POUGHKEEPSIE – The Poughkeepsie Common Council will meet on May 3 to vote on the transfer of the YMCA property from the city to Dutchess County, according to Chairperson Sarah Salem.
The proposal calls for the city to transfer ownership of the long-vacant property to the county in exchange for $10. If approved, the county will seek to invest $25 million in revitalizing the property into a multi-functional youth center.
In August of 2020, Mayor Rob Rolison and County Executive Marc Molinaro signed an agreement binding the city and county in a partnership to redevelop the former YMCA. In February of 2021, the county worked with the city’s administration to draft a resolution for the transfer of ownership to the county. The proposal was forwarded to the common council for review.
On March 3 of this year, Salem and Rolison held an informational meeting on the proposal. The meeting webcast can be viewed here. They were joined by Molinaro and representatives of the 35 Montgomery Street Coalition – the varied groups working together to develop the new center. No vote scheduled by the council.
Several council meetings have been held since they were presented with the proposal, but the resolution has not been on any of the agendas. Mid-Hudson News reached out to Salem earlier this week asking why the city had not moved the project forward, and the chairperson responded, saying, “The resolution shall be brought forth on May 3, right on schedule.” There was no explanation for the delay.
