Mid Hudson Times Mar. 22 2017 | Page 3

Mid Hudson Times , Wednesday , March 22 , 2017 3

Mill Street Partners granted 1-year extension

By SHANTAL RILEY sriley @ tcnewspapers . com
The
Newburgh
City
Council
has
granted a one-year extension on a land development agreement for the Mid Broadway housing project , which the developer requested in order to secure state funding .
“ The year extension is to work out all our financial details ,” said David Cooper , attorney for developer Mill Street Partners , who appeared before the city council last month .
It is the third amendment to the land development agreement for the project , which has seen numerous setbacks since it was approved by the council in 2012 .
The housing project is slated for construction of 91 affordable-housing
A rendering of the future Mid Broadway housing complex .
Image provided
apartments and two retail spaces , including a 12,000-square-foot grocery store on Broadway , between Johnston and Lander streets .
The project has drawn heated criticism , in large part due to a 30-year payment in lieu of taxes ( PILOT ), which critics claim will siphon millions of dollars from the tax rolls .
“ This project is not a ratable ,” said
Anna Walsh at a city council meeting on March 13 . Other housing projects , headed by organizations such as Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh , have not required costly PILOTS , she said .
“ You should be getting a nice park ,” said city Mayor Judy Kennedy , as part of a community-benefits package . Audrey
Carey Park , for example , came out of the approval of a commercial building project several years ago , Kennedy added .
Supporters of the project say , however imperfect , the city will benefit from new development , a much-needed supermarket and the cleanup of debris and hazardous chemicals at the site .
“ Wouldn ’ t it be nice to say , ‘ Hey , we did something , we ’ ve got a new supermarket ?’” said City of Newburgh
Democratic
Committee
Chairman
Jonathan Jacobson . “ It ’ s better than a vacant lot with evergreen trees .”
A majority of council members voted to approve the extension last week . Mayor
Kennedy and Councilwoman Karen Mejia
abstained . Councilwoman Genie Abrams was absent .
Parking was the issue at the center of an article 78 lawsuit , filed against the city council in 2014 by city residents who complained parking for the project was insufficient .
Changes on the city council caused further delay . When the project stalled before the planning board last year , Mill
Street Partners threatened the city with a $ 31-million lawsuit if it did not follow through on the development agreement .
The move expedited an approval by the planning board on Oct . 18 , but left a bad taste in the mouths of many residents and officials .
If the council grants the extension “ in good faith ,” said Kennedy , speaking to
Cooper at the council meeting last month ,
“ there has to be a timeline without the threat of being sued .”
“ If the two parties have worked in good faith , there is no basis for a lawsuit ,”
Cooper responded . “ We ’ re at the doorstep now .”
Mill Street Partners recently completed a mixed-use building project in the City of
Middletown . The former mill , named The
Mill at Middletown , was transformed into an energy-efficient housing complex with a café and 42 workforce-housing units .

The Ridge site development moving forward

By LAUREN BERG
The Ridge Hudson Valley development site on Route 300 and Route 52 in the town of Newburgh – which has been twelve years in the making , formerly known as “ The Loop ” and originally “ the Marketplace ” – is nearing a construction start date . Waterstone Retail Development , owners and representatives of the site ’ s development , closed on the sale of the property shortly before the new year , and plan to continue grading and clearing the property this year in preparation for building . They are looking to begin building construction in 2018 , with openings of businesses occurring later that year into 2019 .
The newest version of the site plan is scaled down from 700,000 square feet to 530,000 and includes the construction of a Shoprite , a BJ ’ s Wholesale Club , Dick ’ s Sporting Goods , as well as other restaurants and shops localized around a pedestrian-friendly lifestyle center . The development plans include a small green space with outdoor seating , which could host public events such as an outdoor movie viewing .
One aspect of the site that the town board consistently pushed for at the March 16 planning board meeting was for the developers to construct an access road connecting the property to Route 52 , even if only for emergencies . This was a point that several residents who attended a previous public hearing were in favor of as well . Though the amended site plan called for a deferment of the building of emergency access road , the board voted to keep it , connecting the site to either Route 52 or the Brookside Avenue cul-de-sac .
The town board additionally attempted to determine what the developers are planning to do with the abandoned Brookside Avenue houses that are located on the property , several of which may contain asbestos . Potentially , the houses may be renovated to be made livable again , otherwise they would have to be demolished . Representative of Waterstone Retail Development Tom Godfrey spoke of waiting to get the environmental results back on the potential asbestos contamination in the houses , but the board wanted more definitive answers . Code compliance supervisor for the town Gerald Canfield stated , “ We are looking for some type of activity to take place ; if you ’ re telling us that you ’ re in the process of doing these studies I think that would be a sign of good faith .”
Chairman John Ewasutyn clarified , “ What the board is looking for is an action plan .” The plan originally had also included completion of the cul-de-sac at the end of Brookside Avenue as well as a barrier fence . The details concerning both items , like the houses on the road , are still to be determined .
U . S . Crane and Rigging LLC , which recently purchased the Newburgh Auto Auction Lot and is seeking approval for its site development plan , will be holding a public hearing scheduled for April 20 . The company has proposed using the site to fabricate steel and for the storage and maintenance of cranes . The neighbor informational meeting that was held on February 22 discussed minimizing noise and visual impact on nearby residents , and the impact the business would have on local traffic , which U . S . Cranes has asserted will not be an issue .