Ron's Ice Cream Opens - Here's Your List Of Where To Find Scoops In Beacon - Vegan Too!

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The tip came in on the Beacon Moms Facebook Group - Ron’s Ice Cream on Fishkill Avenue announced their opening day - March 25, 2022 - and are open! Readers and little kids alike have been asking: “When’s Ron’s opening!?!” as Beacon’s most visible ice cream hut, painted yellow and located across from a kid-busy Memorial Park, is the mile-marker to the official arrival of Spring.

Despite it being in the 50s today. Totally normal, by the way. Beaonites know that at least one more snow dump on pink and white magnolia blossoms is possible. For the sake of time, we re-published 2021’s Ice Cream Roundup, with the addition of Lick The Vegan’s Stuff’s new location - and is open now!

Lick The Vegan Stuff
at Végétalien

A Beacon favorite, and honestly, quite possibly a world-wide-vegan-ice-cream treasure. Located currently in the Vegetarian. This picture is credited to another Beacon gem, the vegan donut shop, Peaceful Provisions. Their description of this banana split: “We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you BANANA SPLIT news from @licktheveganstuff (yesss she’s back open)! We just had this and it was TOO GOOD not to share will y’all. Your choice of three ice cream scoops (we chose Strawberry, Cereal Milk and Death by Chocolate), organic banana, organic strawberries and your choice of oat or coconut whipped cream. Get it done right and make sure to order this with sundae toppings (chocolate sauce, pecans and sprinkles)🤤.”

Pictured: Mocha Crunch
Photo Credit: Beacon Creamery via Yelp

The Beacon Creamery

The Beacon Creamery is located at 134 Main St in Beacon, NY and they have mouth-watering flavors that you need to try now! Some include, “New York, New York” which includes cappuccino Kahlua, hot fudge, whipped cream, and raspberry sauce. They also have floats, ice cream sundaes, specialties, tipsy shakes, and regular ice cream with an option to add WINE ice cream for $2.00!

Pictured: Blue Panda

Ron’s Ice Cream

Ron’s Ice Cream is located at 298 Fishkill Ave in Beacon, NY and they have all of the fun flavors you want like Birthday Cake or Cookies and Cream. And always sprinkles. Some special flavors include Chocolate Moose Tracks, Graham Central Station, Crazy Vanilla, Cookies n Cream, and many more! They also carry sundaes, specialty sundaes, flurries, milkshakes, slushies, and more. Oh, plus, they have hotdogs, burgers, snacks, sandwiches, and sides!

The parking lot is small for line crowding during a pandemic. Last year, Ron’s initiated a call-in service with no walk-up service. ALBB does not have word yet on how they will do it this year. Stay tuned!

Zora Dora’s

NOTE: Checking on their 2022 open status!
Zora Dora’s Micro Batch Ice Cream And Paletas is located at 201 Main St in Beacon, NY, and makes ice creams and sorbets in the form of paletas! If you don’t know what a paleta is, it’s a frozen treat on a stick! Their handmade products are produced in small batches every day and they source and handpick the freshest seasonal ingredients available. They also offer catering and cart rentals!

Pictured: Vegan Chocolate Orange

The Chocolate Studio

The Chocolate Studio doesn’t only have delicious chocolates and signature treats, but they also have ice cream! Vegan flavors too. You can pick-up vegan and gluten-free treats (or nonvegan/gluten-free) OR they ship nationwide! Sadly, ice-cream is excluded from the shipping part so you will have to stop in the store for that! But you’ll want to! So many flavors, you might have to get a few.

Yankee Clipper Diner

You can also stop in the Yankee Clipper Diner for ice-cream! They have a few sundaes on their menu, including the Waffle Sundae, which is a freshly baked Belgian waffle with 2 scoops of ice cream, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, sprinkles, walnuts, and a cherry on top! I mean, this could be your breakfast! Add additional toppings for only $1.

Shmuck’s Sweet Stuff

Shmuck’s is located inside the Hudson Valley Food Hall and offers delicious homemade ice cream, fresh cones, hot waffles, and other sweet stuff! They’re open year round, rain or shine, with great indoor seating if it’s cold or rainy!

No Plans As Of Yet For Parklets In Beacon, Says The City - Restaurants Respond

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Pictured here are diners outside of Homespun, which has sidewalk seating in front, and a patio in the back. For two springs and summers, it also had a parklet in front.
Photo Credit: Heather Barr

Last year at this time, the Delta variant of COVID-19 was brewing, and in May 2021, it became official. People were used to eating outside in parking spots called “parklets,” which were created by using orange water-filled “jersey barriers” to surround tables and chairs for diners to eat outside of a restaurant. The water made the barriers heavy, so they were not moved by casual pushing.

Most of Beacon’s restaurants opted into the parklets, and Mayor Kyriacou waved any fee for having them. They were purchased by the City in part with money the City of Beacon earned through some film permits, as stated by City Administrator Chris White during some City Council Meetings.

The people who were comfortable eating in the street filled up the parklets most weekends. While Beacon citizens were mixed on if they would park their bodies in a parklet, those who wanted to eat outside to feel safer than eating indoors appreciated the choice. Restaurants appreciated the additional seating and additional revenue the parklet seating could provide.

Abruptly In September 2021, the City of Beacon told restaurant owners they had to pull the parklets in a matter of days in order to prepare for the paving of Main Street. Joe Robitaille, owner of Homespun, remembers working on a Sunday to dismantle his shaded structure he had designed to beautify the parklet, recalling: “The City told us we had to remove the parklet by Monday, and we had one weekend to do this. Sunday is a busy day for us on the weekend, but to comply, I dedicated myself to taking down the parklet and not helping my staff serve customers.”

Homespun was not the only one who invested in upgraded porches and designs for the parklets. Neighbor Ziatun had a patio, and Sukhothai also built out a structure. Several other restaurants adorned their plastic barriers with flowers. September in Beacon usually brings beautiful weather, with a boom in sales for the Columbus Day Weekend in October (now known as Indigenous People’s Day). Seating was lost for the weeks leading up to that October holiday weekend, including that weekend itself. And then the paving of Beacon’s Main Street was canceled, putting in question the early pulling of the parklets. The previous year, the parklets were pulled in November.

A Little Beacon Blog reached out to the City Administrator Chris White, Mayor Lee Kyriacou as well as Councilmember George Mansfield, who is a restaurant owner, to gain insight on if the City Council had discussed the parklets with themselves, the public or business owners. Councilmember George responded: “There has been no discussion at Council regarding the parklets. I assume they will not be back due to scheduled repaving of Main Street and the fact that there is no longer any state mandates limiting indoor occupancy for the hospitality industry.”

City Administrator Chris did indicate in a recent City Council meeting that paving would begin on Main Street soon. When ALBB asked about a start date, Councilmember George did not know, stating that there were several “moving parts” to organizing paving. City Administrator White and Mayor Kyriacou did not respond by publishing time.

Safety Of Parklets

The public was mixed on the safety of parklets, yet the seats remained full. Traffic and speeding in Beacon is a known issue. On Mother’s Day, two cars collided in the middle of Main Street, avoiding the parklets but jumping the curb to land on the sidewalk to hit a grandmother and pin a child. Months later, another grandmother was hit and killed by a local driver in the crosswalk while the grandmother correctly crossed the street at Teller and Main Street because the driver was blinded by the afternoon sun, according to the police report. An 11 year old girl was hit in the crosswalk at Verplanck Avenue and Matteawan after school let out while correctly crossing the street on her bike because the driver “thought she had passed already,” the child told A Little Beacon Blog (interview to come).

After the parklets were pulled, some readers wrote into A Little Beacon Blog, asking if the parklets were returning, as they preferred eating outdoors and did not mind the location of the parklet. Some people who are in favor of a “walkable Main Street” are in favor of the parklets to naturally slow down traffic. Unless the police chime in after the publishing of this article, there have been no reports of people in parklets being hit. However, there have been several reports of people in crosswalks and walking on Main Street being hit.

Restaurants Respond

After being told by the City of Beacon that there was no plan as of yet for the parklets, Joe of Homespun had this to say about the loss of parklets, despite him having sidewalk seating in front and patio seating in back: “I think it will make it tough on restaurants in town. For us with the garden backyard, it was always over-flow seating anyways, and would fill up after the garden was fully seated. But for smaller places with tinier dining rooms, it provided a big shot in the arm. Hopefully the public is really ready to dine inside again.”

Marko Guzijan, owner of the Hudson Valley Food Hall, which has several food vendors stationed inside with plenty of seating including an outdoor patio had this to say about the parklets: “It’s not surprising. In truth, it won’t effect our business much. It may actually help as we already have private outdoor seating and now people who aren’t comfortable sitting inside will have less options in Beacon (this is especially true for families of young kids who can’t get a vaccine). But we don’t want to see our business improve beacuse other Beacon businesses are hindered.

“No parklet seating, plus the increase in energy bills is going to hurt many Main Street business. Again, the chefs in the Food Hall will probably make more money, but that doesn’t mean I think it’s the right decision. I’m curious as to why the City Council of Beacon thinks this is a good idea, while New York City continues to have outdoor seating to try to help their food and beverage businesses? As of yet, they haven’t communicated with any of the businesses in the Food Hall to explain their decision.”

As of now, there have been no public discussions during City Council Meetings about the parklets. Peekskill recently indicated they are considering removing some of their parklets, and some members of the Peekskill public have started a petition to keep them. This report at News12 quotes some business owners who benefited from the parklets.

Editorial Disclaimer: Homespun was a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog and is a website client, and Hudson Valley Food Hall is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog. Their views do not influence content, but our relationship does make understanding their issues easier.

The Resistance That Won't Go Away :: Palestinian Love Shines From Beacon & Beyond

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Pick a day, any day, and Beacon local Kamel Jamal, owner of more than one restaurant in town (Ziatun, Beacon Bread, WTF, creator of Tito Santana Taqueria, and Végétalien, both he since sold), wears his heart on his sleeve for his home country of Palestine.

Every day for him is a day of love he shows for a free Palestine. From the food he plates, the restaurants he decorates, the merch he makes, most centering back to somehow to empower those still living in Palestine.

In this podcast, Kamel discusses how his parents left Palestine when he was a toddler with some of his family thanks to a family friend who sponsored them.

