Mayor's Message

RFEI for Two City-owned Vacant Properties Issues

DRI Business Façade Program Finalists Announced

Kingston Earth Fair on Saturday!

Lights On Kingston Will Resume Tonight

Mayor Noble's Tuesday Update

Paving & Roadwork Update

City of Kingston Job & Board/Commission Opportunities

Parks & Recreation Senior Bus Trip

Mayor's Message:

Dear Friends -

It looks like we will have beautiful weather for the Earth Fest on Saturday at TR Gallo Park. This year the City of Kingston has partnered with Clearwater, Radio Kingston, the Hudson River Maritime Museum, and many other local organizations to put on the ninth Earth Fest on the Waterfront for the first time!

There will be music, children's games, boat rides, tons of local vendors and food truck offerings. We hope residents and visitors alike will have a great time while also supporting our wonderful Kingston small businesses.

I hope to see you there!

-Steve

RFEI Issued for Two Vacant City-owned Properties

A Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) has been issued regarding the sale of two vacant City-owned properties: 38 Post St. and 20 Stephan St.

The RFEI is a preliminary step to determine the level of interest of potential purchasers for two vacant City-owned properties. The sale of City-owned surplus properties is governed by the Disposition Policy, passed by the Common Council in April 2023. The purpose of the Disposition Policy is to encourage the redevelopment of City-owned buildings and land, bring City-owned buildings and land back on the tax rolls, and encourage the development of affordable rental and homeownership housing opportunities.

“With this Request for Expressions of Interest, we are looking to get these vacant properties back into use, and invigorating their neighborhoods,” said Mayor Noble. “I encourage all interested parties to respond. We are open to any and all ideas that restore these properties, return the parcels to the tax rolls, and help them become spaces that contribute to the vibrancy of the City.”

The property at 38 Post, located in the Rondout Historic District, is a vacant warehouse with approximately 1,326 sq ft. that has been vacant since 2012. The property at 20 Stephan is a single-family home with approximately 1,100 sq ft. Tours of the properties will be given on May 23, 2023.

The RFEI can be found here. Proposals are due by June 9, 2023 at 2:00pm. Questions can be directed to Director of Housing Initiatives Bartek Starodaj at [email protected].

38 Post Street

DRI Business Façade Improvement Program

The DRI Business Façade Improvement Program will provide grants of up to $20,000 each to property or business owners to make improvements to the façade of a commercial building in Kingston’s Uptown Stockade Business District. The grantees are:

Halter Associates Realty at 89 North Front Street

Lucas Pet Supply at 30 Joys Lane

Schneider’s Jewelers at 290 Wall Street

Ulster Publishing Co. at 322 Wall Street

316 Wall Street

Multiple businesses at 318 Wall Street

Multiple businesses at 224 Fair Street

89 John Street

Multiple businesses at 48 Main Street

“We are pleased to announce the finalists for the Stockade District Business Façade Improvement Grant, funding which will help with the repair costs for projects that improve the façade of our Uptown businesses” said Mayor Noble. “One of our goals in applying for the DRI grant was to help preserve Uptown Kingston and restore the beautiful architecture and historic character that makes Kingston unique. I look forward to seeing these projects get underway, and hope that, in addition to other recent business grant opportunities, this helps our local businesses thrive well into the future.” 

The Business Façade Improvements Program was made available with funds from Kingston’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant. The program’s goal is to aid with the renovation of blighting conditions such as peeling paint, boarded up windows or windows in poor condition; signage; replacement of missing historic elements; and modification or removal of inappropriate alterations. Projects must be approved by the Kingston Planning Board and Historic Landmarks Preservation Commission/Heritage Area Commission and undergo an environmental review before being officially approved.

The City of Kingston was awarded the Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant in 2017. Funds for the Stockade Business District Small Grants Program come from the NYS Downtown Revitalization Initiative, headed by NYS Department of State and administered by NYS Homes & Community Renewal.

The applications for the program opened in February. More can be found at: www.engagekingston.com/dri-business-facade-improvement-grant-program.  

More ARPA Community Event Grants Awarded

Mayor Noble is pleased to announce the fourth round of APRA Community Events Grant Program awards for a total of $30,485 across four organizations for eight free community events.

The fourth round of ARPA Community Events Grant program funding has been awarded to:

-The Center for Photography at Woodstock ($4885) for the First Annual Kingston Photo Festival in July;

-The Ministry of Maåt ($5000) for Ione’s 28th Annual Dream Festival;

-Blauweiss Media ($12,000) for four Kingston history presentations in August;

-Old Dutch Church ($8600) two Pipe Dreams shows, Spring & Winter Solstices

“We are thrilled that Mayor Noble has chosen to support CPW’s First Annual Kingston Photo Festival,” said Brian Wallis, Executive Director of the Center for Photography at Woodstock. “As a part of the region-wide Upstate Arts Weekend, the Kingston Photo Festival will be a community celebration of photography, film, and fun. Mark your calendars for July 21-23, and join us for a big block party to celebrate the transformation of the old Van Slyke & Horton cigar factory at 25 Dederick Street into the future headquarters of the Center for Photography at Woodstock.”

“The Ministry of Maåt is grateful to receive this ARPA Community Events Award from the City of Kingston for IONE’s 28th Annual Dream Festival. We are so pleased to be able to honor the dreams of the wonderful city of Kingston; knowing that their deep creativity continues to surface throughout our community. We have been privileged to create the Dream Festival for 28 years now and we are delighted to have this support for the resulting fun and cutting edge visual and sonic arts, theatre arts, film, literature, dance and more.”  

