POUGHKEEPSIE – State Assemblywoman Didi Barrett (D, Hudson) is 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 Governor Andrew Cuomo.
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.”
