POUGHKEEPSIE – Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison announced a meeting to gather public input on what to do with the former YMCA building. The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. May 13th at the Family Partnership Center, 29 N. Hamilton Street in Poughkeepsie. Rolison will give opening remarks followed by the city’s Director Of Community Engagement, John Penney, moderating a discussion between the city’s economic director, Paul Calogerakis and Community Development Coordinator Paul Hesse. Following the panel discussion, officials will field questions from the public.
Poughkeepsie recently took ownership of the building and the three-plus acre parcel that has been vacant since the YMCA closed in 2009. The facility has suffered the effects of time and neglect requiring city officials to evaluate the condition of the property to determine if demolition is required. The City has taken steps to seek public input for the best use of the property and released a Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) to solicit ideas that, if used, will yield significant community benefit, economic as well as those serving both youths and adults.
Councilwoman Sarah Salem represents the ward where the parcel is located and called the public forum “an opportunity for the city to learn what the public wants for that location.” City officials hope the RFEI may lead to a Request for Proposals (RFP) that may result in an award of a preferred developer to move the project along to fruition. Salem noted that “no matter what project is proposed, there needs to be funding.”
Rolison indicated previously that a public-private partnership has not been ruled out. The mayor has looked at this project as a revitalization of that neighborhood and said “we look forward to hearing more from the community about their thoughts for this site.”