Co-hosts Brandon Lillard and Katie Hellmuth Martin sat down with Kamel on A Little Beacon Blog's sister podcast, "Wait, What Is That?" for an at times emotional interview about his view of how the people of Palestine are living now. The time was May 2021 during the escalation of protesting by residents in Palestine in the neighborhood Sheikh Jarrah. Their homes were scheduled to be demolished, and Muslim neighbors in the Hudson Valley as well as the world were sounding alarms.

In this podcast, Kamel describes his Palestine. He discusses how his parents left Palestine when he was a toddler with some of his family thanks to a family friend who sponsored them. He describes why he continues advocating from America for Palestine's liberation, so that people can live without fear of their homes and businesses being demolished by occupiers. He discusses the lack to basic rights, like clean water, receiving mail, and having to pass through armed checkpoints to get to a job or part of town.

In 2021, a protest march in Newburgh was organized with Next Step Hudson Valley where the Palestinian community came out, consisting of people young and old, with roots in Palestine, Pakistan, and other communities. Speeches were held on the lawn of Representative Sean Maloney's Newburgh's office.

Beaconites normally quiet about their cultural origins brought pages of prepared speeches, to express to an engaged audience about how their parents, siblings, cousins and/or friends felt about the global response to this little neighborhood protest in Palestine that spring. A Little Beacon Blog covered that march, which you can read about here and listen to some speeches.

Kamel Jamal, speaking at the Free Palestine protest march in Newburgh on the steps of Representative Sean Maloney’s office. Several other speakers participated.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Khitam Jamal Nakhleh’s Starbucks order, where her name is “FreeGaza,” which results in the barista shouting the demand to the room. Khitam is Kamel’s sister.
Photo Credit: Khitam Jamal Nakhleh

Since then, a lot has happened. Kamel's sister, who many know as Kate, champions the Free Palestine movement with every step she takes. Recently, she declared she was going by her birth name: Khitam Jamal Nakhleh. She is known to use subtle tactics like ordering a Starbucks under the name of "Free Gaza" so that the demand has to be called out to the room full of customers.

Every now and then, something pro-Palestinian will make the news in the US, like when Emma Watson (Hermione Granger from Harry Potter), and a UN Women's Goodwill Ambassador, voiced her support for Palestine. Or the feature story in Vanity Fair's February 2022 issue, "Generation Gaza" by veteran war correspondent Janine di Giovanni who revisited Gaza "and found resilience and hope among its 2 million Palestinian residents, two thirds of whom are under the age of 25," according to the lead-in for the article.

Also according to the February Vanity Fair feature: "Gaza's 20 and 30 somethings, it so happens, tend to be highly educated, multilingual - and jobless. 64% of the youth labor force is unemployed, largely due to the occupation. Nonetheless, year after year, they have proved indefatigable." Running a business there is virtually impossible, due to actions taken against business owners. But some continue to try, as this designer does, which was featured in Vogue.

In May 2021, neighbors came out to show their support of Palestine by creating a chalk art message on the sidewalk outside of Beacon Bread, owned by Kamel.

Circling back to the first line of this article - pick a day, any day - in the publishing world, an article usually needs to be published in a timely way. Like, back in May or June 2021 after we recorded this podcast episode and covered protest march. In Palestine, their inability to live free lives is every day, with different demolitions of family homes scheduled, like this one at the end of January 2022 or this one where the family had to self-demolish their own home.

But timing gets tricky. During the "Wait, What Is That?" episode, the silence of friends was discussed, acknowledging that talking openly about this topic can be difficult leading to unexpected responses. There is a moment where Kamel's emotions overcome him. You'll need to listen closely to the interview to hear where.

Peek Inside Ziatun

If you haven't been inside of Ziatun yet, here is a peek. Kamel admits this is one of his favorite places to be, and you can tell in the flavor of the food. The hummus is unlike any you have had, being extra smooth. There are plenty of warm soups to choose from, like the Addas soup. View the merch and buy a bag or two. Don't miss the watermelon t-shirt, designed to show resistance through food.

PODCAST DROP! Beacon Bread Company, Ziatun and Tito's Restaurateur Kamel Jamal On Palestine's Future Liberation

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Way back in warmer times in Beacon (June 2021), we sat down with Kamel Jamal to talk about Palestine on ALBB’s sister podcast station, “Wait, What Is That?”

Even though I have known about Kamel for 10 years, I had not made moments to speak with him. Really speak with him. I knew his politics. I knew he fought back in social media. I knew he answered back to outlandish reviews. I knew he didn’t like the empanada guy at the Beacon Farmers Market. I knew he was a Palestinian refugee. I knew his wife Lena was lovely and quietly fierce, and that his sister Kate (who now goes by her Palestinian name, Khitam) was raw fierce and lovely.

And that’s it.

However. When 2020 happened, I started to come out of my shell. On all of my platforms. In different ways (different platforms have different audiences in different moods). I started reporting on Black Lives Matter protests in Beacon. I started researching questionable employment and disciplinary actions by the City of Beacon that might not be able to prove discrimination on paper, but continuously result in decisions that don’t add up. And who knew that writing about COVID safety and vaccination recommendations during a world-wide pandemic would be so gutsy.

Kamel and I started circling each other. Then residents in a neighborhood in Palestine called Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem protested the scheduled take-over or demolishing of their homes by Israeli forces in May 2021, resulting in a lop-sided exchange of bombs that resulted in dozens of Palestinians being killed (including children), as well as some Israeli citizens. Anyone dead is too many. Especially when defending their home. This, after decades of recently lived histories of horrific murders and attacks on both sides of the Israeli checkpoints, resulting in friends and family members lost from the entire region.

Brandon Lillard and I reached out to Kamel to see if he would be willing to speak to us on our podcast, where we could ask him all of our big and small questions. Kamel said yes. We also reached out to Rabbi Brent of the Beacon Hebrew Alliance to see if we could talk to him as well. He considered it, knowing it is delicate territory, and in the meantime, wrote this blog post. Soon after, Next Step Hudson Valley organized a Free Palestine march in Newburgh, which ALBB covered and wrote about here with videos.

Right around that time, Kamel reached out to me, as he wanted to be a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog for 3 of his restaurants: Beacon Bread Company, Ziatun, and Tito Santana’s (WTF is the alter-ego of Beacon Bread, and serves as the cool friend next door who you sometimes see when they’re in the mood). This part was a coincidence, but did create the first time for Kamel and I to really talk over coffee. We were very honest with each other, which was as refreshing as the mint he uses in his watermelon salad.

Take a listen of this podcast episode. There was a moment where he was overcome with emotion, but you’ll probably not be able to find it. Both Brandon and I were very grateful to be sitting with Kamel, with him so accepting of our questions, as he earned to speak about his Palestine.

Beacon Farmers Market To Stay Open Outside All Year - Bring Your Mittens, Kittens!

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Featured here: Happy Belly, at the Beacon Farmers Market.

The Beacon Farmers Market was one of the first to pivot hard when the business shutdown happened when COVID-19 was first discovered and declared a global pandemic. They quickly built a extremely robust but temporary well-serving website to connect devoted customers to vendors, and opened outside, withstanding the deep snowfall Beacon experienced last year.

This year, vendors agreed that they prefer to stick it out outside in the DMV parking lot, where there is more space, possibly better internet, and that small-scale live music that helps keep the market moving.

Managed by Common Ground Farm, the organization approached the City of Beacon to seek permission to operate outside year round. The parking lot is owned by Dutchess County, and leased by the City of Beacon. The City Council approved the extended occupation of the DMV parking lot in early November. Expect to shop the market outdoors all year!

The Shred Foundation, a skateboarding organization serving under-served youth which is Black founded, at the Beacon Farmers Market.

Diana Mae Flowers, a Beacon Farmers Market staple for creative bouquets.

Cooperstown Cheese Company at the Beacon Farmers Market.

Trax, a Beacon local coffee roasters with 3 locations in Beacon, also likes to serve it up at the Beacon Farmers Market.

Eggberts Free Range Farm, another Beacon Farmers Market staple and wonderful source for eggs, beef, lamb and pork.

Advocates for free New York Health Insurance, which would in theory be funded by a payroll tax on New Yorkers. Anna Brady Nuse started a Change.org petition for the cause, and has been pursuing Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou to show support for free New York Health Insurance by putting it on Beacon’s City Council Agenda, where the council can create and vote on a Resolution supporting it. So far the Mayor has not put it on the agenda.

Hop and Shop is BACK In Beacon For Holiday Shopping 2021! Details Here…

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Back for its 4th year of community supported shopping, Hop & Shop is thriving this year in its efforts to support businesses on Main Street during this holiday season. Produced by retail elves on Main Street who do this in addition to running their brick and mortars, Hop & Shop is two nights (Thursday and Friday, 12/2-3) of longer shopping hours in Beacon (recommended closing time is 9pm, which is late for Beacon), plus fun deals or specials to go along with it.

Businesses can sign up here, and shoppers can learn about specials after November 29th, when the holiday shopping season officially kicks into high gear. This will be a great activity after Thanksgiving in that Black Friday slide. For those interested in how this works, see their FAQ page.

Hop & Shop has been doing a fabulous job promoting participating shops on their Instagram, so you should follow along with them here. We have highlighted a few shops below that are either super-new, hard to find, or ones that you just must walk into. To see all of Beacon’s shops, visit ALBB’s Shopping and Restaurant Guides. Follow along with Hop & Shop for more, and see you out and about!

BERTE
500 Main St.
Berte is a curated home decor and lifestyle shop in Beacon, NY with a focus on emerging designers and makers who embody their playful, yet calming modern aesthetic. Passionate about “the hunt,” founder Aimée deSimone finds new pieces and brands wherever they emerge – whether that’s abroad or closer to home in New York’s Hudson Valley. She takes great pride in their collaborative relationship with makers (mostly female and BIPOC), who share our commitment to sustainability, equity, and design.
TIP: Look for their “wall necklaces” if they still have them.

INGLEWOOD MARKETPLACE
17 E Main St.
Established in 2015, Inglenook Marketplace is a home goods, general goods, and candle making brand. They are purveyors of local, fine & sustainable products. They specialize in eco-friendly options, including their very own refillery inside of our Beacon location. You can fill up on Laundry Soap, Body Wash, Shampoo, Dryer Balls, and you can even refill your used Inglenook Marketplace candle!
TIP: We tried the grapefruit dish soap, and love it!

WANDERLUX
473 Main St. Suite 2
Wanderlux style provides an exclusive, accessible, and sustainable short term rental (or option of purchase) experience of luxury fashion, shoes, and accessories for both men and women. Luxury items without the hefty price tag, closet space, dry cleaning costs, and waste.
TIP: Located where Cold Fit Cryotheraphy used to be, behind the architects storefront office near Wonderbar.

