KINGSTON – Rob Iannucci, owner of the Cornell building, which once serviced and dispatched the largest tugboat fleet in America, wants to move forward with a plan to bring more public access to the East Strand waterfront.
Iannucci, a developer with Historic Kingston Waterfront Revival, would like to see bulkhead improvements, costing about $10 million, completed along the Rondout Creek’s East Strand waterfront, so more commerce can be attracted to this part of Kingston.
“They would create public access points to the waterfront,” he said. “All of this is to create a waterfront as an improved version of what it was.”
Following World War II, as interstate highway travel displaced the Hudson River a prime thoroughfare, the Rondout waterfront fell into decline for decades until Kingston started to revive the area around the early 90s.
And Iannucci is working with approved improvement and implementation plans dating back to 1992.
“They are the road map we work within,” said Iannucci. “We want to help stimulate the city with the infrastructure that was lost. We’re just following their lead, and that’s the right way to do it.”
Iannucci said the bulkhead improvements, which could start within two years, would allow for more public walkways and gathering spaces. Once constructed, the bulkheads would also foster more hotel development. A former New York City hospital ship, now docked on the waterfront, has been suggested by city officials, said Iannucci, as space for nightly lodging.
Iannucci said the Van Meegen Group, from Holland, has also expressed interest in establishing a base on the Rondout waterfront to use U.S. – built boats.
“They will be running a couple tour ships, large ones,” he said.
