Broadway site remains vacant
Seeking new proposals, Mayor Noble noncommittal about 2011 affordable housing plan for former Kings Inn property
KINGSTON, N.Y. Seven years ago, the only significant proposal for the Broadway property where the Kings Inn motel once stood went kaput.
Since then, attempts by two Democratic mayoral administrations have turned up nothing else of any permanent import for the property known today as Broadway Commons, a city-designated community space. It remains an empty lot. In 2011, Safe Harbors of the Hudson Inc. proposed building an housing at the former site of the motel, which primarily housed the homeless.
But controversy engulfed that proposal, including strong objection from those running for mayor in that particular year.
In August 2011, Safe Har-
bors of the Hudson said the proposal to build the complex at Henry Street had “really become a serious distraction from the election process” in Kingston.
“After much careful consideration, we would like to temporarily withdraw this proposal until the next mayor and (Common) Council have taken their place as the future administration of the city of Kingston,” stated the letter.
Since that time, the administrations of Mayors
James Sottile and Shayne Gallo have sought official proposals with no success.
Mayor Steve Noble, the current chief executive, who was elected in November 2016 and has described himself as an advocate for affordable housing, won’t say whether he would have supported the Safe Harbors plan.
“I have no interest in theorizing how I would have responded eight years ago,” said Noble, who was working for the city as an environmental educator at the time. “So much has changed since 2010, the market, our local needs and interests, and much more.”
Earlier this month, however, Noble announced that once again the city would seek “request for proposals” for the city-owned property.
Noble’s administration is seeking responses from qualified developers to design, construct and operate a mixed-use development on the property, near the Ulster Performing Arts Center.
“Since 2016, we have made great progress in establishing Broadway Commons as a shared community space, holding the official launch party for the Midtown Arts District, partnering with the Bruderhof and UPAC to host
a Community Celebration Day, and honoring the late Pauline Oliveros by naming the front green space of the property the ‘Deep Listening Plaza,’” Noble had said in a press release. “These activities have helped bring a renewed sense of interest and hope for this property. I believe that we now have an opportunity to attract a skilled developer capable of creating a new and exciting addition to our community.”
Redevelopment of the Broadway Commons property was one of the goals Noble outlined in his State of the City address in January.
Asked last week if he would support a plan similar to the one Safe Harbors proposed in 2011, Noble was noncommittal. “I’m hopeful that we will receive a diverse offering of proposals and encourage any eligible developer to put forth the strongest proposal they can prepare for this unique opportunity,” Nobel said.
In this latest call for developers, the city has said it is 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 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.
Questions about the request will be accepted until 4 p.m., Feb. 13 and must be submitted using the form included in the request for proposals. A developers’ conference has been scheduled for 11 a.m. Feb. 16 at the site and proposals are due to the Purchasing Office at City Hall, 420 Broadway, by 11 a.m. on March 8.
The request for proposals is available online at www.kingston-ny.gov/ purchasing.