SILICA STUDIO
428 Main St.
Silica Studio is a very new and very interactive type of business in Beacon. Take a Pottery Class and learn to make your own piece on the wheel or hand build it yourself with instruction by a skilled potter. Great for date nights or family/friend bonding! Also discover some beautifully unique works of art by local artisans in the front of house mini gallery! Silica Studio is a place to access creativity and fun for all!!
TIP: Can’t wait to try this.

HUNCA MUNCAS
145 Main St.
For lovers of nature, craft, magic and play. Handmade, sustainable & ethically manufactured gifts for children and the home.
TIP: If you were looking for cloth rabbit dolls and looks of a very sweet nature, this is your spot.

Beacon Gets A Forever "Thank You Veterans" Mural on Dutchess County DMV Building From Libby

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Beaconites and visitors now have a daily reminder to thank and be kind to a veteran of any age and means with the completion of a new mural on Dutchess County’s DMV Building toward the west end of town. That building is where the Beacon Farmers Market now lives - in the DMV parking lot.

The mural was conceptualized by Joe Schuka of Libby Funeral & Cremation Services, based in Beacon. When asked what inspired him to pursue the mural, Joe remarked on a deep sense of patriotism. “This is another way of showing our appreciation to the veterans.” Libby commissioned the muralist Sabrina Crowley, an artist based in White Plains, that Libby had worked with before at their sister location in White Plains.

As for design direction, Joe gave Sabrina an initial image, and “she made it her own,” Joe told A Little Beacon Blog. “Sabrina saw what I gave her, and added the silhouette of the soldier and other elements.” Permission to paint onto the building had to come from Dutchess County, who was very receptive to the idea, Joe said. “Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro was completely in favor of it.”

During the Veterans of Foreign Wars Pvt William B. Wilson Post 666 ceremony honoring veterans today, VFW Commander Harold Delamater made reference to the new mural.

Beacon Restaurants Open On Mondays

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Bank Square
129 Main St.
Your friendly place on the West End Main Street for a latte, craft beer, or Mast Brothers Hot Chocolate. Also have snacks like yogurt, granola bars, and homemade donuts when they are making them.

Open Monday - Friday 6am - 9pm
Saturday from 7am - 10pm
Sunday from 7am - 9pm

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Tito Santana Taqueria
142 Main St.
(845) 765-­2350
Tito Santana Taqueria is a California-style Mexican fare with really fresh food you'd expect to find in a taqueria! From guacamole to fish tacos to cheesy quesadillas. They also serve beer and cans of wine! Stop in! The taco etiquette: Always order more than you can eat.
PS: Inspired Vegan & Gluten-Free options make Tito Santana Taqueria the place to be!

Open daily from 11am - 9pm (Closed on Wednesdays)

Artisan Wine Shop
180 Main St.
Beacon's most delightful wine shop specializes in pairing wine with food.

Open Monday - Saturday 10pm - 8pm & Sunday 12 - 6pm.

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Meyer's Olde Dutch
184 Main St.
(845) 440-6900
This burger joint bought and replaced Poppy's and you can get the scoop! Look for Dirty Fries, creative cocktails, chicken sandwiches, and more.

Open Sunday thru Thursday for Food 11:30 am until 9 pm; bar until 10 pm; Friday and Saturday Food 11:30 am until 11:00 pm; bar until midnight.

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Beacon Bread Company
193 Main St.
(845) 838­-2867
You'll find not just their delicious, fresh baked bread, but you can stop in for warm french onion soup, grilled cheeses and other sandwiches, cheese danishes, brownies. Vegan options are available!

Open Monday-Friday 8am - 5pm (Closed Wednesdays)

BJ's Soul Food Restaurant
213 Main St.
Beacon's stop for soul food including fried chicken, ribs, oxtail, and mac and cheese that rivals Stouffers. Enjoy a generous slice of a homemade three-layer frosted cake. Serves beer.

Open daily 7:30am - 9pm & Sundays 7:30am - 7pm

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Homespun Foods
232 Main St.
(845) 831­-5096
Delicious spot for breakfast, lunch or sweet snacks (like carrot cake or chocolate mousse). Be sure to ask about their deep dish french toast with real maple syrup, which had formerly was only baked on the weekend, but now may be served daily in Homespun's new morning hours for breakfast, starting at 8am. Also serves oatmeal, yogurt, quiche, sandwiches, cheeses and beer.

Open Monday from 10am - 4pm & Thursday-Sunday 10am - 7pm
Closed on Tuesday & Wednesday.

Isamu Sushi
240 Main St.
Beacon's most modern and hip-looking sushi restaurant with a waterfall wall that kids love. Seats large party. Serves wine and beer.

Open daily 11am - 10pm & Sundays 12pm - 10pm

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Ziatun
244 Main Street
(845) 765-8268
Authentic Palestinian-Arabic-Middle Eastern food that serves vegan & vegetarian options as well as traditional meat dishes that include lamb and beef. Local blogger at Beacon Bits was quite taken with the flavors you'll find there, including mint, sumac, toasted pita, and more. After being open for 6 weeks, Ziatun (pronounced Zay-toon) made it to a Top 10 List at The Culture Trip. It is one of the restaurants from Kamel Jamal (you know him from Tito's, Beacon Bread Company, and W.T.F Beacon), and the child of Palestinian immigrants, born in a refugee camp in Jordan, you are sure to taste his passion for the Palestinian home-cooking and enjoy your dining experience.

Monday + Thursday-Saturday 11 am - 9pm
Tuesday + Wednesday 11 am-4pm
Sunday 11am - 8pm

Max's On Main
246 Main St.
Enjoy Max's for lunch and dinner! A favorite around these parts is their crab meat cakes when they are available as a special. A dependable staple is their potato skins, which are a rare appetizer in these parts. And we know this because we are potato skin aficionados.

Open Monday-Thursday 12pm - 10pm
Friday & Saturday 12pm - 11pm
Sunday 12pm - 9pm

Fu Xing Chinese Restaurant
250 Main St.

Open Sunday 12pm - 10pm
Monday-Thursday 11am - 10:30pm
Friday-Saturday 11am- 11am

Scarborough Fare
257 Main St.
While not a restaurant, Scarborough Fare sells the olive oil, vinegar, pickles, pasta and sauces you need to make your own meals.

Open Monday, Wednesday - Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

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Hudson Valley Food Hall
Eateries Inside: Mizz Hattie’s BBQ, Momo Valley, Shmuck’s Sweet Stuff, The Roosevelt Bar, El Nica, Barb’s Fry Works
288 Main St
The Hudson Valley Food Hall & Market showcases a variety of cuisines and local chefs from the Hudson Valley. In addition to food vendors, the hall houses The Roosevelt Bar, with a cocktail program showcasing local spirits from the Hudson Valley.

Open daily from 12pm - 9pm except Tuesdays

Happy Valley
296 Main St.

Open Monday - Thursday 12pm - 12am
Friday & Saturday 12pm - 1am
Sunday from 12pm - 11pm

The Studio @ Beacon
301 Main St
In addition to being a Spin/Boxing studio, they have a refreshing Smoothie Bar with an amazing selection of smoothies which will refresh and energize you. You can call in advance and place your order! See their menu.

Monday 5:30am–8:30pm
Tuesday 5:30am–11am, 5pm–8:30pm
Wednesday 9am–11am, 5pm–8pm
Thursday 6am–11am, 5pm–8pm
Friday 9am–1:30pm
Saturday 8am–12:30pm
Sunday 8am–1pm

Glazed Over Donuts
315 Main St.
The sundae of donuts, the aroma of this donut shop, located in the navy blue building on Main Street near the Howland Public Library, can be smelled from blocks away, even into the residential area behind Rite Aid.

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday 10am – 5pm
Friday & Saturday from 10am - 6pm
Closed Tuesday

Roma Nova
6 Eliza Street (on a side street off Main Street)
This little pizza/taco combo is a favorite for some. It may be quick place to swing by and pick up a taco while you're out.

Open Monday - Thursday 11am - 8pm
Fridays 11am - 9pm
Saturday 12pm - 8pm
Closed on Sunday

Beacon Natural Market
348 Main St.
The Deli Menu at Beacon Natural Market is an easy, tasty and healthy source for a work lunch or early dinner. A new menu is posted each week at their website, and you'll find creative dishes to select from, including Red Curry Chicken Soup, Mixed Green Salad with Golden Raisins and Walnuts, as well as Smoked Salmon Hash or a vegan Seitan Sausage & Peppers main dish.

Open Monday - Saturday from 10am - 6pm & Sunday from 10am - 5pm

Beacon Pantry Cafe & Market
382 Main St.
Beacon Pantry is a specialty market for meats, cheeses, fish, crackers, jams, honey, granola, ice cream, and so much more. Known for carrying French and Italian delectables.

The Market is open Monday - Sunday from 10am - 6pm
The cafe is open Saturday & Sunday from 10am - 4pm and Monday - Friday from 11am - 4pm

Big Mouth Coffee Roasters
387 Main St.

Open Monday - Friday from 7am - 6pm
Saturday 8am - 7pm
Sunday 8am - 5pm

Draught Industries
394 Main St.
Draught's motto will give you an indication of what's it's like inside this little hallway of a bier garden in the middle of Main Street, and why it could be top of your list for beer: "Some people collect art. We drink it. 20 rotating Draughts & 2 rotating Beer Engines."

Open Monday 2pm - 10pm
Tuesday - Thursday 12pm - 10pm
Friday & Saturday from 12pm - 12am
Sunday 12pm - 10pm

Yankee Clipper Diner
397 Main St.
If you need broad food selections from veggies to meat to seafood, Yankee Clipper is a Beacon staple that will seat you comfortably for any meal. If you've seen the movie "Nobody's Fool" with Paul Newman, you'll recognize Yankee Clipper in a scene. Find a huge menu that includes Italian, Southwestern, and enjoy a few dishes with a Greek flare such as a gyro or chicken slouvaki. Serves beer and wine.

Open daily from 7am - 10pm

The Beacon Daily
29 Teller Ave.
Bringing you Fine Food, Craft Beer, Coffee, and Pie! Open daily and serving breakfast all day, their Brekkie sandwiches with home made English Muffins are a huge hit! Fast becoming a local and visitor favorite.

Open Monday - Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday - Sunday 8am - 6pm

Kitchen & Coffee
418 Main St.
A beautiful cafe and eatery serving baked goods, salads and soups that are all gluten free and really good.

