Broadway property plans to be reviewed in April
The city’s requests for proposals to develop the Broadway Commons property in Midtown generated two responses.
The city’s requests for proposals to develop the Broadway Commons property in Midtown generated two responses, but the details have not yet been made publicly available.
Megan Weiss-Rowe, the city’s director of communications and community engagement, said Kingston received proposals from a group called LA 609 BROADWAY INC. and from E&M Property Management. She said the proposals are scheduled to be reviewed in early April.
“Further details will be available after the committee has had an opportunity to review the proposals,” she said.
In response to a request for copies of the proposals, Weiss-Rowe asked that a Freedom of Information request be submitted to the city. The Freeman submitted that request Friday.
The proposals initially were due to the city on March 8, but that was later pushed back to the morning of March 14.
A conference for potential developers was held at the site Feb. 16, but drew attendance by only a local architect and a representative of the Kingston Midtown Arts District.
The city had issued the request for proposals for the city-owned property at 615 Broadway in early February. Kingston was seeking responses from qualified developers to design, construct and operate a mixed-use development on the property, which is the site of the former Kings Inn motel and is near the Ulster Performing Arts Center.
Mayor Steve Noble has said it is his goal to get the property back on the tax rolls, but that a portion of the property would remain a public space because of the “Deep Listening Plaza” there that was dedicated last summer to former local resident Pauline Oliveros.
Redevelopment of the Broadway Commons property was one of the goals Noble outlined in his State of the City address in January. Prior city administrations also have looked to redevelop the site, which has been vacant since the Kings Inn, which last was used to house social services clients, was demolished in late 2011.
In this latest call for developers, Kingston was interested in a mix of housing units and/or appropriate commercial and retail space, with the inclusion of public green space or a public square, according to a city press release. The release said any proposals should align with the city’s Comprehensive Plan and demonstrate that Kingston and the public will benefit from the project.