown that makes great things out of reclaimed wood? It’s called Salvage Co. and also offers the works of local artists as well as unique items that are worth checking out.

Although Salvage Co. is not a traditional auction house, they are having an auction on February 8.

Here are the details:
Salvage Co
Presents
The Sustainability
Auction

This is a public auction
All Welcome

Offering:
Reclaimed – Recycled – Interesting Furnishings – Mid Century Furniture
Photography – Primitive Rural Artifacts
Antiques – Local Art
Architectural Elements

FEBRUARY 8th @ 2:00 PM
314 Wall St. Uptown Kingston
Preview:
Thursday, Friday, Saturday (2/5-2/7)

For more info
call
845-331-7565
wallstreetsalvage@gmail.com

Future of the Pike Plan: Part II

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Several building owners who own properties on North Front and Wall streets, where the Pike Plan canopies are located, reiterated that a petition was circulated in August of last year demanding “an individual vote in regard to all plans and/or monies received and spent on the future of the Pike Plan. Without a vote, we consider this to be taxation without representation.”

Thirty seven of the roughly 42 building owners in the Pike Plan district signed the petition and are working to take control of the destiny of the Pike Plan.

Separately, around the holidays, a handful of business and building owners sent a letter to the mayor asking for the option to remove the Pike Plan.

From the building owners perspective, the Pike Plan requires a heavy tax on an already heavy tax load. What several of the building owners would like is to examine the feasibility of removing the structure and restoring the buildings to its original facades.

It’s important to note that in one study, Norman Mintz, an expert consultant known as “Mr. Main Street,” recommends hiring a main street manager and conducting a thoughtful marketing campaign.

Mintz’s final report, which was submitted in July of 2007, urged for the creation of a business improvement district as well.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz

Three Victorious Sisters

We’re hearing that the City of Kingston is working with Rebecca Martin’s Victory Garden Project to install a garden at City Hall — which would make it one of the first Victory Gardens to be done on a municipal site since, well, at least World War II.

There’s also a separate project involving some folks in Maine to install an organic garden at the White House. Isn’t Kingston just ahead of the curve?

Kingston’s Victory Garden will involve master gardeners, experienced farmers and volunteers working with the Kingston High School. The plan is to launch it on Earth Day, April 22. Stay tuned for details.

But what will they plant? Well, since 2009 marks 400 hundred years since ol’ Henry Hudson sailed up his namesake, the organizers wanted to grow something that reflected the area’s heritage. So the choice was to plant a “three sisters” garden, which grows corn, beans and squash in a symbiotic way. Read about this type of garden here.

If I know the organizers well, I think the kids will be donating the food produced by the garden to area soup kitchens.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz

Future of the Pike Plan

Last fall, U.S. Rep Maurice Hinchey announced funding for an upgrade of the Pike Plan, the overhead canopies located along several streets in the uptown section of the city.

Recently, city officials have said there’s a petition going around calling for Kingston to abandon the project. Several businesses would like to see the structure, which is rotting in places, be torn down.

What do you think?

Brooklyn in the Catskills?

Mark Greene, Kingston’s own Emmy winner and founder of Pecos Design, just submitted a proposal to the mayor that essentially rebrands the city as a tech hub, a sort of “Brooklyn of the Catskills” where hip, smart and small-biz savvy folks can relocate and thrive in an urban setting — yet be strikingly close to assets such as the Catskills, the Gunks and the Hudson.

“The city has a brand, but it is dormant,” Green said. “It needs to be brought back to life, and this is one way to do it.”

To see his entire proposal, read on…

Read more…

Why Montessori Works

As the Kingston Daily Freeman reports today, the Montessori program at George Washington elementary school is having a positive impact on students.

The Freeman reports that “Nancy Griggs, a first-grade teacher, said she has not relied on consequences for misbehavior or ‘bribery,’ like giving out stickers for good performance. Griggs estimated that she submitted 15 disciplinary referrals last school year compared to none this year.”

No surprises here. My wife and I have had our daughter Marina attending the Montessori pre-school at Winter Bear here in Kingston for the past two years. The teachers instruct students on practical life skills that build confidence, self esteem and self worth.

One of the mantra’s of the program, which is why it works so well, is to “never do for a child what they can do for themselves.” Also, as Griggs points out, there are no punishments or bribes. Students are treated as equal to adults, and are shown respect and love.

If you have school-aged children and are interested in learning more about the Montessori Method, check out this FAQ.

I also think there are other methods and programs available that help nurture young minds in positive ways. The Sudbury School is a democratic model that works in similar ways to Montessori. Another notable, alternative education method for children is the Waldorf School.

I think the nearest Waldorf School is in New Paltz. And there’s a Sudbury school — one of 40 in the U.S. — just outside Kingston off of Route 28.

Regarding the direction of public schools toward more progressive methods is long overdue. And it is wonderful to see that there is Montessori program here in Kingston.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz

Complaints from Residents, Students Result in Head to Toe Closure

The Head to Toe shop at 344 Broadway remained closed for a second day after City of Kingston Police raided the site, made an arrest and seized weapons and other items.

