News

City keeping old fire house

Hudson-Catskill Newspapers

HUDSON — For the second time in two months, the Hudson Common Council rejected the sale of the Washington Hose Company fire station, and its parking lot, located at Front and Warren streets. The vote was 6 for and 5 against, which did not meet the required 75 percent needed to approve the measure.

The special meeting was held Tuesday at the Hudson Fire Station, and was preceded by a Washington Hose site visit and public hearing.

The Washington Hose building features spacious, open rooms. The walls and ceiling are made of tin, DPW foreman Skip Weed told the Register-Star, and though some parts look to be in admirable shape, the entire building needs a lot of work.

The basement is very damp, and a musty smell as one descends the stairs confirms the presence of mold. Ceiling panels are missing from the truck bay, exposing the wood frames in the ceiling.

There is some decay on the outside of the building, including chipping paint and some brick damage. A white, flat concrete eave that circles the roof is crumbling in some areas.

“The whole top area needs work,” Weed confirmed.

When the public hearing began, Supervisor Edward Cross, DHudson2, was the first to speak. He said the city was not necessarily going to get the extra $75,000 per year in sales tax that had been worked out in a deal — which was later put on hold — with the Columbia County Board of Supervisors.

“The people on the board are not sympathetic to Hudson’s plight,” he said. “It’s not a done deal.”

Cross continued, “How can we go to the county and ask for funds, ask them to help us, when we can’t even help ourselves?”

In 2004, all but one of Hudson’s fire companies were consolidated. This vote was made with the commitment that all proceeds from the sales of the firehouses would be used for debt reduction.

Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera told the council and those in attendance that the city has only repaid $775,000 of its $900,000 agreement with the bank. He had also noted that at one point, Washington Hose had been sold at auction. That buyer later walked away.

“The public supported selling all the fire stations three years ago,” he said. “The common council voted unanimously to sell all the fire stations.”

Scalera urged everyone to look at the bottom line. “Hudson is becoming unaffordable,” he said, adding that the city has some serious and expensive issues pending, including a multi-million dollar sewer project, as well as the rising costs of fuel and health insurance.

“There are some things we have to sacrifice today,” he said, adding that the Historic Preservation Commission would protect the historic value of the building.

Also speaking in favor of selling the building was Charlie Davi, the Hudson resident who had previously offered to purchase the building outright for $300,001 — one dollar over the minimum bid.

“The damage to the building is getting phenomenal,” he said. “If you allow delaying tactics, you’re throwing away money that everyone in Hudson can use.”

Davi pointed out that his plan for the building — a volunteerism-themed, child-friendly restaurant and ice cream parlor — fit in with recommendations made in studies of Hudson’s waterfront.

“Washington Hose is meant to be a centerpiece restaurant,” he said. ‘If this is the jewel you all think it is, put it out for bid.”

Most at the public hearing spoke in favor of keeping the building, at least for the time being. Keith Nelson of the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, who had previously attended the July 2 meeting of the Arts, Entertainment and Tourism Committee, said that the Cirkus recently moved to Hudson with the long-term goal of setting up a center for various artistic endeavors.

At the July 2 meeting, one of the ideas he presented involved utilizing Washington Hose as a haunted house during the fall and Halloween season. He said Tuesday that he felt these statements were misconstrued.

Nelson, along with many others at the hearing, felt that the building’s location at the base of Warren Street was of great value. “It could do amazing things in this city,” he said, adding that if just anyone is allowed to buy it, it could instead become the city’s “sorest point.”

“It makes sense for the city to open it up to the public — not to sell, but to rent,” Nelson said, adding that something constructive should be done with the space. When someone in the crowd asked whether this included a haunted house, Nelson responded, “I’m pro-haunted house. I’m pro-carnival. You’re talking to a clown right now.

“I’m looking for something to give kids here to work on,” he said. “It would be insane for the city to decide to sell it at this point.”

Historic Preservation Committee member Nick Haddad agreed that the building shouldn’t be sold.

“This building is in no danger of falling down,” he said, after noting that he’s done some work rehabilitating buildings in Hudson. “Having looked at the building with a contractor, we’re in no danger of losing it.

“We’re jumping ahead of ourselves here to sell it outright.”

Several residents at the hearing, including Hilary Hillman, wanted to see other city-owned properties sold before Washington Hose.

“Real estate is down now and to get top dollar would be hard,” she said. “I would like to see the city try its very hardest to keep that property as a city property,” due to its pivotal location.

Restaurant owners Alana Hauptmann of the Red Dot and Mark Young of Mexican Radio also spoke in favor of keeping the building.

At the meeting that followed the hearing, Second Ward Aldermen Abdus Miah and Wanda Pertilla both felt that a plan was needed if the city wants to keep the building. Pertilla said she felt she was “stuck between a rock and a hard place.”

“I just want to hear somebody with a plan that’s not going to cost the city anything” she said. “My vote is still to sell until I hear someone with a viable plan.”

“I’m not a big fan to sell it,” Miah said, “but I didn’t see anything,” in terms of a plan.

“I want to see all the buildings sold,” he added. “That’s keeping down our taxes.”

Supervisor William Hughes Jr., DHudson4, agreed with Miah.

“We’re the poorest municipality in Columbia County, but we pay two to three times more in property taxes than other municipalities,” he said, “because we don’t have enough properties on the tax rolls.”

According to Council President Robert Perry Jr., the city currently has 134 parcels it’s looking to sell.

Alderwoman Carrie Haddad, D-1st Ward, informed the council that she’s been speaking to an individual who is interested in leasing Washington Hose from the city. “I don’t want to go into detail,” she said, adding that her fellow council members would be hearing about it at a future meeting.

“When you have it, I’ll be ready to talk,” Pertilla said.

The resolution required a 75 percent approval because it called for a property transfer. This majority refers not to council members, but rather the votes they represent. In terms of the votes each council member carries, the vote was 1,327 for, and 646 against, selling Washington Hose. In order to pass, 1,555 yes votes were required.

On June 17, the council voted not to sell the building by a vote of 7 for and 4 against. A new resolution to sell the property was presented at the council’s informal meeting on July 7. The additional no vote Tuesday came from Alderman Elvie Tillman, D-Fourth Ward, who was out of town and could not attend the special meeting. Perry told the Register-Star Thursday that in such cases, votes for absent members are entered as no.

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