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Stockade FC vs. Greater Lowell United FC in 2016. Below: The former Tonner Doll Co. building will become one of four new boutique hotels developer Charles Blaichman is opening in Uptown Kingston.
WINNING COMBINATION KINGSTON BY HILLARY HARVEY
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Nan Potter
f you knew Kingston back in the days of desperately seeking revitalization, you might not recognize the historic, maritime city now. Sure, there are still glimpses of post-urban renewal strip mall development and post-housing market crash dilapidation. But if that’s all you see when you look at Kingston, you’d be missing the action of recent times. On an April day earlier this year, a mixed-use building on North Front Street in the historic Stockade district that was assessed for $500,000 sold for $1 million. The Kingston City School District building has an offer on it for over $4 million. Among the rising market value purchases are four historic buildings that developer Charles Blaichman will reestablish as a collection of boutique hotels. Designed as essentially one hotel with four locations, each will have its own personality. Property manager Nan Potter of Pottery Realty, which was involved in the sale, feels it’s a positive use for the buildings, which were minimally income- and non-tax-producing. “They were never escalating in their tax assessments, except for what Blaichman is investing now,” she says. Their prime location within walking distance of restaurants, retail, entertainment, and the Adirondack Trailways bus station is at the heart of the business model. “We’re finding that people come up for First Saturday or the farmers’ market. They’re only going to be in their room for a minimum amount of time, and they’re looking for a small, cozy place,” Potter explains. “The B&Bs and Air BnBs are booked every weekend.” Not owner-run, not big box hotel, these boutiques will be somewhere in between—a new niche in Kingston. At the core of every development issue in Kingston is parking, though. It was recently announced that three local developers were teaming up to offer a plan for the former Uptown garage site on North Front Street. Andrew Wright, an architect who packages plans for developers, was tapped by Kingston Mayor Steve Noble to help guide the plan on behalf of the city. Wright envisions the project as a hub, where car traffic can enter off Schwenk Drive into a multistory parking facility, with a pedestrian plaza for gathering, and a commercial
venture, possibly a hotel and spa, to justify the 200 spaces of public parking that the city requires. Another stipulation of the development rights is to hold public forums as the plan develops, and to ensure historic preservation. Wright says that, in choosing someone responsible and transparent, it will be successful.The team was chosen because of their vested interest in the community. “I like that it’s all local developers,” he says. “These guys want something more long term. They don’t want it to fall apart. It’s very lucky that they stepped up and took an interest.” Long-term Projects The energy in Uptown is palpable and contagious. The owners of Hamilton & Adams, a men’s clothing, grooming, and gift shop on John Street which unveiled itself in April 2017, are history buffs.They told KingstonWeekender that they fell in love with the region during a visit in 2010, and were subsequently drawn to open a retail store in the historic Stockade district in concert with other interesting enterprises that they saw encouraging Kingston’s renaissance: the men’s semi-professional fourth division soccer team, Kingston Stockade Football Club regularly pack the stands at Dietz Stadium; and Stockade Works, a nonprofit organization dedicated to attracting large-scale production and tech projects to Kingston, run by Mary Stuart Masterson, announced itself in early 2016. Partnering with Stockade Works is Rural Ulster Preservation Company (RUPCO) on a 70,000-square-foot renovation of the former Pilgrim Furniture factory in Midtown—the Metro. Stockade Works will utilize a large portion of the space to create a film studio, sound stage, post production center, and job training for film, television, and technology. RUPCO will surround that with spaces for light manufacturing and makers. With an influx of influence and money, and a heightened interest in all the river cities, Kingston’s challenges are shifting. RUPCO’s CEO Kevin O’Connor finds industrial space at a premium, so it’s important to create new oppor10/17 CHRONOGRAM COMMUNITY PAGES 55