Open daily from 7am - 7pm

Carters Restaurant & Lounge
424 Main St.
A high-end yet very comfortable restaurant in one of Beacon's most historic buildings, with a menu that changes with the seasons.

Open Monday - Saturday from 11am - 12pm
Sunday from 11am - 8pm

Brother's Trattoria
465 Main St.
Find pizza here of course, but also many more entrees of fish, steak and chicken. A favorite pizza is "Grandma's", a Sicilian style garlic cheese pizza with fresh tomato. Also ask about their gluten free pizza.

Open daily from 11am - 10pm

The Bagel Shoppe
466 Main Street
The Bagel Shoppe has been offering the best bagels in the area from their Fishkill location since 1998. Now serving breakfast and lunch, Beaconites now have a location closer to home!

Open Monday - Wednesday from 6am - 3pm
Thursday - Sunday from 6am - 4pm

Beacon Falls Cafe
472 Main St.
This American Bistro restaurant has a cozy and comfortable atmosphere with its quaint, old mountain town decor and super friendly staff. They offer plenty of delicious comfort food and beer options for diners.

Open Monday & Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 8pm
Friday 10am - 9pm
Saturday 9am - 9pm
Sunday 9am - 4pm
Closed Wednesday

The Chocolate Studio
494 Main St.
The Chocolate Studio (formerly Gourmetibles) is perfectly suited for birthday parties for kids of all ages. They make their delicious treats in their own kitchen, including custom cakes, made to order. The aroma may hook you in for the night. They also make our own Cake Pops, French Macarons, chocolate covered Bacon, chocolate covered pretzels and lots more.

Open Monday - Saturday 10am - 6pm (except Tuesdays - closed)
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Vegetalien
504 Main St.

Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 10am - 5pm
Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 10am - 6pm
Closed on Tuesday

Sukhothai
516 Main St.
Sukhothai creates traditional Thai dishes, such as Pad Thai and Som Tam. They offer to spice each entree is to your taste, available in 1–5 in degrees of hotness.

Open Sunday - Thursday 1130am - 930 pm
Friday & Saturday 1130am - 1030pm

Melzingah Tap House
554 Main St.
From the owners of The Barking Frog and the Public House, Kevin and Dana Collins, this revival of an old restaurant location is a welcome addition to the East End of town near the mountain. Stop in and look for a special fish and chips.

Open Monday - Thursday 12pm - 11pm
Friday 12pm - 12am
Saturday 12pm-3pm & 4pm-11pm
Sundays 11am-3pm & 4pm-1-pm

Trax Coffee Roasters
1 East Main Street

Open daily from 7am - 7pm.

Barb's Butchery
69 Spring St.
Local butcher trained with some of the best in the Hudson Valley, and works with farms within a 200 mile radius of the shop, ensuring that you get local meat every time. You'll not only get cuts of meat, but ask for any special home-stuffed sausages or braises they have put together that day. Barb's Butchery is known for their weekly lunch specials which can include Thick Slab Bacon BLT with Garlic Aioli or Fried Chicken and Waffles, so stay hooked on their Facebook page for updates.

Open 8am-6pm daily.

Barking Frog
435 Fishkill Avenue
Awesome Pub & Restaurant located in historic Beacon, NY. Stop in and enjoy our full bar, fantastic food, and friendly pub staff!

Open daily from 12pm - 11pm

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Eat Church Food Truck
511 Fishkill Avenue
Eat Church is food as punk as truck. Eat Church is a celebration of community. Let us commune to give thanks and praises for the bounty of the Hudson Valley. Rock. Roll. Eat. Amen. They are a food truck that operates with the mission that community is built through the interaction of eating and drinking with one another. They provide multiple opportunities for these experiences through rotating menus or "revues" in which they will visit varying ideas about food and how we all come together to eat it.

Available daily at Marbled Meat Shop grab-n-go fridge!

The New Pub Food At Two Way Brewing Co. From The Flying Jib Is Melty Dreamy

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Editor’s Note: We heard rumors of the new food partnership between Two Way Brewing Co. and The Flying Jib in the summer of 2021 - that great pub food had arrived to the local brewery near the train station with a patio near you. When Two Way Brewing Co. came on as a sponsor of ALBB’s Restaurant Guide, that of course pushed us over the edge to send in long-time readers Matt McKimmey and Brianne McDowell to enjoy a sampling on a date night, and write about it. Matt wrote up the report, with Brianne on photos.

Some background: Matt and Brianne are both foodies who live in Beacon, hailing from the service and hospitality industries. During the pandemic-induced shutdown, both were hunkered down in Beacon with their young and extended family. Matt worked as a favorite bartender at Minetta Tavern, an iconic old school New York City West Village haunt. We say “worked” because he was out of the game for a while during the shutdown. Only recently, he just returned to tend bar again. While his train commuting hours are brutal, his regulars at Minetta Tavern are thrilled to have him back. For the record, as people stereotype NYC employees living in Beacon, both Matt and Brianne have cars in Beacon as being car-less, even though Matt commutes by train. Brianne used to commute by train, and recently found a job in Beacon to replace her demanding hotel job.

By Matt McKimmey

Attention Beaconites and foodies everywhere! Two Way Brewery Co. has yet again expanded on their very cool experience to include an awesome food menu. The Flying Jib at Two Way is not to be missed. Chef Trace Martinez really isn’t messing around featuring a delicious spin on Snacks, Sandwiches, and Wings.

We were definitely in the mood for wings but that didn’t stop us from starting with the Korean Fried Broccoli and Patatas Bravas, AMAZING! I was ready for another pint of the Work A Day IPA, sessionable and straight delicious.

A departure from my norm, I usually just get the flight because all of Two Way’s beers are awesome and it’s hard to choose just one.

We picked up our wings from the kitchen’s window, an informal aspect of Two Way that I really like, straight from the chef to your table. Just head back towards the game room when your beeper goes off (I miss the 90’s).

I made the right choice with the “You’re a Jerk” style wings. Caribbean flavors explode with a scotch-bonnet jerk seasoning topped with a tamarind sweet chutney. It was the kind of delicious, sloppy wing experience that just slaps a huge, saucy smile on your face. Wet Naps are provided, a pro move considering you’ll want to get your hands dirty with this incredible selection of wings.

We couldn’t stop there.

The “Los Diablos” style ARE. INCREDIBLE. Like a spicy wing challenge for those brave souls that crave the heat, ghost pepper and Carolina reaper bring you right to the edge and you will LOVE it. Honestly, these were the best, super spicy wings I’ve had in years and I will be back to try all the other flavors (edit: I came back 2 days later and ordered the Los Diablos AGAIN, to go).

Hold on we had sandwiches too!

Editor’s Note: This is where the article ends. We pursued Brianne for more details on the sandwiches: “I remember lots of cheese and it was delicious. There was cheese fig and arugula, and the Patatas Bravas and Broccoli were FIRE. I’m going to stop typing and order them now.”

Follow Two Way Brewing Co. and Flying Jib on Instagram for more food photos and event dates for live music and game nights.

Main Street Not Getting Paved Despite Early Pulling Of Parklets From Restaurants

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Last year in the Fall, diners at restaurants were eating in the newfangled “parklets,” which were the borders of bright orange Jersey barriers outside of restaurants. These barriers created a safe-ish space for people to eat outside of restaurants in parking spaces, thereby adding seating to a restaurant and an opportunity for restaurants to earn more money during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is a virus passed primarily through the air, making outside spaces the safest. Last year, restaurants were getting crafty with what kind of heating units they were going to provide their patrons.

This year, Beacon’s City Administrator Chris White pulled the parklets in late September, citing scheduled milling and paving that was to be done on Main Street. Indeed, Beacon has been investing in infrastructure such as paved roads and seeking grants for new sidewalks for a number of years. Restaurant owners were already fearful of when the parklets were going to disappear, while some members of the community were bothered by the parklets for beauty reasons, and fear of car accidents, due to Beacon’s increasing reputation for speeding down Main Street, and any street around town.

Announced at the 11/1/2021 City Council Meeting, Main Street will indeed not get paved this year after all. City Administrator Chris stated: “The planned milling and paving of Main Street has been moved to next Spring. Because of all of the rain we have had recently, the contractors who are lined up to do the the milling and paving can't give us dates until late November, and then we run into the problem of getting into cold weather, in which the new striping won't set. Rather than rush it and not have the best job done, we will do April or early May.”

While the City Administrator said that the bump out project will be completed at South Avenue and Wolcott, it seems as though new cross-walk painting will not happen for the new location of bump-outs, which are the new side-walk extensions presumably for more accessible wheelchair use and pedestrian crossing. Currently, some of the new bump-out extensions do not match up with old cross-walks.

Some side-streets, such as South Chestnut Street, have been newly paved, with new bump-outs added. Several new bright yellow cross-walk signs have been added along Main Street as well, aiding in visual signals drivers get when zooming down the road.

The Time Has Come To Replace The Clutter In Your Home; ALBB Has Some Suggestions

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Got a clutter problem? Replace clutter with beautiful dried bouquets from Flora Good Times! Once your fresh bouquet runs out, pick the flowers that dry the best. Put those in a vase from Hudson Beach Glass or Raven Rose and place on desired clutter spot.

Challenge: you *must* file away the clutter items, and replace the fire alarm that is sitting there instead of in its protective spot in the kitchen. And lay more adhesive sandpaper for the mail person on the front porch steps so they don’t slip in the rain or otherwise (find at Bretts Hardware)

Find more vases and flower destination boutiques in A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide!

Quinn's Returns To Live Music - Schedule Set For Saturdays and Monday Jazz Sessions (with a sprinkling of "Joe" Sessions)

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Quinn’s opened under new ownership 8 years ago, keeping the decor and much-loved vibe of the diner-like eatery, but changed the focus to be a destination for jazz music and live performances. The menu also changed to offer renowned Japanese homestyle cuisine, a case of craft beers, sakes, whiskies and much more. When the pandemic shut them down, the music scene stopped as well, starving musicians from the live audience they crave.

Until now….Starting on Saturday, September 11th, Quinn’s is turning on the lights and setting up the stage for an fully stocked musical lineup on Saturdays and Mondays Jazz Sessions, with a sprinkling of performances on those days by people named Joe. Quinn’s is dubbing that “Joevember”

Kicking it off on Saturday, September 11th at 9am will be Beacon punk band Ate Bit, featuring the long-running Hudson Valley band Social Standards opening. The following Monday, September 13th at 8:30pm, the first Monday Jazz Session will be alto saxophonist Mike Dopazo, leading a trio featuring Adam Coté on bass, and Dave Berger on drums.

Quinn’s Is A Destination In The Jazz World & Other Genres

Quinn’s is one of the premier live music venues in the Hudson Valley. Beaconites may not realize what jazz gem is located behind that iconic brown brick wall decorated with pictures of Ramen dishes. To help you realize, we went to one of the - if not the - top jazz critic in the country - Nate Chinen. Nate is a former Beaconite who left this place for Philadelphia in order to have better commute to his radio job as Director of Editorial Content for WBGO 88.3FM, as well as a bigger yard for his family and pandemic dog.

To give you a background on Nate, so that his quote has context: Nate was a music critic for The New York Times for 12 years, and helmed a long-running column for JazzTimes. In addition to his editorial work for WBGO, Nate works with the multiplatform program Jazz Night in America and contributes a range of coverage to NPR Music. He is author of Playing Changes: Jazz For the New Century (buy it at Binnacle Books in Beacon! they can order any book for you), published in hardcover by Pantheon in 2018, and in paperback by Vintage in 2019. Hailed as one of the Best Books of the Year by NPR, GQ, Billboard, and JazzTimes, it's a chronicle of jazz in our time, and an argument for the music's continuing relevance. It has also been published internationally, in Italian and Spanish editions.

Nate is coauthor of Myself Among Others: A Life in Music, the 2003 autobiography of festival impresario and producer George Wein, which earned the JJA’s award for Best Book About Jazz.

And while we're gushing, Nate is a 13-time winner of the Helen Dance–Robert Palmer Award for Excellence in Writing, presented by the Jazz Journalists Association, as well as a co-host for the podcast Jazz United for WBGO. Here’s what he had to say to ALBB about Quinn’s reopening for live music:

 

“I moved to Beacon from the West Village in 2009, and assumed that my days of walking down the street to a world-class jazz gig were over. I got here just in time to catch the tail end of Quinn’s as a diner (great blueberry pancakes!) — and then, after a dormant period, it reopened as a music venue. To my great and pleasant surprise, it became a go-to stop for improvised music, often featuring the very same artists I would see in the city, like Mary Halvorson, Matt Wilson and Joe McPhee.

“Beyond the extraordinary quality of the booking, Quinn’s is remarkable for its atmosphere — what’s probably best described as a “vibe.” The no-cover policy means that anyone can enjoy the music, and it creates a festive feeling in the room. If every American city the size of Beacon had a room like this, you wouldn’t hear so much about the plight of jazz in our culture. I wish the best to the club as it reopens, and look forward to my next hang there.”

 

Other artists who have performed at Quinn’s include: “Wilco guitarist Nels Cline to Japanese pop-punk icons Shonen Knife; from the Malian Tuareg rockers Mdou Moctar to Czech avant-garde violinist/vocalist Iva Bittová; from psychedelic free guitar freak Eugene Chadbourne to MacArthur ‘genius’ grantee Mary Halvorson; from Captain Beefheart/Jeff Buckley guitarist Gary Lucas to Downtown jazz legend William Parker; from otherworldly power trio Sun of Goldfinger (Tim Berne/David Torn/Ches Smith) to the Colossus of Poughkeepsie himself, multi-instrumentalist Joe McPhee, among many other outstanding artists. Mike Faloon's celebrated book The Other Night at Quinn's details many of these unforgettable performances.”

COVID-19 Cautions: Quinn’s Is Monitoring

While we are in Year 2 of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and some people vaccinated, restaurants are trying to avoid shutdowns, and their customers are just as eager to have the option to continue to dine and dance inside. They state in their press release: “Please note: we are closely monitoring the ongoing COVID Pandemic and, based on guidance from the CDC and state health authorities, may be forced to revise our schedule without notice.”

Keep up with their changes and announcements, as well as food features at Instagram and Facebook.

The Musical Lineup

Quinn's is located at 330 Main St. in Beacon, NY and its phone number is (845) 202-7447. All listed concerts are no cover, but donations for the artists are requested and greatly appreciated. Bring cash, as the artists walk around to collect from everyone in attendance.

As of today, Quinn’s schedule is as follows:

SATURDAY CONCERTS:
9/11: Ate Bit/Social Standards
9/25: Knock Yourself Out — final KYO performance (!!!)
10/2: 100 and Zero/Wall of Ego
11/13: KYO Surfers — Butthole Surfers tribute w/ former Knock Yourself Out members + special guests

MONDAY JAZZ SESSIONS:
9/13: Mike Dopazo Trio — w/ Adam Coté and Dave Berger
9/20: Eric Person's Music of Ronald Shannon Jackson Project — w/ Neil Alexander, Robert Kopec + Dean Sharp
10/4: Two Sisters, Inc. — w/ Claire Daly, Dave Sewelson, Dave Hofstra + Michael Sarin
10/18: Pete Levin Trio — w/ Mike DiMicco + Jeff "Siege" Siegel (the last musicians to play Quinn's in March 2020!)
10/25: Adam Lane Trio — w/ Nick Lyons and Vijay Anderson
12/6: Matt Pavolka Band w/ Ben Monder, Santiago Leibson + Allan Mednard
12/13: Ted Daniel's International Brass + Membrane Corps — w/ Charles Burnham, Joe Daley and Newman Taylor Baker
12/20: Karl Berger Group

JOEVEMBER!!!
All Mondays in November to be led by musicians named Joe, including:
11/1: Joe McPhee 82nd Birthday Celebration
11/8: Joe Giardullo
11/15: Joe Daley Exploratory Project
11/22: Joe Fiedler's Open Sesame — w/ Jeff Lederer, Sean Conly + Michael Sarin
11/29: Joe Hertenstein

Other Live Music Venues In Beacon

Other established eateries have turned on the microphones as well. Towne Crier Cafe has reopened their famous stage for live music, and on the other side of town, the stage is also lit at Dogwood. Open Mic Nights are abound, including on the back patio of Beacon Bread Company.

9 Properties Object To City's Proposed Historic Designation - Mayor Lee Kyriacou Proceeding Anyway - Read Their Letters/Reasoning Here

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After the construction of 344 Main Street a few years ago, several development issues came to light that the people of Beacon objected to. This project triggered a massive undertaking of refining the City’s zoning codes to simplify or tighten regulation. During that time, then Mayor Randy Casale and then Councilmember Lee Kyriacou would walk around the city identifying commercial buildings and residential houses that they felt should be deemed historic, thereby being given these properties protection, design requirements, and overarching regulation on neighboring non-historic buildings, should the owner of a non-historic building want to build something that would have - in the eyes of City Council or Zoning/Planning Board Members - negative impact on the neighboring historic property.

In the chess game that is City Planning, historic buildings can be used to block proposed building projects, like this one here at 475 Main Street next door to the Howland Cultural Center years ago. Now that Mayor Lee Kyriacou has become mayor, defeating Randy in the last election, Mayor Lee moved forward with proposing building designations for 35 buildings and houses, and first presented them in March 2020. Several homeowners and commercial building owners came to a public meeting to object, and the topic was put on pause. Then the pandemic hit.

The subject was raised again in 2021, this time with a reduced number of 18 commercial buildings, which were brought to the public for a formal and required Public Hearing. Building owners could speak their objection and write letters of opposition. Despite receiving 9 objections from building owners - half of the first round of building owners - Mayor Lee Kyriacou wants to move forward with the vote to ignore their objection. In order to do that, he needs a “supermajority” vote from the City Council, to override the building owner’s objection.

If that happens, and if the building owner decides to challenge the city legally, Mayor Kyriacou at the last City Council meeting agreed with City Administrator Chris White that the City of Beacon needs to be sure it has “iron clad” reasons for how it is proceeding with forcing a building to have historic designation despite an owner’s objection, should a building owner take legal action to challenge.

Said City Administrator Chris White: “In light of the opposition of the 9 owners, Drew (one of the City’s attorneys from Keane and Beane) and I talked about that we laid out a compelling case, because if one of them were to challenge, then we want to make sure.” Chris continued to say that he asked Beacon’s City Planner to “take a second look” at the compelling reasons.

Said Mayor Kyriacou after City Council members gave their feedback to the presented reasons for historic designation for each building: “I'm very appreciative of everyone's comments” He voiced concern for preserving Beacon’s history. “I like the comment, Chris, about being iron clad about how we are doing this.”

The letters of opposition from the building owners has been published below.

Correspondence from 8 (of the 9) Owners of Properties Nominated for Designation in the Historic District Landmark Overlay Zone

On May 14, 2021 the City of Beacon sent 18 certified letters to the owners of properties nominated for historic designation in the Main Street corridor. The letters informed property owners of the proposed nomination, invited them to speak at a Public Hearing on June 7, 2021, and welcomed them to reach out to the City with any comments and questions beforehand. A sample letter to property owners can be found on page 2 of the City’s document.

Nine property owners responded with their objections to the City. The building owners of Max’s On Main, at 246 Main Street, despite their letter not being included below. Owner Richie Kaplan called in during the 6/7/2021 meeting to verbalize his opposition and state that he sent in a letter of opposition. In response, City Administrator Chris White noted the letter and said it was part of public record.

All letters of opposition (except 246 Main Street, Max’s On Main) can be found starting on page 5 of this document. For the ease of reading, they have been republished below with pictures of the building for quick reference.

Sample Letter Sent To Targeted Building Owners

May 13, 2021

VIA CERTIFIED MAIL

[Property Owner's Mailing Address]

Re: Notice of Public Hearing
Property Proposed for Historic Landmark Designation- City of Beacon

Dear [Property Owner]:

The City of Beacon is considering designating multiple properties along Main Street in Beacon as historical landmarks to be included in the City’s Historic District and Landmark Overlay Zone (“HDLO”) and has proposed including your property located at 246 Main Street. A copy of the historic resource inventory form describing your property is attached. A remote public hearing to discuss the proposed designations is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on June 7, 2021, which you can participate in through the following link: https://bit.ly/2Qc4Yhd

You are invited to attend to present any comments or information you would like considered by the City Council or submit them prior to the public hearing to publichearing@beaconny.gov or by mail to HDLO Public Hearing, City of Beacon, 1 Municipal Plaza, Beacon, NY 12508. Any objection to the proposed designation must be submitted in writing prior to the public hearing.