“Blauweiss Media is honored to be selected to present four multimedia history events this year. We are thrilled to continue to share our region’s rich history and hundreds of rare photographs in a fun and engaging manner with audiences of all ages. We have a wide variety of subjects to present this year and look forward to seeing everyone at these free events. Thanks to the City of Kingston for supporting our efforts,” -Stephen Blauweiss, historian/filmmaker.

The ARPA Community Events Grant awarded to Old Dutch Church allows us the opportunity to share our space and build community around the arts and culture. The free Pipe Dreams events welcome all ages to enjoy an immersive sound and visual journey. If you want to experience the awesome sound of the pipe organ and don't want to attend church to do it, these organ and light show events are for you. I believe that it is through group experiences that we grow stronger communities,” said Robert Sweeney, Pastor at Old Dutch Church.

The 2023 Community Events Grant Program is made possible with Federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Funding is available for events taking place through the end of December 2023. Applications will be accepted through Friday, November 1, 2023.

More information, a list of eligible expenses, and the application can be found at: www.engagekingston.com/arpa-community-events-grant-program. 

Mayor Noble Tuesday Update

Mayor Noble's Tuesday radio show is on hiatus during the campaign season, but in its place, he will be doing a weekly update on Facebook Live each Tuesday to give brief update on the latest news.

This week, Mayor Noble talked about upcoming paving and housing initiatives. Click below to hear the update.

Kingston Earth Fair on Saturday!

The Ninth Annual Earth Fair will be held this Saturday, May 13, 2023, from 10:00am to 5:00pm at T.R Gallo Park on the Kingston Waterfront.

This free, family City of Kingston event is hosted in partnership with Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Hudson River Maritime Museum, Radio Kingston, Live Well Kingston, Climate Smart Kingston, Bike Friendly Kingston, Catskill Mountain Keeper, Friends of Forsyth Nature Center, and New Yorkers for Clean Power, and will feature performances by Mid-Hudson Juggling Club, Percussion Orchestra of Kingston and Uptown Lowdown.

Live music performances will include Taína Asili, David & Jacob Bernz, Betty & the Baby Boomers, Tom Chapin, Reggie Harris, Lara Hope & the Ark-tones, The Mammals, Jay Ungar & Molly Mason, Maria y Mateo, Piedmont Bluz, The Slambovian Circus of Dreams and The Ulsterados.

The 2023 Earth Fair will also feature kid’s activities and games, face painting, a solar-powered merry-go-round, and free Solaris boat rides and Clearwater tours. Food vendors will include Reggae Boy Café, Gab’s Veg Table, and Urugula, as well as root beer floats from Keegan Ales.

At the Earth Day Exchange, attendees can swap used clothes, toys, books, or household goods. The City will be collecting electronic waste such as computers and televisions and offering refrigerants collection - free disposal of old refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers, or air conditioners. 

The Kingston Earth Fair is free and open to all, and is made possible by our generous sponsors: Coldwell Banker and Village Green Realty, RYCOR Heating and Cooling, Keegan Ales, Ulster Savings Bank, Hot Water Solutions, Herzog’s, Ulster Federal Credit Union, New York State Solar Farm, and Wallkill Valley Federal Savings and Loan Association.

For more information visit www.kingston-ny.gov/earthfair. 

Lights On Kingston Will Resume Tonight

The City of Kingston and Ulster County are happy to announce that Lights On Kingston will return tonight, Friday, May 12 at a new location: the Rondout Neighborhood Center, from 6:00pm to 8:30pm.

The County and City have partnered with One Strike Fitness, a Kingston-based fitness organization to provide staffing. Youth will have access to an indoor gym, outdoor basketball court, playground, arts & crafts room, and much more. Food and refreshments will be provided.

At this point, the program is only accepting previously registered participants.

County Executive Jen Metzger and Mayor Noble at Lights On Kingston

Paving & Roadwork Next Week

The next round of paving will be Main Street from Washington Avenue to Grandview Avenue, Valentine Court from Valentine Avenue to the dead end, and Valentine Avenue from Pearl Street to the dead end. Milling is expected to begin Tuesday, May 16. Paving is expected to begin Thursday, May 18, weather depending. 

Central Hudson: Gas main installation will continue next week on Fair Street between Main Street and Pearl Street, on Main Street between Clinton Avenue and Wall Street, and on Clinton Ave between Main St and Pearl St. with road closures and detours.

Henry Street Safe Routes to School Project: the old concrete sidewalks are being removed, underground utilities are being repaired and/or replaced, and old lead lines are being removed and replaced with copper as they are discovered.

Regular roadwork updates can be found here.

Sidewalk removal on Henry Street this week

City of Kingston Job & Board/Commission Opportunities

The City of Kingston has the following full-time job openings: Motor Equipment Mechanic, Motor Equipment Operator, and Skilled Laborer at the Parks & Recreation Department.

Upcoming Civil Service exams:

Office Assistant - June 3, 2023

Office Assistant - Promotional - June 3, 2023

Assessment Data Collector - June 10, 2023

Deputy Assessor- June 10, 2023

Personnel Clerk- June 10, 2023

Water Treatment Laboratory Technician - June 24, 2023

More information about job openings and exams is available at kingston-ny.gov/employment.

The City of Kingston has over 25 boards & commissions, and we're always looking for volunteers to serve the community. Currently the Kingston City Land Bank is looking for Board Members.

Help the KCLB continue to fulfill their mission of placing vacant and abandoned properties back on the tax rolls. The KCLB actively works to create affordable, first-time homebuyer opportunities in the City of Kingston, and currently has 5 homes under construction and many more in the pipeline. 

Board members must be residents of the City of Kingston. For a full description of KCLB Board member duties and responsibilities, and to apply, see here.

Application link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KingstonBoards.

Parks & Recreation Senior Bus Trip