June 28, 2024 - In this issue: | |
Music + Movies in the Parks Returns | |
City Issues RFEI for 46 Grand Street | |
Safe Start to Summer Campaign | |
Kingston Police Officer Examination Announced | |
Food Truck Festival Tonight | |
Dietz Stadium Construction Update | |
City of Kingston Job Opportunities | |
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Mayor's Message:
Dear Friends -
The Department of Housing Initiatives has partnered with the Kingston House of Culture for a fun Food Truck Festival tonight from 6-9pm at 615 Broadway. This free community event will take advantage of the currently under-utilized lot, and will help us educate the public on the exciting upcoming development on the site.
Through a request for proposals issued by the City, we have been working with Baxter Development to create a design that exemplifies the City’s new form-based zoning code and will complement the current buildings and aesthetic along Broadway. This site of a former condemned motel will be transformed into a community asset, and we want the neighborhood to come out and learn more about it. See you tonight!
-Steve
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Fourth of July Festivities | |
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Ole Savannah, Brickmen Kitchen + Bar, and O’Connor & Partners will be sponsoring a fireworks display on the Fourth of July in the City of Kingston. The fireworks will be set off from a barge in the Rondout Creek just after dark.
Leading up to the fireworks, this year’s celebration will include entertainment sponsored by the City of Kingston. Starting at 6:30pm, the Gottasee Band, a 7-piece ensemble, will play a mix of R&B, Motown, disco, classic rock, pop country, and contemporary favorites on the City stage in T.R. Gallo Park. The Center for Creative Education’s Energy Dancers and Drummers will also perform throughout the evening’s entertainment.
Parking will be limited. UCAT will run a free shuttle service, making regular pick-ups from the Kingston Plaza (adjacent to the ballfield off Westbrook Lane), from the Cornell Street parking lot (Thomas Street lot near Little Italy), and along Broadway at the Governor Clinton, the Andy Murphy Center, and Yosman Towers, dropping off at Garraghan Drive. There will also be a continuous shuttle from the parking lot at Kingston Point Beach. Busses will start picking up at 5:00pm and the last bus will depart the Rondout at 11:30pm.
In the event of severe weather on July 4, the fireworks and entertainment will move to Friday, July 5, 2024, with 4 Guys in Disguise performing prior to the fireworks.
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Music + Movies in the Parks Events | |
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The City of Kingston’s Departments of Arts and Cultural Affairs and Parks and Recreation are pleased to bring Music in the Parks and Movies Under the Stars back this summer!
The first concert is this Saturday, June 29 at TR Gallo Park from 7:00-8:30pm and will feature Motown Soul music from the Soul City Band featuring Madelyn Phelan (weather depending).
All events are FREE and open to the public! Other upcoming music/movies events include:
Saturday, July 13, 2024
Saints of Swing featuring Ms. Rene Bailey (New Orleans Swing)
7:00-8:30pm
Academy Green Park
Friday, August 9, 2024
Roadhouse 60’s (Oldies Rock & Roll)
7:00-8:30pm
8:30pm Movie: ET
Kingston Point Beach Park
Saturday, August 17, 2024
Alessandra (Latin)
7:00-8:30pm
8:30pm Movie: Barbie (in Spanish with English subtitles)
Hutton Park
Saturday, September 21, 2024
Levanta (World Beat)
2:00-3:30pm
Live Performance Art – Nancy Ostrovsky
Jazzoetry – Poet Laureate Kate Hymes
TR Gallo Park
Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and picnics. More info at www.kingston-ny.gov/musicintheparks
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RFEI for 46 Grand Street in Midtown Kingston | |
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The City of Kingston has issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for the city-owned property at 46 Grand Street in Midtown Kingston.
The 46 Grand Street property is a vacant two-story mixed-use property with approximately 3,000 square feet. The ground floor commercial space was previously used as a bar/tavern. The RFEI is seeking responses to purchase the vacant property and rehabilitate for a use that creates community benefit and complements the surrounding uses, including commercial, residential, non-profit, and mixed-use concepts.
Under the City’s form-based zoning code, 46 Grand Street is zoned T5-Flex, which allows for a wide variety of uses and building types. After an evaluation committee has selected a potential buyer and the Common Council has granted approval, the selected respondent will be responsible for the rehabilitation of the property.
In August 2022, the Common Council voted to donate the property at 46 Grand St to the Beyond the 4 Walls Outreach Program. As part of the City’s deed with Beyond the 4 Walls, the program had one year to complete the rehabilitation of the property. This rehabilitation has not been completed and the program has voluntarily transferred the property back to the City of Kingston.
Proposals are due August 1, 2024. The RFEI can be found here.
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Safe Start to Summer 2024 Campaign | |
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The City of Kingston is joining Ulster County's Safe Start to Summer, a three-week road safety campaign to elevate awareness about the dangers of speeding and distracted driving, promote a culture of safety and respect on roadways, and help save lives.
The campaign is a collaboration of the Ulster County Executive, Ulster County Transportation Council, Ulster County Traffic Safety Board, Office of the Ulster County Sheriff, local governments, and state and local law enforcement, and involves both public education and enhanced enforcement of traffic laws in high-risk areas around Ulster County.