The Kingston Daily Freeman reported that students had complained about the shop, that it was selling drug paraphernalia and cigarettes to high schoolers — which are against state and city laws.

Earlier this week, residents of Ward 9 had complained to the store manager and owner about weapons that were on display. They said the items would be removed.

On Tuesday, the police made their raid, which ended up closing the shop.

In Need of a Plan

At the City of Kingston Planning Board meeting tonight, which included public input over design guidelines for the proposed CVS on Washingston Avenue, several residents urged the board to carefully consider the historic attributes of the city in designing the building.

There were also concerns about the need for another drug store in the city. Isn’t four enough?

Tom Hoffay, alderman, said he was concerned that the site plan included a curb cut that would allow cars heading south on Washington Avenue to make a left-hand turn — across three lanes of oncoming traffic — into the proposed CVS lot. That’s not safe, Tom said.

All of these concerns are valid, and the developers of the site should listen carefully. After all, the residents of the city are the ones who have to live with this for years to come after it is built.

From my perspective, the proposed CVS is just another clear example of why Kingston needs a comprehensive plan.

Like others who attended the meeting, I’m not against development. I’m for smart development, projects that are environmentally sound (think low-carbon footprint or better yet, zero-net energy), support local businesses, bolster the tax base and differentiate the area from other towns and cities.

A comprehensive plan can guide smart development and would act as a blueprint for Kingston’s future. A CP could have clear design guidelines that help maintain the historic aspects of the city. The CP could include development guidelines that encourage mixed use buildings. The CP could set guidelines for our historic districts, waterfront (expanding the recently completed waterfront plan) and gateway areas.

For their part, several city officials — especially city planner Suzanne Cahill — understand the need for a comprehensive plan. Perhaps with strong public support, steps can be made to create one.

As far as funding is concerned, I think there are grants out there that Kingston can tap. That can help us get started.

If you are interested in pursuing this idea, let me know. Let’s do it. Let’s do something. A CP that has not been updated in nearly 50 years is an embarrassment.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz

Natural Gas Safety

The natural gas leak that occurred last night on Broadway near City Hall posed no threat to residents, according to a Kingston Daily Freeman article.

That’s good news. But it does bring up an important point about natural gas safety. Homeowners need to check their heating systems regularly to make sure it is operating properly. Leaks are dangerous, and qualified technicians need to make careful inspections.

An excellent resource to find natural gas safety tips is the Central Hudson website, which urges inspections and maintenance as well as installing CO2 detectors.

— Arthur

Soup’s On!

stone-soupMidtown East has new eats: The Stone Soup Food Company.

Opened for the past two weeks, the eatery is located at 470 Broadway across from the midtown neighborhood center.

The menu features freshly made soups (of course), chili, bisque, salads, sandwiches, wraps and comfort foods such as mac and cheese, crab cakes and a real meaty lasagna.

Call for daily specials: 845.340.0470

It’s nice to see a business open in this part of town, which serves the workers of city hall, the high school, telephone building and other businesses.

Please show your support and stop buy for a sandwich.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz

China Biz Trip Timing is Off, Look Regionally Instead

Did you catch the news today that economic developers in the county are looking to send manufacturers from the area on a trade mission to China?

An “Ulster County Business and Trade Mission to China” is being formed to send business representatives to China in May to tap that country as a direct export partner. The intentions of such a mission are good, but the timing is way off.

As reported last week, the Institute for Supply Management said its manufacturing index set a 28-year low. The index tracks new orders, production, inventories, prices and exports, among other things.

Simply put, this is the wrong time to look for opportunities in China. The bulk of goods found here are sourced from China, which faces — for the first time ever — overcapacity. This means they have too many factories and goods to meet current demands in China as well as globally.

As U.S.  retailers just experienced the worst holiday shopping season in four decades, stores remain full of unsold inventories. Consumer spending is expected to slowly bounce back, perhaps later this year, according to a recent interview I held with Alan Sellitti of consulting and accounting firm BDO Seidman. “It will be slow, and the promotional activity at retail will continue for some time,” he said.

Perhaps a better use of time, energy and resources by economic developers would be finding regional markets that can benefit from Ulster County’s goods. Targeting smaller markets such as New York City, Boston and Chicago would require more creativity, but shipping goods to these places instead of overseas would result in better margins.

Better yet, why not pool resources and open direct-to-consumer outlet  stores of Ulster-only goods? Imagine being a tourist visiting a shop in NYC that sells Ulster County wine, beer, meats, gifts (such as Woodstock Chimes), pottery and art? The store could have books by local authors, and promotional material to attract people to the area.

In fact, why not set up Ulster County kiosks that feature our products from NYC to Albany, along the thruway? This would replace the tired brochures that are at the rest stops now.

In the meantime, it might be better to wait for market conditions to improve before sending a trade mission to China.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz