POUGHKEEPSIE – An initiative put forth by Poughkeepsie Mayor Yvonne Flowers in her inaugural State of the City Address is moving closer to fruition. Flowers had vowed to improve the business environment and announced the city was in contract with a Queens-based restaurateur to open a gastro pub at the former Ice House at Waryas Park during her speech. On Monday, the city announced that a licensing agreement had been signed with the new operator. The restaurant is tentatively scheduled to be operational in the summer of 2024.
The city has entered into an agreement with Melanie Lemieux, operating as ESS Hospitality, to open “The Governess” in the now-vacant Ice House which has gone through several operators in the last decade. The Governess, an American-style gastropub, follows the setup of her two other establishments in New York City; The Baroness and The Huntress. Of the seven responses to the RFP issued by the city, ESS Hospitality best fit the desired use, according to a city official.
The Ice House is located in Waryas Park, at the foot of Main Street and adjacent to the Poughkeepsie Train Station, just off of the Main Street exit from Route 9. During abnormally high tides on the Hudson River, primarily during winter and spring storms, the area surrounding the structure becomes flooded, making the building all but inaccessible.
Waryas Park comprises more than eight acres of prime Hudson River waterfront and offers daily activities including a children’s playground and skate park. Several large festivals are held at the park each year and in addition, there is a boat launch, deep water pier, grills, tables, and a riverside promenade. The waterfront promenade connects Waryas Park to the Discovery Museum and Upper Landing Park to the north. At Upper Landing Park, visitors can take the elevator to the Walkway Over the Hudson, more than 200 feet above the river.
“This location is a premier spot in our city, right on the waterfront and between the Mid-Hudson Bridge and Walkway Over the Hudson,” said Mayor Flowers. “It’s such a wonderful setting, and the city needs a vibrant operator to create a destination-quality venue that caters to all residents. We believe we have found that with ESS Hospitality.”
Mayor Flowers said when selecting an operator, the city put a premium on a business that has plans to include their service with the many events that take place on the waterfront.
“Our goal is to transform Waryas Park into a prime waterfront destination for both the community and commuters.,” said Lemieux. “We are excited to bring our decades of experience in hospitality and show business to the waterfront, to create a yearlong experience of activities and festivities. We are looking forward to welcoming you to The Governess.”
A suppressed rental rate of $30,000 annually, for the first three years, is to offset improvement investments by ESS in the range of $210,000 to $230,000 to bring the facility up to the required specifications. The rent increases beginning in year four of the agreement, capping at $72,000 in year 10.
Highlights of the licensing agreement between the city and ESS Hospitality:
- The restaurant and concession stand are expected to be open from May to October each year.
- The hours of operation, at minimum, are from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
- Rent is $30,000 annually for the first three years.
- ESS Hospitality is to pay for water, sewer, sanitation, heating, and utility charges.
- The public restrooms and water fountain are to be kept open and operational for the public during business hours.
ESS Hospitality is responsible for the following repairs:
rotted out.
• Electrical panel in the office does not fit correctly and is missing fasteners.
• The detector for the fire alarm in the attic is hanging from the wires and needs to be secured.
• It was noted that a backflow test and inspection needs to be performed and a report filed.
• All the exit and emergency lights need to be inspected and tested.
• Prep sink in the kitchen is unsupported on one side.
• A Knox Box with all necessary keys is needed to allow Fire Department access in the event
of an afterhours emergency.
• A sign should be placed on the exterior door where the Fire Alarm Control Panel is located.
• All the extinguishers need to be inspected and tagged.
• The kitchen hoods are in very poor condition; there are two independent hood systems that
will both require a complete and thorough cleaning.
• The kitchen hood suppression systems need an inspection and test.
• All the appliances need deep-cleaning and some require repair as they are missing knobs.
• There needs to be a divider installed between the fryers and the cooktop.
• The fire alarm and carbon dioxide alarm needs to be inspected and tested.
• The disposal of any items being replaced shall be arranged for and paid by ESS Hospitality.
