Expansive Poughkeepsie waterfront redevelopment to commence

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POUGHKEEPSIE – The Poughkeepsie Landing project, a joint venture between the City of Poughkeepsie and the Bonura Hospitality Group, is set to begin after a few minor changes are approved by the city.  The waterfront development is poised to reinvigorate the former DeLaval site which has lain fallow for over 50 years.
The City of Poughkeepsie entered into the agreement with the Bonura family in 2001 to develop three parcels along the riverfront; the former Poughkeepsie Sewage Treatment Plant where Shadows on the Hudson is now located, the Poughkeepsie Urban Renewal Area 14, now the Water Club Luxury Apartments and the 13-acre DeLaval site which was contaminated with industrial waste from earlier use.  The Bonura family worked to clean up the three Brownfield sites with the intent to develop them.

Docking facilities

Amphitheatre on the waterfront

The ambitious plan, according to Joseph Bonura Jr., is the “crowning
achievement of a public-private partnership between the City of Poughkeepsie
and the Bonura family which will be an amenity-rich recreational and residential
space that will revitalize the area.”  He said project will
provide significant economic benefits to the city.
“Approximately $300,000 a year in direct rent and property taxes will be paid by us to the City of Poughkeepsie,” Bonura said. “This property was purchased in 1965 by the City of Poughkeepsie and no taxes have been paid, no jobs generated on a permanent basis other than the cost of the cleanup on this property in 53 years,” he said. “We are estimating approximately $825,000 in sales tax will be paid by the businesses operating on this property.”  
The project will include a three-story building with the ground floor featuring retail and dining. The top two floors will provide 50 apartments.  The original plan called for the top floor to be commercial use so the city needs to approve the change to residential.  The revised plan, which also calls for a promenade connecting the existing walkway between Shadows and the Hudson north to Kaal Rock needs to be revisited to allow for adjustments to the lease and the PILOT tax plan.
According to Bonura, the project will take eight to nine months to complete once the final approvals are granted.  In addition to the promenade, the project is set to have an outdoor amphitheater, a public pool, green space for open air markets, a large boat dock and 400 public parking spaces. 
Some 140 permanent jobs are expected to be generated when the site is up and running and roughly 150 jobs during construction.
The agreement allows for the city to own the length of property along the river to be used as dedicated parkland. The inland parcel will be leased by the Bonura family. 




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