By JEANETTE WOLFBERG
HUDSON–Issues pertaining to Hudson’s waterfront, sites near it, 11 Warren Street, all of Hudson and Columbia County arose during a town hall/community conversation for Hudson’s First Ward with that ward’s Supervisor Randall Martin at the Chamber of Commerce building February 27. Hudson’s First Ward covers the south side of Warren Street and all of Hudson south of Warren Street, from Worth Avenue to the river. About 12 people attended, including both First Ward Common Council members– Margaret Morris and Gary Purnhagen, and City Mayor Kamal Johnson.
Supervisor Martin, who joined the county legislature at the beginning of this year, said he had called the meeting to get a sense of what the people of his ward are thinking about and “really truly interested in.” He said he has had connections to Columbia County for about 30 years, has lived in Hudson for 12 years, and is on its Planning Board.
Much of what Mr. Martin said applies to the whole city. “I’m fighting for what I believe in, and Hudson is one of the things I believe in,” he declared. If the community comes together, “we will build a better Hudson together.”
“We want to bring progress to all people,” he said.
One of Mr. Martin’s suggestions is to get some Columbia-Greene Workforce Development offices into 11 Warren Street, which Columbia County bought in late 2023 for office space, and which is in the First Ward. With an employment-finding site in 11 Warren, Mr. Martin said, people could get job training without going to Columbia-Greene Community College campus. So far the departments the county has talked about moving into there are related to law enforcement, justice, and the Board of Elections.
Regarding another First Ward building, Mr. Martin announced that the Dunn Warehouse at the riverfront park, has been leased by a commercial enterprise. So, he said, something will be done with the building.
As a city, Mr. Martin said, Hudson is in “great shape financially,” but many people are unemployed or underemployed.
Meanwhile, he said, “The First Ward is the heartbeat of the city. It’s the first thing people see when they come to Hudson by train.”
First Ward resident Nicole Vidor, a real estate agent, said she “loved how you called the First Ward the heartbeat of Hudson. What we’re concerned about is our waterfront.”
Ben Fain, a real estate developer who lives in the ward, owns Kitty’s restaurant, and said he is working to develop Kaz Warehouse, said, “I fell in love with this area, I fell in love with the First Ward and the waterfront.”
On specific issues, Ms. Vidor said that if you walk from Kitty’s, which stands across Front Street from the train station, to the Basilica, an event space within sight, “you’re lucky if you get there alive,” because of the sidewalk conditions.
Ms. Morris said that “a lot of people want to dock their boats” near the riverfront park, but the “boat club” does not let them.
Hugo Van Vuuren, an investor and entrepreneur with property in the First Ward, remarked at how few people who have no official position were attending the meeting and attributed that to “apathy.”
Several people voiced concern about the effect of the Colarusso enterprise on the riverfront. Ms. Vidor called it “a horrible eyesore” that “takes energy out of the waterfront.” The Planning Board “sold us down the river by giving Colarusso whatever it wants.”
Mr. Fain agreed that Colarusso could do “big damage.”
Ms. Morris added that Colarusso said they need to blast six times a year but now have permission to blast 40 times a year. “I was at a meeting where Colarusso’s lawyer was dictating the wording of the agreement.” She said she likes Paul Colarusso and that he is a good businessman, but she also wants to “preserve the waterfront.”
Meanwhile, said Mr. Purnhagen, parking in the First Ward is going to get worse. Amtrak brings in traffic, 11 Warren Street will bring in more traffic, and there will be more parking meters on Warren and Front streets. People will seek to park on streets without meters.
Ms. Vidor suggested designating some sections if some streets “resident parking” like they do in Boston. There, to park on a so-designated street, one needs a permit, which residents can get for free but must apply for.
“Parking is a city issue,” observed Ms. Morris.
On another topic, Ms. Morris said she “hears from residents who can’t pay their taxes.” The city property taxes went up this year after not going up for two years, she observed.
Ms. Vidor reported that some neighbors had lived near her on Allen Street for over 30 years, when their property was assessed at $740,000. Challenging that brought the assessment down a little, but not enough for them to afford the property taxes. They asked Ms. Vidor to sell their house for them and “grieved” for it. All Ms. Vidor could get for them from it was in the $500,000s.
Planning Board Chair Theresa Joyner asked why the price of housing in Hudson was so high. “Demand?”
Mr. Martin said if there were more housing, the prices would not be so high.
“During Covid, Hudson and Kingston had the highest in-migration in the state, but we still lost people,” reported Mayor Johnson.