Designation of Historic Landmarks

On June 7, 2021, the City Council will hold a public hearing to receive comments on its proposal to designate your property as a historic landmark pursuant to Section 134-4 of the Code of the City of Beacon (the “City Code”). The City Council, property owners and any interested parties may present comments or documentation at the public hearing which will become part of a record regarding the historic, architectural, or cultural importance of the proposed landmark.

In determining whether to designate a new historic landmark, the City Council shall consider any comments or information presented prior to and during the public hearing to determine whether the proposed landmark meets one or more of the following criteria:

  1. Has distinguishing architectural characteristics of a period, style, method of construction, indigenous materials or craftsmanship;

  2. Has special character or historic or aesthetic interest or value as part of the cultural, political, economic, or social history of the community;

  3. Is eligible for inclusion on the State or National Registers of Historic Places.

The City Council is required to make a decision within 60 days of the conclusion of the hearing. A super majority vote of five (5) Council members is necessary to designate a new historic landmark if the property owner objects to such designation.

Benefits of Historic Designation

Landmark designation results in an honorary status for a historic building, imposes certain measures of protection on the building to prevent incompatible development, and offers other benefits for the property. For example, additional uses are permitted by special permit from the Planning Board in the HDLO pursuant to Section 223-24.7 of the City Code (primarily beneficial in residential districts). Such uses include (a) specialized business uses of low traffic volume, normally associated with history, the arts or cultural uses, appropriate to the structure and compatible with the neighborhood, and (b) residential, hotel or professional uses, provided they are appropriate to the structure, compatible with the neighborhood and are located on a street that can accommodate increased traffic as determined by the City Council.

In accordance with New York State Real Property Tax Law Section 444-a and Section 199-10 of the City Code, if you alter your property to restore or rehabilitate a historical feature, and the project results in an increase in assessed property value, you may be entitled to a phased tax exemption from the portion of your property taxes attributed to the increased assessment.

In certain instances, you may also be eligible for historic preservation grants, such as the Johanna Favrot Fund for Historic Preservation, the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund for Historic Interiors, or the New York State Environmental Protection Fund.

Certificate of Appropriateness

If your property is a designated historic landmark, applications for a building permit involving alteration, construction, or demolition of an exterior identified historical feature that is visible from a public street, public sidewalk or public park on a designated historic landmark or property shall require certificate of appropriateness approval from the Planning Board. In reviewing an HDLO application and plans, the Planning Board shall consider the factors outlined in Section 134-6.C of the City Code. The certificate of appropriateness required under Chapter 134 of the City Code is in addition to, and not in lieu of, any building permit. Additionally, any sign application involving an HDLO parcel requires review by the Planning Board, not the Building Inspector.

An applicant whose certificate of appropriateness has been denied may apply to the Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) for a certificate of economic hardship to obtain relief from the requirements of Chapter 134 of the City Code. In order to obtain a certificate of economic hardship, the applicant must demonstrate the existence of economic hardship by establishing:

  1. The property is incapable of earning a reasonable return, regardless of whether that return represents the most profitable return possible; and

  2. The property cannot be adapted for any other use, whether by the current owner or by a purchaser, which would result in a reasonable return; and

  3. Efforts to find a purchaser to acquire and preserve the property have failed.

The ZBA will take into consideration the economic feasibility of alternatives to removal, alteration or demolition of a landmark or portion thereof, and balance the public interest in preserving the historic landmark, or portion thereof, and the interest of the owner in removing, altering or demolishing the landmark or portion thereof. An applicant will not be charged an application fee, professional review fees, or fees to prepare and publish any public notice incurred in connection with the certificate of appropriateness or economic hardship application, except for any fees associated with another land use application concerning the historic property.

Central Main Street Design Standards

All currently nominated properties are located in the Central Main Street (“CMS”) District, which already requires site plan review by the Planning Board for significant exterior building changes. When considering any application in the CMS District, a site development plan application, or special permit, pertaining to a designated historic property, the City Council or Planning Board shall also consider the standards set forth in Section 134-7 of the City Code. Such standards are similar to the general design standards in the CMS District and include:

  1. The design, character, and appropriateness to the property of the proposed alteration or new construction.

  2. The scale and height of the proposed alteration or new construction in relation to the property itself, surrounding properties, and the neighborhood.

  3. Architectural and site elements and their relation to similar features of other properties in the HDLO.

The design standards in the CMS and Historic Preservation articles are intended to protect designated historic buildings from incompatible development on adjacent parcels. For proposed buildings on CMS parcels in the HDLO, abutting an HDLO parcel, or having a property line frontage directly across the street from an HDLO parcel, any fourth-story or corner tower shall require a special permit from the City Council, not the Planning Board. Furthermore, the Planning Board may, at its discretion, reduce certain on-site parking requirements for projects located in the CMS district that involve a designated historic property (see City Code § 223-41.18 G(3)). The Planning Board may also waive setback requirements for certain designated historic properties in the CMS district (see City Code § 223-41.18 J(15)).

We hope you will join us for the public hearing at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, June 7, 2021 and/or submit any comments you might have prior to the hearing. If you have any questions regarding this process, please do not hesitate to contact me at publichearing@beaconny.gov.

Sincerely,

Christopher White
City Administrator

Encl.

PROPERTY OWNERS OF 246 MAIN STREET

The property owners of 246 Main Street, the Kaplan brothers, submitted a letter of objection explaining why they did not want the designation, but it was not included on the City’s website.

During his first call to the Councilmembers on 2/3/2020, Richie Kaplan stated: “We have been here since 2006. In 2017 we had the opportuinty to purchase the building. And we did. Thought that would be advantagious to the value of our business. We've done it and we are happy that we did do it. At that time, we did not know anything about Histroic Overlay or District. Or that our building would be included in it. Since we've been here, we think we have been good citizens. Been active in the community if we could. We want to continue.” He stated that he could comply with whatever the process was, but he ultimately filed an objection.

Richie told A Little Beacon Blog: “After the pandemic and the burden it has been, it will be more difficult for us. We didn't realize what the historic nature was that the piece of wood on the top of the building carried. I don't think it's fair that a handful of people can decide what a private person can do. We'll do the best we can. It's hard to have your hands tied more than they already are.”

LETTER OF OBJECTION FROM PROPERTY OWNER OF PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION 1154 NORTH AVENUE

Mr. White,

As the owners of 1154 North Avenue, we object to the proposed designation of the property as an individual landmark or as a contributing element in the Main Street Landmark District.

We are fond of the building and are delighted the public can once again fully enjoy it (with art galleries on both floors). Converted for auto-related uses prior to WWI, it was open to commercial customers through much of the 20th C, then closed for 40 years and used for the storage of private cars. We intend to maintain the building in its current form, keep it open to the public, and construct a new building on the adjacent parcel (replacing the former site of the Eagle Hotel, demolished long ago). We hope this project can help restore a proper sense of arrival at the west end of Main Street. Landmark status for 1154 would substantially complicate matters and further delay or derail that effort, without achieving a corresponding public purpose.

In our view, the proposed designation is neither justified, nor necessary to maintain the integrity of the existing historic district covering the west portion of Main Street ... a goal which we cherish.

The three listed criteria of ‘distinguishing architectural characteristics’, ‘special .... value as part of the community ... ‘, and ‘eligible for inclusion on State or National Registers ...’ are loosely interpreted in the designation letter. 1154 North Avenue is a handsome 19th Century structure, but one much changed over the decades. The current ‘garage’ door is the latest in a series of door replacements, though that opening does date from the original 19th C construction. The ‘covered-over corner storefront’ reflectstwo major changes made in the 20th C: the first in mid-century when a large section of masonry was removed and new steel framing introduced to accommodate showroom windows when the commercial use changed from garage to car sales; and the second when those windows were blocked up and a passage door opened to allow secure storage of private cars for the building owner.

We respectfully request that 1154 North Avenue NOT be included as a landmark or contributing building in any expansion of the HDLO.

With thanks,

Jinny St. Goar Joe Donovan

......
Hudson Todd LLC 4 Cross Street Beacon, NY 12508

LETTER OF OBJECTION FROM PROPERTY OWNER OF PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION 4 CROSS STREET WHICH SITS WITHIN THE PARCEL AT 172 MAIN STREET

Mr. White,

As the owners of the buildings at 172 Main Street and 4 Cross Street, we object to the proposed designation of the 4 Cross Street building as an individual landmark and/or to its designation as a contributing element in the Main Street Landmark District.

The building at 172 Main Street (commercial, facing Main) is already included in the HDLO, as is the undeveloped section of land between 172 Main and 4 Cross. We have no concerns about that designation.

We are deeply concerned about the proposed designation of the 4 Cross Street building (residential, facing Cross, on the same tax parcel as 172), as our long-term plans for this area are still evolving, and such a designation could place major constraints on our ability to create a unified, functional and attractive structure at the corner of Cross and Main.

In our view, the proposed designation is neither justified, nor necessary to maintain the integrity of the existing historic district covering the west portion of Main Street ... a goal which we cherish. The three listed criteria of ‘distinguishing architectural characteristics’, ‘special .... value as part of the community ... ‘, and ‘eligible for inclusion on State or National Registers ...’ are loosely interpreted in the designation letter. 4 Cross Street is a utilitarian 20th Century structure, one example among hundreds of nearly identical structures located throughout Beacon and the mid-Hudson area.

If the same standards employed in evaluating 4 Cross were applied equitably, every building constructed before 1972 could be proposed for landmark status in Beacon. Singling this structure out for landmark status appears arbitrary and creates an undue hardship for us as owners.

We respectfully request that the 4 Cross Street building NOT be included as a landmark or contributing building in any expansion of the HDLO.

With thanks,

Jinny St. Goar Joe Donovan

......
Hudson Todd LLC 4 Cross Street Beacon, NY 12508

LETTER OF OBJECTION FROM PROPERTY OWNER OF PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION 250 MAIN STREET

To whom it may concern,

We do not wish for 250 Main Street, Beacon, NY 12508 to be designated for Historic Landmark.

Thank You, Fa Tuan Ni

LETTER OF OBJECTION FROM PROPERTY OWNER OF PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION 257-267 MAIN STREET

Mr. Christopher White City Administrator

Dear Sir,

I received your letter regarding our building located at 257-267 Main Street, Beacon and the City’s interest in re-designating our property as a ‘historic-property.’ I’d like to give a brief background if I may. Our company “26 East Main Street, LLC” purchased the property sometime around last August/September of 2020. We had been in contract to purchase for more than a year dating back to the summer of 2019! Once Covid hit, our closing was put off numerous times due to constant rescheduling of engineers, attorneys, banks, title companies, etc, all due to the pandemic. Then when we finally closed, almost 2/3 of the units were either with expired leases, unpaid rents, and/or vacancies as well as many other neglected items left unaddressed in/around the property for more than a year as a result of absentee-management. I am happy to report, that after an incredibly difficult, painful, costly, and challenging year, we are finally just starting to see some light at the end of this very long and dark tunnel, hoping for a better 2022.

