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Mid Hudson Times, Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Money for the city’s youth
In Brief
Armory Unity Center to host
rezoning workshops
Bob McCormick
Members of the city of Newburgh Delano-Hitch Restoration Fund presented checks on Friday to Martiza Wilson and Jorge
Resto. The check presented to Ms. Wilson will help with the Easter Egg hunt in Downing Park and the check presented to Mr.
Resto will give children the opportunity to play in the Cal Ripken baseball program in the city of Newburgh.
Loop-Hudson Valley on hold
Continued from page 1
The 700,000-square-foot shopping center is planned for
a 128-acre parcel along Rt. 300 just north of Rt. 84. The
mall was expected to house dozens of stores, including
BJ’s Wholesale Club, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Field &
Stream and ShopRite, several restaurants and a movie
complex.
The project, now ten years old, has been fully permitted, said Bainlardi. It has survived both a lawsuit from
the Newburgh Mall and a recession. The mall was expected to open in 2017. Now, Bainlardi says, the opening date
is “to be determined.”
“It took a while to get the retailers to understand this
market,” Bainlardi said. “People are spending money.”
“Unfortunately, project timing has been delayed as
project costs have increased and the capital markets have
changed how large shopping center developments are
underwritten,” he said Friday. “At this time, we do not
have the necessary equity capital committed to allow us
to proceed with construction.”
Total development costs are estimated to exceed $200
million, he said. Most of the tenants have “indicated that
they are committed to the project and expressed willingness to wait for further direction as to the project’s
future,” Bainlardi said.
Big retailers are weary after a painful recession, said
Wilder, and face growing competition from online sellers
like Amazon. “Brick and mortar guys have had a rough
time,” said Wilder, speaking to the board.
Though the project may be scaled down, he said, the
location and accompanying roadways and access points
will remain the same.
“If it turns out that the future is not 750,000 square feet,
then there will be opportunities to look at what will make
up the difference,” Bainlardi said, including a possible
hotel or residential development at the site.
“In the immediate future, we will be reevaluating the
project size, timing and economic feasibility to determine
the appropriate course of action for development of the
site,” Bainlardi said.
The Newburgh Armory Unity Center is hosting two rezoning workshops on March 31st on behalf
of A River of Opportunities. The sessions are at 10
a.m. and 6 p.m.
City Planner Alexandra Church, and Deirdre
Glenn, Director of Planning and Development, are
featured speakers, and they will discuss Newburgh’s
new rezoning regulations.
During this workshop, they will also discuss the
Startup NY program, a state tax incentive program,
that operates out of Mount Saint Mary College and
what requirements a company needs to qualify for
the business tax incentives this program facilitates.
“A River of Opportunities” was also awarded
a $10,000 a month Google AdWords grant to help
promote and raise awareness about Newburgh, its
historic commercial properties, its events, and the
people of Newburgh. The grant will be discussed.
Visitors will not only learn all about rezoning but
will be invited to tour the “Advanced Manufacturing
Training Facility” on the lower level of the Unity
Center , and will learn about how companies can
utilize this training space.
Contact A River of Opportunities at 391-0545 or
visit newburghny.org for more information.
Gun and drug arrest
On March 18, 2016 at approximately 10:43 p.m.
Officers from the City of Newburgh Police AntiCrime Unit attempted to stop an individual in the
area of 87 Renwick St. As the Officers exited their
vehicle to approach the individual, he immediately
fled, on foot, from the Officers. During the foot pursuit, the individual threw away a black plastic bag,
recovered by police