KINGSTON – The city planning board conducted a public hearing Tuesday for the Kingstonian project, a $52 million mixed-use development at the corner of Fair and North Front streets in the city’s Uptown historic Stockade district.
The plans call for 8,000 square feet of retail space, a 32-room hotel, 143 apartments, and a parking garage for 420 vehicles.
Elenie Loizou, of the Dietz Stadium Diner, and a member of the Kingston Uptown Business Association, however, welcomes the project.
“The plans look great and have my full support,” she said. “It’s so exciting to know that we’re going to have a new exciting, vibrant place to join. In the beginning of December, we have over 5,000 people come to the Uptown area for our Snowflake Festival. The Kingstonian will be the new home for our Christmas tree where everybody from far and near, from Kingston and around the area to come and light our tree, to visit uptown, to support us uptown.”
The project does have its foes, including this unidentified planner from Rhinebeck who thinks the project will harm the historic district’s Catskill Mountain views and architecture.
“The Kingstonian as currently approved will go from a parklet, and broad vista across the Esopus Creek, and the Catskills in the background to a large bulky building with a gaping hole for cars to come in and out of,” he said. “It’s going to dominate the intersection. The building is out of scale, not only with the historic character of the area, but the view will dramatically change the feel of the entire district and neighborhood. It’s going to denigrate the architectural integrity of the buildings that line that street. The view will communicate vehicle dominance –not pedestrian friendliness.”
