What's Being Discussed At Tonight's City Council Workshop: Accessory Apartments; Good Cause Eviction; Highway Department Hire; Assessment Base Percentage; Zoning Board Appointment

Beacon's City Council will meet this evening 9/27/2021 at 7pm for a regularly scheduled Workshop meeting, which is when they discuss topics amongst themselves in public, but without opportunities for Public Comment. This type of meeting happens every other Monday.

On the agenda tonight are different topics, some of which were covered during last week's public City Council Meeting. When new information or public feedback emerges, sometimes these topics get put back onto the Workshop schedule for further discussion. Click here for the full agenda, plus links to supporting documents.

Tonight's Agenda Includes

Accessory Apartments

The City Council is perusing normalizing Accessory Apartments as a right for homeowners of single family homes in all R1, all RD and the T Zoning Districts to build and rent out without requiring a special use permit approval from the Planning Board. Mayor Kyriacou with the support of City Administrator Chris White is pursuing this in the name of renter and owner affordability during the current housing crisis throughout the nation. According to supporting documentation from the City's attorney: "The City Council is considering adopting amendments to the City Code to encourage the development of accessory apartments to promote renter and owner affordability in the City of Beacon."

This vision is led by Mayor Kyriacou and City Administrator Chris, who served on council together during the 1990s. Mayor Kyriacou is a property owner in Beacon who has renovated properties, and has served as a landlord for different properties.

Mayor Kyriacou is pursuing the right to build the Accessory Apartments bigger than they are now. City Administrator Chris is pursuing removing parking requirements for Accessory Apartments. Parking requirements can sometimes be used to stall a building project by those who disagree with a project.

For the past several years, Beacon has been unfavorable toward Accessory Apartments, even when someone wanted to build one for their parent-in-laws or caregivers required to care for an aging parent or person who required consistent medical care. This zoning edit would change that.

During tonight's meeting, the City Council will debate several changes to the existing code, including size of the unit, how any dwellings would be allowed per lot, the design scheme of the accessory apartment, increasing the maximum build, eliminating currently required inspections every two years, and removing the parking requirement.

It is not indicated how the increase in number of Accessory Apartments would guarantee lower rental prices, since the free market and current supply and demand are not yielding to lower prices in Beacon.

The City Council will also review code regulations from the Town of Cortland, the Town of Newburgh, the Town of Pound Ridge, and the Town of Wappinger.

Proposed Local Law Regarding Good Cause Eviction

Councilmember Dan Aymar-Blair proposed that the City consider a law making it more difficult to evict tenants, called the Good Cause Eviction Law. The City will also look at Albany's Good Cause Eviction Law during tonight's Workshop. During last week's public City Council Meeting, a handful of people from the public called in demanding that the City put on Dan's proposed Good Cause Eviction Law onto the agenda. People told stories of people they knew who had their rents raised by several percentage points, making it difficult or impossible for them to remain in Beacon.

Last February 2020, Councilmember Terry Nelson pushed to have the Emergency Tenants Protection Act (ETPA) considered by the City. This law would legalize a rent cap, but has several requirements that the city must meet, including vacancy rate and the age of buildings. This was discussed by the Council, and Mayor Kyriacou presented reasons for not pursuing it.

Proposed Hire of Motor Equipment Operator

The Highway Department is recommending the hiring of Andi Driza for Motor Equipment Operator.

Abandonment of Paper Streets

The City of Beacon is pursuing abandoning specific, very tiny areas in Beacon that are undeveloped and slipped through the cracks of ownership decades ago, which could put them into the ownership of neighboring homeowners. During last week's Public Hearing on the topic, some of those neighboring homeowners came to speak on the issue, to say if they wanted or did not want the property that was about to be absorbed by them. The council indicated that they were not anticipating the feedback, and appreciated the input. The matter has moved back into Workshop, where the council will discuss it again.

"The Official Map of the City of Beacon contains several undeveloped paper streets identified as Ryans Avenue, BeVier Avenue, Morse Street and Levy Street. A paper street is a street established on a filed subdivision map and is included on the Official Map of the City of Beacon, but which was never subsequently developed or used as a public way."

Proposed Appointment of Montos Vakirtzis to the Zoning Board of Appeals

Montos Vakirtzis is being recommended by Joe Galbo to be on the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Proposed Resolution to Certify Base Percentages and Proportions for the 2021 Assessment Roll Pursuant to Article 19 of the Real Property Tax Law

"Pursuant to Article 19 of the Real Property Tax Law, the City Council hereby adopts and establishes the Adjusted Base Proportions for the 2021 City of Beacon Assessment Roll as 69.10766% for Homestead parcels and 30.89234% for Non-homestead parcels, which are to be used for real property tax purposes;"

How $2.2 Million+ In Dutchess County Grants Is Slated To Be Spent In Beacon And Beyond

The Office of the Dutchess County Executive, Marcus Molinaro, today announced that over $2.2 Million in CDBG and Home Funding for Community Infrastructure, Programs and Affordable Housing Projects is slated to be awarded to different communities throughout the county.

The money has been awarded to 21 projects to improve accessibility, address critical community needs, and expand affordable housing options throughout Dutchess County, according to the press release. County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “Dutchess County continues to invest in projects and programs that help to lift up our most vulnerable residents. Whether it is improving infrastructure to promote accessibility for residents and visitors of all abilities; expanding affordable housing options; or supporting programs that address critical community issues like homelessness and substance abuse to the county’s most vulnerable populations, our investment of CDBG and HOME funding will have positive impacts for generations to come.”

Beacon was awarded one infrastructure upgrade project, and a traffic safety project. It is unknown if Beacon applied for other types of uses and were denied, or if these were the two projects they applied for, and were awarded.

Other municipalities put in for upgrades or new additions to park playgrounds for children, public bathrooms, and upgrades to senior centers. While the City of Beacon employs a grant writer, it is unknown at this time how they brainstorm to get ideas on what kind of funding to apply for. Beacon has steadily made investments in infrastructure upgrades, which is reassuring during these dramatic weather swings and history of broken water mains that require emergency budgeting to fix.

Where Is Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Funding From?

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME program funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to address locally identified community development and housing needs. CDBG funding supports community development projects and activities that benefit low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, populations and communities; while the HOME Program supports the development of affordable housing. These designations are dependent upon census data, which is why hyper-local politicians are so eager for everyone to fill it out when it comes around like it did last year during the pandemic.

CDBG Municipal and HOME applications are accepted annually by the Department of Planning and Development. CDBG Public Service applications are solicited bi-annually. Applications are reviewed by the Community Development Advisory Committee with recommendations forwarded to the County Executive for final approval. More information about these application cycles can be found on the Planning and Development website.

Grant Money Proposed To Be Awarded - Needs Public Comment Period First

According to the press release, an in-person public hearing on the plans will be held on Wednesday, July 14, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. at Poughkeepsie City Hall, Common Council Chambers, 3rd floor, 62 Civic Center Plaza, Poughkeepsie. A second virtual public hearing will be held on Thursday, July 15, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. via this link.

Comments may also be submitted in writing to Anne Saylor at asaylor@dutchessny.gov, mailed to:
Anne Saylor
85 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 107
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601

Or by calling (845) 486-3638.

The awards are preliminary pending a public comment period of the draft 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan and the 2020 and 2021 Action Plan. The comment period for these documents will run until Thursday, August 5, 2021.

Following the public comment period, a resolution will be sent to the County Legislature’s for consideration at its September 2021 meeting to formally accept the federal CDBG and HOME funding.

How The Grant Money Has Been Awarded

The following is a breakdown from the County Executive’s office. Of these breakdowns, $233,988 will be set aside for new, competitive application cycle later this year for the creation of qualified, new affordable rental units.

CDBG Infrastructure Projects ($1,213,700 Total)

City of Beacon - Verplanck Avenue Crosswalk Upgrade – $51,870
Improve pedestrian safety and accessibility with new crosswalks on Verplanck Avenue.

City of Beacon - Fishkill Avenue/Hanna Lane Sewer Main Replacement - $108,130
Sewer line replacement to meet pitch requirements, add sewer flow capacity and eliminate the risk of overflow, and to promote economic and housing development.

Town of Clinton - Friends Park Improvement Project - $98,700
Installation of handicapped accessible parking spaces, pathways and bathroom upgrades to eliminate barriers and improve accessibility for senior citizens.

Town of Dover - J. H. Ketcham Memorial Park Walking Track - $99,000
New quarter-mile porous asphalt accessible walking path to enhance recreation options and promote favorable health outcomes for residents.

Town of East Fishkill - Senior Center Sidewalk Renovation - $61,000
Construction of approximately 1,130 square feet of ADA sidewalk, removing barriers and promoting accessibility for seniors.

East Fishkill Supervisor Nicholas D'Alessandro was quoted in the press release saying: “Making our community more accessible to all residents of all abilities is a priority in East Fishkill. We thank Dutchess County for this collaboration through the Community Development Block Grant program, a partnership which will provide greater access to all residents, including the many seniors who utilize our community center.”

Town of Hyde Park - Dinsmore Park Playground Improvement Project– $100,000
Construction of an ADA compliant playground including ADA compliant swing, slides and climbing equipment.

Hyde Park Supervisor Aileen Rohr was quoted in the press release saying: “Hyde Park is once again thankful to our County partners for their CDBG award for playground improvements at Dinsmore Park that will enhance quality of life for all residents. Working together while ‘Thinking Differently,’ we work collaboratively to create improvements to our parks, playgrounds and sidewalks without local tax impact.”

Town of Pawling - Pawling Library Bathroom Installation – $200,000
Construct two new ADA compliant bathroom facilities, including new plumbing and electric, to promote accessibility for disabled residents.

Town of Poughkeepsie - Inclusive Playground at Sheafe Road Park - $95,000
Removal of deteriorated, non-ADA compliant play equipment and installation of a new inclusive play structure.

Town of Wappinger - Carnwath Farms Senior Center– $150,000
Construction of a new ADA compliant senior center, including electrical, HVAC replacement, accessible parking, walkways and entrances for senior citizens.

Village of Wappingers Falls - Bain Park Development - $100,000
Site preparation, assembly and installation of new ADA compliant playground recently purchased by the Village.

Village of Millerton -Sidewalk Infrastructure Repair & Replacement - $150,000
Replacement of 600 linear feet of deteriorated sidewalks along NYS Route 44 (Main Street) with a new accessible sidewalk and crosswalk in front of Millerton Library to promote accessibility.

CDBG Public Service Projects – Totaling $150,000

Catholic Charities - Homeless Prevention Case Management Program – $25,000
Emergency rent assistance and limited utilities assistance to approximately 50 low-income Dutchess County residents to help stabilize housing. Case management assists clients to independently sustain their household needs.

Friends of Seniors - Senior Transportation and Support Services – $25,000
Provide county residents age 60+ with basic support services, including transportation to non-emergency medical appointments, grocery shopping, visiting services, telephone reassurance and respite to primary caregivers.

Hudson River Housing - Housing First Support Services – $25,000
Case management services under the Housing First Program, which helps high-risk, vulnerable homeless adults secure and maintain stable housing.

Hudson River Housing - River Haven Homeless Youth Program – $25,000
Crisis services, emergency housing, counseling, case management, and youth development programming for runaway, homeless and at-risk youth ages 10-17. River Haven Independent Living Program provides services for older homeless and at-risk youth transitioning towards self-sufficiency. River Haven Transitional Living Community provides 17- to 25-year-old homeless youth safe housing as they work towards independence within two years.

Mid-Hudson Addiction Recovery Center (MARC) - Substance Abuse Residential Recovery Services – $25,000
A comprehensive continuum of services offering the promise of recovery to chemically dependent individuals. MARC offers emergency housing, non-hospital-based detox and treatment referral, community residences, supportive housing, counseling, life skill training, vocational development, sober supported apartments, tenant counseling and rent subsidies.

Northeast Community Council - Youth Development: Teen Team and CPSB – $25,000
Teen Team is a peer support group that provides educational, recreational and community service opportunities for socioeconomically disadvantaged youth ages 14-18. The Community Partnership with Schools and Business (CPSB) offers workforce development and intern opportunities in local business for youth 14-21.

HOME affordable housing projects - Totaling $863,794

The Woods at Rhinebeck, Astor Drive, Rhinebeck – $350,000
New construction of 80 one, two and three- bedroom affordable workforce apartments within walking distance of Northern Dutchess Hospital and the village.

Annex at Snow Terrace, 28 Snow Terrace, Poughkeepsie – $227,806
Rehabilitation of former Webster House emergency shelter into 6 permanent one-bedroom units for the homeless/formerly homeless.

Rebuilding Together – $52,000
Rehabilitation of 10 single-family homes throughout Dutchess County occupied by low- and moderate-income households, often senior citizens, by volunteers.

$25 Million Promised For New Youth Center (Formerly YMCA) In Poughkeepsie From Dutchess County

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro and City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison are moving forward on the development of a Youth Opportunity Center at the site of the former YMCA on Montgomery Street in Poughkeepsie. The two leaders have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a formal partnership to redevelop the property, with Dutchess County pledging commitment for up to $25 million for the design and construction of a new Youth Opportunity Center at the site, according to a press release issued by Dutchess County today.

This property is not for sale, but partners are being sought in the development is what is available there. Says Colleen Pillus, Communication Director of Dutchess County: “The intent is take the building down and create an open space while design plans are worked on for the construction of the project and community partners are sought. The 35 Montgomery Street Coalition includes partners that could potentially play a role.

Each step of the project – demo, design, construction – will have to bid out.

Where Is The Former YMCA On Montgomery Street?

According to the City of Poughkeepsie’s development page: “This is a high-profile location, situated just south of Downtown Poughkeepsie, easily accessed from Routes 44/55 and 9. The site is adjacent to well used Eastman and Lincoln Parks, Garfield Place Historic District, and is across the street from Soldier’s Fountain, a National Historic Landmark. The site is less than 600 feet from the Adriance Memorial Library on Market Street and is 0.6 miles from Vassar Brothers Medical Center.”

About The Former Dutchess YMCA

The former Dutchess YMCA closed in 2009, but had offered community rooms, a fitness center, gymnasium, indoor track, and a large 25 yard swimming pool among other amenities. It was enjoyed by city and county residents - kids and adults - for decades, according to the development website. Afterschool programs offering academic assistance and physical fitness supported generations of Poughkeepsie youth. Since shutting its doors, the building has been vacant ever since. A a requirement was made on the deed in 1966 by then Common Council requiring educational use for the property, which was promoted when calling for submissions to develop the property. Poughkeepsie’s Common Council had the power to modify or remove the deed.

The Intent For The New Youth Opportunity Center

The MOU outlines the intent and process to build the Youth Opportunity Center, including agreement that the County will have joint ownership of the property with the City of Poughkeepsie. The City took ownership of the YMCA property as part of its anti-blight initiative last year with the goal of using the property to yield significant community benefit.) The County of Dutchess must have an ownership interest in the property in order to finance any construction through a bond under local finance law.

Next steps will include drafting and formalizing an intermunicipal agreement between the City and the County, which Mayor Rolison will submit to the City Council for approval at a future meeting. Following City Council adoption of the agreement, the Dutchess County Legislature will then vote to authorize the agreement. Once the intermunicipal agreement has been authorized by both bodies, County Executive Molinaro will forward a resolution to the County Legislature to finance the demolition of the building and creation of temporary green space, and future construction of the youth center.

Demolition and Green Space At First

With support from the City Council and the Dutchess County Legislature, the process will begin with the demolition of the existing structure due to deterioration and environmental concerns. The site will be transformed into community green space while plans continue for a youth center and other community benefit services on the more than 3-acre site.

County Executive Molinaro said, “The County is eager and determined to move forward with the development of the YMCA site to create a center where the youth of our county can have the support and resources they need from birth through adulthood. The center will serve as a compass for them on the Path to Promise. Though the past six months have tested us like never before, our resolve remains fervent, and we are making the deliberate, thoughtful decision to make this long-term investment in a countywide youth center. It is clear that as we look around us, both nationally and locally, that our society needs such a facility to help youth successfully navigate their path to adulthood and we are excited to take these next steps to bring this much-needed resource to fruition.”

“This is a significant step in our overall vision,” said City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison. “We will bring activities to this site that affirm our commitment to create a community and recreation resource for the public. Taking the building down and creating open space in the interim is a sound, practical move that will benefit the community. We greatly appreciate our partnership with Dutchess County to get this project moving and look forward to future steps that will greatly strengthen our community.”

The City and County will engage with 35 Montgomery Community Coalition, whose vision presentation for the site, which can be viewed at cityofpoughkeepsie.com/35montgomerystreet, involves a multi-use facility that would provide services connected to their respective missions in the community. The coalition, which includes Dutchess County as well as education and health care leaders, has been working together to determine the most appropriate organizational structure to advance the project. The City, County and the coalition will work to secure funding sources in addition to the County’s $25 million commitment.

Chairman of the County Legislature Gregg Pulver voiced his support for the plan saying, “A youth center has been part of our discussions for several years now and it is encouraging to have this clear path laid out. Once the City Council approves the agreement, I look forward this project being adopted in the County’s next Capital Plan.” Chairman Pulver noted he expects the proposal to have overwhelming support in the Legislature as part of the County’s Path to Promise initiative. He also noted Democratic lawmakers on both the Common Council and County Legislature just last week publicly stated support for the County investment, which should allow the process to begin soon.

Dutchess County’s Path to Promise initiative strives to ensure that all young people in Dutchess County – from birth through age 19 – have the assets they need to achieve their full potential as they grow into young adults. The Youth Opportunity Center will be home to many of the activities, programs, and organizations supported by Path to Promise. “It will be the first destination on a path to building a healthy, happy, and fulfilling life for young people. The Center is an investment in our young people, and therefore, an investment in our future,” concluded Molinaro.

Does Beacon Have A Youth Center?

No. Beacon used to, but it closed. It is referred to often in A Little Beacon Blog’s sister podcast, “Wait, What Is That?” Co-host Brandon Lillard grew up in Beacon and used to use the service often. Beacon does have a Recreation Center building at 25 Center Street, but that is mainly small offices with one small playroom that has programming in it sometimes.

Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou expressed interested in using the “shared service” model with Fishkill’s Recreation Center during our podcast with him, which is currently used by many Beaconites who can drive there. But many youth in Beacon do not have cars, or access to be driven to a youth center, making a youth center out of the community hard to access. Public transportation does exist from Beacon to Poughkeepsie. Former City Council Member for Beacon, Ali T. Muhammad, who grew up in Beacon has expressed his vision and priority for a recreation center in Beacon in this podcast.

Teamsters Local 445, Who Represent Beacon Police, Issue Open Letter On Facebook - Without Contacting City - Regarding Mayor And City Council During Reform Period

The Teamsters Local 445, which is connected to Beacon’s Police Benevolent Association (BPA), issued an open letter to Beacon’s City Council on July 15 and published it to Facebook. According to Mayor Kyriacou, the letter was not sent to the city directly. Their letter is in response to the recent appointment of Acting Chief of Police, William Cornett. During that public appointment, a representative of Local 445, Mike Pitt, proclaimed: “We’re going to follow this closely.“

A Little Beacon Blog has reached out to the president of Beacon’s BPA, Michael Confield, for comment, but has not received a response yet. If we do, the response will be published here.

Mayor Kyriacou has since responded with a press release in response which has been published in full here, expressing “disappointment that the police union is resorting to intimidation and escalation – exactly the opposite behavior of what is appropriate in today’s charged environment.

The open letter from Teamsters Local 445 has bee republished in full below:

---

Teamsters Local 445, a public and private sector labor union based in the Newburgh, New York area, with almost 3,000 members, including about 250 members in its Law Enforcement Division in Orange, Sullivan, Ulster, and Dutchess County Police Departments, supports its law enforcement members in the City of Beacon.

On behalf of the men and women of the City of Beacon Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, we write this open letter after a majority voted to release the Association’s position. Unfortunately, circumstances have left us with no other recourse. We have lost all trust, faith, and confidence in the Mayor and City Council’s ability to lead this city and the police department during these trying times.

For the past several weeks, Mayor Kyriacou and the Council have continued their push of anti-police rhetoric and policies, which have included the thought of disarming and de-vesting police. How does one comprehend a police officer’s response to an emergency call without a weapon or protective gear?

The Mayor and Council have failed to correct untrue public accusations of police mis-conduct. This failure could lead to a wholly unfounded, dangerous reaction from the public, causing a dangerous environment for the members of the police department, as well as the public.

The Mayor and Council have shown zero support for the police department during these times. Talk of defunding or significantly cutting the department’s costs and of cutting its already dangerously low staffing level are some of the only talk they show the department. This department is an accredited police agency in New York State; an honor that few departments in the area still retain.

After the leader of the department offered to lead this accredited agency through these times without a chief in place, the Mayor and Council recently voted to appoint a temporary police chief who has not worked actively as a police officer since almost the year 2000. The Mayor and Council have stated that they want a smooth transition to the next police chief as leader of the department, but they seem to have an agency very different from minimal support, let alone different from the best interests, of the men and women who serve all day every day.

In the course of the Council meeting in which the Council voted to appoint the temporary Chief, Teamsters Law Enforcement Division representative Pitt pointed out that the certification of this appointee must have lapsed due to the length of his time not serving as a police officer since retirement in 2000. As per General Municipal Law 209-q, the certification required for police officers by law lapses after four (4) years. Without that certification, the appointed temporary Chief “lacks the power to execute arrest and search warrants, make arrests without a warrant and use physical or deadly force in making an arrest when necessary”; he “may not lawfully carry a firearm without a license if he is not certified as a police officer.” 2003 N.Y. Op. (Inf.) Atty’ Gen. 1. If this Chief sees a crime being committed, he cannot make an arrest; he needs to call the police.

The Council has spoken about reform, but you cannot have reform without funding. You do not deescalate by defunding the police. If you want the most qualified and most trained officers on your street, you cannot defund yet expect to keep, not to mention improve, the quality and level of service that these men and women currently give this great city.

In closing, we would like to reiterate that the men and women of the Beacon City Police Department PBA have lost all trust, faith, and confidence in Mayor Kyriacou and the entire City Council’s ability to lead this city.

About Teamsters Local 445 Union

Teamsters Local 445 is a public and private sector labor union based in the Newburgh, New York area, with almost 3,000 members, including about 250 members in its Law Enforcement Division in Orange, Sullivan, Ulster, and Dutchess County Police Departments.

View the original announcement on Beacon’s PBA Facebook Page.

35 Homes and Buildings Considered For Historic Designation In Beacon

As the City of Beacon Works to define and clarify its zoning to standards that work for today’s community, one zoning tool includes working with and around historic buildings. The project of identifying properties that would be warrent historic designation was an active project in the administration prior to this, under Mayor Randy Casale when he and now Mayor Lee Kyriacou, would walk Beacon’s streets together to identify properties. Since then, 35 homes and commercial buildings were identified as having met a certain set of criteria that would qualify a local historic designation.

[UPDATE: The properties were presented in a Public Hearing, and several property owners came out to protest their homes and buildings having the historic designation.]

Implications For Neighboring, Non-Historic Buildings

ALBB asked Beacon’s City Planner, John Clark, about the implications for homes or buildings located next door to or nearby a home or building that has been designated historic by the City of Beacon. He answered: “Positive implications for neighboring properties include that the character of adjacent historic structures will be protected and that any alteration or new construction in the Historic District and Landmark Overlay (HDLO) must be compatible with surrounding historic properties and the neighborhood, consistent with the standards in Section 134-7.”

“The only direct implications for neighboring properties is in the Central Main Street district, where any Special Permit request for a 4th story on a parcel abutting a property in the HDLO zone must be approved by the City Council, not the Planning Board. The Council may reduce a permitted building height to be no more than six feet higher than an existing building on an adjoining HDLO parcel for a distance of 30 feet along the frontage from the historic structure (see 223-41.18 E(7)).”

“The Council is also currently considering changes to the CMS district to extend the above Special Permit requirements for both 4th stories and corner towers to properties directly across the street from an HDLO parcel.”

What Are The Criteria?

According to the Historic District and Landmark Overlay Zone (HDLO) proposal, the properties must meet a certain set of criteria. Proposed nominations are subject to the criteria in the Historic Preservation Chapter, Section 134-4 B Designation of landmarks or historic districts:

1. Distinguishing architectural characteristics of period or style;

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

3. Eligible for State or National Register of Historic Places

Looking for an example, ALBB asked John Clark about the recognizable yellow house with the tower on Mattie Cooper by the Springfield Baptist Church that is not in a historic district. ALBB asked John to explain how that house, if designated historic, would conform to new zoning, if it was “spot-zoning,” and it the property would get additional usage rights, like being able to operate as bed and breakfast.

John’s answer: “If a parcel, like the house with the tower, was to be designated as a historic building, it would have to comply with the standards of two zones - the underlying district and the Historic District and Landmark Overlay (HDLO) zone. The HDLO overlay zone is not spot zoning. It just adds an extra layer of protections and requirements for multiple parcels across the City for a legally enabled public purpose.”

“Under Zoning Section 223-24.7, an HDLO parcel is allowed additional uses if granted a Special Permit by the City Council. Uses, with certain size limitations, include an artist studio, antique shop, restaurant, bed and breakfast, professional office, multifamily residential, and artist live/work space.”

Why The Desire To Designate These Buildings Now?

During the building boom, Beaconites grew uncomfortable with buildings that were growing taller - to 4 floors. The lightening rod of a building was 344 Main Street, which for a variety of reasons that were noted mistakes for the City, zoning changes became a priority of Mayor Kyriacou (then City Council Member). Mayor Kyriacou is also a property owner of residential and commercial property in Beacon, some of which is already in a Historic zone, and his wife is a realtor.

4 Cross St.
- 2-story brick building
- Arched brick lintels
- Stone sills
- Two bricked-in windows
- Newer windows
- Green

11 Digger Phelps Ct.
- Wood frame building
- Original Porch
- Scalloped details
- Newer windows
- Green

9 Mattie Cooper Sq.
- Wood Frame building
- Original porch
- Bay windows
- Replacement vinyl siding
- Newer windows
- Green

11 North Elm St.
- Wood frame building
- Intact Arts & Crafts house
- Chain link fencing
- Green

4 North Elm St.
- Brick and stucco building
- Intact Second Empire
- Green

27 Church St.
- Wood frame building
- Wraparound porch
- Replacement asbestos siding
- Newer windows
- Green

232 Main St.
- 3-story brick building
- Bracketed cornice
- Historic-quality storefront
- Red

250 Main St.
- 3-story brick building
- Bracketed cornice
- Arched brick lintels
- Historic-quality storefront
- Bricked-up side windows
- Red

257 Main St.
- 2-story brick building
- Brick projecting cornice
- Stone sills
- Historic-quality storefronts
- Green

274 Main St.
- 3-story brick building
- Bracketed cornice
- Stone sills and lintels
- Side bay window
- Non-historic storefront
- Green

159 Fishkill Ave.
- Wood frame building
- Complex roof, arched dormers
- Corner bay, bracketed cornice
- Elaborately ornamented porch
- Red

189 Fishkill Ave.
- Wood frame building
- Front bay window
- Birthplace of James Forrestal, Sec. of Navy and Defense
- Loss of all original details
- Replacement vinyl siding
- Green

194 Fishkill Ave.
- Wood frame building
- Multiple porches
- Replacement vinyl siding
- Newer windows
- Green

19 Commerce St.
- Wood frame building
- Decorated verge board
- Detailed front porch
- Side bay window
- Asphalt and vinyl siding
- Green

11 Commerce St.
- 2-story brick building
- Wide frieze cornice
- Stone lintels and sills
- Side bay window
- Porch looks newer
- Green

26 South Ave.
- Wood frame building
- Elaborate verge board
- Front bay window
- Detailed wraparound porch
- Replacement vinyl siding
- Frontage chain link fence
- Green

30 South Ave.
- 2-story building
- Bracketed cornices
- South bay window
- Newer side addition
- Frontage chain link fence
- Green

2nd Forum Held By Mayor For Community To Learn Beacon Development

The second of two community forums held by Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou happens today, Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 10 am in the Memorial Building at 413 Main Street (same location as Beacon Farmers Market in the winter). Mayor Lee and the City Council surrounding him ran on campaigns to alter and steer the course of development in Beacon, which is currently booming as a result of approvals made years ago for new commercial and residential buildings.

For the past several years, residents of Beacon who have attended City Council meetings as members of the public have called for easier ways of understanding how development works in Beacon, and at large. People have wished for glossaries to explain acronyms that are used during development presentations by City Council members, the City Planner, the City Attorney, or any person presenting on a piece of land and how it will be used.

Over the course of those years during the previous administration under Mayor Randy Casale, the City Council made a number of changes to alter how development is done in Beacon, from changing legislation, to acquiring control over certain areas of the broad process that developers must go through in order to get various approvals on small and large decisions.

The easiest way to keep up with these changes has been to watch City Council meetings on the city’s public access channel, or the Vimeo account where they are posted. It feels a like a lot of homework at first, but homework is how acronyms are learned, and how the inner workings of the process are conducted. This forum is one way that the administration has created to connect directly with the community to teach the background of Beacon and how it came to be in this moment.

As you’ll see when you start listening to these presentations, major shifts can happen within a simple year of each other. If you wonder why one building looks one way, and another looks completely different, it is usually because rules changed somewhere in between the years of them being built or renovated.

A Little Beacon Blog does republish City Council meeting videos in our City Government section, to make it easy for you to get meeting agendas and the videos in one place. In-person events like this can help you follow along in the reporting of major decisions that are made, and how they impact the landscape or the ability to do something.

If you missed this event, A Little Beacon Blog will be publishing notes that the City Planner has been presenting to the council (they are fascinating!) or watch the video below.

A Little Beacon Blog Goes Underground: Moves ALBB Space and Tin Shingle Out Of The Telephone Building

With a heavy heart, the day has come to report on the closing of my event space, known as A Little Beacon Space. After three years of hosting community events, pop-up shops, and business retreats in Beacon's historic Telephone Building at 291 Main Street, I have closed that space, along with Tin Shingle’s new CoWork space, which was located in the basement of the building. Both spaces may begin again elsewhere, but for now, they are nestled into my attic, basement, and other living spaces. Happily, A Little Beacon Blog is continuing to publish all the news that you need to know about happening in and around Beacon.

To address some FAQs:

“Did the building sell?”

The Telephone Building sold to The Telephone Building Beacon, LLC, represented by Shady Twal in December of 2019. After negotiating the lease package that was presented to me, it became clear that leaving the building was the best decision for my business.

The weeks leading up to the negotiation, and then the final week of it, were emotionally thick. Making the decision to leave was one of the most difficult I have ever made, and I am so, so grateful for the warm embrace of support I have felt from the Beacon community - friends and family - even if they did not know the details of what was happening. I will take that sensitivity with me as ALBB covers other businesses that must move or close up shop for whatever reasons any other small business owner might face.

“Can I buy your furniture?”

I’m so glad people are asking this question. I miss having the space to offer to people, and I’m really glad you love my new interior design skills. :) However, no, you may not buy all of that new gorgeous furniture because that vision may rise again. Right now, that bar with the love story behind it and those dope purple chairs are in my newly converted home office-living room, and I’m back to work-from-home life. (I did it for 11 years before taking the storefront on Main Street.) I can become quite like a hermit, so ask me out for coffee! :)

“Where are you going next?”

I’m property shopping! I love looking at new properties. What I created in the Telephone Building was unique to that space. My experience in the Telephone Building enabled a test kitchen environment, and I want to keep that level of comfort and offer it to others. I plan to take all of those feels with me to the next spot, wherever it might be, which will allow for meetings, community gatherings, and pop-up experiences.

I’ll be looking at the luxury buildings. The run-down buildings. The buildings in the fringe areas (I love the fringe!). Business friends of mine are encouraging me to come up to Wappingers Falls and over to Newburgh. One never knows which way the wind will blow.

It’s Back To Blogging As Usual

I have a new little P.O. Box, so I’ll be popping into my new post pffoce community of fellow P.O. Box checkers. In fact, I’ll probably see more of you because the A Little Beacon Blogging Team will be blogging from coffee shops and park benches and cars and my cozy living room. So stay tuned…the pop-up side of me may rise again!

Beaconites (and Visitors) Send In Their Favorite Views Of Beacon

We asked, and you delivered! We recently put out a call to share with us your view of Beacon. This is in light of rapidly changing scenery, with the new building developments sprouting all over Beacon. The subject of “viewsheds” has come in recent City Council meetings, and that idea is playing a role on future potential developments. So, we thought we’d all enjoy looking at views we like!

Keep your photos coming! We will publish new ones here, so revisit this article and click Refresh.

To submit, email to editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com. Please state the location of the picture, and why you love it. The view can be from the street, from your porch, from your apartment, of a scenic view in the woods, anything.

Fishkill Creek, Looking South From Churchill Road

Below are images submitted by Jessica Laug, who says “This is the Fishkill Creek, looking south from the Churchill Road bridge. It’s basically our backyard and I love it in every season.”

Long Dock, Mount Beacon Casino

Enjoy these lovely views submitted by Debbie Joyce

Madam Brett Park and Denning’s Point

The photo on the left is Madam Brett Park right by the waterfall. The second is Denning’s Point. From Dan Calabrese, who says, “I love both of them because you can feel like you’re really in nature with minimal investment of time. I could literally walk to either of these places from home. Having such great, diverse nature spots in our backyard makes it easy to get in a hike even after a busy day.”

The Hudson River, As Viewed From Main Street

One of my favorite views is of the Hudson River is from Main Street. I have always liked being able to see it from 9D. The river becomes an everyday part of life. Having lived in Manhattan, the Hudson River was not part of my life, unless I was walking alongside it. Living in Beacon, with the Hudson River within easy distance, has changed my relationship with the river, bringing me closer and wanting to keep it clean and accessible.

-Katie Hellmuth Martin

View fullsize

View fullsize

Main Street (West End)

Here’s a great shot from Mary Ann Glass, who writes: “It’s the peak of spring beauty! The Bartlett Pears are a’bloom. Corner of Main and Cross Street, Rick Price’s great mural of the Hudson River  and of course RiverWinds Gallery. “

What Are Your Favorite Views In Beacon? Submit Pictures To ALBB For Possible Feature

The City Council has been discussing “viewsheds” in Beacon for quite some time, perhaps picking up steam during the building moratorium it imposed in 2017 that blocked all new building projects for six months. The moratorium was enacted in the name of reviewing Beacon’s water supply, as development growth has happened faster than anticipated. From the draft moratorium law: “The City’s vision was that development would be more gradual and take place over a period of years.” During the moratorium, the City Council reviewed several of its zoning laws that it wanted to change as Beacon develops.

What Is A Viewshed?

A “viewshed” is something that a City Council (or Planning or Zoning Board of a city) would consider when discussing how a new building or building addition might block or alter a view from surrounding spaces. if you’re not among the people hanging out in these meetings, the specific term might not ever enter your mind. But the bummer feeling of losing a view that you once had would probably enter your mind.

With several new buildings going up at once, zoning has been tightened since the 2017 building moratorium, including considerations around viewsheds. Scenic viewsheds were also included in the review that City Council must do for new projects, a rule that was adopted at the end of 2017, as reported in the Highlands Current.

Protection of viewsheds is a pursued point of interest that Council Member At-Large Lee Kyriacou has been discussing at City Council meetings, as well as at a second Beacon Zoning Discussion that was held for the public at Beahive a few months ago.

Viewsheds are back on the City Council’s agenda. The agenda for the April 8, 2019 City Council Workshop features an upcoming Linkage Zone and Protected Viewshed agenda item for Monday, April 29, 2019.

So What Are Your Favorite Views?

Room with a view.

View from a porch.

“Ready to move to Beacon for this view” type of view.

What are your favorite views? Take pictures with your smartphone or any camera and send them to us at editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com for consideration to be featured in a roundup article. Please include:

• Location of the view. Cross streets, or some other description.

• What we are looking at.

• Your name if you want, or remain anonymous.

Looking forward to seeing your pictures!

UPDATE: Pictures have started being submitted! Click here to see them so far…

Love Note To Deborah As She Sells Her Historic and Renovated Telephone Building, Built In 1907

When Deborah first told me of her intentions to sell her building, it wasn’t a surprise. Selling a building after 27 years of investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into restoring and maintaining it is obviously a retirement plan.

What was a surprise, however, was my immediate emotional reaction to the news: I was sad that I wouldn’t see Deborah (nearly) every day. Deborah has become part of my life. My little Yoda. And she’s other people’s Yoda too. From one business woman to another, I value her more than she knows. That’s why I am so excited for her to be releasing her building to a new “caretaker owner,” as she calls her future prospect, whomever that may be. Maybe another woman! Who knows.

In The Beginning (well… for me)

Filling the space of the front office in the Telephone Building was a dream that occurred to me while attending the going-away party for the Nixie Sparrows. Remember those two creative birds? WOW, did a lot of creativity come out of that office - now this office that I sit in. I’ve been working in the digital space here in this building for two years as a website designer, blogger, motivator, and teacher. Occupying a physical space isn’t necessary for us digital artists, but when you’re mainly prancing on a keyboard, the desire for physical creation and connection grows.

The first space in Beacon that actually cracked into my brain as a potential work home was the tiny hallway of space next to the Beacon Hotel (and I’m not alone… many people have fantasized about having a retail something in that space). The former Howling At The Edge Of Chaos (blessings), and prior to that, it had been something else whimsical. I’d gotten word that it was becoming available, and I considered occupying it for my blogging headquarters. And hey, maybe I’d also rent it out for pop-up shops, since those are so fun in Beacon. And then the Nixie Sparrows flew the coop, and I began stalking their landlord: Deborah Bigelow.

About Deborah Bigelow

Deborah Bigelow is a very small person physically, but a ginormous person in her field, which is the gilded and preservation arts (covering things in gold leaf and restoring anything). Before I even met her, I knew of her via Instagram as @gildedtwig. In fact, she gilded a pumpkin for an article on A Little Beacon Blog once. I never knew at that point that she was the owner of the Telephone Building.

When Deborah interviewed me to take the space, she had other suitors. This room is a very desirable space. It’s very bright, and the Nixies had strung lights and commissioned a really cool metal/wood bar for the room (which I bought from them in order to keep in the space… and it even has a love story connected to it!). So I had to impress Deborah and hope that she liked what I wanted to do with the space.

The Beginning Of A Little Beacon Space

I wanted to use the space for pop-up shops, workshops and retreats. She warned me over and over of the lack of foot traffic (it has since picked up over the years that I’ve been here). I didn’t care. I’m from the digital world, so I’m used to working for every person that walks through the door. I don’t just hang my shingle and wait for the people to come in. I hang my shingle, and the work has just begun. It’s why I named my marketing education business Tin Shingle. Tin is a resilient metal, and Shingle is a store sign. It’s the first of many steps to bring people in.

And A Little Beacon Space has done that. It has brought people in for all kinds of reasons. From the private book club I did a year ago for The Artist’s Way, and formed incredible bonds with a handful of women, to the pop-up shops that have set up amazing displays in here, and had tremendous results. Better than they expected. In fact, one of possibly your favorite little shops in Beacon, Artifact, started as a pop-up shop here and now has their own brick-and-mortar spot near Dogwood. We even did kids’ hair cuts with Salon Dae! And now I go to Audrina for my cut and color.

Back To Deborah

The more I learned about Deborah, and her years here as a landlord and as a restoration artist, the more I couldn’t believe that more people didn’t know about her. I mean - super-local people know her from diligently sweeping the Telephone Building’s steps and using a toothbrush to clean cigar spit from her limestone steps. The owner of Cafe Amarcord is one of her silent protectors, as he’s been watching for years as she picks up the trash people leave around the place, and the challenges she’s faced from those with a little too much moxie out on the sidewalk.

I call Deborah a “restoration artist.” She tells me that it’s not an official term, but she’ll accept it if I call her that. She has binders filled with notes of history of what has happened in the building - from tenants’ agreements to notes to evidence of tomfoolery (really nice word for criminal behavior) that she’s endured over the years. She is one of the founding participators in Beacon Speaks Out, which had been working toward involving the community with the police department. She even has detailed notes on how the Nixies strung the lights on the ceiling here in the office, in case we need to replace them.

Deborah is a very calm and planned person. She’s from Pennsylvania and extremely respectful of others, and an up-lifter of the spirit. When I took this space, it was on a wing and a prayer. She supported me every step of the way. If I was feeling down or doubtful, she was there to lift me up.

Therefore, it is with great pleasure that I watch her reach her point in “retirement” and move into her own next steps. She is selling the building directly herself, and has a website for it that gives plenty of information, like pictures and numbers. You can even see Before and After photos of her renovation. She has listed the building in A Little Beacon Blog’s Real Estate Guide, and when she handed me the layout of photos for the listing (she wanted them in exactly a planned way… so Deborah!) she did so with tears welling up in her eyes. As I took the piece of paper from her hands, I brushed away our tears and kept our eyes on the future.

“You’re Staying… Right?”

My own children asked me this question when I told them the news. Friends on the street who are hearing the news are asking it as well. I’m asking it of myself!

I’m on a month-to-month lease right now. This is actually an exciting prospect to me. I like change. It sparks new creativity. It unplugs some clogs that I didn’t know were there, and makes things flow freely again. It reveals thoughts and priorities that often sit silently on the back burner, being ignored.

So here’s the thing. I don’t know where A Little Beacon Space will be. There are many scenarios that could play out. A new owner could buy the building, and not need the rent money, and keep my rent the same. As you can imagine, this building was bought 27 years ago, and Deborah has been very kind to us for rents. For a storefront space on Main Street in the heart of Beacon, with two walls of windows that let in glorious natural light from historically renovated windows, my rent is below market value at $1,260. If it increased, could I sustain it? Possibly.

Math from a new mortgage tells me that my rent would need to change. Unless the new owner is a collector, and likes to keep things the way they are and can afford to do that! But, if that doesn’t happen, then a few other scenarios could play out. Like…

• Buy the Building? While my first thought was to assume that I’d exit out of the building, my next thought was to buy the building. My husband and I considered this, as a handful of people around us have expressed interest in investing in Beacon. The first building we seriously thought of buying was actually the yellow house with the warehouse behind it, formerly Trendy Tots. That’s what hooked us into Beacon in the first place. It was $450K at the time, and sold for nearly a million! Kicking ourselves! Presented with a perfect building such as the Telephone Building, getting together the down payment would still be tricky and involve me finding grants, such as women-owned business grants or historic building grants, and that’s a lot of homework that is not my specialty. The business model would also be tricky, but could involve me starting a podcast production studio in the basement - to add audio to media available from A Little Beacon Blog with different podcast shows. Writers and production for the web version of A Little Beacon Blog could also come in for shared office hours and write and be a team together. I would keep my current space as a fancier event space for rental income, which it is now.

• Weather the Rent Increase: Possibly. If the new building owner(s) wanted A Little Beacon Blog and Tin Shingle to stay there and continue to offer the space as a venue for creatives and community, I would take a harder look at my marketing plans.

• A Little Beacon Trailer! I really love trucks and trailers. I would love to tow my office behind my ginormous, un-eco-friendly car that can tow 9,000 pounds. What about a mobile office? I discovered the people at Flexetail, and aren’t those trailers gorgeous!?! My friend Sh* That I Knit got one, and when my girl here in Beacon, April from La Mère Clothing and Goods got her trailer for La Mère Petite, I couldn’t take it anymore. I need one. Maybe A Little Beacon Space would be a vendor down at Long Dock and have pop-ups sometimes?!

• Little Beacon Spaces (as in more than one)? Maybe there could be more than one Little Beacon Space… There certainly is a demand for office space and I would love to be a provider of it…This is a bigger project, but is in Research Phase.

• Go Home? I worked from home for 11 years. I could do it again. I’ve worked from my car from parking lots at Panera, skimming their wifi. But maybe I should stay out here in Brick and Mortar Land. What do they say? Go big or go home?

So I’m going to Go Big for now. A Little Beacon Space is going to market like gangbusters to rent out our space for workshops, retreats, photo shoots and pop-ups. Tell your friends! We’re only booking two months in advance until things become clearer of what is happening. Details and to book online are always at www.alittlebeaconspace.com.

Thank you for listening. While change creates uncertainty, please join me in wishing Deborah the best as she enters into this new phase.

Brewery, Arcade and Event Space Proposed for 511 Fishkill Avenue As Industrial Arts Brewing Co. Looks To Expand To Beacon

The large property at 511 Fishkill Avenue (aka Route 52), which is between AutoZone and the Healey car dealership, has been acquired by Diamond Properties, a commercial real estate and property management business located in Mount Kisco, New York. This is the old Mechtronics building on 9 acres of property; technically it’s in Beacon, but it’s outside of downtown Beacon. The property is a 147,500-square foot, two-story flex/industrial warehouse and office building and includes loading docks, warehouse, office, and on-site parking, according to the website of Diamond Properties.

The vision is to transform part of the space into a warehouse, brewery, accessory office, arcade and event space, to accommodate Industrial Arts Brewing Company, who would be a tenant in the building, according to the application submitted by the applicant, DP 108, LLC.

Industrial Arts Brewing Company, who is based in Garnerville, NY (over to the southwest of us, in Rockland County), is looking to expand in Beacon by way of this location. The plan would be a new brewery production space with warehouse capacity, and an event space on the second floor of the building, which could include arcade use. The architect for the project is Aryeh Siegel, who is the architect behind several projects under construction in Beacon, as well as completed projects.

While the intent of use for an arcade is there, Beacon has an older, or vintage if you will, zoning requirement on the books that does not allow for arcades in Beacon, unless they are offering vintage machines.

An excerpt from the arcade zoning law reads like this (which was posted with the 12/11/2018 Planning Board agenda): “Such amusement center shall contain only vintage amusement devices that were built prior to the year 1980 or noncomputerized devices with the exception of first generation computerized games such as those manufactured prior to 1990.”

The requirement also has provisions for noise levels, and that windows are to be kept closed, and doors “open only during ingress and egress,” as well as a calling for no vibrations to occur off the premises. Children under the age of 18 years old would also not be allowed to be in before 3 pm (school release time), and that age range cannot operate the machinery after 10 pm.

The Public Hearing was triggered after a representative from the project came before the Planning Board during a Planning Board meeting on 12/11/2018 to review the application to amend an existing Site Plan Approval and needed zoning law changed to allow amusement centers that include more current games, not just vintage.

During the 12/11/2018 Planning Board meeting, it was explained this way: “Right now, amusement centers are prohibited unless they are vintage amusement centers. In which case they are allowed by special permit. We are taking that distinction away and just saying ‘Indoor Commercial Recreation is a permissible use.’” The Planning Board discussed amending the old zoning requirement, and then sent their unanimous recommendation of “Yes, Amend” to the City Council for a vote.

In order to vote, the City Council must hold a Public Hearing to hear opinions from the public, which is scheduled for today, Monday December 17, 2018. An email from a Beacon business owner, Paulette Myers-Rich, who owns No. 3 Reading Room & Photo Book Works on Main Street in Beacon, is on file to be present during the Public Hearing, in which Paulette asks that the special permit remain in the legislation in order to give more selection to which business opens where.

According to the proposed draft change of the law, the only proposed change coming from the City Council’s attorney seems to be to the vintage aspect of the zoning requirement.

Screenshot of the proposed Draft Change of the arcade law, which is what is being discussed at a City Council Public Hearing Monday, December 17, 2018.

Moving To Beacon In The Winter

It’s a really good time to move to Beacon. I mean, it’s always a good time to move to Beacon, people have done it time and again no matter what the month. But now is good because the market has opened up a bit. Earlier this year, fewer houses were on the market, and now there are quite a few. More and more people are getting involved with city regulations and how taxes work, so there is a revived look at how our taxes are calculated. Like the Assessment Rate or the city’s Sales Tax that currently goes to Dutchess County to be managed (this decision up for renewal in 2024, so look for fresh debate).

Renovations around town keep rolling, either by the new homeowners or by flippers, so pretty much anywhere you look in Beacon, a house is getting a makeover. And then there are the apartments that are going to be finished soon. There are a lot of options (and emotional adjustments, for those of us not expecting to see so many new buildings go up, but that’s a different blog post, and one that I personally have faith will work out as different voices contribute at City Council, Zoning and Planning Board meetings to have their view heard).

When we moved to Beacon from NYC, it was during the time of President Obama when he lifted the tax penalty on draining your IRA for anything but retirement. He made it tax penalty-free to use your IRA to buy a home. We kicked our apartment/house search into high gear so that we could use the tax advantage, and visited a lot of NYC apartments, then tested other train towns, and dug our heels into Beacon.

We visited all sorts of houses in Beacon, mostly with scary basements and no closets. After touring one house that had been on the market for 4 days and had the B-Dry system, which was a $10K investment that made the basement dry, we made our offer. While the sellers considered it, we stumbled hungrily into Poppy’s, which is now MOD, for a much-needed burger to process what was about to happen.

Night Moving

The night we moved - because it was nighttime after the movers packed all of our boxes that day in NYC; otherwise we would have been buried in boxes in our tiny apartment - we drove up to Beacon in the moving truck.

My most happy time was sitting in the front seat of the moving truck, driving past the wide open spaces on 9D that were actually Garrison homes with large, rolling fields for yards. Those blended into Cold Spring, which disappeared into the tunnel of Breakneck Ridge, until we got to the other side of the ridge and the stars emerged in the sky again.

It was just so black. The sky. The air. And open. When we pulled up to our house, we got out of the truck and fumbled for our new keys to the house. The air was cold and crisp. On the sidewalk across the street from our house, on the other side of a chain-link fence, I heard rustling. My dog was still alive then, so I was used to perking my ears up to hear if outside sounds were human or raccoon. Human. I’d later learn it was my neighbor, who happened to be letting out their dog at that hour, and happens to know everything that is going on at all times. (This is why dog-walking is useful!)

Front Porches

As the movers moved in, my dog was investigating our new front yard within our own new-for-us old chain-link fence, as I stood on the front porch. Again the sky was black with stars. The black enveloped me. The artist Stanley Lindwasser just described it perfectly at his art opening - the openness that is density. That’s what he loves about his new home here in Beacon after moving here from Hoboken, N.J.: the density. And that’s what I loved. I never wanted to lose that feeling of being enveloped by the dark on my front porch, seeing the stars, and feeling so lucky that this space would be what grounded us.

The Great Blizzard of 2010

A few days later, The Great Blizzard of 2010 hit, and we lost power for three days. We are not campers in the wilderness. In our adulting lives, we grew up in NYC with supers who fixed our kitchen sinks or hung things. We didn’t know how to light our gas stove in the event of a power outage. The next day, our new neighbors, the ones with the late-night dog walking, invited us over for a warm meal and a kerosene heater. They bickered about using the kerosene heater for a bit while I silently prayed they would decide to keep using it because it was just so warm. They also told us how to light the gas stove. Game changer.

So that’s when we fell in love with Beacon. In the winter. While the power was out. It brought us together with our neighbors, and introduced us to the concept of community, something which New York City has in a different way, but not the same way that a small city-town can produce.

What is your moving-in or moving-back story? Or if you moved here 20 or 50 years ago, share that story too!

"Ready To Move To Beacon For This View"

Photo Credit: @nihaonewyork

On Election Day, a reader tagged us on Instagram in this photo they took of the corner of Main Street and Tioronda, just outside of the Howland Cultural Center. In their photo post, they wrote: “I think I’m ready to move to Beacon for this view… just kidding, or maybe not.” They went on to use the hashtags #smalltownvibes to describe a few of the emotions they were feeling about the scene.

I wanted to bring the photo to the surface for a few reasons:

1. It’s beautiful.

2. It’s a special thing to be included in someone’s thoughts of how they view Beacon and why they would move here, or have already moved here.

3. It reminds me of why I moved here.

4. It shows how someone who does move here and is brand new values the same things that those who currently live here also love and cherish. Sometimes there is a fear of people coming to a “new” great area. (Beacon is always new, it’s always changing, and thanks to the Beacon Historical Society for making it easy for us to follow the city’s living history, and to the neighbors who share their stories on a daily basis.)

Keeping this view seems consistent with the City Council’s rezoning work, that was especially heavy during the Building Moratorium of 2017, where several zoning requirements were tweaked and tightened after several buildings that had existed for a while in concept were built and actually presented themselves in the flesh of concrete.

In the December 18, 2017 City Council Meeting, legislation was passed for the Fishkill Creek Development that would limit the height of a building to three stories. After a new four-story building was constructed at 344 Main Street, the public pushed for limits to the heights of buildings. The new legislation caps new buildings at three stories and not more than 40 feet in height, as first reported by Jeff Simms for the Highlands Current.

When, or if, you see pictures of people who live in New York City getting fresh air, it is usually at Central Park, and many tree branches are in the frame. They want more tree branches in the frame. All of the numerous founding transformational people of Beacon, and there have been many over the generations (the Howlands, the Sauers, etc.) have come from far downstate in the city, to our lower “upstate” region in the south of the state, all looking for space and fresh air above and around them.