We have been in property management and development for approximately 20 years. We purchased this property for (2) reasons; one- to manage as existing for a period, two- for the possibility to develop. There are (3) properties immediately neighboring us to the West on both street corners that have been completely built new, and a third currently under construction across the street and a few doors from the gas station. After removing former buildings, all of these brand new buildings are beautiful and greatly enhance and add value to Main Street. These owners rightfully enjoyed the freedom from restriction to develop their properties as we hoped and expected someday to have same, and feel otherwise would be greatly unjust.

We spent a significant amount of money investing in Beacon and this property. The justification for the large investment was solely based on the possibility to rebuild on our property as the aforementioned neighbors have. By adding this designation to our property, that opportunity seems greatly diminished, if at all.

After consulting with our attorneys, we have arrived at the conclusion that we are strongly against this proposal and do NOT want this designation/restriction/limitation placed on our property and further feel it will greatly devalue our investment, and doing so against our will (especially in light of all we just sent through the last (2) years) would just add further salt in our wound.

Please strongly consider NOT placing this unwanted designation on OUR property against our will, further causing financial damage and hardship to our already struggling investment.

Thank you for your time and consideration during these challenging times. Sincerely,

Vincent Satriano
26 East Main St, LLC

LETTER OF OBJECTION FROM PROPERTY OWNER OF PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION 274 MAIN STREET
RECEIVED BY CITY HALL ON JUNE 9, 2021

Good day,
We are property owners at 274 Main Street, Beacon, New York We would like to thank you for all efforts put forth to preserve the integrity of Beacon.
After much thought and participating in the public hearing on Monday, June 7, we would like to kindly decline the designation of our building.
As many changes have been made to our building over the years, it does not completely fit the criteria to designate it a Historic Landmark. Not to mention it would be extremely detrimental from a financial standpoint as well.
We hope you will not consider us as this time.
Thank you for your time.

Kindly,
Michael and Tina Pomarico 274 Main Street
Beacon, New York

LETTER OF OBJECTION FROM OWNER OF PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION 291 MAIN STREET

To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing to object the proposed landmark designations at 291 Main St, Beacon NY.

Sincerely,
Telephone Building Beacon LLC

LETTER OF OBJECTION FROM ATTORNEY OF PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION 372 MAIN STREET (SALVATION ARMY)

June 7, 2021

Mayor Lee Kyriacou
And Members of the City Council City of Beacon
1 Municipal Plaza
Beacon, New York 12508

Rebecca A. Valk, Esq.

rvalk@cuddyfeder.com

Re: Proposed Nomination – Salvation Army Property at 372 Main Street. Historic Properties Overlay Zone

Dear Mayor Kyriacou and Members of the City Council:

I am writing this letter on behalf of our client, The Salvation Army, owner of property at 372 Main Street, known as tax parcel number 6054-29-018818 (the “Property”). This letter shall serve as Salvation Army’s objection to the nomination of the Property for landmark status under the City’s Historic Preservation Law.

The nomination of this Property is inappropriate as the Property fails to meet either of the criteria relied upon in the Historic Resource Inventory Form dated April 2021 (the “Inventory Form”).

The Inventory Form sets forth the rationale for the City Council’s nomination of this Property for

landmark status. A property nominated must meet one or more of the following criteria:

134-4 Designation of landmarks and historic districts.

B. The City Council shall determine whether a proposed district or landmark meets one or more of the following criteria:

  1. (1)  Has distinguishing architectural characteristics of a period, style, method of construction, indigenous materials or craftsmanship;

  2. (2)  Has special character or historic or aesthetic interest or value as part of the cultural, political, economic or social history of the community;

  3. (3)  Is eligible for inclusion on the State or National Registers of Historic Places.

The Inventory Form for this Property relies upon portions of two of these criteria, alleging that the Property: (1) possesses distinguishing architectural characteristics of a period and style (subsection 1); and (2) has special historic and aesthetic value as part of the cultural history of the

City (subsection 2).

June 7, 2021 Page 2

As to the first criterion, the Inventory Form states “The building retains its original character. This religious structure is one of the more intact examples of its type, scale and period in the City.” This conclusory statement does not establish a legitimate basis for the designation of either the church building, which was concededly rebuilt in 1911, or of the building behind the church, which was admittedly constructed in 1961.

It is true that the church building has characteristics consistent with the period of its construction. However, that alone is insufficient to qualify for designation under the City’s code. To qualify the building must have “distinguishing architectural characteristics,” i.e., noteworthy, remarkable, odd, or unusual.1 The Inventory Form does not identify such features; rather, it lists features consistent with the period of construction and concedes that the church building is one intact example of this type of construction. The lack of noteworthy or remarkable features was cited in the 1979 Building Structure and Inventory Form for the Property (enclosed): “The church has a long history in Beacon, but architecturally, it is outclassed by other church buildings of its scale and period.” (emphasis added).

As to the second criterion relied upon, the Inventory Form makes a conclusory statement that the Property possesses “special historic and aesthetic value as part of the cultural history of the City.” Again, the Inventory Form lacks any discussion to support this conclusion. The inclusion of the Church in the HDLO based on the present documentation is unwarranted.

Additionally, there is no need to include the Church’s property in the HDLO at the present time. The Church plans to continue its mission work in the City of Beacon for the foreseeable future. If matters materially change at some point in the future, and the building were to ever cease to operate as a Church, the City always retains authority to reconsider a designation at that, more appropriate, time.

In conclusion, the Salvation Army objects to the nomination. The buildings at the Property are not appropriate for landmark designation. We note that a super-majority vote of five (5) Council members is now required to designate 372 Main Street a historic property because of this objection (Section 134-4G). We thank the Council for its consideration of these comments.

Very truly yours,

Rebecca A. Valk Enclosure
cc. Graeme Hepburn

William Null, Esq.

LETTER FROM OWNERS OF PROPERTY NOMINATED FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION 378 – 382 MAIN STREET

We are Ed Benavente and Betsy Swanson, the owners of 378-382 Main St. also known as the Carriage Works Building. Those that have witnessed the evolution of this building over the years may be familiar with the various uses and changes since it’s construction in the mid 1800’s as a carriage and sleigh manufacturer to the present day office building with a cafe and market. In the process of renovating this property we took extra care and expense to recognize the history represented by the structure. This was a challenging project given the generations of alterations already in place. This was done without guidelines or compliance regulations other than standard building and safety codes. We specifically chose a property without historical designation status to avoid that extra layer of bureaucracy that can hamper the efforts of micro-developers and individuals without deep pockets like ourselves. While we appreciate the city’s efforts to preserve the character and regulating growth and uncontrolled development, it should be noted that adding more layers to the process serves to discourage thoughtful, grass- roots development and leaves the door open for larger development companies that have legal teams to run roughshod over any regulations in place.

Since moving to Beacon in 2006, we have supported many causes and organizations in town, including the Beacon Historical Society. We believe that history is an integral part of any community’s identity. We also believe that history needs to support the present and pave the way for the future. After many discussions with City Council members and the Building Department - we have yet to hear of any definitive benefit to this designation beyond a possible, ‘maybe’, when it comes to tax relief or preservation grants. In our experience, such designations can have an adverse effect on resale or catastrophic replacement. No doubt, today’s council has the best of intentions but we are more concerned with the unintended consequences of piling on more laws, regulations and exceptions to those same laws and regulations that might be manipulated in the future and have the reverse effect if the original intention.

We respectfully decline to participate in the historical designation at this time and hope that the City Council will expedite the conclusion of this subject so that more time and attention can be applied to ongoing taxation and infrastructure needs.

Thank you,
Ed Benavente Betsy Swanson

Beacon Targets 18 Buildings To Be Designated Historic - Which Adds Zoning Controls - 9 Properties Object - Vote Is Tonight

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historic building proposed.png

Beacon’s City Council meets tonight (Tuesday, June 7, 2021) to vote on 15 of 18 buildings targeted by Mayor Lee Kyriacou back when he was a City Council member in then-Mayor Randy Casale’s administration. During public City Council meetings, they would talk about how they walked around the city, pointing at homes and buildings they thought should be designated historic. Some building owners seek out historic buildings for the tax benefits and access to grants they bring. Others avoid them for the visual restrictions and additional bureaucratic steps needed in seeking approvals for many changes. In Beacon, buildings with historic designations have additional business allowances regarding what kind of business can operate at that location.

That was during the height of the “anti-development” movement in Beacon, spurred in part by the completed 344 Main Street and other large development projects around Beacon. At that time, a regular caller into City Council meetings, Stosh Yankowski, would chant “No More Four” in reference to no more four-story buildings.

While Mayor Kyriacou is an advocate of preserving history, the protections and restrictions that a historic building receive can also impact neighboring buildings that are not historic, as explained here in the Highlands Current. Mayor Kyriacou feels so strongly about the historic designation, in fact, that during one public City Council meeting, he offered to make it easier for buildings with historic designation to build a fourth floor.

To show an example of when a non-historic building is impacted by its historic neighbor, take a look back to when the large and very old building at 475 Main Street wanted to build apartments onto the back of it. The Howland Cultural Center objected with support of the community, as they said that the new apartment build-out would block the light that the Howland’s architecture relies on for illuminating the inside of their building, which their building is famous for. The Howland Cultural Center is a historic building on the National Register.

“About 280 homes and structures are already in the district, which prevents them and neighboring buildings from being altered in a way that the city believes will harm their historic value,” according to the Highlands Current.

However, when building owners purchased these buildings, some did so with the intent that they were not of historic designation. As stated in an objection letter, building owner Vincent Satriano of 25 East Main Street expressed: “These owners rightfully enjoyed the freedom from restriction to develop their properties as we hoped and expected someday to have same, and feel otherwise would be greatly unjust.”

While Mayor Lee Kyriacou has stated during public meetings that conforming to historic restrictions isnot difficult, often citing his own restorations of his Victorian home on Wolcott and of the building at 554 Main Street, the building that currently houses Melzingah Tap House, he has offered to make it easier to follow the requirements by removing certain “triggers” that would require a change, as he stated during the 2/18/2020 Public Hearing. Mayor Kyriacou’s goal was to limit it to a major alteration of the exterior that is viewable by the public, for instance.