This initiative is intended to address growing problems on roadways with distracted driving as well as aggressive driving, which has been on the rise since the pandemic. In her State of the County address, County Executive Metzger announced plans for a variety of road safety initiatives in the wake of several tragic motor vehicle incidents, including a crash on Route 28 in Shandaken and hit-and-run incidents in Saugerties and New Paltz that claimed four young lives. A third hit-and-run incident occurred several weeks later in Marlborough in which two people died.
As part of this initiative, the Kingston Police Department will be doing additional patrols along places like Washington Avenue near GW school, Broadway, and many other high traffic and high pedestrian and cyclist areas.
More at https://participate.ulstercountyny.gov/road-safety.
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Food Truck Festival Tonight | |
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The City of Kingston and Kingston House of Culture are hosting a Food Truck Festival at 615 Broadway on Friday, June 28, 2024, from 6:00-9:00pm, which will feature a DJ, live dancers, food trucks, vendors, and more.
The property at 615 Broadway, is being developed by Baxter DevCo, in consultation with the City, to create a sustainable and dynamic mixed-use development on the site. The project site is 0.78 acres, located in the Midtown District adjacent to the Ulster Performing Arts Center (UPAC). The plan includes 70 residential units, ground floor commercial space for arts-focused businesses, and dedicated public open space for the Pauline Oliveros Deep Listening Plaza. At least 20% of the residential units will be provided to households averaging 80% AMI. The team is currently working through site plan approvals and construction is expected to begin in 2025. More information about the 615 Broadway project at https://engagekingston.com/615-broadway
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Police Officer Examination | |
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The 2024 Police Officer Examination is now posted! The City of Kingston Civil Service Office has posted the Police Officer examination notice on the City website.
If you wish to participate in the 2024 physical agility exam and the 2024 written examination, you must apply by the deadlines listed in the announcement.
The physical agility exams are given in January and July each year, with written exams given in September each year.
More information and relevant applications are available now at https://kingston-ny.gov/employment.
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Dietz Stadium Construction Update | |
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The construction at Dietz Stadium is moving swiftly and is now close to 70% complete.
Most of the planned work is expected to be completed in time for fall sports and home games starting in September, except for the interior of the grandstand, which is expected to be complete at the end of October.
- Rock removal from the site is complete with a total rock exportation of 3200cy (200+ truckloads).
- Curbing, sidewalks and paving from Joy’s Lane to the pool house in time for the Andretta Pool opening.
- Site crews are focused in three areas; finish grading in the practice field area, the southeast corner of the loop road, and bringing the remaining sewer and water connections to the grandstand.
- The turf is complete, and the track is expected to be complete the second week of July.
- Scoreboard and field lighting foundations will be starting next week.
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The new ticket booth, visitor concessions and visitor side storage buildings have been enclosed and interior finish work has started. Exterior siding is starting next week.
- Roofing is being installed on the home concession building
- Grandstand interior work continues; all the interior walls are completed. New windows and doors are being installed. Interior painting has started.
- The tunnel is complete and the exterior weatherproof/traffic coating is progressing, due to the extreme temperatures during the day that work has been taking place in the evening hours (6pm – 2am).
- The steel framing for the upper roof of the press box is erected
- The remaining site lighting is being installed and interior electric work in the grandstand continues.
- Electric to all the other out-buildings is complete. Power up of the site is expected in early August.
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Weekly Roadwork/Infrastructure Update | |
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Central Hudson-- Gas main installation/construction will be on hold for the week of July 1.
Service replacements will continue the week of July 1 on Fair Street and Furnace St. Lane closures and/or detours are expected/
Paving -- Elizabeth Street was paved from Washington Avenue to Marius Street. There will be a delay in paving the section of Wall Street between Greenkill Ave and Elizabeth St. Central Hudson will be mobilizing to do work in this area early next week, and then it will be paved immediately after.
The next round of paving will be announced soon.
Prospect Street Sewer Project - contractors will be performing survey operations on Prospect Street next week.
Kingston Water Department – on July 1 and 2, KWD will be rebuilding manholes on N. Manor at Albany Ave. Manor between Albany and Manor Pl will be closed while the work is being done. And the southbound lane (towards Albany Ave) will remain closed overnight for the concrete to set properly.
Weekly roadwork updates will be posted on the City website here.
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City of Kingston Job & Board Opportunities | |
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The Kingston 311 app, website, and phone system allow residents to quickly and easily report issues and submit service requests.
The Kingston 311 app, available for Android & iPhones, is a fast and simple way to connect to City officials in non-emergency situations. Photos can be attached to illustrate service orders.
This system is a valuable resource to submit municipal service requests. Examples include:
- Streetlight replacement
- City signage, including overgrowth blocking traffic signs
- Snow removal, reporting parking violations, and other snow-related issues
- Parks & playground repairs
- Report graffiti or vandalism
- Trail issues
Dial 311 from any phone within City limits to reach us, use the app or visit www.kingston-ny.gov/311/
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Sent on behalf of:
Mayor Steven T. Noble
845.334.3902
mayor@kingston-ny.gov
The purpose of this newsletter is to share important information, project updates, pictures and news from the City of Kingston. For more detailed information, visit:
www.kingston-ny.gov
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