Midtown is poised for new development—and change. Last July’s Design Charrette for the defunct Kings Inn, in which 10 architects presented their ideas for redevelopment of the property, showed the enormous potential for the Midtown Broadway corridor to become a pedestrian-friendly, vital urban center. As a follow up, we asked several Kingston-based architects the question, if there was one thing they could do to improve the area, what would it be? For their response, read on.
"The Artist's Palate" in Poughkeepsie
Rondout-based architect Alan Baer, who arrived in the area with his wife, artist Jan Harrison, 22 years ago from Cincinnati, had two answers. “If the sky was the limit I would suggest reworking the traffic flow from Uptown to the Rondout,” Baer said, noting that clogged traffic on Broadway is a growing problem. Such a plan would involve developing a parallel corridor, with one-way traffic on each, an initiative Baer acknowledges would be cost prohibitive. His second answer is more feasible: “use every opportunity imaginable to make the Broadway corridor green,” from planting trees suited for an urban setting along the sidewalks to rooftop gardens to “living green walls”–plantings attached to hanging cables, lattices, and other kinds of flexible structures, usually on a building façade. Properly maintained, these living systems retain moisture and the flow of water even when it’s not raining, Baer said. “If you make the area between Uptown and Downtown attractive, then the right kind of development will happen on its own,” he noted.
Baer, who specializes in residential work, small scale cultural/institutional, and “a tiny bit of commercial”—he designed the interior for the The Artist’s Palate in Poughkeepsie and is working on a second restaurant next door—is involved in several Midtown projects: the restoration of the historic Burger-Matthews House, on Henry Street, into an African-American cultural center operated by TransArt; restoration of the altar and organ for the First Presbyterian Church, on Elmendorf: and design of a band stand for Cornell Park.
Andrew Wright, whose firm, Wright Builders, is located at 200 Fair Street, said he’s long been working on plans to improve the Broadway corridor and the Kings Inn site. He said Kingston’s most important asset is its history, and if he could do one thing to improve the Midtown corridor, it’d be restoration of historic buildings. In fact, Wright is doing just that in Uptown, where he plans to develop several buildings. “We should preserve our history because it’s the one thing we’ve got,” he said.
Wright Builders specializes in high-end residential, ranging from the Caribbean to the Adirondacks, in addition to historic restoration projects in Manhattan and Kingston. It also focuses on green building. A unique attribute of the firm is that it constructs all of the buildings it designs. Although Wright has lived Upstate since 1980, he estimates 90 percent of his work is still based in Manhattan. “I love Kingston and want to do so much for city,” he said.
Ulster Academy Lofts
Scott Dutton knows the Midtown area well, having purchased his building at 15 Canfield Street—the headquarters of his firm, Scott Dutton Associates–in 2000. He had two answers to the question. The first is to continue the block-by-block improvement program undertaken by Kingston Fire Department chief Rick Salzmann. “Showing an interest in these neighborhoods and having a cop on the block increases awareness and changes attitudes,” Dutton said. “The way to change the neighborhood is one street at a time.
“A lot of other people would buy buildings here if they felt confident the neighborhood would support them,” Dutton continued. “Fixing up a house and planting flowers are the kinds of things that change a neighborhood.”
The second most important step was to “make sure UPAC can survive and thrive,” Dutton said. “If you can imagine a scenario in which UPAC wouldn’t be there, you see the Midtown area imploding.” He said the city also needs to do a much better job of following and enforcing the “very powerful specific design guidelines” already in place for Midtown, which many businesses ignore, erecting ugly and intrusive signage.
Most of Dutton’s work is commercial, related to health care, and for nonprofits (one client is Hudson River Housing, a nonprofit dedicated to affordable housing, based in Poughkeepsie). He also designs a couple of custom homes each year.
Residences in Ulster County and New York City
Robin Andrade, whose firm, Andrade Architecture PLLC, is based in Kingston and Manhattan, has devised a “Broadway Theater Square” district for the area around UPAC. If she had to pick one component that would make the most difference, she said it would be better lighting, designed to make the experience of pedestrians “more friendly and safe.” More intimately scaled street lights and lighting of attractive buildings would help achieve this. Coupled with traffic calming features, the new lighting would fit into Andrade’s plan to create a piazza-like space around UPAC, making the area a destination rather than just a corridor for speeding cars.
Andrade, who worked on numerous commercial and residential projects in New York City, including apartment buildings and transit terminals, before moving to Kingston after 9/11, said she’s seen and helped effect the transformation of desolate areas of Manhattan into attractive pedestrian spaces where people now like to be. Just improving the visual environment “has a lot of impact,” she said.
Village Dormitories-Bard College
Brad Will, a principal at Ashokan Architecture & Planning PLLC, also participated in the Kings Inn design charrettes and said he recommended hosting additional charrettes as the thing that would best raise awareness about the potential for Midtown. “You could start a campaign and have a web presence,” Will said. “Maybe you could pick a property of the month and assemble everyone who wants to participate—planners, architects, engineers, municipal officials.” Hosting monthly charrettes over the course of a year would result in “a portfolio of possibilities,” with a “library of ideas for Midtown” that would help attract developers. “You can’t have a blank slate and nothing mapped out,” said Will. “Developers have to see the possibilities.”
Ashokan Architecture, which is located at 288 Wall Street, mainly focuses on residential solutions, from single-family homes to multifamily developments such as Woodstock Commons to dormitory housing for colleges. From its inception, the firm has tried to incorporate green products and energy solutions, such as geothermal and solar, into its buildings. one geothermal heating and cooling, using green products whenever possible, we were doing before common .
“My initial goal is to keep this building open for all kinds of use,” said Melikyan, who has put up a comprehensive website of all upcoming events and related initiatives, www.323wallstreet.com. An Armenian who was born in Turkey, Melikyan was a theatre rep in Manhattan before becoming marketing director for the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition series in Fort Worth, prior to moving to the mid Hudson Valley with his wife and son. As a musician himself—he plays piano and drums—Melikyan is sensitive to the needs and requirements of performers, and he is active on numerous fronts promoting the space’s multiple facilities:
The New York-certified sound stage (meaning a production utilizing the space would receive a 30 percent rebate from the state), which he hopes to rent out to film and TV productions companies comprising the region’s fledgling film industry;
New York. “I’m contacting people who specialize in these tours and see if their acts could stop by here on a week day.” The space is also suitable for benefits and larger private events. The Woodstock Film Festival is having its Maverick Award in there this Saturday.
“The potential to bring in hundreds of people is great,” he said. “I feel a tremendous responsibility in succeeding in this neighborhood.” Clearly, Uptown has the facilities, talent, and ideas needed to thrive.
