POUGHKEEPSIE – State Assemblywoman
Didi Barrett (D-Hudson) has written to Governor Cuomo urging the state
to find “proper re-use” for the Taconic Development Disabilities
Service Office campus in Wassaic.
“Since its closure in 2014, local residents and potential investors
alike have been alarmed to see this magnificent resource, with breathtaking
views of the Harlem Valley, deteriorate into a neglected site resulting
in dilapidation, vandalism, and deterioration of historic architecture
and loss of revenue,” she wrote in a letter to the governor.
Barrett said in addition to the uncertain future of the facility, there
is a lack of maintenance at the campus. “There are reports of increased
number of break-ins, property vandalism including the theft of copper
pipes, insufficient security, a lack of upkeep for the water mains and
no efforts to remediate the known asbestos contamination in the old architecture,
she wrote.
The assemblywoman said the property could be a “fantastic”
location for a film or post-production studio. “With its scenic
views, proximity to the Wassaic Project and easy access to the Harlem
Line trains, the site is a natural for an arts centered smart growth community
with plenty of room for housing, studio space, support businesses and
farming.