2nd Beacon Zoning Public Discussion (Rules About Buildings + Houses) Scheduled for December 1, 2018

Beacon Zoning Forum Discussion 2.0: A detailed discussion about zoning laws, how the city is developed, and the hows and whys behind decisions. For anyone interested in why commercial or residential buildings are allowed - or not allowed - to be built, how they are designed, and what can be done inside and outside of them. The first forum like was held around this time last year.
Date: Saturday, December 1, 2018
Time: 10am-12pm
Location: BEAHIVE 291 Main Street, Beacon NY 12508
Details >

The second public forum that (tries to) discuss Beacon’s Zoning Laws and the constant tweaking of those laws is set for Saturday, December 1, 2018 in the BEAHIVE at 291 Main St. The words “tries to” are used because zoning laws are by default loaded with jargon, and usually experts and industry professionals are the ones discussing them. In Beacon, many members of the public have become interested in the ins and outs of zoning, so translating how it all works has come down to communication. According to the event’s page, Beacon City Councilperson “Lee Kyriacou will facilitate the discussion — operating in this capacity as a private citizen.”

Zoning laws have been a hot topic in Beacon for many years. Basically - zoning laws are what defines what kind of building can get built where, what it can look like, and what can go on there. On paper, the laws can be hard to follow, and usually do not have a large audience.

However, if you’ve driven or walked through Beacon lately, you’ll see the new buildings going up. Decisions that make those buildings able to go up can live for years in public meetings, often traveling between city boards, like the City Council, Zoning Board, and Planning Board. Small and large issues about the construction of those buildings - or houses or condos or town homes - get batted around from board to board until approvals green-light them completely, or rejections or re-zonings of current laws send them back to the drawing board.

To help the growing number of people who are interested in these laws keep up with intentions and changes, a forum convened last winter in 2017, and a website was launched. Since that time, several key zoning regulations have been changed, and more changes are anticipated.

On The Agenda

According to the event’s page, the morning will be divided into two sections:

What’s Been Happening - An Overview

• “Zoning 101” for brief background

• What zoning laws have been enacted in the past year in Beacon

• Zoning laws still on the table for Beacon

• What construction is currently occurring and under what zoning laws

• What construction is planned/potentially doable

Big Pieces of Rezoning Still Remaining:

• Protect 60+ historic structures in/around Main Street (in addition to ones protected on either end of Main Street).

• Revise the zoning adjacent to Main Street for uses that fit residential areas behind Main Street.

• Totally revamp and simplify the permitted uses and setback tables for all zones.

• Revisit Linkage Zoning for more ground-floor commercial, et al.

If you’re interested in how and why the buildings around you are being built, then attend the meeting to learn more. The more you listen or read, the easier it becomes to keep up. Just like regular homework!

Unlike big-city living, in a small city-town, you are able to get a little closer to digging in to help form a vision. Keep in mind, there are lots of different visions, so it is also an exercise in hearing one another and working together.

Beacon Zoning Forum Discussion 2.0: A detailed discussion about zoning laws, how the city is developed, and the hows and whys behind decisions. For anyone interested in why commercial or residential buildings are allowed - or not allowed - to be built, how they are designed, and what can be done inside and outside of them. The first forum like this was held around this time last year.
Date: Saturday, December 1, 2018
Time: 10 am to noon
Location: BEAHIVE, 291 Main St. (the Telephone Building), Beacon NY 12508
Details >

Vogel Pharmacy Relocates To 9D, In Plaza Near Dutchess (Renegades) Stadium (we got pictures!)

Vogel Pharmacy relocates to 1475 NY-9D, in between Leo’s and the Dollar General, after the building housing its longtime Beacon location was sold to new owners. Pictured above is owner Anthony Valicenti waving from behind his new counter, and a staff member Audra.
Photo Credits: Katie Hellmuth Martin

The former location of longtime Beacon business Vogel Pharmacy, on Main Street in Beacon, NY. Vogel has since moved 10 minutes away to the plaza across from Dutchess Stadium, 1475 NY-9D, now serving old and new customers.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

In what is quickly becoming a new series on this blog - perhaps we’ll call it something like “Where did that shop go?” - we’ve been following which Beacon shops are moving where. They are often swapping ends of Main Street, or moving slightly off of Main Street.

We tracked down Vogel Pharmacy, owned by Anthony Valicent. For months, the pharmacy was in the process of moving from its longtime location at 234 Main Street (in the middle of Main Street near Homespun) after the building containing the storefront space they leased was purchased by new owners.

We are longtime customers of Vogel, preferring to get prescriptions filled with a local pharmacy that has deep roots in the community. Not to say we don’t high-five our friends who work at Rite Aid (love that nail polish bar and greeting card section … and remember that time Rite Aid got a total makeover and sliding front doors?), but having a local pharmacy keeps it real.

So Why Did Vogel Leave Downtown Beacon?

The building at 234 Main Street that housed Vogel Pharmacy was for sale earlier this year. Anthony told us that he considered buying it, but knew the building well, and knew it was in bad shape. When the building did sell to new owners, they had other plans for it that did not include it being occupied for the next bit.

Vogel Pharmacy had been in downtown Beacon for decades. Vogel was one of our “Where Is This?” contest locations when we featured their vintage wall with the original beaker wallpaper. Anthony had worked for Vogel when he was an up and coming pharmacist, and for last 16 years has owned Vogel Pharmacy himself.

The New Vogel - Is The Same! With Gobs More Parking!

VOGEL’S CONTACT INFO:
1475 NY-9D
Wappingers Falls by 12590
Same Phone Number: 845-831-3784
If you call after hours and don’t hear a voice mail, don’t worry. Simply call during their Open hours.

Silver linings are everywhere in this relocation story. For starters, the parking. Vogel serves everyone including the elderly, veterans, kids, and irregular cold and flu patients. The downtown Beacon Main Street location did not have much parking, and walking there has become even more difficult, now that the building is dwarfed by scaffolding to the right of it, and directly across the street, as two multistory buildings are built from the ground up. Homespun has had to put up a sidewalk sign at the end of the block encouraging people to keep walking through the scaffolding to find them.

Now when you drive to Vogel in their new location, you have sooooo much parking. You need a disabled spot? You got it! Is Leo’s busy that night? Is there a sale on detergent at the Dollar General? No problem! There is parking in the back of Vogel or on the other side of the VIP front row parking spots. Already, new customers who live in the area are coming in, thankful for the new pharmacy.

Everything Is Just As It Was At The Old Vogel - Kids Toys, Vaporizers, Eye-Glasses Donation Box

Inside of Vogel, the aisles are just as they were, and the phone number is the same.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Don’t worry, all of your old favorites at Vogel are still there. Even Vogel’s phone number is the same. The Melissa & Doug toys (that are so often marked down) that you can buy your kids when they come with you to pick up a prescription. The eye-glasses donation box. The magazines. Vogel is where I get my monthly issues of Family Circle and Better Homes & Gardens, conveniently placed right next to the cash register, under the Blow Pops.

Anthony waves from his new perch while filling prescriptions.

Anthony himself is there as usual at the end of the aisles, either filling prescriptions or on the phone. The famous Rx sign hangs outside on Vogel’s new brick wall, just as it did at the other location.

I don’t mind driving down 9D. I look forward to it when I visit Stony Kill Farm, and I even drive my car payment to Rhinebeck Bank’s Beacon Branch - by choice.

Vogel isn’t the only Beacon business I’ve followed after they relocated. I followed my hair dresser Josh Boos to Newburgh from the Green Room (the salon near the mountain across from The Roundhouse). His new digs are in The Atlas Building in Newburgh so that he can manufacture his hair color organizer invention. So cool over there! I’ll be one of the voices encouraging the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry to ramp up its schedule, because it’s going to need to with all of this spread.

Look for Vogel at the Spirit of Beacon Day!

Vogel got a table this year at the Spirit of Beacon Day, so go say hi! This is the first year the Spirit of Beacon folks considered allowing businesses to have vendor tables (traditionally, only nonprofit organizations had tables). Regardless, Vogel’s move is so big, they probably would have been approved for a table anyway.

Congratulations to Anthony and his staff for making the move and making it through uncomfortable times in a business transition. The new location really does come with perks, and I’ll enjoy filling my family’s prescriptions there.