The interior of proposed historic buildings was also debated. One main objection from the attorney representing the Beacon Hebrew Alliance at 331 Verplanck Avenue was that the interior not be required to meet standards, despite being accessible by the public. Mayor Kyriacou said he would consider that. The Hebrew Alliance’s building at 331 Verplanck Avenue is not on this first round of voting.

What follows below are pictures of the proposed buildings, and descriptions of what the City says qualifies them as being historic, as prepared by Beacon’s City Planner, John Clark.

City Council meetings where these historic designations have been debated include: 11/25/19, 2/3/2020, 2/18/20, 4/12/2021, 4/26/2021, 6/7/2021, 6/14/2021, 6/21/2021 and 7/7/2021. Read the letters from 8 of the 9 objections here.

Photo Credit: City of Beacon’s City Planner, John Clark’s, presentation.

Photo Credit: City of Beacon’s City Planner, John Clark’s, presentation.

Historic District And Landmark Overlay Zone

  • 18 buildings nominated;

  • Includes properties in the Central Main Street District;

  • Proposed nominations are subject to the criteria in the Historic Preservation Chapter, Section 134-4 B Designation of landmarks or historic districts:

    • Distinguishing architectural characteristics of period or style;

    • Special value as part of the cultural or social history of the community;

    • Eligible for State or National Register of Historic Places

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

403 Main Street

  • 2 1/2-story brick building

  • Mansard roof with dormers

  • Arched facade lintels

  • Cornices with dentils

  • Some replacement windows

  • Recent addition west side

  • First shown on 1886 birds-eye view of Matteawan and 1889 Sanborn Map, listed as a saloon.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

378-382 Main Street
BUILDING OWNER OBJECTS - CITY WANTS TO OVERRIDE BY SUPERMAJORITY - READ OWNER’S OBJECTION HERE

  • 3-story brick building

  • Broad bracketed cornice

  • Arched brick lintels

  • Newer but compatible storefronts

  • 1884 Sanborn Map first shows this building, listed as W.H. Jackson Carriage and Sleigh Manufactory. By 1927, it was the H.D. Jackson Carriage and Auto Works.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

372 Main Street
BUILDING OWNER OBJECTS - CITY WANTS TO OVERRIDE BY SUPERMAJORITY - READ OWNER’S OBJECTION HERE

  • Brick church with tower

  • 1st Baptist Church of Matteawan

  • Replacement windows

  • Rear section added 1961

  • Constructed in 1954 with wood front belfry. Rebuilt 1911 with brick bell tower and 1-story contributing rear selection.

City Planner John Clark stated that the Springfield Baptist Church on Mattie Cooper was on the National Historic Registry, and questioned why this church was not. He alluded to it being Baptist. According to Wikipedia, the Springfield Baptist Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010, and was originally an Associate Presbyterian church. The church was built in 1849 and was expanded and improved upon over the decades.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

374 Main Street

  • 3-story brick building

  • Broad bracketed cornice

  • Original storefront cornice

  • Stone lintels and sills

  • Storefront modified, but compatible

  • Replacement windows

  • East side modern mural and fire escape

  • 1889 construction date on facade

  • 1896 Sanborn Map labels building as a saloon and “The Plaza”

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

315 Main Steet

  • 3- to 4-story painted brick building

  • Elaborated cornice

  • Arched lintels

  • Side bay windows

  • Storefront modified, but compatible

  • Replacement windows sashes

  • Three west side fire escapes

  • Front section on 1884 Sanborn Map, listed as a gunsmith

  • Rear section on 1912 map with 4-story middle section added by 1919

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

288 Main Street

  • Former Roosevelt Theater

  • 1 1/2-story brick building

  • Shaped parapet roof line

  • 1930s Art Deco elements

  • Non-historic front windows

  • Building on 1919 Sanborn Map, listed as a garage

  • Converted to movie house in 1934 with taller rear addition

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

284 Main Street

  • 3-story painted brick building

  • Broad cornice with dentils

  • Stone lintels and sills on front side

  • Recessed window well on east side

  • Non-historic storefront level

  • Replacement window sashes

  • Front and rear fire escapes

  • Building first shown on 1919 Sanborn Map, listed as dwellings

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

274 Main Street
BUILDING OWNER OBJECTS - CITY WANTS TO OVERRIDE BY SUPERMAJORITY - READ OWNER’S OBJECTION HERE

  • 3-story brick building

  • Bracketed and arching cornice

  • Stone lintels and sills

  • Non-historic storefront and overhang

  • Replacement window sashes

  • Original side bay windows resurfaced with modern materials

  • East side fire escape

  • Modern 1-story, block addition

  • First shown on 1896 Sanborn Map, listed as liquor store

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

291 Main Street
BUILDING OWNER OBJECTS - CITY WANTS TO OVERRIDE BY SUPERMAJORITY - READ OWNER’S OBJECTION HERE

  • Hudson River Telephone Co. Building

  • 2-story brick building with stone base

  • Broad cornice with modillions and dentils

  • Facade pilasters with capitals on front side

  • Brick lintels with large stone central keys

  • Unusual multi-color brick pattern

  • One matching window added on east side

  • Telephone Building opened October 1907

Pro-Tip: This building was voluntarily restored to historic detail by the former building owner, Deborah Bigelow, who is a restoration artist.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

269 Main Street

  • 1-story brick building

  • 5 bays divided by brick pilasters with metal medallions above

  • Original windows with industrial-type windows on rear section

  • Newer front metal door

  • Added window awnings

  • Building opened on January 21, 1929 for The Beacon News with printing presses located in the rear section

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

257 Main Street
BUILDING OWNER OBJECTS - CITY WANTS TO OVERRIDE BY SUPERMAJORITY - READ OWNER’S OBJECTION HERE

  • 2-story painted brick building with 3 sections divided by pilasters

  • Projecting corbeled brick cornice

  • Arching brick lintels with stone sills

  • Central storefront modernized, but others retain original character

  • Modern garage in far side of rear parking lot

  • Building first shown on 1896 Sanborn Map with multiple businesses, including a barber, grocery, and candy store

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

250 Main Street
BUILDING OWNER OBJECTS - CITY WANTS TO OVERRIDE BY SUPERMAJORITY - READ OWNER’S OBJECTION HERE

  • 3-story brick building

  • Bracketed cornice with modillions

  • Arched brick lintels and stone sills

  • Storefront surrounds look original, but window and door are modern

  • Replacement window sashes

  • Bricked-up side windows and modern garage to rear

  • Building first shown on 1912 Sanborn Map with 3-level rear porch, labeled haberdasher

  • Rear 1-story addition after 1927

Photo Credit: City of Beacon’s City Planner, John Clark’s, presentation.

Photo Credit: City of Beacon’s City Planner, John Clark’s, presentation.

246 Main Street
BUILDING OWNER OBJECTS - CITY WANTS TO OVERRIDE BY SUPERMAJORITY - READ OWNER’S OBJECTION HERE

  • 3-story brick building

  • Elaborate cornice

  • Arched brick lintels and stone sills

  • Historically compatible storefronts

  • Possible replacement window sashes

  • Modern rounded awnings and rear fire escape

  • Building first shown on 1889 Sanborn Map with candy manufacturer on west side and saloon on east side; 1919 listed as Bennett Hotel

  • 1-story rear section added by 1919

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

232 Main Street

  • 3-story brick building

  • Wide cornice with regular brackets

  • Stone lintels and sills

  • Patterned brickwork around windows

  • 2 over 2 window sashes

  • Historic-quality storefront

  • Building first appears on the 1896 Sanborn Map, listed as grocery store

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

172 Main Street (facing Cross Street) aka 4 Cross Street
BUILDING OWNER OBJECTS - CITY WANTS TO OVERRIDE BY SUPERMAJORITY - READ OWNER’S OBJECTION HERE

  • 2 1/2-story brick building

  • Arched brick lintels and stone sills

  • Stone course along lower front and stone steps

  • Recessed front doorway with wood panels

  • Two bricked-in windows on side

  • Replacement windows

  • Modern hand railing at front steps

  • Current building shows up between 1912 and 1919 Sanborn Maps

Photo Credit: City of Beacon’s City Planner, John Clark’s, presentation.

Photo Credit: City of Beacon’s City Planner, John Clark’s, presentation.

152 Main Street (middle of block)

  • 2-story painted brick buildings

  • L-shaped, utilitarian former factory

  • Some bricked-up openings

  • Newer windows, trim, and doors

  • Modern 1-story garage on east side

  • Eastern wing dates back to 1884, listed on Sanborn Map as a flour and feed warehouse

  • Western wing build by 1912 as a livery and by 1927 was a warehouse

  • In 1947 building a leather coat factory

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

1154 North Avenue
BUILDING OWNER OBJECTS - CITY WANTS TO OVERRIDE BY SUPERMAJORITY - READ OWNER’S OBJECTION HERE

  • 2-story brick commercial garage

  • Wide cornice with brackets

  • Arched brick lintels and stone sills

  • Faded painted signs on side walls

  • New garage door

  • Closed southwest storefront

  • Replacement windows

  • Listed on 1884 Sanborn Map as part of corner hotel building

  • North Avenue Garage by 1912 and later Hoffman Motors

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

Photo Credit: From the presentation by John Clark, City of Beacon’s City Planner.

1158 North Avenue

  • 2-story brick commercial building

  • Parapet wall with central pediment

  • 4 first-level brick pilasters

  • Brick window lintels and stone sills

  • Some replacement window sashes

  • Built before 1919 as showroom for North Avenue Garage

Want To Know How To Get PR Right Now? Tin Shingle Tells You How - Streaming Free This Weekend Only

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Hi, Everyone!

This TuneUp webinar from ALBB’s sister media education and empowerment company, Tin Shingle, is about what to pitch to the media right now in July. No matter what you do, some power is in your hands to compel the media to write about what you hope they will cover.

This TuneUp episode is chock-full of ideas on what to do. Including how to pitch 4th of July Independence Day in a different way - as in - introduce some more forefathers and foremothers ancestors to the usual lineup. This is how to connect Juneteenth with July 4th - both Independence Days. It’s an educational opportunity on many levels.

For this weekend only, Tin Shingle has opened up this TuneUp for Hudson Valley friends to stream free. Normally all TuneUps are free for members of Tin Shingle or are sold separately. www.TinShingle.com/tuneup.